Rodent Control and Rat Exterminators in Bakersfield

If you are finding droppings in the pantry, hearing scratching in the attic at night, or seeing a rat run along the back fence, here is how to tell which rodent you have, what works, what California law now allows, and how to clean up droppings without putting your family at risk.

Which rodent do you have?

The UC Statewide IPM Program says both rat species are present in almost all cities across California. They live differently, so the fix is different.

Rodent	What it looks like	Where it lives
Roof rat	Sleek, 5 to 10 ounces, tail longer than head and body combined	Up high: trees, dense shrubs, ivy, attics, wall voids, cabinets
Norway rat	Stocky, 7 to 18 ounces, blunt muzzle, ears that do not reach the eyes when folded	Down low: burrows along foundations, under woodpiles, ground floors
House mouse	5 to 7 inches long including a 3 to 4 inch tail, about 1/2 ounce, gray to light brown	Indoors close to food; usually stays within about 30 feet of its nest

Noises in the attic point to roof rats. Indoors, UC IPM says they favor attics and wall voids. Cabinets are on that list too. UC IPM notes that roof rats favor fruit and nuts. They eat citrus and avocados right off the tree and will travel 300 feet or more for food. Climbing ivy on a wall or fence is a roof rat highway. House mice, per UC IPM, leave droppings, fresh gnaw marks and shredded-paper nests, and a musky smell in long-running infestations.

If you saw the animal or have a picture of the droppings, a photo helps a technician tell you what you have.

Exclusion: the part that actually ends it

UC IPM calls exclusion "the most successful and permanent form of house mouse control," and the same logic applies to rats. The numbers that matter:

• House mice can squeeze under a gap 1/4 inch tall and through openings 3/8 inch wide.
• Young rats can get under a door with a 1/2-inch gap.
• UC IPM says to seal all holes larger than 1/4 inch to keep out both rats and mice.
• Use 1/2-inch hardware mesh on vents, not chicken wire, which UC IPM says rats can pass through.
• Steel wool is only a temporary plug. Rodents chew through foam and wood. They chew through plastic screening too.

Roof rats climb, so the inspection has to cover rooflines and attic vents as well as the foundation. It also has to cover the places where pipes and wires enter high on the wall. Trim trees and ivy back from the roof. Pick up fallen fruit, and do not leave pet food or open trash outside overnight.

Older homes usually have more gaps to close. In East Bakersfield's 93305, 79% of homes were built before 1980, and in 93304 it is 76%, per Census figures on our Kern County pest data page.

A good rodent inspection maps every entry point before anyone sets a trap.

Traps vs bait

UC IPM describes snap traps as "the safest, most effective, and most economical way to trap rats," and calls trapping the preferred method for mice in homes and garages. Set traps along walls for Norway rats and mice, up high on beams and shelves for roof rats, about 10 to 20 feet apart for rats. Keep traps where children and pets cannot reach them, or inside a trap box.

I would skip glue boards. UC IPM says they are hard to use and not recommended for nonprofessionals, can endanger cats and dogs indoors, and should never be used outdoors because other wildlife gets stuck.

Poison bait inside the house is a bad idea even where it is legal. UC IPM notes that baits take several days to work, and because mice stay close to their nests, they often die inside walls, which creates odor problems. Seal entry points before any outdoor baiting so poisoned rats do not die indoors. Relocating live house mice off the property without a Department of Fish and Wildlife permit is also illegal in California, per UC IPM.

California's rodenticide rules

Most anticoagulant rat poisons can no longer be used around homes in California:

• AB 1788, signed September 29, 2020, prohibited most uses of four second-generation anticoagulants starting January 1, 2021, including residential use, per the Department of Pesticide Regulation:
  • brodifacoum
  • bromadiolone
  • difenacoum
  • difethialone
• AB 2552 extended the prohibition to the first-generation anticoagulants chlorophacinone and warfarin starting January 1, 2025. DPR's guidance lists residential and home uses as prohibited, with narrow exemptions such as vector control districts, some agricultural sites and declared public health emergencies. Violations can bring civil penalties of up to $25,000 per day, per DPR.
• Under AB 1788, DPR says the second-generation prohibition stays in place until DPR completes its reevaluation of those products and certifies that the conditions in the law are met.

UC IPM lists three active ingredients registered for rat control in California:

• bromethalin
• cholecalciferol
• zinc phosphide, which is a restricted-use material

Since 2011, federal rules limit retail rat baits to blocks, gels or pastes in disposable bait stations. If a company proposes poison around your home, ask which active ingredient it is and why traps and sealing are not enough.

Pets and secondary poisoning

UC IPM warns that a rat killed by anticoagulant bait can carry several lethal doses, and that "exposure to even a single dead rodent might be enough to poison a pet." It also notes that secondary poisoning from bromethalin is a newer concern. Most pet deaths involve dogs eating bait directly. If you have kids or pets, that is a strong reason to build the plan around traps and exclusion.

Cleaning up droppings safely

In California, the California Department of Public Health says Sin Nombre hantavirus is spread by deer mice, which live throughout the state, with about 3 infections reported a year. House mice carry other diseases. UC IPM lists leptospirosis and salmonella. It also lists lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Clean every rodent mess as if it matters. The CDC steps:

1. Open doors and windows and leave the area for 30 minutes before cleaning.
2. Wear rubber or plastic gloves.
3. Do not sweep or vacuum the mess. That includes urine and nests as well as droppings. Sweeping or vacuuming puts virus-carrying particles in the air.
4. Soak the mess with a fresh mix of 1 1/2 cups of household bleach per gallon of water (1 part bleach to 9 parts water), or an EPA-registered disinfectant, and let it sit 5 minutes or as the label says.
5. Wipe it up with paper towels. Bag the towels and throw them out. Wash gloved hands, remove the gloves, then wash bare hands with soap and warm water.

For heavy infestations, such as a long-closed garage or attic full of droppings, CDC calls for coveralls and goggles, plus a respirator with HEPA filters. That is a job I would hand to a professional.

If rats or mice are running through the living space, or you have found a large nest or droppings near food, do not wait on it.

What rodent control costs

This Old House (updated March 2026) publishes these national ranges: rat extermination generally $395 to $1,500 or more; small infestations $176 to $613; professional trapping $50 to $250; exclusion work $200 to $600. These are not our quotes. Ask for a quote before any treatment, and ask whether sealing and follow-up trap checks are included. More prices are in our pest control cost guide.

Getting help

We only refer companies licensed by the California Structural Pest Control Board, and you can verify a license yourself. If you are also seeing fleas or cockroaches, mention it during the inspection so one visit covers everything.