Bait and bites
If a child may have swallowed rat bait, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 now; for a pet, call the vet. After a rodent bite, NSW Health says to wash the wound straight away with soap and water, dry it, cover it, and get it seen by a doctor.
Which rodent have you got?
| Black rat (roof rat) | Brown rat | House mouse | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Roofs, wall cavities and trees: an agile climber | Burrows, under bushes, sewers | Close to people, all over Australia |
| Tail | Longer than its head and body | Shorter than its body | About as long as its body |
| Ears | Large and thin | Medium, short and thick | Large and hairy |
| Droppings | Spindle shaped | Banana or sausage shaped | Small, 3 to 6 mm |
Rodents in Sydney
A coastal city's rats
The Australian Museum says the black rat has spread through much of coastal Australia, and brown rats are common in coastal urban areas. Sydney gets both.
Rubbish is the draw
The City of Sydney says rats are attracted to poor waste management, where they feed and nest. Its advice: pet food inside, waste in bins, land kept clean, and proofing with solid, durable materials and screens.
Councils bait the public places
The City of Sydney runs a baiting and monitoring program in public spaces, using bait stations and solar-powered smart rodent boxes. Vermin on private land are the landowner's responsibility, though you can report activity coming from public land or a neighbour's property.
Unit blocks can act quickly
Pest work in a NSW residential complex's common areas normally needs 5 working days' notice to residents, but emergency work on rodents can go ahead sooner if a notice is displayed and records are kept.
Renting
Generally, NSW landlords handle pests present when a tenancy starts, and tenants handle pests their own rubbish or habits attract, such as mice. Disputes go to NSW Fair Trading.
What helps, and what to hand over
You can
- Lidded bins, no food scraps left out, and pet bowls brought in at night.
- Trim branches and vines that give rats a ladder onto the roof.
- Clean up droppings wearing gloves, and wipe the area with disinfectant, as NSW Health advises.
- Note where you hear them and at what time.
Leave to a pest business
- Finding the entry points in the roof, eaves and subfloor.
- Bait stations, which are locked boxes that hold rodent bait, placed out of reach of children and pets.
- Sealing gaps with durable materials, and a return visit to check activity.
If it were our house in Sydney
We'd sort out the bins and the pet food first and listen for a week. Scratching in the ceiling at night after that is worth a visit: tap Rats or mice and say where you hear it.
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.
