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Eco, Family, Pet friendly Auckland & Rotorua pest control

Eco, Family, Pet friendly Auckland & Rotorua pest control

rats miceRats & Mice

In domestic situations

Rodents are the most common mammals in the world, both in numbers and in species. There are  three introduced rodents that cause problems around homes:

  •  Rattus norvegicusthe sewer or brown rat
  •  Rattus rattus the roof or black rat
  • Mus musculus the house mouse

It is the introduced rodents that cause problems in urban areas.

Those that live with or near people and depend on humans for at least part of their food or shelter. They are often attracted to houses for food and shelter as the weather cools in autumn/winter.

Rodents prominent incisor teeth grow continuously. Gnawing is natural and necessary survival behaviour of the rat and mouse. Rats and mice enjoy gnawing wires – a potential cause of fires in houses & contamination of all food related products.

Rodents contaminate our environment with their urine and droppings and by spreading disease. Rodents are known to be vectors of over fifty disease organisms including the causes of plague, leptospirosis, murine typhus and food poisoning.

RODENT SPECIES

Sewer rat Rattus norvegicus

Originated in Central Asia. Large, aggressive, adaptable and sly.

Roof rat Rattus rattus

A native of the forests of equatorial Southeast Asia. It was the most common rat in urban areas in Europe during the outbreaks of plague.

House mouse Mus musculus

Believed to have originated in Central Asia. Mice adapted to structures associated with the storage and transport of grain, with their provision of shelter, warmth and food.

  • Some properties are invaded in autumn every year as rats and mice seek shelter in cooler weather. Others may be invaded when nearby areas are developed. If you are aware of a potential influx, contact your Pest Control provider to introduce a program before the event.
  • Pet food is a major attraction for rodents. Ensure that all pet food is never left outside overnight and by storing in metal containers.
  • The house should be inspected for potential entry points, concentrating on gaps in the wall, such as weep holes, doors and windows and penetrations for plumbing and electrical services.
  • Trim all tree branches away from the house. Remove ivy and trellises from walls.
  • Do not store timber or debris adjacent to the house.
  • Repair leaky taps and remove other water sources.
  • Rodents develop territories and have a social hierarchy. Not all will have equal access to baits. The most dominant and aggressive individuals tend to be the oldest and largest male members of the colony. Treatment programs must be designed to control the colony, rather than a few individuals.
  • An adult house mouse produces 50 to 100 droppings and up to 3,000 micro-droplets of urine per day, a rat about 40 to 50 droppings per day or 15,000 droppings and 15 of urine per year.
  • Do not bait in roof spaces or walls as Rodents may die in inaccessible places such as wall cavities. Odours from dead mice are seldom a problem but rats, because of their larger body weight may cause a problem. Your Pest Control provider can minimize this.

CONTROL

INSPECTION

To determine the species, the extent and severity of the problem, the location of harbourages and areas of activity and appropriate control strategies.

HYGIENE

Mow the lawn, eliminate clutter, debris, rubbish and access to pet food (metal containers and take in at night). Limiting food, water and shelter makes it harder for the rodent to survive and increases the effectiveness of control strategies.

PROOFING

Keep them out! This may be simple or not practical – a mouse can get through a hole the size of the tip of your little finger, a rat requires the size of the tip of your thumb. The main areas of entry are doors, overhanging branches, vents and penetrations for plumbing and electricals.

TRAPPING

There are a variety of traps including curiosity traps and snap traps, please note sticky/glue board type traps are illegal in New Zealand.The placement of these devices is critical to their success however traps alone may not solve a large infestation.

BAITING

This is the most common method used by Pest Managers and by the general public – the differences are that Pest Managers know which active ingredients and formulations are most suitable for the situation at hand and they will often integrate other actions listed above, depending on what they find in the inspection.

The baits used in urban areas are anticoagulant rodenticide. Death occurs from four days after commencement of feeding.  your Pest Control provider will use appropriate bait stations to minimize any risk. If a non-target animal feeds on the bait, take the animal  to a veterinarian. If the animal shows signs of poisoning, the vet will administer an antidote.