Around North Carolina
Conditions vary across the state. Choose your city below, then describe what’s happening around your home or business.
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Local rodent information
Rodent control in North Carolina
Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.
Rodents in North Carolina: what to know
What to note
Where you see rodents, how long it has been going on, and anything you’ve already tried are the most useful details to mention.
A useful next step
Ask about an inspection, what treatment would involve, and whether follow-up visits are included. You don’t need to identify the problem yourself before getting in touch.
Local research
Rodents in North Carolina: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which rodents actually live in North Carolina, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
30 to 50
Droppings a rat leaves per day
Pellets run roughly 1/2 to 3/4 inch, which is how NC State separates rat activity from mouse activity.
NC State Extension1/4 inch for juveniles, 1/2 inch for adults
Gap size that admits rats
Seal to the quarter-inch standard or young rats still get in.
NC State ExtensionUp to a week
Time before rats start hitting new traps
Check traps daily; rats are wary of new objects in established runways.
NC State ExtensionRodent species recorded in North Carolina
- House mouse (Mus musculus) — Enters at 1/4 inch; 5-10 litters per year; eats about 200 small meals a night.
- Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) — Burrowing rat of basements, sewers and ground floors; tail shorter than head plus body.
- Roof rat (Rattus rattus) — Climber of attics and trees in warm and coastal regions; tail longer than head plus body.
NC State's structure-invading rat guide covers both the Norway rat and the roof rat.
For context, nationally
Sources: NC State Extension; CDC; Pest Notes: House Mouse; Pest Notes: Rats. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Explore North Carolina cities
Apex
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Asheville
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Burlington
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Cary
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Chapel Hill
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Charlotte
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Concord
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Durham
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Fayetteville
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Gastonia
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Greensboro
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Greenville
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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High Point
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Holly Springs
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Huntersville
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Jacksonville
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Mooresville
Humid Subtropical · suburban setting
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Raleigh
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Wilmington
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Winston-Salem
Humid Subtropical · urban setting
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Goldsboro
Humid Subtropical · rural setting
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