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We are Santa Cruz Wildlife Control, and we solve conflicts between people and wild animals. From squirrels in your attic, to raccoons in your trash, to bats, rats, birds, and snakes, we do it all. We specialize in safe and effective solutions to California critter problems. We service the greater Santa Cruz region, and we offer fast service - we can usually schedule a same-day appointment. Give us a call at 831-272-0559 any time, 24/7, and we will discuss your unique wild animal problem, and give you a free price quote over the phone. We're ready to take your call now!

Our service range: We service San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Monterey County, San Benito County, and more. We also service Capitola, Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Amesti, Brookedale, Interlaken, Paradise Park, Twin Lakes, Aptos, Corralitos, La Selva Beach, Pastatiempo, Zayante, Davenport, Live Oak, Pleasure Point, Ben Lomond, Day Valley, Lompico, Rio Del Mar, Bonny Doon, Felton, Mount Hermon, Sea Cliff, Boulder Creek, Freedom, Pajaro Dunes, Soquel and more.

Santa Cruz Wildlife Education: How To Find And Remove A Dead Rodent

In many cases, you won’t know that there is a dead rodent somewhere in your home until you begin to smell it. If you are lucky enough to know a rodent has died somewhere before the smell gets too bad, you will have an easier job of cleaning up afterwards and removing the scent. It will, however, be harder to figure out where the dead rodent is. There are plenty of reasons there may be dead rodents in your home. It may have died by natural causes or you may have chosen poison as your control method. Generally speaking, experts suggest methods other than poison because the rodents will suffer for several days while dying and find a nice, quiet, hidden spot to die, making them harder to remove.



Hire A Professional
No matter the reason for a dead rodent in your home, you need to find and remove it as soon as possible. Your best option is to hire a professional with experience locating dead animals in ceilings, walls, attics, and other nooks and crannies within your home. They will be able to use this experience to their advantage, making it much easier to find the rodent in a timely manner.

Search For The Scent
The easiest and most effective way of finding a dead rodent is using your nose. While your entire home will probably smell bad if there is a dead rodent somewhere, the scent will be more concentrated close to the rodent. The average person will only be able to tell where the scent is the worst and this gives you a general idea of the rodent’s location. Professionals, however, can get a closer idea. They will also rely on their knowledge of air flow and architecture. Some professionals can even tell things like the type of rodent and how long it has been dead for based on the smell.

Think About Sounds And Other Signs
While scent is the main clue for finding dead rodents prior to removing them, there are other hints as well. If you remember hearing sounds like those associated with rodents chewing, nesting, or running around, then start the search close to where those sounds occurred. The dead rodent is most likely in the same area it stayed when it was alive. In cases where you don’t remember hearing anything, you can also look for subtle hints of where the rodent got in and out of your home and follow the entrance. Check for rodent waste or grease by potential entrances.

Specific Tips For Attics
It tends to be a bit harder to find dead rodents in the attic compared to walls and ceilings, provided that they aren’t in plain sight. This is because attics tend to have more drafts and better airflow, which makes the scent harder to find. If the dead rodent is in the attic, you will want to figure out where in the house the smell is the worst. Then, use that knowledge to look at the corresponding area of the attic and find the rodent.

Specific Tips For Walls Or Ceilings
The process for finding and removing a dead rodent tends to be very similar for walls and ceilings. You will start by using your nose to figure out about where the animal is. Most of the time, rodents will be at the bottom of walls unless there is a stud or other area for them to rest on in the middle. If you are lucky, you will be able to reach the dead rodent through a well or similar opening in the attic. Most of the time, however, you will have to cut a hole in the wall to take out the animal. Follow the same procedure for ceilings; get a stepladder and find where the scent is the strongest. Finally, cut a hole and take out the rodent.

Sanitize The Area
Before you seal up the hole in the wall or ceiling that you made to get the rodent, be sure to sanitize it. This will give you a head start on getting rid of the smell and also prevent the spread of germs. Put on some heavy-duty gloves, grab a mask, and clean up any maggots that are there. Remember that rodents can carry disease so it is crucial to clean the area. Search for a disinfectant that says it will break down the organic matter left behind by the rat, such as any waste and liquids associated with the rotting carcass. A good amount of the odor removal for a dead rodent will be properly cleaning up the area. You can try to air out the area by opening the windows as well. If you don’t want to deal with the cleaning process following removing a dead rodent, you can hire someone to take care of it for you. Some rodent removal companies will do this as part of the service. If they don’t, they should be able to recommend a company to hire.

Previous Education Articles
What is the best brand of cage trap?
How to keep wild Santa Cruz animals out from under a shed or porch.
Do Santa Cruz Snakes Live In Holes?
Is Santa Cruz opossum feces dangerous to touch or breathe?