Look, let’s be real. If you’re playing the Resident Evil 4 Remake, you’ve probably spent way too much time staring at blue flyers on a wall. It’s part of the charm. But then you hit a specific wall—the More Pest Control RE4 request—and suddenly, the game feels like it's messing with you. You're in the Grand Hall of the Castle, the music is unsettling, and you're hunting for rats.
It sounds simple. It isn't.
Most players breeze through the first few requests from the Merchant. You kill some blue medallions, you shoot some vipers, no big deal. But "More Pest Control" is different because it’s a multi-stage headache that spans across several chapters. If you think you’re going to find all those rats in five minutes, you’re in for a rough night. Honestly, it's one of those tasks that makes you wonder if Capcom just wanted to see us suffer a little bit in between the Zealots screaming and the Garradors swinging.
Why This Request Is Such a Pain
The Merchant wants you to clear out three specific rats in the Castle. The problem? You can't actually finish this request the moment you pick it up. That's the trap. Most people find the note in the Grand Hall, right next to the Headless Statue, and start scouring every corner of the Dining Hall. You’ll find one there, sure. But the others? They are locked behind progress.
It’s a pacing thing. Capcom likes to tease you with objectives that you literally cannot complete until you’ve pushed through some of the most stressful combat encounters in the game. You've got to deal with the Armored Knights and the chimera-head statue puzzle first.
The First Rat: The Dining Hall Trap
The first one is easy. Sorta. Head into the Dining Hall, which is just off the Grand Hall. It’s the room where you have to do the seat-matching puzzle with Ashley. The rat is usually scurrying around the floor near the tables or the back of the room.
Don't waste ammo. Seriously. Use your knife. You’re going to need every handgun bullet for what’s coming next in the Library. Just wait for the little guy to stop for a second and swipe. One down, two to go. But here is where most players get stuck. They keep looking in the Dining Hall.
Stop looking. He isn't there.
Tracking Down the Rest of the More Pest Control RE4 Rats
To get the other two, you have to play through a massive chunk of the story. You have to play as Ashley, survive the knights, and eventually get Leon back into the mix. Once Leon has access to the Library and the hallway leading to the Armory, that's when the hunt resumes.
- The Second Rat: This one is in the hallway leading to the Armory. After you’ve cleared the section and have the ability to move freely again, look on the ground in the corridor. It’s dark, and the shadows in RE4 Remake are thick, so keep your ears open. You’ll hear the squeaking before you see it.
- The Third Rat: This is the one that kills the completionist run for most people. It only appears after you’ve finished the section where you find the various heads for the statue and progress toward the next main area. It’s located in the hallway near the room where you find the Cubic Device.
If you've already moved on to the Clock Tower, you've missed it. You’ve just left three Spinels on the table. And in RE4, Spinels are everything. They are your ticket to the exclusive upgrade tickets and the laser sight. Missing out because of a rat feels bad. Really bad.
The Problem With Backtracking
Backtracking in the Castle is a nightmare. It’s not like the Village where things are relatively open. The Castle is a vertical, twisting maze. If you don't grab these rats during the natural flow of the More Pest Control RE4 quest, you’re going to find yourself running through hallways you’ve already cleared, wasting precious herb resources on random respawned enemies.
I’ve seen people argue that these requests aren't "true" Resident Evil. They say it feels too much like a checklist. Maybe. But the rewards—those Spinels—allow you to bypass the grind. If you want the infinite ammo Chicago Sweeper or the Primal Knife, you play the Merchant's games. You kill the rats.
Expert Tips for the Castle Hunt
Actually, there’s a trick to this. Most players don’t realize that the rats have set pathing. They aren't random. If you miss a swipe, just stand still. They’ll usually circle back to the same spot.
Also, use your map. The map in RE4 Remake is actually incredibly detailed. Once you are in the "zone" of a request, the general area is often highlighted, though for the rats, you really have to rely on audio cues. Turn your SFX volume up and your music down for a second. The squeaks are directional. If you have a decent headset, you can literally pinpoint which corner the rat is hiding in before you even see it.
- Pick up the note in the Grand Hall (Chapter 9).
- Kill the Dining Hall rat immediately.
- Focus on the story. Don't stress about the others yet.
- After the Ashley segment, when Leon enters the Library area, look for the second one in the hallway.
- Check the final hallway after the "Head" puzzles are done for the third.
- Return to the Merchant before leaving the Castle area entirely.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think the "More Pest Control" quest is bugged. I’ve seen the forum posts. "I've searched every inch of the Grand Hall and there's only one rat!"
The game doesn't tell you the rats are in different sub-sections of the Castle. It just says "Grand Hall" on the request, but in RE4's logic, that includes the connected corridors and rooms. It’s a bit of a localization quirk that leads to a lot of frustration.
Another thing? Don't use grenades. I know it’s tempting when you see a rat and you're frustrated, but it's a waste. Even on Standard difficulty, resources are tight. On Professional? Forget about it. If you can't hit it with a knife, use a single bolt from the Bolt Thrower if you’re carrying it. You can pick the bolt back up. Efficiency is the name of the game.
The Spinel Economy
Why do we care so much about these rats? Spinels.
In the original 2005 RE4, Spinels were just treasures you sold for cash. In the Remake, they are a separate currency. The Merchant’s trade shop is the only way to get the High-Power Scope or the Yellow Herbs you need to max out your health. If you skip the pest control missions, you’re basically choosing to have a weaker Leon.
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Honestly, the "More Pest Control" request is one of the most valuable ones because by the time you finish it, you’re usually just a few Spinels short of a major upgrade. Completing it feels like a weight off your shoulders.
Final Tactical Steps
If you are currently stuck on this, stop circling the Dining Hall. You're wasting time.
Check your map. If you haven't done the Ashley section yet, you literally cannot finish the quest. Go save Ashley. Survive the nights. Then, once you're back as Leon, walk—don't run—through the hallways leading to the Library.
The moment you hear that high-pitched squeak, stop. Switch to your knife. Crouch. It makes you harder to detect (yes, even for rats) and gives you a better angle for the strike.
Once the third rat is dead, a notification will pop up. You don't have to go back to the Merchant immediately, but make sure you talk to him before you get on the lift to the Clock Tower. Once you’re in the Clock Tower, the Castle requests are effectively dead. You can't go back.
Get your Spinels. Buy that upgrade. Get back to the fight.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Open your map and verify if you have already triggered the Ashley sequence in Chapter 9.
- If the Ashley sequence is done, move Leon toward the Library corridor and listen for the audio cue of the second rat.
- Ensure you have the Cubic Device in your inventory, as the third rat is located in the hallway nearby.
- Turn in the request to the Merchant before entering the Clock Tower to ensure the Spinels are credited to your account for the next set of upgrades.