It happens every year and this year is no exception. People shocked to find they have a new housemate (or several) and desperately looking for a fast fix to their problem. Typically, rodents breed quickly with the average female brown rat taking just 21 days to produce 14 infant rats in a single litter. So you can see how two rats can quickly become many rats.
Mice are no different in terms of their breeding and reproductive cycles. Rats and mice are typically distinguished by their significant size difference and whilst there are a number of genetic, developmental and anatomical differences. At the end of the day, no one wants to share their home with either a rat or a mouse.
As the weather cools down, these rodents will be seeking a warm place where they are sheltered from the elements, safe from predators and close to food and water. As it happens, your home ticks all of these boxes, which is why we receive a high volume of calls from people looking for a solution to their new found rodent problem around this time of year.
Brisbane in particular has seen a rise in rodent numbers largely due to favourable climatic conditions in the past few years. Since the major Brisbane floods of 2011, Brisbane has enjoyed mild temperatures and regular rain. Nature is very good at keeping a balance; in times of drought, we enjoyed relatively pes- free seasons as the amount of food and water available to these pests were reduced. Since we have seen an increase in rain and mild conditions, the amount of available food and water has significantly increased as have the populations of cockroaches, rodents and termites.
Possums have been experiencing the same increase in population but to a lesser degree. Possums are messy and will urinate and leave droppings everywhere. They are a significant health hazard and as unhygienic to have around the home as rats or mice. Naturally, we approach a possum problem rather differently to a rat or mouse problem. At Results Home Services, we have the utmost respect for Australia’s native species, so we only use humane traps and once the offending possum has been caught, we relocate and release in a new habitat, far away from neighbouring homes.
Rats and mice aren’t just an annoyance, they are a legitimate safety concern. Besides the obvious health and hygiene concerns, rodents like mice and rats are widely known to be the cause of many house fires. Rats and mice need to gnaw to prevent their large front teeth from becoming too large and preventing them from feeding. They will gnaw on just about anything, timber, dry wall and electrical wires. Rodents can not only put a big hole in your wallet but are recently to blame for a major house fire in Christchurch where they had gnawed through the home’s wiring causing it to short and spark. All rats gnaw and if they’re in your ceiling or walls, it’s really a matter of chance that they haven’t gnawed through your home’s wiring.
Think you have rodents?
Don’t wait for the problem to get out of hand like one client; try as they might to get rid of the rats, they used poisons, rat pellets and traps with no affect on the rat population because that they are now in the midst of a major rat infestation. DIY products like off-the-shelf rat poisons or traps don’t account for having a qualified and experienced professional evaluate the situation and create a treatment plan suited to the circumstances at hand. Most people will just place rat baits around willy-nilly without much thought. Our technician can identify the entry points and nesting areas and treat those areas accordingly. It takes a trained eye, to not only know what to look for but know where to find it too.
Need to learn more about rodents and mice?
Advice from the Brisbane City Council on getting rid of rats and mice
DIY Rodent problem
Experience rodent problems? Don’t worry you are not alone!
rats-on-the-rise
Did you know that some rodents are protected in Queensland?
Rats and Mice protected in South-East Queensland
Greater Brisbane Region is home to seven species of native rodents and three introduced species.
Bush Rate, Fawn-footed Melomys, Grassland Melomys Rat, House Mouse, Pale Field Rat, Swamp Rat, Sewer Rat, Water Mouse, Water Rate.
Apart from the ship and sewer rat, the rest are protected in Queensland.
