Straight answers to the questions we get asked the most. No sales pitch — just what you need to know about mice, rats, and rodent control at 6,225 feet in the Sierra Nevada.

How much does rodent control cost in South Lake Tahoe?

One-time rodent removal starts at $199 — that includes the inspection, trapping, and 2 follow-up visits. Removal plus full exclusion (sealing every entry point) starts at $349. Monthly protection plans run $49 to $59 a month. Attic cleanup is a custom quote. Your exact price depends on your home’s size, how bad the infestation is, and how many entry points need sealing. We give you the real number after the free inspection.

How fast can you get to my house?

Same day or next day for most South Lake Tahoe appointments. Call before noon and we can usually be there that afternoon. Active infestations in living spaces — mice running across the kitchen, scratching in bedroom walls — get priority.

What rodents are actually common here at 6,225 feet?

Deer mice are #1. They’re native to the Sierra Nevada, they’re everywhere, and they’re the main carrier of Hantavirus. House mice are common around homes and garages. Norway rats are uncommon but possible near the lake shoreline and the Tahoe Keys canals. Roof rats are rare at this elevation — they live in coastal areas, valleys, and lower Sierra foothills. If you’re hearing scratching at night, it’s almost always deer mice or house mice.

I heard scratching in my attic. Do I have roof rats?

Probably not. That’s the honest answer. Roof rats are rare at 6,225 feet. Nine times out of ten, scratching in a South Lake Tahoe attic is deer mice or house mice. We confirm the species during the free inspection, because the treatment plan depends on what’s actually up there.

Are your treatments safe around kids and pets?

Yes. Interior treatment is snap traps in secured locations — attics, wall voids, behind appliances. Exterior bait stations are locked boxes placed around the perimeter that kids, dogs, and cats can’t open. We never place loose poison inside a house. Not a chance.

What if the rodents come back after treatment?

We come back and handle it at no cost. That’s our Rodent-Free Guarantee. On a monthly protection plan, exclusion work carries a 12-month warranty — if rodents get back in through anything we sealed, we fix it free.

How long does it take to get rid of the rodents?

Most homes see a big drop in activity within 7 to 14 days. Full elimination — trapping, monitoring, and exclusion — takes 2 to 4 weeks. Severe infestations, like a second home that’s been vacant all winter, can take up to 60 days. But you’ll see real progress within 30 days.

Why do I get mice every fall?

Because you’re at 6,225 feet in the Sierra Nevada. Heavy snow from October through March drives rodents indoors. When the first snow hits — usually October — every mouse within range rushes for the nearest warm house. It’s not about how clean your home is. It’s the elevation and the climate.

My cabin is a second home and sits empty for months. What should I do?

Get a full exclusion before winter. Mice move in during the first snowstorm and breed for months while nobody’s watching. By spring, a small problem is a full infestation. We recommend sealing every entry point in late summer or early fall, and a monthly protection plan means someone is checking the property on a schedule. We also do pre-winter inspections for second homeowners.

Can I just buy traps from the hardware store?

You can try. But traps in the wrong spot sit untouched for weeks — mice run along edges and follow the same path every night. Professional placement follows the rub marks, droppings, and gnaw patterns. And even if you catch a few, without sealing the entry points, more show up within weeks. Up here, the first snowstorm sends a whole new wave toward your house.

Is it safe to clean up mouse droppings myself?

Handle them with care. Deer mice — the most common mouse up here — carry Hantavirus, and the virus can be in droppings, urine, and nesting material. Never sweep or vacuum droppings dry; that can push virus particles into the air. Wear a mask and gloves, soak everything with disinfectant, let it sit, then wipe it up. Or call us — we do cleanup with the right protective gear and commercial-grade disinfectant.

Do rodents really cause house fires?

Yes. Their teeth grow 4 to 5 inches per year, and they have to gnaw constantly to keep them filed down. When they strip insulation off electrical wiring in your attic, exposed wires can arc and ignite the wood and insulation around them. It’s one of the leading causes of unexplained house fires in California. In a cabin that’s vacant all winter, nobody’s around to catch it early.

What do I do about a dead animal smell?

Call us. A dead mouse in a wall void or under insulation smells for weeks, and it gets worse in a warm house. We locate the source, remove it, and sanitize the area. Don’t wait — the smell won’t fix itself, and decomposing rodents attract flies and other pests.

Do you seal houses in the winter when there’s snow on the ground?

We work year-round, but heavy snow limits what we can reach. Roofline and exterior exclusion go better when the snow clears. If you’ve got an active problem in winter, we trap first and schedule the full exclusion as soon as we can get to everything safely.

Will exclusion work on my pier-foundation cabin?

Yes. Pier-foundation cabins are one of our most common jobs. We screen the pier vents with hardware cloth, seal the skirting gaps, and close every penetration under the floor. An open pier foundation is the easiest mouse entry in Tahoe — and one of the most satisfying to seal.

Do you handle commercial properties and vacation rentals?

Yes. We work with restaurants, retail, property managers, and vacation rental owners in South Lake Tahoe. We set up recurring plans with documentation, and we offer priority response for active problems in guest-occupied rentals.

Still Have a Question? Get a Free Inspection.

The fastest way to get an answer about your specific situation is to have us take a look. The inspection is free, takes about 45 minutes, and you get a written report with photos.