There are three species of introduced rodents in Australia. They are the Norway or brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), the roof or black rat (Rattus rattus), and the house or field mouse (Mus musculus). There reputation as a pest is legendary because of their ability to contaminate and spoil food, spread disease, and cause physical damage combined with the prolific rate at which they reproduce. In fact rats contributed to the deaths of over 25 million people in Europe by being the carrier of the bubonic plague (Black Death). Rodents are incontinent which means they basically dribble urine where ever they go, including your kitchen bench. Because rats and mice front teeth continually grow they must continually gnaw or chew to keep them to a functional size. Electrical wiring has been damaged in this way, resulting in house fires.

Many people are surprised to find out they have rats in their roof. This is often because rats are strongly associated with dirtiness or poor hygiene, and it can feel hard to accept the idea of them being in a clean, well-kept home. The reality is that rats don’t discriminate — they are opportunistic and will move into any property if the conditions suit them.

People often think they’ve got a possum (or even a monster!) in their roof because the noises sound far too loud to be a little rat. The truth is, roof cavities can really amplify sounds, especially if they’re not insulated.

I usually explain it to clients like this:

• Mice sound like they’re wearing sneakers,

• Rats sound like they’re in footy boots, and

• Possums sound like they’re stomping around in gumboots!

People often spot a rat in their garden and believe it’s a native rat, the fact is native rats avoid human habitation and the culprit is more than likely a roof rat (Rattus rattus) which is physically different (see species notes) from the typical brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) that most people are familiar with. Rats and mice are highly adaptive meaning they occur in all types of environments from the very busy area of Joondalup, the classy homes of Cottesloe, to the highly vegetated areas of the Swan Valley.

If you notice signs of pest activity in your home, the best step is to arrange a professional inspection. Correct identification is key to making sure the right treatment is carried out, keeping your home safe and pest-free.

What we can do:

We’ll sort out your rat or mouse problem, that’s for sure! A standard treatment with us starts off with a good look around your home. We work out what type of rodent it is, how many there might be, where they’re most active, and how they’re getting in.

Once we know what we’re dealing with, we place baits in those key spots. If there’s any chance of pets or kids getting near the bait, we put them in tamper-resistant stations so they’re completely safe. We use a mix of single-dose baits which lowers the chances of rodents dying in your roof. And because some rodents are picky eaters, we use a variety of bait types — things like grain-based baits as well as wax blocks — to make sure they all take it.

If the usual methods aren’t enough, we’ve got a few extra tricks up our sleeve. Sometimes we’ll dust entry points with a tracking powder that rodents pick up on their fur and then eat when they groom themselves. For the more cautious ones, that same powder can be mixed into different foods to tempt them. And if solids aren’t doing the job, we can even use a liquid bait.

Once the initial problem is under control, we’ll also give you some tips on what you can do around your place to stop them coming back. Just keep in mind, proofing (blocking entry points) is something you want to do after the treatment, otherwise you risk locking them inside.

Plenty of our customers also choose to get their rodent treatment done at the same time as a general pest spray for spiders and ants. It’s a smart way to cover everything at once and prevent future problems.