Can I use poison for mice in my Toronto house?

We recommend traps first. Poisoned mice die inside walls creating odour issues. Poison also risks secondary exposure to pets and children. Snap traps are faster, cleaner, and more targeted.

Why more rats during Toronto construction?

Excavation destroys burrow networks. Displaced rats move to adjacent properties. Exclusion is the most effective defense during nearby construction.

How to keep mice out permanently?

Exclusion — sealing every entry point with steel wool, hardware cloth, sheet metal, and caulk. A mouse needs only a dime-sized hole. Without exclusion, trapping is only temporary.

Rat & Mice Control in Toronto

Toronto has a rat problem and everyone knows it but the details matter more than the headlines.

The city’s aging sewer infrastructure, dense restaurant districts, active construction, and older housing stock create perfect conditions for Norway rats. Meanwhile, house mice thrive in the gaps, utility penetrations, and wall cavities that exist in virtually every Toronto building over 30 years old.

Here’s the reality: you can kill rats and mice all day, but if you don’t find and seal how they’re getting in, new ones will follow the same path within weeks. Pestisect’s rodent control works in two phases eliminate the current population, then exclude them permanently.

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Rodent Problem

Toronto's Rodent Problem — What's Actually Happening

Toronto is home to several rodents species, each with unique behaviors and risks. Identifying these types is important for implementing the right control methods and ensuring effective treatment.

Norway rats own Toronto's sewers

Toronto’s sewer system has over 11,000 km of pipes. Many date back to the early-to-mid 1900s and have cracks, joint separations, and root intrusions that rats use as access points. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) the large, brown, blunt-nosed rats — live in these sewers and enter buildings through broken lateral connections, floor drains, and toilet traps in older buildings.

Construction displaces rodents

Toronto’s constant development transit expansion, condo construction, infrastructure upgrades disturbs rat burrow networks. When excavation begins on a construction site, resident rat populations scatter into adjacent residential and commercial properties. Areas near active TTC construction, the Ontario Line route, and major condo developments see temporary spikes in rat activity.

House mice enter through impossibly small gaps

A house mouse (Mus musculus) needs a hole the diameter of a dime about 6mm to enter your home. Utility penetrations (gas lines, electrical, water), weep holes in brick veneer, gaps under garage doors, and deteriorated weatherstripping all provide entry. Toronto’s older detached homes and semis have dozens of potential entry points that have never been addressed.

Identifying

Rats vs. Mice — Identifying What You Have

Norway Rat

Size: 200–270mm body + tail

Weight: 200–500g

Droppings: Capsule-shaped, 18–20mm, blunt ends

Behaviour: Cautious, neophobic (avoids new objects)

Nesting: Burrows outdoors; in basements, sewers

Entry holes: 25mm+ (quarter-sized)

Treatment approach: Exterior bait stations + interior traps + exclusion

House Mouse

Size: 65–95mm body + tail

Weight: 12–30g

Droppings: Rod-shaped, 3–6mm, pointed ends

Behaviour: Curious, explores new objects quickly

Nesting: Inside walls, attics, storage areas

Entry holes: 6mm+ (dime-sized)

Treatment approach: Interior traps + exclusion (bait optional)

Why it matters: Rat control and mouse control require different strategies. Rats are cautious they avoid traps for days until they accept them as part of their environment. Mice are curious they investigate traps immediately. Using rat methods on mice (or vice versa) wastes time and money.

Our Rat & Mice Removal Process

Our Rodent Control Process

Our Rodent extermination process is designed to eliminate infestations at every stage, from detection to prevention.

Phase 1 — Inspection and Entry Point Mapping

We inspect the entire building envelope foundation, utility penetrations, weep holes, garage door seals, roofline soffit gaps, plumbing stacks, and any visible holes or gnaw marks. Every potential entry point is documented on an exclusion map. For rats, we also check the lateral sewer connection this is the pipe that runs from your home to the city sewer main. Cracks or joint separations in this pipe are a common rat entry pathway in Toronto.

Phase 2 — Population Reduction

Snap traps placed along active runways (walls, under sinks, behind appliances) the most effective and humane rapid-kill method

Exterior tamper-resistant bait stations along the foundation (for rats only secured stations that pets and children cannot access)

Interior monitoring stations to track activity levels

Phase 3 — Exclusion (Sealing Entry Points)

This is the step most pest control companies skip and it’s the only step that provides long-term results.

We seal every identified entry point using materials rodents can’t chew through:

Steel wool + caulk for gaps under 25mm
Sheet metal for larger openings and pipe penetrations
Hardware cloth (galvanized wire mesh) for weep holes and foundation vents
Door sweeps and weatherstripping for garage and exterior doors

Important: We do NOT seal all entry points on day one. If we seal a building with rodents still inside, they panic and cause damage trying to escape. We reduce the population first, then seal.

Phase 4 — Follow-Up and Monitoring

We return in 2–4 weeks to check traps, assess activity, and complete any remaining exclusion work. Ongoing monitoring is available for properties with persistent exterior pressure (e.g., homes near restaurants, construction sites, or ravines).

hotspots

Toronto-Specific Rodent Hotspots

Sewer rats in older neighbourhoods

The Annex, Cabbagetown, Riverdale, Leslieville, Parkdale, and Junction Triangle have Toronto's oldest sewer laterals many dating to the 1920s–1950s. Cracked or collapsed laterals are the primary entry path for Norway rats. If you see a rat emerge from your basement floor drain, this is likely why

Construction displacement zones

Properties within 200 metres of major construction particularly along the Ontario Line corridor, the Eglinton Crosstown route, and active condo sites in King West, Yonge-Eglinton, and Regent Park see increased rodent activity as displaced rats seek new harbourage.

Restaurant adjacency

Homes and apartments near Toronto's restaurant corridors King West, Queen West, Dundas West, Danforth, Chinatown, Kensington face persistent rat pressure from dumpsters, grease traps, and outdoor food waste.

Ravine-adjacent homes

Toronto's extensive ravine system provides natural rat habitat. Properties backing onto the Don Valley, Humber Valley, Taylor Creek, and Highland Creek ravines deal with higher rodent pressure year-round.

treatment costs

What Rodent Control Costs in Toronto

Service

Typical Range

Mouse control — trapping + exclusion (detached home)

$300–$600

Rat control — trapping + exterior bait + exclusion

$400–$800

Full exclusion package (comprehensive sealing)

$500–$1,200

Commercial rodent program (monthly)

$200–$400/month

Sewer lateral camera inspection referral

We coordinate with licensed plumbers

Testimonial

Quality Service is Our Guarantee

“Pestisect saved our sanity. They eliminated our bed bug problem in one visit. Haven’t seen a single bug since! Highly recommended.”

Sonia K.

Downtown Toronto

“Tried DIY for months with no luck. Pestisect’s technician was professional, thorough, and explained everything. The results were immediate.”

David L.

North York

“Affordable, fast, and guaranteed. Their heat treatment worked wonders. Our home is finally bed bug-free!”

Priya M.

Etobicoke

Frequently Asked Questions

How are rats getting into my Toronto home through the sewer?

Your home connects to the city sewer through a lateral pipe. In older Toronto homes, this pipe may be clay tile with deteriorated joints or cracks. Norway rats living in the main sewer enter the lateral through these gaps and travel up to your home — emerging through basement floor drains, toilet traps, and sump pits. A plumber can camera-inspect the lateral to confirm. We coordinate with licensed plumbers for this.

Can I use poison to get rid of mice in my Toronto house?

We recommend traps first. Poison (rodenticide) in interior residential settings creates a secondary risk: poisoned mice die inside walls, creating odour issues for weeks. Poison also risks secondary exposure to pets and children. Snap traps placed along active runways are faster, cleaner, and more targeted. We use exterior tamper-resistant bait stations for rats when appropriate.

Why do I see more rats in Toronto during construction?

Construction excavation destroys rat burrow networks. Displaced rats move to the nearest food source and shelter usually adjacent residential and commercial properties. This is temporary but can last the duration of the construction project. Exclusion (sealing entry points) is the most effective defense.

My Toronto landlord won't deal with rats — what can I do?

Rodent infestations are a maintenance issue under the Residential Tenancies Act. Document the problem with photos and dates, notify your landlord in writing, and file a T6 application with the Landlord and Tenant Board if they don’t respond. The City of Toronto can also issue property standards orders.

How do I keep mice out permanently?

Exclusion sealing every entry point. A mouse needs a hole the size of a dime. We identify and seal every gap in the building envelope using steel wool, hardware cloth, sheet metal, and caulk. Without exclusion, trapping provides temporary relief but mice will return.

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