Charleston · Humane wildlife removal· Serving the Lowcountry843-212-1147
Trap · Seal · Sanitize · Warranty

Rat Removal and Rodent Control in Charleston, SC

Searching for rat control or a rodent exterminator in Charleston? Most of what you'll find is bait station service, and bait alone never solves a rat problem. It just cycles through the population while new rats move in through the same gaps. Monster Wildlife traps what's there, seals every entry point, and backs the seal with a 3-year warranty. That's the only approach that actually works, for rats and mice alike.

Signs of a rat infestation
Scratching, gnawing, or scurrying sounds at night (rats are nocturnal)
Droppings 3/4" or longer along baseboards, in cabinets, or in the attic
Greasy rub marks on walls and beams from rat fur
Gnaw marks on food packaging, wood, or plastic
Nesting material (shredded insulation, paper, or fabric) in hidden areas
Pet food disappearing from bowls left overnight
Holes chewed through drywall or cabinets
Health risks

Rats spread serious disease through contact, droppings, and urine

Hantavirus
Spread through inhalation of dust from rat droppings or urine. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has a 38% fatality rate. Do not sweep or vacuum rat droppings. Call a professional.
Leptospirosis
Bacterial infection spread through rat urine contaminating water or soil. Can cause kidney damage, liver failure, and meningitis.
Salmonellosis
Rats contaminate food and food preparation surfaces with their droppings. Salmonella infection is a serious risk in any kitchen with rat activity.
Why most pest control fails

The bait trap: why rats keep coming back

Search "rat exterminator near me" and nearly every result is a pest control company offering bait stations. Bait kills rats, but it does nothing to seal the entry points they used to get in. As the existing population is eliminated, new rats follow the same scent trails into your home through the same gaps.

The only way to break the cycle is exclusion: physically sealing every gap larger than 1/2 inch in your foundation, roofline, and utility penetrations. This is what Monster Wildlife does, and it's the reason our results last.

Our guarantee

Every seal we install is warrantied for 3 years. If rats return through a gap we sealed during the warranty period, we come back and fix it at no charge. No company that relies on bait alone will make that offer, because bait alone doesn't work.

How we eliminate your rat problem.

01
Full Inspection
Interior and exterior: attic, crawlspace, walls, and all foundation perimeter. We find every entry point, even the ones smaller than a quarter.
02
Targeted Trapping
Snap traps and live traps placed at active runways and entry points. Monitored and cleared every 1 to 2 days. No bait stations left unmonitored.
03
Seal Every Entry
Once the population is eliminated, we seal every gap with hardware cloth, copper mesh, concrete, or matched exterior materials. Everything.
04
Sanitize & Monitor
Droppings removed, contaminated insulation pulled out, surfaces disinfected and fogged. Follow-up check at 30 days included.
Pricing, straight

What does rat removal cost?

Three things drive the price of a rodent job: the size of the structure, the number of entry points that need sealing, and how much contamination cleanup the attic or crawlspace needs. As a working range, most of our whole home rat exclusions land between $800 and $2,000. Our full Charleston wildlife removal pricing guide breaks down why.

Compare that to the bait station alternative: a smaller monthly bill that never ends, because the entry points never get sealed. Exclusion costs more on day one and less every day after. The inspection comes first, you get photos of every entry point and a written quote before any work starts, and the seal carries our 3-year warranty.

Be cautious of any company quoting a flat price over the phone without seeing your foundation and roofline. Rat jobs vary too much for that to be honest math.

Where we do this work

Rat control in downtown Charleston

The peninsula is built for rats: historic homes on raised brick foundations with original crawlspace vents, dense restaurant blocks that keep populations fed, and palmettos and power lines that give roof rats a highway to the roofline. Norway rats work the ground level and crawlspaces; roof rats take the attics. Older construction means original gaps that have never been sealed to a modern exclusion standard. Those same restaurant blocks make commercial rat control a constant need downtown, and we handle businesses as well as homes.

Rodent control in North Charleston and Mount Pleasant

Park Circle and the older North Charleston neighborhoods run on crawlspace foundations that Norway rats exploit at grade level. In Mount Pleasant, the Old Village rooflines show their age at fascia and soffit joints, and newer construction off Highway 17 routinely hides builder gaps at utility penetrations. Different houses, same fix: find every opening larger than 3/8 inch and seal it once, properly.

Cleanup and decontamination

Rat droppings removal and attic sanitation

Getting the rats out is half the job. A heavy infestation leaves droppings, urine, and shredded nesting material soaked into the attic insulation, and that contamination keeps drawing new rodents in on the scent long after the animals are gone. It is also a real health hazard: dried rat droppings can carry hantavirus, so they should never be swept or vacuumed dry.

We remove the droppings and contaminated insulation, disinfect and fog the space to neutralize the scent and pathogens, and restore the attic so it is safe again. This is the same crew and standard as our attic clean out and crawl space sanitation work, and it is built into every full rat job.

The full rat and rodent service

One visit cycle, start to finish

Rat extermination: trapping that removes the live population, not bait that just cycles it
Rat exclusion: every gap larger than 1/2 inch sealed so rats and mice cannot return
Rodent control for mice too: roof rats, Norway rats, and house mice on the same job
Droppings and contaminated insulation removed, the space disinfected and fogged
3-year warranty on every seal we install

Related services & locations

Wildlife Control in North CharlestonWildlife Control in Mount PleasantWildlife Control in Goose CreekWildlife Control in CharlestonCrawl Space ServicesAttic Clean Out Services
Common questions

Rat removal questions, answered.

An exterminator treats the symptom: they kill the rats currently in the building, usually with bait, and come back monthly to do it again. A wildlife removal company solves the cause by sealing the structure so new rats cannot get in. Monster Wildlife does both jobs in one visit cycle: trapping to remove the current population and full exclusion to end the cycle. If a company's plan does not include sealing entry points, you are renting a solution, not buying one.
Most whole home rat exclusions in Charleston land between $800 and $2,000. The range depends on the size of the structure, the number of entry points, and how much contamination cleanup the attic or crawlspace needs. Service that relies on bait alone looks cheaper per visit, but it bills monthly forever because the problem never ends. Exclusion is a fix you pay for once, backed by our 3-year warranty, and you get a written quote after the inspection, before any work starts.
Yes. Our rodent control covers roof rats, Norway rats, and house mice. Mice squeeze through gaps as small as 1/4 inch, so the sealing standard is tighter, but the method is the same: trap the population, seal the structure, sanitize what they contaminated. If you are not sure which rodent you have, the droppings tell us within the first five minutes of an inspection.
Roof rats (black rats, Rattus rattus) are the dominant species in Charleston. They're excellent climbers and prefer attics, walls, and upper floors. Norway rats (brown rats) have heavier bodies and are typically found in crawlspaces, basements, and areas at ground level. Both species are present in the Lowcountry, and many properties have both.
A single pair of roof rats can produce up to 40 offspring per year under ideal conditions. Rats reach sexual maturity in 5 weeks and breed all year in Charleston's mild climate. A small initial infestation can become a large colony in just a few months. Early intervention is critical.
Both are essential, in that order. Trapping removes the existing population; exclusion prevents reinfestation. Approaches that rely on bait alone leave entry points open, meaning new rats move in as fast as existing ones are killed. We always do both: trap to remove, seal to prevent.
Rat droppings are 3/4" or longer, dark, and shaped like capsules. Mouse droppings are smaller (1/4"), with pointed ends. Rat gnaw marks are larger and rougher. Rats also leave greasy rub marks along walls and rafters from their fur. If you hear heavy movement in the walls or ceiling at night, it's likely rats.
Most rat removal jobs are resolved within 1 to 2 weeks. We install traps on day one, monitor and remove over several follow-up visits, then perform full exclusion once activity drops to zero. The exclusion seal is what determines lasting success, and we back every seal with our 3-year warranty.
Yes. We handle rodent control for restaurants, kitchens, retail spaces, and offices across the Charleston area. The method is the same as a home: trap the active population, seal every entry point so new rats cannot follow the scent trail back in, and sanitize what they contaminated. We schedule around your hours to keep the work out of sight of customers, and the exclusion seal carries the same 3-year warranty.
We cover the whole Lowcountry: downtown Charleston and the peninsula, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, West Ashley, James Island, Johns Island, Daniel Island, Summerville, Goose Creek, and the beach communities. Older peninsula homes and crawlspace foundations get the heaviest rat pressure, but the trap, seal, and sanitize approach is the same everywhere we work.
Exclusion is the permanent fix: physically sealing every gap a rat or mouse could use to get back in, anything larger than half an inch, across the foundation, roofline, and utility penetrations. Trapping removes the rats already inside; exclusion is what keeps the next ones out. Bait-only programs skip this step, which is why they bill month after month. We do both on the same job and warranty the seal for 3 years.
Yes, and it is part of every full rat job, not an upsell. Droppings, urine, and nesting debris soak into attic insulation and keep drawing new rodents in on the scent, so we remove the contaminated material, disinfect, and fog the space to neutralize pathogens and odor. Dried rat droppings can carry hantavirus, so they should never be swept or vacuumed dry. When insulation is heavily soiled, we handle the removal and replacement as part of our attic sanitation work.
What the neighbors say

Loved by Charleston homeowners.

5.0 average across 49 Google reviews. Read all reviews

"★★★★★

Prompt, professional, freely discussed concerns we had; completed full scope of work as outlined in seamless manner Follow up so far excellent!

TS
Tom Sharona month ago
"★★★★★

From the first time calling to now, Graham has been extremely AMAZING!!! I wouldn't trust anyone else but Monster Wildlife. You can tell he absolutely cares about what he does and us as customers. Whenever my wife has a concern I call text/call Graham and he stays on top of it!!! 100 ⭐️

AS
Alvin Simmonsa month ago
"★★★★★

This is an amazing company! They came out super quickly and repaired some spots where rats were getting in to my building. All for a very fair price! Only company I use and I recommend them to everyone!

PB
Phillip Bozzellia month ago
⚡ Fast response · Real local technicians

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We'll handle the rest.

Most folks hear it first at 3 a.m.: scratching above the bedroom, thumping across the rafters. Send the form over and a real technician will follow up to schedule your inspection.

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