Rodent Control Specialist – Brisbane

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 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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.