McAllen Rodent Control Services

Getting Rid of Rats and Mice in McAllen Homes

Hearing scratching in your walls at night? Finding droppings in your pantry or garage? You’ve got rodents. And here’s the thing—rats and mice don’t just show up and leave on their own. They’re in your house because they found food, water, and shelter. Until those conditions change, they’re staying.

Colco Pest and Weed Control handles rodent problems the right way—trapping, exclusion, and prevention. We don’t just throw poison in your attic and hope for the best. We find where they’re getting in, eliminate the current population, and seal things up so new ones can’t move in.

Free Inspection: Call us at 956-777-6328. We’ll figure out what you’re dealing with and what it’ll take to fix it.

Common Rodents in McAllen

Roof Rats (Black Rats): These are the most common problem in McAllen. They’re excellent climbers, live in attics and upper levels, and travel along power lines and tree branches. They’re 12-16 inches long including the tail and prefer fruit, nuts, and grains.

Norway Rats (Brown Rats): Less common in residential areas but show up in commercial properties and older structures. They’re bigger and bulkier than roof rats, live at ground level or in burrows, and are more aggressive. You’ll find them in basements, crawl spaces, and ground-level storage areas.

House Mice: Small, 5-7 inches including tail, and can squeeze through openings the size of a dime. They live inside walls, cabinets, and storage areas. One female can have 5-10 litters per year with 5-6 babies each time—that’s 30-60 mice from one mouse in 12 months.

Why McAllen Has Rodent Problems

Mild Winters: Rats and mice don’t die off when it gets cold because it never really gets cold here. They breed year-round, which means populations build continuously without natural die-offs.

Older Homes with Entry Points: Homes built before 2000 often have gaps around pipes, vents, and utility lines. Roof rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter. Mice? A dime. If you can fit a pencil through a gap, a mouse can get through.

Fruit Trees and Gardens: Citrus trees, palm trees dropping seeds, vegetable gardens—these provide natural food sources. Rats will climb a grapefruit tree and live in your attic while feeding in your yard.

Palm Trees: Roof rats LOVE palm trees. The dense fronds provide perfect nesting spots, and they travel along the trunks to access rooflines.

Bird Feeders and Pet Food: Leaving dog food outside overnight? Bird seed scattered on the ground? You’re feeding rodents, not just birds and pets.

Cluttered Storage Areas: Garages full of boxes, sheds packed with stuff, storage areas with stacked materials—these give rodents hiding spots and nesting sites.

Proximity to Commercial Areas: Properties near restaurants, grocery stores, or agricultural processing facilities deal with higher rodent pressure. Those commercial populations spill over into residential neighborhoods.

Signs You Have Rodents

Droppings: Rat droppings are about 3/4 inch long, dark brown/black, and shaped like grains of rice. Mouse droppings are smaller, about 1/4 inch, and pointed at the ends. Fresh droppings are soft and shiny; old ones are dry and crumbly.

Gnaw Marks: Rats gnaw constantly to keep their teeth from growing too long. Look for gnaw marks on wood, plastic pipes, electrical wires, and food packages.

Scratching Noises: Most active at night. You’ll hear scratching, running, or thumping sounds in walls, attics, or ceilings.

Grease Marks: Rats travel the same paths repeatedly and leave dark, greasy smudges along walls, pipes, and rafters where their fur rubs against surfaces.

Nests: Shredded paper, insulation, fabric, or plant material gathered in hidden areas—attics, inside walls, behind appliances, or in storage boxes.

Urine Odor: A strong, musky ammonia smell means you’ve got a serious rodent population. The smell gets stronger in enclosed spaces.

Seeing One: Rats and mice are nocturnal. If you see one during the day, you’ve got a major infestation. It means the population is so large they’re competing for resources and active outside normal hours.

How We Handle Rodent Problems

Step 1: Thorough Inspection (30-45 minutes) We check your entire property—attic, garage, exterior, landscape, utility penetrations, and potential entry points. We’re looking for active rodent signs, entry points, nesting areas, and food sources.

Step 2: Trap Placement We use snap traps and live traps depending on the situation and location. Poison has problems—rodents can die inside walls and create odor issues, plus it poses risks to pets and wildlife. Trapping gives us control over where rodents die and allows us to remove them.

Step 3: Entry Point Identification We identify how rodents are getting in. Common entry points include:

• Gaps around pipe penetrations
• Vents without proper screening
• Roof line gaps where fascia meets the roof
• Gaps under doors
• Holes where utility lines enter the structure
• Damaged roof vents
• Gaps in brick mortar
• Open weep holes

Step 4: Exclusion Work This is the most important step. We seal entry points using materials rodents can’t chew through—steel wool, copper mesh, metal flashing, and concrete. If we don’t seal entry points, new rodents will just move in after we trap the current ones.

Step 5: Sanitation Recommendations We’ll tell you what’s attracting rodents and what needs to change. Pet food storage, fruit tree maintenance, trash management, yard clutter—we give you specific recommendations for your property.

Step 6: Follow-Up Visits We check traps, monitor for new activity, and adjust our approach based on results. Rodent control usually takes 2-4 weeks depending on population size.

Why Poison Isn’t Always the Answer

A lot of people want us to “just put out poison and be done with it.” Here’s why that’s not always the best approach:

Dead Rodents in Walls: Poisoned rodents often crawl into walls or attics to die. In McAllen’s heat, decomposition happens fast and the smell is unbearable. It can last for weeks.

Secondary Poisoning Risk: Pets and wildlife (owls, hawks, cats) can be poisoned by eating rodents that have consumed poison.

Doesn’t Address Entry Points: Poison kills the current rodents but does nothing to prevent new ones from moving in.

Resistance Issues: Some rodent populations develop resistance to common rodenticides, making them less effective over time.

We use poison in specific situations—exterior bait stations, agricultural properties, severe infestations in controlled areas. But for most residential situations, trapping and exclusion work better.

What Happens If You Ignore the Problem

Rodents don’t just leave on their own. Here’s what happens if you don’t deal with them:

Structural Damage: Rats gnaw on wood beams, roof decking, and structural supports. Over time, this weakens your home’s structure.

Electrical Fire Risk: Rodents chew on electrical wiring, stripping insulation and creating fire hazards. Insurance companies have denied claims because rodent damage showed negligence.

Insulation Destruction: Rodents compress and soil attic insulation, reducing its R-value and increasing your energy bills.

Health Risks: Rodent urine and droppings carry diseases—hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonella. The dust from dried droppings becomes airborne and can be inhaled.

Population Explosion: One pair of mice can produce 60+ offspring in a year. The problem gets exponentially worse the longer you wait.

Realistic Expectations

Timeline: Most rodent problems take 2-4 weeks to resolve with active trapping and exclusion work Cost: Depends on severity, entry point repairs needed, and property size Guarantee: We guarantee our exclusion work, but if your property has conditions attracting rodents (fruit trees, pet food outside, etc.), you need to address those too

Rio Grande Valley Areas We Serve

• Rio Grande Valley (all areas)
• Mission
• Edinburg
• Pharr
• Palmview
• Sharyland
• And surrounding Rio Grande Valley communities

Get Your Rodent Problem Solved

Call Colco at 956-777-6328 to schedule your free inspection. We’ll figure out what you’re dealing with, how they’re getting in, and what it’ll take to fix it for good.

No runaround, no gimmicks—just honest rodent control that actually works.