Reducing and Eliminating Your Rodent Problem

Garden Maintenance tips

Eliminating your Rodent Problem

Gardens are so beautiful.

They can provide us with many hours of enjoyment. Whether that’s looking at your garden, or even working in your garden.

What’s not so enjoyable is the rodent problem that might be wreaking havoc on all your hard work.

Mice and other rodents can really wreck your lawn or garden if you aren’t paying attention.

So you can get the most out of your garden, here are a few ideas you can use in reducing and eliminating your rodent problem.

Identify Your Rodent Problem

Australia is home to a fair number of rodents. That means you’re probably going to have a rodent problem at some point to deal with.

Here are the most common rodent’s found in Perth:

  • The House Mouse
  • The Roof Rat
  • The Norway Rat

While the names are kind of cute, the problems they cause aren’t.

How will you know if you have a rodent problem?

  • Missing food
  • Lines in the dust or smears on walls known as “rat runs”
  • Droppings
  • Damage to food containers
  • Burrows
  • Nightly scratching sounds

The House Mouse

Probably the number 1 biggest rodent problem for everyone in Australia.

Homes and businesses alike suffer from the plague of the house mouse.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • Often mistaken for a rat but have smaller feet and bigger ears (in case you want to get up close and inspect one)
  • They mature and reproduce quickly
  • Tend to be ground dwellers, they live in nests
  • Tend to leave their droppings everywhere and you may detect a strong presence of urine.

The Roof Rat

Aka: the “black rat”, aka: the “ship rat”, aka: “the rat that caused the plague”

So these aren’t the kind of rats you really want hanging around.

Here are some distinguishing features about the roof rat:

  • They’re flexible and can live anywhere comfortably
  • They can enter your home by climbing trees
  • They will poop and urinate everywhere they possibly can
  • They love fruits, insects, seeds and leaves
  • They’re okay with eating human and pet food

The Norway Rat

Like their pestilence carrying cousins, the Norway rat can also spread disease.

And they also:

  • Like living in sewers but are also willing to burrow in gardens and sheds
  • Love cereal so if you have kids, be aware
  • Build nests in walls and are great at breeding

Other Pests Contributing to Your Rodent Problempossum in tree garden pest Perth

While these aren’t rodents, they sure can be a problem to your lawn.

Please note that the following animals are marsupials and are therefore classified as protected under Australian law.

  • Possums
  • Quokka (only if you live in Rotnest)
  • Bandicoot

What to do if these pests set up shop in your garden? Call a professional.

What to Do About Your Rodent Problem

Luckily there are things you can do to prevent and eliminate your rodent problem.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Keep all food in containers that pests can’t get into. This includes any container waste materials are put into.
  • Keep doors and cupboards closed.
  • Keep areas as dry as possible so that the rodents have no access to water
  • Clear rubbish and lumber from your yard.
  • Stack lumber and boxes at least 30 centimetres above the ground and walls so the rodents can’t burrow
  • Look for and cut off any holes and openings in your yard and home and any other buildings
  • Use traps with cheese or peanut butter to trap them and then humanely release them elsewhere.
  • Use a rodenticide (but be aware they can be very harmful to humans if not applied properly)

Rodents can be a big problem if action isn’t taken quickly.

We’d love to help you make your garden as beautiful as it possibly can be. Let us know how we can help you achieve that dream.