Around Washington
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 Washington
Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.
Rodents in Washington: 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 Washington: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which rodents actually live in Washington, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
1 to 5; about 1 in 3 diagnosed have died
Hantavirus cases per year
Infected deer mice live throughout the state.
Washington State Department of Health6 to 10 young after about 3 weeks gestation; breed at 3-4 months
Rat litter size
Old World rats are not regulated; killing is unrestricted.
WDFW1/4 inch, chewed larger
Rat entry hole
Footprint about 1/2 inch long; incisors grow 5 inches a year.
WDFWRodent species recorded in Washington
- 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.
- Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) — Primary U.S. hantavirus carrier; lives throughout Washington and the interior West.
When rodents are busiest in Washington
Year-round; roof rats in Puget Sound attics.
Rules that apply in Washington
For context, nationally
Sources: Hantavirus; WDFW; CDC; Pest Notes: House Mouse; Pest Notes: Rats. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
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