Burrows
Holes in soil, tree beds and cracks in concrete, often beside fences and bins.
Rodent Control
Rat Control in NYC
Rats in New York are usually a ground line problem first: burrows, garbage and cracks. Control starts with an inspection outside and in, then reduces activity and closes the ways in.
Short answerRat control in NYC means inspecting the property, finding burrows, entry points and what draws rats, then trapping or controlling the animals, closing the ways in and cleaning up. Each step is scoped from what the inspection finds.
What Rat Activity Looks Like
The Health Department lists burrows, droppings, and gnaw and rub marks as the main evidence, and treats conditions that support rats, such as loose garbage and clutter, as part of the same problem.
Droppings
Larger and blunter than mouse droppings. Fresh ones look moist and dark.
Gnaw Marks
On garbage cans, wood, boxes and door edges. Rats gnaw constantly.
Rub Marks
Greasy smears along walls, pipes and the runways they reuse.
Noise and Odor
Scratching in ceilings and walls, and a musty, ammonia smell.
Why Rats Settle at a Property
Rats look for food, water, shelter and safe ways to travel. In New York that usually comes down to garbage that is not in sealed containers, clutter stacked against walls, overgrown planting, and cracks in foundations, sidewalks and doors. Take away those conditions and a property becomes less attractive. It does not remove rats already there. See the rat prevention guide for the full list.
- Sealed garbage and cleared clutter
- Cracks at foundations and doors closed
- Burrows found and dealt with properly
Where We Look During a Rat Inspection
Rat work starts outside and at the ground line, then moves in.
- Exterior and ground lineBurrows, cracks in concrete, gaps at the foundation, areaway and cellar doors, drains, and how garbage is stored and set out.
- Basements, cellars and utility roomsPipe and utility penetrations, old openings, boiler rooms, laundry and storage rooms, and trash rooms.
- Building structureGaps around doors, vents, wall and floor junctions, and shared walls with neighbors.
- Conditions that support ratsFood waste, standing water, stored materials against walls, and harborage in yards and tree beds.
How Rat Control Works
The plan comes from the inspection, not from a template. Depending on what is found, the work can include trapping, tamper resistant stations placed where pets and children cannot reach, burrow closure, exclusion of entry points, sanitation and follow up visits.
Poisons that kill rats should be applied by an NYS licensed pest management professional, according to the Health Department. In commercial and multi unit properties, owners are legally required to hire a professional. A homeowner with no tenants may place bait, but the Health Department recommends leaving it to professionals.
Burrows need proper closure. The Health Department notes that covering a burrow entrance with wood, cinder blocks or rocks will not keep rats out.
Treatment without exclusion tends to fail. If the ways in stay open, new rats arrive. See rodent exclusion and entry point sealing.
Rat Control by Property Type
Brownstones and townhouses
Cellars, areaways and old masonry are the usual routes.
Multifamily buildings
Trash rooms, basements and common areas need one plan for the whole building.
Restaurants and food businesses
Waste handling, deliveries and back doors decide most cases.
What You Can Do Right Now
- Keep garbage in hard containers with tight lids and put it out close to pickup time.
- Clear clutter, boxes and stored materials away from walls and off the ground.
- Trim planting near the building so it does not shelter burrows.
- Do not feed birds or other animals outside.
- Note where you see droppings, holes or rub marks and take dated photos.
What not to do: do not block a burrow with rocks or wood, and do not put chemicals or broken glass into it. If you rent, tell the owner or managing agent in writing, and see the tenant guide and 311 guide.
Cost and Timing
Cost depends on how far activity has spread, how many burrows and entry points there are, how much sanitation is involved, how easy the property is to reach and how many visits are needed. Timing depends on the same things, so we do not promise a number of days. Read the cost guide.
Is It Rats or Mice?
Size and droppings usually settle it, and the answer changes the plan. Read rat vs. mouse to compare, or go straight to mouse control.
Not sure what you are dealing with? An inspection finds the source and sets the scope.
Questions and Answers
What are signs of rats in a basement?
Look for droppings along walls and near stored food, gnaw marks on wood, boxes and wiring, greasy rub marks along baseboards and pipes, shredded nesting material, and burrows or holes near the foundation. Scratching at night and a musty ammonia smell are other clues. Fresh droppings look moist and dark, old ones look dry and crumbly.
How do I recognize a rat burrow?
Rat burrows are holes in soil or in cracks in concrete and foundations, often near garbage, fences, tree beds and building edges, with smooth worn edges and little debris. Rats reuse the same paths, so worn runways are another clue. Covering a burrow entrance with wood, cinder blocks or rocks will not keep rats out, according to the Health Department.
How can rats get into a brownstone?
Common routes are cracks in the foundation, gaps around pipes and utility lines, cellar doors that do not seal, areaway drains and openings where the building meets the sidewalk. Older masonry settles, and past repairs often left gaps. A rat needs far less room than most owners expect, so the inspection looks at the whole ground line, not one wall.
Can I handle rodents myself?
A homeowner with no tenants can place bait, but the Health Department recommends leaving it to professionals, and poisons that kill rats should be applied by an NYS licensed pest management professional. Owners of commercial and multi unit properties are legally required to hire one. Do it yourself work also tends to skip the entry points, which is why problems return.
What attracts rats to a building?
Food, water, shelter and safe ways to move around. In practice that means garbage that is not in sealed containers, clutter and stored materials against walls, overgrown planting, and cracks or holes in foundations, sidewalks and doors. Removing those conditions makes a property less attractive, but rats already present still need to be dealt with.
What does rodent control cost in NYC?
It depends on what the inspection finds. Price follows the species, how far activity has spread, how many entry points need work, how hard the building is to reach, how much cleanup is involved and how many visits the job needs. A single mouse in a studio and a rat problem behind a multifamily building are different jobs, so a flat number would mislead you.
Related pages
Rodent Inspection
Where every rodent job starts.
Rodent Exclusion
Finding and closing the openings rodents use.
Rodent Sanitation & Cleanup
Cleaning droppings, nests and contamination.
Rat Burrows
Recognizing burrows and what not to do.
New York City
All five boroughs.