Rat & Mouse Control in Manhattan

Yes — Big Apple Pest Control provides rodent control throughout Manhattan (10001, 10002, 10009, 10011, 10014, 10016, 10019, 10025, 10027, 10128) and nearby Manhattan. Call us and we'll book the earliest available appointment.

Knockdown without exclusion always fails in NYC. We seal every entry point and remove food and harbourage so the population can't re-establish.

Yes — we use tamper-resistant bait stations placed in areas inaccessible to children and pets, and we favour trapping in occupied spaces.

We book rodent visits promptly across the five boroughs — call us and we'll schedule the earliest available appointment for active issues.

Yes. We run discreet, Department-of-Health-conscious rodent programmes for food-service and retail clients.

Yes. NYC rats carry diseases that can spread to people, most notably leptospirosis, a bacterial infection transmitted through contact with rat urine or urine-contaminated water, soil, or surfaces. The NYC Department of Health reported a record 24 human leptospirosis cases in 2023 and 33 in 2024, well above the long-term average. Rats can also transmit rat-bite fever, Salmonella, and Seoul hantavirus, which is why we treat rodent infestations as a health issue, not just a nuisance.

Brown rats in New York City have been found to carry leptospirosis (Leptospira), Salmonella and E. coli (which cause food poisoning), Seoul hantavirus, and the bacteria that cause rat-bite fever, according to NYC Health and a 2014 Columbia University study of Manhattan rats. Most human exposure comes from contact with rat urine, droppings, or contaminated food and water rather than from bites. Eliminating the infestation and cleaning droppings safely removes the source of exposure.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread mainly through the urine of infected animals, and in NYC rats are the most common source, per NYC Health. People typically get it when rat urine or urine-contaminated water, soil, or food contacts broken skin, the eyes, nose, or mouth. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and jaundice, and untreated cases can progress to kidney or liver failure, so anyone with symptoms after rat exposure should see a doctor.

A 2023 study estimated roughly 3 million rats in New York City, close to a third of the human population, though estimates vary and an earlier 2014 analysis put the figure near 2 million. The dominant species is the brown rat, also called the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), which burrows in soil, basements, and along foundations. Population density is highest on blocks with abundant uncontained trash and aging infrastructure.

Rat Mitigation Zones (RMZs) are neighborhoods the NYC Department of Health designates as high rat-burden areas, where it inspects every property in a targeted area (a process called indexing), supports property owners, and coordinates with other city agencies to reduce rats on public property. Properties in an RMZ with active rat signs or rat-friendly conditions can receive a Commissioner's Order to Abate. If your building is in an RMZ, professional rodent control plus exclusion helps you pass inspection and avoid violations.

Yes, by the city's own data. The NYC Department of Sanitation reported sustained declines in 311 rat-sighting complaints after low-density buildings were required to containerize trash, and the Health Department reported initial inspections with active rat signs at a five-year low of 19.7% in Fiscal Year 2025. Containerization removes the open-trash food source rats depend on, which is exactly why our rodent programs pair treatment with sanitation and exclusion.

Clean small amounts carefully: never sweep or vacuum dry droppings, which can aerosolize particles, and instead wear gloves, dampen the area with disinfectant, wipe it up, and wash your hands, following CDC guidance. For heavy contamination, nesting material, or droppings in food-prep or HVAC areas, professional cleanup is safer because rat droppings and urine can carry leptospirosis, Salmonella, and hantavirus. We address both the active infestation and guidance on safe cleanup.

Rat bites are uncommon but do happen, most often to sleeping infants, elderly, or unconscious people in heavily infested spaces. A bite or even handling a rat can transmit rat-bite fever, a bacterial infection that the CDC warns can become severe if untreated. Any rat bite should be cleaned immediately and evaluated by a doctor, and the infestation should be treated professionally so it doesn't recur.

Warm, wet conditions help rats breed and help leptospira bacteria survive longer in the environment. The NYC Department of Health found that half of locally acquired leptospirosis cases occurred in June and October, months that were warmer and wetter, and noted climate change may support disease persistence in temperate cities. Practically, this means rat pressure and health risk both rise in mild, rainy stretches, when exclusion and sanitation matter most.