Rodent Control
Rodent Control Specialist – Brisbane
Rats and mice eat your food, cause damage to your home and can spread diseases affecting your family and pets.
Getting rid of rats and mice is not as easy as you think and with children and pets around, it’s important to do it safely.
The rat pest control Brisbane have the expert knowledge and utilise a range of products for the safe, eliminate or your rodent problem.
Professional Rat and Mice Treatments
Brown or sewer rat
Black or roof rat
House mouse
Inspection first!
Vital to a successful rodent treatment is a thorough inspection. The inspection will help us answer 4 key questions:
- Which species of rodent is present?
- Are they are nesting inside or outside the building?
- How are they getting into the building?
- What is the level of infestation?
The answers to these questions will determine our rodent treatment options.
Rodent treatments
The majority of our treatment programs use rodent baits which we place in lockable bait stations (for safety). The inspection provides us with the information to determine the number of bait stations required and where to place them.
Rats and mice only need to eat a small amount of bait to receive a lethal dose, which is why they are often called “single feed” rodenticides. However, they may not eat the baits immediately – rats especially are neophobic (frightened of new things) which means it may take a couple of days before they eat the bait. Once they eat the bait, it may the rodent 4-7 days to die.
In many cases the rodent problem will be eliminated in one to two weeks, but sometimes a second visits may be necessary a few weeks later to check and replace baits if required.
In cases of a severe infestation or for business that require ongoing protection, it may be necessary to implement a regular service plan.
Safety considerations
Safety is always our number one consideration, but especially with rodent treatments.
It is vital that the baits are kept away from children and pets. We always use lockable bait stations and choose placements in areas that prevent contain with children and pets.
The baits we use also contain a bittering agent which make them unpalatable to humans and pets.
As the baits are based on cereal they are not attractive to cats. Although dogs will sometimes eat the bait, they would need to eat several kilograms of bait for a lethal dose. If a pet does accidentally ingest a small amount of bait, vets can administer vitamin K1 as an antidote.
If you (or indeed ourselves) still have safety concerns we can develop an alternative strategy including the use of traps. Although traps eliminate the risk of accidental poisoning, these programs tend to take longer to gain control.
Disposal of dead rodents
When a treatment is underway, it is important to remove any dead rodents as soon as they are spotted. It is recommended that a search of the property (inside and outside) is carried out each morning. If a dead rodent is spotted, put on some gloves, pick up the rodent, place in a plastic bag, seal the bag and place the bag in the bin.
OUR PEST CONTROL STANDARDS
Value
Responsive
We will arrive when we say, or you will receive a courtesy call to advise we are running a little late. Please always rest assured that we value your time
Safe
We understand the importance of keeping your family, pets and the environment, healthy and safe. We prioritise sourcing the safest available products on the market to reduce the risk to your loved ones.
Quality
12 Month Service Guarantee on all pest control treatments. If pests come back we will come back and re-treat the area of concern at no extra charge.
How to prevent a rodent problem?
Eliminate rodent entry points
Rodents can squeeze through the smallest of gaps – rats can squeeze through gaps a small as the end of your thumb and mice through gaps as small as the end of your little finger.
When it comes to rodent proofing your home, all potential entry points need to be protected. It can be done but it needs to be comprehensive.
The Pest Doctors can provide rodent proofing services, but if you want to tackle the job yourself, here are some general tips to prevent rodents entering the building:
- Install door sweeps on exterior doors and repair damaged screens – strong wire screens rather than fabric screens are required
- Screen vents and openings to chimneys
- Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the property (including areas where utilities and pipes enter the building) using caulking materials, steel wool or a combination of both
- Trim back branches that may allow rats easy access to the roof
Remove sources of food and moisture
Whether the rodents are nesting inside or outside the building they will enter the building looking for food and moisture. Eliminating sources of food and moisture will make your home far less attractive to rodents:
- Store food in airtight containers and dispose of rubbish regularly
- Clean up any food spills and don’t leave dirty dishes our over night
- Make sure petfood and chicken food (grains) are not readily available and stored in airtight containers
- Place garbage inside sealed plastic bags and place in a garbage bin with a tight-fitting lid and store away from the building
- Eliminate all moisture sites, including leaking pipes and clogged drains that provide the perfect breeding site for pests
Eliminate potential nesting sites
Rats and mice will nest inside and outside buildings, including digging burrows. It is important to make the area in and around the home less attractive for nesting and easier to inspect for rodent activity
- Avoid storing good in the roof void and sub-floor – if it is necessary, place goods in sealed plastic containers
- Keep perimeter garden beds tidy and shrubbery trimmed and cut back from the building
- Place firewood and any other stored goods at least 6 metres away from the building
More rodent information
Pest Rodents in Australia
The key pest rodents in Australia are the brown or sewer rat, the black or roof rat and the common house mouse. The roof rat and house mouse are the most common pest rodents.
Native animals
There are a number of native animals that can be confused with the pest rodents. Apart from a number of native rats (there are around 60 species of native rat), sometimes possums and antechinus are also mistake for pest rats or mice.
With significant fines in place for harming native wildlife, it make sense to call a professional to deal with a potential rodent problem.
Diseases
Rodents are known to carry over 35 different diseases. Some of this are transferred in their saliva, urine and droppings, others can be transferred in the bits from the fleas and ticks that they carry
The most common disease transferred by rodents is Salmonella (food poisoning) which is transferred when rodents contaminate food with saliva, urine or droppings.
The rat flea was the cause of bubonic plague (the “black death”) that used to be widespread and it still exists in some developing countries.
They can also transfer some a range of rarer but more serious diseases such as leptospirosis, murine typhus and rat bite fever.
House fires
Apart from the diseases they carry, rats and mice are thought to be responsible for a large number of “unexplained” house fires, caused when they chew through electrical wiring.
Want to get rid of your unwanted rodent house guests?
Don’t let rodents take over your property. If left untreated, rodents can transmit disease can cause damage around your home or business. Rodents residing in your establishment also increase the risk of fire or live wires due to their need and ability to gnaw on a variety of materials.