About 40% of all species belong to the order Rodentia and on top of that list are mammals that are disliked by a huge subset of the global population: rats and mice. Unfortunately for the people who dislike them with a passion, rodents are the second most successful mammal on the planet, second only to human beings. This means that they are quite adept at finding food and shelter and thriving in all sorts of living conditions. Rodents can cause damage from domestic households to large businesses, and everything in between. The most common types of rodent pests that you might encounter in Australian homes are the black rat, brown rat, Norway rat, roof rat and the house mouse. Some of these are small, some are large. Some are more common in coastal areas while others prefer living inland. But what all of these have in common is the ability to spread disease/germs and very short gestation periods. What this means for you is that if you notice any signs of rodent activity, it does not matter what type of rodent it is. Reach out to us ASAP so we can handle it for you or you might have an entire family of rats across 5 generations living in your attic or basement.
<h4>What you can do</h4>
There are certain preventive measures that you can take to greatly reduce the risk of having a rodent infestation in your house or place of business. Some of these include:
- Almost all of the common rodent species are omnivorous, but they have a strong preference for food items such as fruits, nuts, grains, cereals etc. So it is essential that you keep such food items properly sealed and in clean spaces. It is recommended that you use glass or metal containers with tight lids wherever possible
- Clean up any yards around your property and make sure there are no bushes or shrubs right next to your walls since these spaces provide shelter (and hiding places) for rodents
- Don’t leave food sitting out in the open, both inside and outside your property and make sure all garbage and pet food is secured properly at all times
- Do not follow the DIY rat control advice online that tells you to use moth balls, peppermint oil or anything of that sort! While rats and mice are sensitive to strong smells and sounds, they are smart enough to keep up with them if they find a house that offers them shelter and a constant supply of food
- If you compost regularly, do not include organic waste since this attracts rodents
If you have already spotted signs of rodent activity such as droppings, fabrics that have been gnawed at or a food pantry that looks like it’s being frequented by a late night guest, prevention is not an option anymore. Reach out to AusWide the minute you notice any of these signs as DIY methods almost never work with rodents. On the contrary, the more time you spend trying to deal with a rodent infestation on your own, the more time they have to reproduce and make things worse (one pair of mice can multiply into north of 2000 mice in less than a year!)