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0800 736 865
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Rat Control and Mice Control
Rat and mice control is essential to combat this serious pest risk to humans. Rat and mice gnawing habits, which are necessary to control the size of their chisel shaped front teeth, cause damage to buildings, plumbing, gas pipes and electrical wiring. They have even been found to be the cause of building fires. Rats and mice are also responsible for enormous loss of food and for their ability to transmit diseases to humans such as Salmonella food poisoning, leptospirosis, tape worm, etc and of course they can transmit fleas and may bite if scared or cornered.
Whether it is crops or stored food, rats and mice consume and contaminate huge amounts of food by eating and leaving behind faecal droppings and urine where ever they infest. This group of animals are very social and live in groups in nests made out of any soft materials they find i.e., paper, clothing material, insulation, etc. In autumn and winter they like to move to shelter and can be found inside walls, roof voids, under houses and even within stored foods. They are very cunning and often very cautious pests which live very successfully in both urban and rural environments. Any rats or mice you see are scouts for a much larger population.
Baiting is a very effective way of controlling rats and mice as they scurry about looking for food.
We use special highly attractive baits which are pinned inside locked bait stations.
We can tell how much bait has been eaten and so we know how big a problem you have at your place.
We visit and inspect your home or business 4 times over a period of approximately 6 weeks and check each station and replace the bait as necessary.
On the 4th visit, all uneaten bait and stations are removed from your property. If bait is still being consumed we must continue to visit and bait. This will cost extra.
If you live or work in an area with high rodent numbers on going rat and mice treatments are recommended. If you are in a food business or have buildings close to parks, bush, streams, orchards, crops, gardens rat and mice control is essential.
For further information on rats and mice and helpful tips, please read on
Rats and Mice are among the most successful mammals on earth. They reproduce quickly, are very adaptable, and will eat many different types of food. We humans help their survival by providing shelter, warmth and food!
Rats and Mice are widely spread throughout New Zealand and are often transported on trucks, in containers, and by boat. A mouse can excrete between 40-100 droppings a day and a rat 20-50 as well as up to 14 mls of urine. As a result, there are potential risks of disease and sickness such as salmonella. Even in New Zealand, people die from disease spread by rodents.
Rats and Mice cause serious damage to buildings, equipment, and furniture and can create a potential fire risk by chewing through electrical wiring and plastic insulation. They also pose an ecological concern by damaging crops, contaminating stock, stealing eggs, and killing young birds.
Don’t forget, rodents carry fleas and fleas carry worms. Keep these pests out of your home!
Did you know that rats can:
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Climb inside vertical pipes from 40 mm-100mm in diameter.
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Drop 15 metres without serious injury.
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Tread water for up to 3 days.
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Jump horizontally up to 1.2 metres on a flat surface.
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Travel in sewers even against substantial current flow.
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Climb horizontal and vertical wires.
Common species of Rats and Mice in New Zealand:
Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
The Norway rat, also known as a sewer rat is large and robust. It has a short snout with small eyes and ears. Its coat is coarse, shaggy and light brown in colour. While its sight is poor the Norway rat’s other senses are excellent. It is omnivorous but prefers meat products. It can climb but is not that agile so nests are usually found in underground burrows. An excellent swimmer, the Norway rat is often associated with wetlands, rivers, landfills, sewers and estuaries.
Roof Rat (Rattus rattus)
Other names for the Roof rat are Ship or Black rat. It is smaller than the Norway rat and is considered sleek and graceful in comparison. It has a pointed snout with large eyes and ears. The Roof rat’s tail is especially long and usually dark in colour. This species is also omnivorous but prefers fruits, nuts, grains and vegetables. It is agile and a good climber so comfortably nests in walls, attics, vines and trees. The Roof rat can swim but prefers to stay on dry land.
Both species have quite a large range from their nest so will wander up to 30 metres looking for food. Both will store food so it is important to secure baits to monitor and ensure digestion. Their average life span is 9-12 months. Rats require a lot of water daily.
House Mouse (Mus musculus)
The house mouse is a small and slender creature with large ears, small eyes and pointed snout. Like the larger rodents the house mouse is colour-blind but what it lacks in sight, it makes up for by using its other very strong senses. Usually light brown or light grey in colour, it is a good climber, can swim and generally burrows to make nests. The house mouse is very territorial and rarely goes further than 6 metres from its nest to obtain food.
Rodent Control - HELPFUL HINTS
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Get tight fitting rubbish containers.
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Clean up and throw away rubbish heaps, overgrowing weeds and surplus building supplies.
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Eliminate any potential rodent harbourages.
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Prevent entry of rodents to the building by fixing metal plates to walls where there are pipes.
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Keep a high standard of hygiene and sanitation.
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Eliminate unnecessary water sources.
Green Earth Odour Control bags
We can supply odour control bags for any unwanted odours around the inside of your home. These are very effective against a range of odours e.g. decaying rodents and birds, pet smells, mould and mildew smells etc.
Q. Is there any difference in treatment of rats and mice?
A. The size of the stations will vary but the products and procedures are the same.
Q. Why is it important to secure bait in stations?
A. Rats in particular tend to store their food so by securing the bait in stations you are ensuring that they will eat the bait immediately. It is also a great way of monitoring rodent activity at your property. If the bait has been taken you can be sure you have a problem!
Q. Where will rodents die if we kill them using a bait?
A. With the products we use there is no guarantee where they will die but often they will return to their nest. We can supply odour control bags for any unwanted odours around the inside of your home. These are very effective against a range of odours e.g. decaying rodents and birds, pet smells, mould and mildew smells etc.
Q. I have rats in my ceiling but there is no access to it, what can be done?
A. Bait can be used around the outside of your home and when the rats venture out to feed they will take this bait.
Q. How long will it take for rodents to die after they have eaten the bait?
A. Approximately 4-7 days after eating the bait.
Q. Are pellets the same as the blocks?
A. No, pellets cannot be secured to a bait station and therefore cannot be monitored as well as the blocks.
Q. I do not want to harm the rodents what do you offer in terms of humane rodent control?
A. We sell live capture traps for both rats and mice.