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Your Guide to Rat and Mouse Control in Adelaide
YOUR GUIDE TO RAT AND MOUSE CONTROL IN ADELAIDE
Between these pests’ mess, unhygienic nature and the damage they cause, rat and mouse control is troubling issue for many Adelaide home and business owners.
If you’re concerned you have a rodent outbreak or want to prevent one, it helps to know the basics about rats and mice and how you can stop them. In this guide we cover:
What questions will this article answer?
Where rats and mice hide?
They are usually most active at night, but tend to nest in the walls, ceiling, or behind cupboards and furniture.
The signs of a rat or mouse infestation
There are several sights, sounds and smells to look out for that could stop a lone rodent becoming a hair-tearing-out issue.
How to stop rodents from getting in your home?
Rats and mice can cause damage to many parts of your home, but there are several ways to prevent them.
How to keep rats and mice out of your business?
Rodents in an Adelaide business contaminate more than your stock – they can ruin your entire reputation. Some industries are more susceptible than others, but there are steps you can take to keep them out.
Getting rid of rodents
The two main ways to prevent rodents are trapping and baiting. The Allstate team can help you with an integrated and comprehensive approach to manage rats and mice for good.
Why are rats and mice a problem?
Rats and mice cause significant damage Adelaide homes and businesses. Not only do they chew through walls, timber and electrical wiring, they carry harmful bacteria in both their droppings and coats, and contaminate food and stock.
Rodents may be small in size, but their path of destruction can compromise your health, cleanliness, safety and even ruin your good business reputation along the way.
Rats and mice are clever at adapting to living in a range of environments, and known for having two sharp front teeth in their upper and lower jaws. These teeth grow continuously, and their size is controlled by constant gnawing, chewing and eating. Though this is a matter of survival for them, it is unfortunately at the expense of our homes and livelihoods
To make matters worse, property damage caused by rats and mice is not covered by most insurance policies, as it is considered to be preventable. In other words, it is the home or business owner’s responsibility to keep these pesky rodents at bay.
Remember, acting fast is more likely to minimise the problem. This is where our rodent control team at Allstate Pest Control can help.
We are available 24/7 and follow a no-risk approach to ensure the wellbeing of our customers, employees and the environment. Ask us about our safe, effective and innovative solutions to control rodents.
Speak to one of our rodent control experts today
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Where to find rats and mice
- In holes underneath buildings
- In the walls, ceiling or under the floor
- Behind or inside boxes, equipment, machinery and tools
- Behind or under cupboards and furniture
- In piles of rubbish, paper, cloth
- In vegetation or wood stacks
- In animal enclosures such as chicken coops
Signs of a rodent infestation
To stop a small problem becoming a major drama, it’s important to act on the earliest indicators of rats or mice in your home or business. Keep your eyes, ears and even nose alert for the following signs:
Droppings
These are usually the first sign of a rodent issue and look like black grains of rice. Mouse droppings are much smaller, ranging from 3-5mm long, while rat droppings are shiny black and are 12 to 18mm in length.
Gnawed food or crumbs
Rats usually leave behind small pieces of food and crumbs, whereas mice tend to nibble and eat the outer part of the food.
Grease marks
Sometimes you may find greasy marks left by rodents’ fur rubbing against walls and skirting boards.
Burrows and tracks
You may also spot burrows, frequently used pathways or tracks through gardens, along fences and concrete slabs, and under buildings. Their tails can often leave swinging marks, which are most visible on dusty surfaces.
Gnaw marks to property
Rodents’ gnawing may cause chewing marks and holes in electrical cables and conduits, walls, timber, ducts and pipes. Damage to electrical cables is particularly dangerous as it may start a fire.
Scratching and running noises
Especially at night you may hear scratching, scampering and even squeaking coming from the walls, ceiling, or under the floor.
Musty odours
Rodents’ urine and droppings will often cause a sour, musty smell.
Seeing the pests themselves
Rats and mice are good at staying hidden, but you may sight them at night, especially running along walls and under furniture.
Excited behaviour from your pets
Your family dog or cat may smell the roednts and claw at particular areas where they are nesting.
Rat nests
Rat and mouse nests are often hidden, but usually look like a pile made from various scraps and materials, such as paper, cardboard, wood, straw or fabric.
How to stop rodents from getting in your house
Are you worried about a rodent infestation in your house? Rats and mice aren’t just unhygienic and unsavoury, but breed extremely quickly in the Adelaide climate. A larger infestation can cause significant damage to your home, and the mess, odour and potential food contamination all greatly compromise your health and comfort
3 ways rats and mice can damage your home:
Roof and wall damage
Rodents can chew through timber frames, pull apart and make nests in the insulation, and create entry points for other pests.
Floor and foundation damage
Rodents burrowing in the soil and within the foundations of the home can undermine structural support and damage underground pipes and cables.
Air ducts
Air ducts provide rats and mice with an efficient pathway to easily move around, which means their odours, debris and germs are circulated around your home, leaving you at risk to health problems.
Managing a rodent outbreak
If you are concerned that your home has a rodent outbreak, here are some tips to keep you safe while you work to control the situation:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating, drinking or smoking
- Wear slippers or shoes around the house
- Dispose of all the food and drink which you suspect has been contaminated
- Regularly wipe down food preparation areas and always thoroughly wash or clean utensils and appliances before using them
- Avoid areas where you suspect rodents are nesting if possible
- Place all food in tightly sealed containers
- If you are bitten by a rodent, consult your doctor immediately
How to prevent a rat or mouse infestation
The best way to stop a rodent infestation in Adelaide is to proactively block any entry points to your home and maintain good cleanliness and hygiene.
Here are several tips to prevent the chance of these pests invading your home:
Keep your backyard tidy
Remove any backyard clutter, keep food scraps in a sealed compost bin, and trim back excess foliage and vegetation.
Regularly check for entry points, then block or fill them
This can include installing mesh or screens over water tank openings, vents and chimneys; sealing holes, cracks around pipes and access points to kitchen cupboards; and fitting door seals at the bottom of each exterior door. Check out this guide to checking for and sealing up rodent entry points .
Carefully store and dispose of rubbish, waste and compost
Keep your home and yard clear of rubbish, ensure that it is placed in bins with tight fitting lids and dispose of it regularly. Avoid open compost heaps and using animal products in compost.
Keep up with garden and yard maintenance
Removing excess vegetation is important when limiting rodent access your home, especially if it is growing near a building or roof. This includes grass, shrubs, bushes, creepers and trees. Dispose of fallen fruit, pet waste and faeces, and remove piles of organic matter.
Practice good food handling and storage
Always wash or sanitise your hands. Keep food preparation areas and utensils clean and dispose of food scraps promptly. Store food in sealed, air tight containers, and do not leave out pet food.
Tidy up sheds, garages, attics and other storage areas
Rats and mice can easily find nesting or hiding spots in these less frequently used areas, so make sure you regularly clean and remove unwanted items to reduce clutter. Keep piles of materials such as wood or brick stacks at least 30cm above the ground.
Speak to one of our rodent prevention experts today
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How to stop rats and mice from infesting your business
As they are highly adaptable creatures, rodents can infest and thrive in businesses in a wide range of industries.
Rats and mice in food preparation facilities can lead to heavy fines for failing to meet food regulation and safety standards, and are a strong deterrent to customers.
Read more about rodents in restaurants and food businesses
Aged care and hospitals
Rodent infestations are particularly problematic in nursing homes and medical centres, as they can further compromise the fragile health of residents or patients.
Read more about rodents in aged care
Warehouses and distribution facilities
Industrial businesses often contain many dark, hidden corners which are ideal nesting spots for rodents. Rats are able to find their way into your stock, as well as damaging expensive equipment and machinery.
Read more about rodents in warehouses
Tips to protect your business from rodents
Given the threat that rats and mice pose to businesses, it’s essential to take a prevention-first approach by upholding high hygiene and safety standards in the workplace. Some tips include:
- Waste and refuse: disposal areas should always be secured, regularly emptied and located as far away from the main building as possible
- Staff should be made aware about maintaining cleanliness and reporting sightings of rodents
- Stock should be inspected for damage and rotated regularly
At Allstate Pest Control Adelaide, our technicians are happy to assist you with planning and implementing a rodent control strategy for your business – give us a call on 8371 8277, or click the orange chat button to find out more.
How to manage rats and mice
The two primary techniques to prevente rats and mice are chemical control and trapping.
Chemical control
This involves setting baits of anti-coagulant rodenticides to attract and poison rodents. These should be used with caution because of:
- Offensive odours: these can be emitted from dead, decaying rodents in hard to reach areas
- Pet and child safety: toxic chemical baits and poisoned rodents can both pose a risk
- Sensitivities and allergic reactions: nearby chemical baits can potentially trigger sensitivities in people
Trapping
Rodents are lured and captured using multiple, correctly-sized traps. Larger sized traps are usually used for rats and the smaller ones for mice. It is crucial for you to check the traps daily, remove dead rodents, then spray the area with insecticide to remove fleas.
The Allstate rodent control method
The best way to manage rodents is with one of our expert rat and mouse control technicians. They will help you prevente them quickly and safely, and devise and implement a long-term rodent control program as required. We have all the equipment ready to go – you don’t need to source any chemicals or traps yourself.
We will first discuss your concerns, before performing a thorough inspection of your property to determine entry points, runways and nesting sites.
Our Adelaide technician will then station rodent control products in appropriate locations, assist with monitoring and replenishment, and if required remove dead rodents for you. It can take up to 2 weeks to begin seeing results.
Our integrated approach has a strong emphasis of safety – we are careful when applying treatments around your home or business, and book treatment at a time that will cause minimal disruption to your normal routine.
Don’t worry if you have children or pets, as the bait stations are encased in tamper proof, high-grade plastic that can only be accessed with a key.
For one-off treatments, we also aim to get to the root of the problem so that it doesn’t happen again. Our technicians will send you a report with feedback and recommendations on how to maintain a rodent-free home or business, that you can refer back to at anytime.
Why Choose Allstate?
At Allstate Pest Control Adelaide, our licensed, professional technicians understand how overwhelming and urgent a rodent outbreak can be. We also understand the importance of strong protection against rodents through our Routine Maintenance Programs for businesses.
As a family-owned South Australian company, we are available 24/7 to help homes and businesses seeking fast, professional advice and service.
We offer a 100% satisfaction money-back guarantee, and affordable interest-free payment plans.
We are ready to take control of your rodent issues, save you time and energy, and give you peace of mind.
Call Allstate today 8371 1227.