Rats and mice are common in roofs in Manly, and they often turn up during a possum job. The noises can be confused, too. A possum makes heavy thumps, mostly at dusk and before dawn, while rats and mice make quick scurrying and gnawing sounds that can carry on all night. Rats also leave a sharper, stale smell rather than the musky odour of a possum, and they tend to chew anything soft they find, from insulation to the plastic coating on cables.
The crew we book looks for small droppings, chewed wiring, gnawed timber and greasy rub marks along the beams. They then place lockable bait stations in the roof space and around the outside of the house, and look for the small gaps rodents use to get in. Rats and mice can squeeze through much smaller holes than possums, so the sealing work is quite different.
- Checking the roof space for rodent signs
- Lockable bait stations in the roof and around the yard
- Sealing small gaps around pipes, cables and vents
- Pointing out food sources such as fallen fruit and pet food
- Tips on checking the stations over the next few weeks
Bayside homes near creeks, parks and the foreshore tend to see more rodents in the cooler months, when rats move inside looking for warmth. Clearing rubbish, stacked timber and fallen fruit from the yard helps the bait stations do their work and gives rodents fewer places to hide close to the house.
Rodent work can be booked on its own or added to a possum visit, and you get an upfront price either way. To book rat and mouse control in Manly, call 07 3543 7769.
