Rodent Control Experts - Bendigo and Central Victoria

The first part of any rodent control program is to carry out an inspection. It is vital to identify the species, map the areas of activity, understand how it is accessing the property and if possible locate the nest.

The correct pest control program can then be put in place to solve the problem.  This may involve the use of rodent baits or traps to control the non-native species, or traps to remove and re-home any native species.

A rodent control program will require our qualified technicians to determine how many stations or traps are required depending on the size of the home, the surrounding environment and the severity of the infestation. For more involved problems or serious infestations, it may take several visits to gain control and sometimes an ongoing control program may need to be put in place.  

Mice control is relatively straightforward (unless we’re talking about a mouse plague!). Mice are very inquisitive – they will readily explore new things (such as bait stations and traps) and will like to try new foods (such as rodent bait). So as long as the bait is placed in the correct location, the mice will find it quickly and often eat some on the first night after placement. This means control can be achieved in 4-7 days.

However, the trick is placing the bait in the correct location. Mice tend not to travel far from their nest, often only around 5 m. So the key to success it locating their nest, be in inside the house or in burrows outside.

Rat control is a bit more difficult than mouse control. Firstly, there are two different species – the roof rat and Norway rat – which have very different behaviours. It’s important to identity the species correctly as it influence the choice of bait and placement. For example, to control roof rats, bait will have to be placed above ground along their foraging trails or near their nest.

Secondly, rats tend to be neophobic, which means they are frightened of new objects. As a result they will often ignore bait stations, traps and rodent bait for several days after placement until they get used to it. This will often delay the time taken to gain control by several days.

The use of any rodent product not only takes into account the species, but any safety considerations; children, pets, food areas, etc. We always use lockable bait stations in our baiting programs and stations will be placed out of the reach of children and pets. However, sometimes this is not possible and so alternative techniques, such as traps, may need to be used.

Our professional rodent baits contain a highly effective rodenticide. They are called “single feed” rodenticides – the rats and mice only need to eat a very small amount to receive a lethal dose.

Once they have eaten the bait it may take 4-7 days for the rodent to die.

Whereas most rodent problems in residential areas can be controlled in 1-2 visits, in cases of a severe infestation or for businesses requiring ongoing protection, several visits or an ongoing rodent protection plan may be required.

More detailed information on how rat baits work…