Bait, bites and clean-up
If a child may have swallowed rodent bait, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 now; if it's a pet, call the vet. After a rodent bite, NSW Health says to wash the wound with soap and water straight away, dry it, cover it with antibiotic cream and a clean bandage, and get medical attention.
Rats and mice in Brisbane
A coastal city suits both rats
The Australian Museum says the black rat, or roof rat, has spread through much of coastal Australia, and the brown rat is common in coastal cities. Brisbane gets both: one up high, one down low.
Queensland's own advice
For rats, mice and other introduced pest animals, the Queensland Government's advice is to call a pest control business that holds a Queensland licence. Urban pest control is one of the endorsements on that licence.
Where Queensland councils find them
Rockhampton Regional Council lists rat burrows along walls, under buildings, in creek banks, in roof insulation and in stacked materials. Brisbane's creeks, sheds and garden clutter offer all of those.
Renting
Queensland's minimum housing standards say a rental must be kept clear of vermin unless the tenant caused it. Tenants should tell the property manager or owner as soon as they notice rats or mice.
Roof rat, Norway rat or mouse?
| Roof rat (black rat) | Norway rat (brown rat) | House mouse | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | Slender, 165 to 205 mm | Heavier, 180 to 255 mm | 60 to 100 mm |
| Tail | Longer than head and body | Shorter than its body | About as long as its body |
| Ears and nose | Large thin ears, pointed nose | Short thick ears, blunt nose | Large hairy ears, pointed nose |
| Droppings | Spindle shaped | Banana or sausage shaped | Rod shaped, 3 to 6 mm |
| Usually lives | Roofs, cavity walls, trees | Burrows, under bushes, sewers | Inside, close to people |
What a rodent job usually involves
The technician looks through the roof space, subfloor, kitchen and outside walls for droppings, rub marks, nests and the gaps rodents use. Knowing which rodent it is decides where everything goes: roof rats climb, Norway rats burrow, mice gnaw holes up to 20 mm wide.
Most programs use bait stations (locked boxes that hold rodent bait), sometimes with traps, plus advice on proofing. Ask for every station to sit where children and pets can't get at it. Expect at least one return visit to check the stations. Ask which product is used and get its full name and the locations in writing.
The job is bigger when rodents are in the roof and walls as well as the kitchen, when the roof is hard to reach, or when gaps need building work to close.
What helps, and what to hand over
You can
- Keep food, grain and pet food in sealed containers, and pet bowls inside overnight.
- Clear stacked timber, boxes and garden clutter away from the house.
- Cut back vines and branches touching the roof or gutters.
- Clean up droppings with gloves on, then disinfect the area, as NSW Health advises.
- If you rent, tell the property manager in writing.
Leave to a pest business
- Placing and checking bait stations and traps.
- Work in the roof space and subfloor.
- Sealing entry points at height or behind cladding.
Worth asking
- Which rodent do you think it is, and what makes you say so?
- Where will each bait station go, and how are they locked?
- How many return visits are included?
- Which gaps do you recommend closing, and can you do it?
Where we'd start with rodent control in Brisbane
Tidy up the food and clutter first, because rodents follow food. If the scratching keeps going after a week, tap Rats or mice and say whether it's in the roof, the walls or the kitchen.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
