Field notes on rodents in Oregon.
Long-form pieces on species behavior, building science, seasonal pressure patterns, and what to do before the operator arrives. Written for Oregon homeowners, renters, and small-property managers — by people who walk through Oregon basements for a living.
This quarter's read.
The big piece we just published.
Roof Rats in Oregon: the slow eastward march from the Rogue Valley to the Willamette.
For most of the 20th century, Rattus rattus was a southern-Oregon problem. Mild winters, warming attics, and a steady supply of urban fruit trees have changed that. A field history with maps, sighting data, and what it means for homeowners north of Eugene — plus the exclusion strategy that actually works on a species that climbs.
All articles, by topic.
The five topic areas we cover. Click a topic to jump to its index, or just scroll.
A profile of every rodent species that meaningfully shows up in Oregon homes: behavior, habitat, range, diet, and the exclusion strategy each one calls for.
- 01.01Norway rats and the Portland sewer lineUrban / Combined Sewer→
- 01.02Roof rats: the slow eastward march across OregonFeatured · Statewide→
- 01.03House mouse (Mus musculus): the species you actually haveMost Common→
- 01.04Deer mice and the high-desert winterHigh Desert→
- 01.05Pack rats (Neotoma cinerea): the magpie of rodentsEast Cascades→
- 01.06Voles vs. field mice: the lawn-runway questionAg Edges→
- 01.07Mountain beavers, gophers, and other things people mistake for ratsMisidentification→
- 01.08Native vs. invasive: who actually belongs hereEcology→
Where Oregon houses leak, and what to do about it. Written for the homeowner who's going to walk the perimeter themselves before calling.
- 02.01The rim joist gap, and why it costs you mice every fallMost Important→
- 02.02Sewer-line exclusion: cleanouts, vents, and toilet stacksPlumbing→
- 02.03Crawl-space encapsulation and rodent-grade vent screensCrawl Spaces→
- 02.04Attic exclusion: soffit vents, gable louvers, and chimney chasesAttics→
- 02.05The garage-door threshold: the easiest fix you're not makingQuick Win→
- 02.06Pre-1950 Oregon homes: the seven points you need to sealHistoric Homes→
- 02.07New construction: the three predictable failure pointsNewer Builds→
Oregon does not have one rodent season — it has five, one for each climate zone. Here is what each one actually looks like.
- 03.01What rats are doing in October, by citySeasonal · Statewide→
- 03.02The Willamette Valley fall ramp explainedValley→
- 03.03High-desert winter: when deer mice come indoorsEast Cascades→
- 03.04Coastal rainforest: the year-round pressure patternCoast→
- 03.05Grass-seed harvest week: what happens to the small mammalsAg→
- 03.06Roof rats and the Rogue Valley fruit-tree calendarSouthern Oregon→
What is actually risky about a rodent infestation, and what is not. Cleanup protocols. Renter and tenant rights under Oregon law.
- 04.01Hantavirus and the deer mouse: an Oregon-specific primerPublic Health→
- 04.02Secondary rodenticide poisoning in pets and wildlifePets / Wildlife→
- 04.03Leptospirosis and urban rats: a Portland concernUrban Health→
- 04.04The right way to clean up droppings: a 10-step protocolCleanup→
- 04.05Renters, landlords, and ORS 90.320: the Oregon habitability ruleTenant Rights→