Rodents

• The house mouse can start breeding at 6-10 weeks old and produce between 1-12 litters per year. There can be between 5-10 offspring per litter, this depends on environmental conditions.
• The gestation (pregnancy) period is 19-21 days.
• House mice are born blind and hairless.
• The house mouse has a life span of 1-2 years.

• The house mouse lives mainly in urban areas, being closely associated with humans, making nests in houses and buildings.
• The house mouse can also be found in agricultural areas (summer cropping and cereal areas) and in bushland.
• Mice are more nocturnal (active at night) but can be seen during the day.
• Mice are omnivores (meat & plant) and can eat between 3-5gms daily, diet includes meat, peanut butter, vegetable oil, rolled oats, seeds and molasses (syrup).
• In the field, mice will thrive on introduced cereal grains and consume native grass seeds.
• The house mouse homing range is limited to 5sqm in buildings and houses and even less in a crop situation/field.

The house mouse is a serious invasive pest and can breed to plague proportions. The house mouse invades households where they consume food and spoil food sources, chew insulation, vehicles parts, electrical wiring and infrastructure. The house mouse causes serious damage to the agriculture/horticulture industry and native plants. Crops suffer damage prior to seedling emergence, this is when the grain or seed begins to mature.  In cereal crops such as wheat, mice chew the growing nodes (buds) of the plant and can stop the development of the head or cause the stem to collapse.

In Australia, mice carry a variety of infectious diseases which can be transmitted to humans and other livestock.

Mice can transmit salmonella to one another, to humans and to domestic animals; encephalomyocarditis virus to pigs; fungal skin diseases (ringworms) to cats and humans; leptospirosis to humans and domestic pigs; and Parasitic infections – Fleas; mites; tapeworms; nematodes, Physaloptera spp.

The following actions can be taken to reduce mice around your property:

• A high level of hygiene and sanitation, in and around the property, is highly recommended.
• Reduce the food source and shelter availability for mice e.g. pick up fallen fruit and vegetables, clean the BBQ after use, uneaten pet food should be removed, garbage lids should be closed tightly, and bins emptied regularly.

Rodent proofing your home, e.g. sealing up holes or entrance points where mice can enter the building. Mice can jump up to 300mm, jump down around 2.5m and squeeze through openings as small as 8mm.

Trapping

• The use of mouse traps has been the most common control method, there is a wide range of traps available on the market.

Always use a registered pesticide, the pesticide must have the rodent symbol/image on the label.

There is a wide range of baiting products available on the market.

Note: When using a registered pesticide, always follow the directions on the label. If poisoning occurs, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 131126.

Engaging a professional Pest Controller is another option.

• The rat can start breeding at 3-4 months old and produce between 4-5 litters per year. There can be between 6-8 offspring per litter, this depends on environmental conditions.
• The gestation (pregnancy) period is 22 days.
• The rat has a life span of around 2 years.

• The rat lives mainly in urban areas, being closely associated with humans, making nests in houses and buildings.
• Rats are more nocturnal (active at night) but can be seen during the day.
• Rats are omnivores (meat & plant) and can eat between 15-22gms daily, diet includes rolled oats, seeds, fruit products, peanut butter, meat, peanut butter, vegetable oil, and molasses (syrup).
• The rats homing range is around 40-50 metres.

Rats have the potential to breed quickly and infest crops and food storages, where they cause serious economic damage. This is a major international problem and represents one of the most significant causes of lost or spoilt food supply worldwide.

The rat can gnaw insulation, vehicles parts, electrical wiring and infrastructure. Rats are rodents, and all rodents gnaw. With their teeth continually growing, just as you clip your fingernails, a Rat gnaws in order to keep its teeth in check. They like to gnaw on a variety of surfaces, but they really seem to like electrical wires which is a problem. (Reference NSW DPI)

Garden Rats are very common especially if an adjoining property has birds, chickens, bird-feeders, bird-baths, rabbits or any other animals that live outdoors and feed on cereals, which Rats love. Another food source is fallen fruit or dog and cat food that has been left out. Compost bins and poor rubbish storage are another draw to your property, so it pays to get these things sorted fast. (Reference NSW DPI)

Around the world, rats are known to spread over 35 diseases that can infect both people and pets, including:

• Plague,
• Salmonellosis,
• Leptospirosis, and
• Tularemia.

The following actions can be taken to reduce rats around your property:

• A high level of hygiene and sanitation, in and around the property, is highly recommended.
• Reduce the food source and shelter availability for rats e.g. pick up fallen fruit and vegetables, clean the BBQ after use, uneaten pet food should be removed, garbage lids should be closed tightly, and bins emptied regularly.

Rodent proofing your home, e.g. sealing up holes or entrance points where rats can enter the building. Rats can jump up to 1m, jump down around 12m and squeeze through openings as small as 2cm.

Trapping

The use of rat traps has been the most common control method, there is a wide range of traps available on the market.

Always use a registered pesticide, the pesticide must have the rodent symbol/image on the label.

There is a wide range of baiting products available on the market.

Note: When using a registered pesticide, always follow the directions on the label. If poisoning occurs, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 131126.

Engaging a professional Pest Controller is another option.