Rodent Info

House Mouse

Mus domesticus

Appearance

• 2 3/4″ – 3 3/4″ in length, with a tail around the same length.
• 12 – 30g in weight.
• Their relatively small feet & head and large eyes & ears distinguish them from a young brown rat (Rattus norvegicus).

Lifecycle

• 4 – 16 young per litter; 7 – 8 litters a year.
• Gestation period of about 3 weeks.
• 8 – 12 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.

Habits

• Usually ground living and burrowing, but often climbs.
• Preferred food is cereals.
• Will eat around 3g of food a day and can survive without any additional water. They will drink up to 3ml a day if their diet is particularly dry.

Roof Rat

Rattus rattus

Appearance

• 6 3/8″ – 9 7/16″ in length, with a tail longer than the head and body.
• 150 – 200g in weight.
• Pointed nose, large ears and a slender body when compared to the Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus).

Lifecycle

• 5 – 10 young per litter; 3 – 6 litters a year.
• Gestation period of about 3 weeks.
• 12 – 16 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.

Habits

• Quite Rare. Appearance confined mainly to ports.
• Often climbs, agile, rarely burrowing and rarely outdoors in Australia.
• Preferred food is moist fruits.
• Will eat around 15g of food a day and drink 15ml.

How Can I Tell I Have a Rodent Problem?

Rodent activity is seldom observed during daylight hours, hence it is important to recognize signs of infestation, such as;

• Droppings
• Urination stains
• Greasy smear marks – wear they rub against obstacles in their path
• Gnawings – rodents gnaw on a wide variety of materials to keep their teeth short, e.g. woodwork, soft metals, soap, food containers etc.
• Short circuiting – rodents gnaw at electrical wiring to shorten their teeth
• Sounds – bumping, gnawing, squeaking and fighting sounds may be heard in the evening
• Nests – may be found hidden, usually made of rags, paper, cardboard, straw etc.
• Excitement of pets – pets such as dogs may become very excited over the intrusion of rodents, sometimes barking and clawing at the part of the building where rodents are active
• Odour – the long-term presence of rodent infestation creates a distinct odour
• Food missing – rodents often carry away food to their nests
• Burrows – some rodents burrow in soil areas such as garden beds, vegetable patches or under concrete slabs.

Rodent Eradication

At PESTFREE our technicians are highly trained in pest control eradication techniques. They will assess the individual needs of your property, identifying the particular species your premises are infested with and the extent of infestation in order to determine the best regime.

In general a rodent eradication treatment involves the following:

• Baiting of roof void
• Baiting of subfloor areas
• Baiting all internal or external areas of premises using cardboard and tamper proof bait stations as appropriate
• Application of liquid rodenticide
• Application of rodent wax blocks
• Application of rodent tracking powder
• Use of sticky boards / glue boards
• Use of a non-poisonous monitoring bait (this indicates presence of rodent infestation)
• Rodent traps

By using PESTFREE you can rest assured that all of our pest control and treatment methods are Environmentally Friendly and most of all effective. With over ten years experience we guarantee you will be satisfied with the results.

ERADICATION AND CONTROL OF RATS AND MICE IN AUSTRALIA

It is often the autumn that rats and mice begin to move into our homes, shops, offices and factories. Rodents seek warmth and shelter as the weather turns colder and fresh food supplies as food supplies are exhausted outdoors. It is always a good time of year to be thinking of preventing mouse and rat infestation.

Call PESTFREE and an expert will visit and give you a free quotation for proofing your building(s) against rodent entry and preparing to prevent an infestation of rats or mice, should they gain entry. You will be surprised how simple the proofing can be and it will save you the much greater expense of a full mouse and rat eradication, should an infestation occur. Call now, before you are feeding and housing these unwanted rodent guests.

Preparative Baiting

Rodenticide (rat and mouse poison) bait is placed at strategic, safe points, inside and outside, in order to reduce populations around buildings and to deal with individuals that enter, before an infestation can take hold.

Proofing

A mouse can squeeze beneath a door if there is a gap large enough to fit a pencil! Draft-excluding brush strips are an ideal method of proofing such gaps. However, there are almost always other possible entry points around any building. Gaps around pipework and cables. Broken vent covers. A thorough survey can identify these and suggest proofing options.

Commercial Rodent Control ProgrammeRodent Control Programmes include:

• Tamper-proof rat and mouse bait stations placed/fixed in all suitable internal and external areas of premises.
• Internal and external stations monitored a minimum of eight (8) times a year.
• Rodenticide baits inspected and replaced on each visit.
• Monthly inspections and service over the winter and every two months in summer when mice and rat activity is less.
• Free call out.

In addition to the tamper proof interior and exterior bait stations:

• Block baits are fixed in ceiling and floor voids.
• Perimeter rodent stations may also be discretely placed to provide additional control of new rodents entering the area.
• Written and verbal reporting of all pest activity and other issues including recommendations for proofing, prevention and housekeeping.