Sydney Rodent / Rat Information

Rodents

The presence of rats and mice in buldings is usually regarded as undesirable from the viewpoint of food spoilage and contamination, physical damage, and the transmission of diseases to humans. There are 3 types of common pest rodents. The small House Mouse, medium sized Roof Rat and large Norway Rat.

Eating and Contamination of Stored Food

Rats and mice are responsible for enormous losses of food in store, either by directly eating the foods or by rendering them inedible through contamination. As the rodents move in and around stored foods, theycontaminate the food with dropping and hairs.

Gnawing: Physical Damage

Norway Rat

The constant gnawing of rodents can be the cause of serious damage to a range of materials. Typically, they may damage doors, skirtings and other parts of buildings, upholstery, books, food containers or packaging. The gnawing of wires and cables has caused the breakdown of phone systems and short-circuiting, which may result in equipment breakdown or, at worst, very costly fires. Fire damage has also resulted from the gnawing of matches collected in the nest.

Disease Transmission

Rats & mice may transmit disease to humans by a variety of means:

1. Contamination of food or utensils with rodent urine or faeces eg. Salmonella, Choriomeningitis, Tapeworm
2. Contamination by direct contact with urine of faeces, where bacteria seem to enter the skin through small scratches eg. Weil's Disease.
3. Indirect contamination via blood-sucking insects (rat fleas) eg. Plague, Murine Typhus Fever.
4. Indirect contamination via pets to humans eg. Favus, Skin disease
5. Contamination by directly biting humans, eg. Rat Bite Fever, Relapsing Fever Bacteria
6. Indirect contamination by being eaten by an intermediate carrier eg. Trichinosis.

House rats & mice in buildings pose a serious threat to human health. The disease threat alone is justifiable cause for concern and for the implementation of sound control procedures.

Detection of Rats and Mice

1. Rodent droppings varying in size of mouse or rodent.
2. 'Rubmarks' are markings on surfaces deposited as greasy smears by continual contact with dirty, greasy rodent fur. Most apparent on vertical surfaces.
3. Burrows often present adjacent to waterways & buildings.
4. Gnawings
5. Nests may be found in hidden parts of construction. Nests are usually made up of rags, paper, cardboard and straw.
6. Runs in outdoor vegetation may indicate constant traffic.
7. Urine stains
8. Disappearance of food
9. Sounds during evening and night eg. bumping, gnawing, clawing, scratching.
10. Odour similar to acetamide.
11. Excitement of pets, usually dogs are territorial and sensitive to foreign odours, and the intrusion of the rodent.

Roofrat Sanitation and Rodent-Proofing is also an important aspect to remember. Perhaps the most permanent method of rodent control is to make any necessary alternation's to the building so as to prevent their entry.