The threat of mice and rats are common regardless of your home being in a rural or urban area. In most cases, these pests may have even entered your home without you knowing, which exposes your family to the vast array of diseases these creatures bring.

With the ability to transmit pathogens to humans as well as household pets, rodent invasions are not to be taken lightly, especially when the health and well-being of your loved ones are at stake. By equipping yourself with knowledge of their harmful effects, effective measures can be taken to prevent the exposure to rodent-transmitted diseases.

Here is some helpful information you need to know to protect your family and home.

How do you identify rodent invasions?

While it’s always better to catch the rats and mice before their populations grow into larger infestations, how do you know if you have a problem? The following are some signs to look out for:

• Small chew marks
• Rat excretions (E.g., droppings and urine)
• Rodent footprints or tracks
• Heightened allergies that are not caused by seasonal changes
• Scampering, scratching or gnawing noises
• Holes on walls or cabinets or other materials
• Rotting odour (Possibly due to dead rats)

Diseases sourced from rodent infestations

In addition to transmitting pathogens directly through fresh or dried droppings, urine, as well as saliva, rodents are able to indirectly transmit pathogens through the spread of ticks and fleas. Mice are causes for major concern and require any contact or exposure to be treated immediately as untreated conditions may lead to fatal outcomes. The following are examples of diseases carried by common rodents:

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Severe and sometimes fatal, this viral respiratory disease is spread directly through the bacteria from faeces and urine of mice and rats.
• As a result of direct transmission from the excretion of rodents that contaminates consumed food or water, this bacterial disease can cause kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, and even death.
• Tick-related diseases can affect both humans and household pets, leading to fatal illnesses such as Babesiosis, Colorado tick fever (CTF), Lyme disease, Powassan virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), and Tularemia.

Guard against diseases carried by mice and rats

Here are some safety measures when using rodent pest control methods as recommended by Victoria State Government.

• Wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in order to reduce the potential for dermal, inhalation, eye, and oral exposure. Avoid splashing, spilling, and leaks that could contaminate
• Follow label directions carefully. Ensure that the pesticides are applied in accordance with the directions.
• Notify household and building occupants on areas of bait placements, pesticide use.
• Do not eat, chew, drink or smoke when handling the pesticides. Ensure your hands are toughly cleaned and devoid of pesticide residue prior to eating.
• After use, store the pesticides safely out of the reach of children.
• Make sure to note areas of bait placements.
• Do not allow children, pets or livestock in the vicinity of the bait.
• Place baits in locations that can be easily retrieved after a period. If rodents die and decay in hard-to-reach places, they may cause foul odours and the release of harmful bacteria. As such, make sure to also inspect bait stations regularly.

Contact your local experts on rat control in Melbourne for effective results. Once you have removed the rodents, ensure to thoroughly clean and disinfect your home. This includes keeping your countertops, cabinets, stoves, refrigerators and shelves free of stray pieces of food so as to not invite more pests in the future. Bear in mind to wear a mask and gloves when disposing of any potentially contaminated food. Avoid stirring up dust from faeces, urine or rodent nests as Hantaviruses remain infectious for several days.

The presence of rats and mice in your home are health hazards to your family and yourself. If you’re looking for a professional rat exterminator in Melbourne, Positive Pest Solutions is the expert of choice when it comes to rodent control in Melbourne.

With up-to-date knowledge of the industry and competitive prices, we have the expertise and level of service ready to solve all your pest related problems with ease. Get in touch with our friendly and reliable team to find out more about how we can help you today!

An initial and obvious measure to keeping rodents away from your home is not allowing them access. But often, this line of defence is not always feasible. Rodent infestation is a cause for concern as their invasion could lead to a host of serious issues. Considered a triple-D threat – dirty, damaging and disease-ridden, these pests pose a health hazard to you and your family. Not only are rats known to gnaw through cables leaving live wires exposed, but they are also able to chew through walls as well as carry a slew of bacteria. Prevention is truly better than cure in the case of pests before irreparable damage is done to your property.

So here are some ways to prevent rodents from gaining access to your home.

1. Remove their food supply

Rats are more likely to be drawn to a home due to the presence of warmth and food. As a result of their superior senses of smell, odours of food are easily detected. This makes securely sealing food absolutely necessary, which includes the effective storage of dried goods such as beans, pasta, oats, rice and even cereals. Storage options include air-tight plastic and metal containers as these pests are known to chew through cardboard. Furthermore, you should also make sure to always clean any crumbs that could be located on countertops, stoves, refrigerators, shelves and cabinets. By removing food available on the premise, you would not only significantly decrease the possibility of rodent infestation but also that of other pests.

2. Seal entry points

Due to their small sizes, rats are known to squeeze through small openings and are known to create larger openings using their teeth. Carefully inspect the exterior walls of your property for holes and seal any identified spots regardless of size. A hole larger than 5mm could allow mice to fit through these spaces and further break down the wall. Once these areas are effectively sealed, it is unlikely that rats will be able to create new holes. Similarly, holes on pipework should be sealed with coarse grade stainless steel wire wools or caulking. Pliable sealants and steel wools are also effective in disabling pests from accessing through otherwise vulnerable openings. If your home has any air vents or chimneys, close off these possible entryways as well with fine galvanised wire meshes. These practices should continue regularly to maintain the prevention of rodents accessing your home.

3. Install door sweeps

Door sweeps are essentially a seal to the gap that exists between the bottom of the door and the threshold. Seemingly harmless, this space is often one of the entry points to your home for pests. Inexpensive and easy-to-install, this feature would contain brushes or bristles fitted to the bottom of the door as well as weather seals or weather stripping around the sides and top.

4. Prune shrubs

If your home has a backyard or a lawn, it is recommended that you trim any available tree branches or shrubs. Various rodents and pests are known to be good climbers who are able to scale rough and vertical surfaces. With the help of vine or shrubs in contact with your home, these pests can easily gain access to rooftops. Long grass can also be attractive places of refuge and nesting sites for such creatures and is best to mow regularly.

5. Holistic repellents

As a preventive measure, you can add essential oils to the surroundings of your property. Natural deterrents such as clove and peppermint oil are able to irritate or disrupt the nasal passages of rats, therefore warding them off. For the interior of your home, you can soak cotton balls with these oils, placing them in areas that frequently attract mice such as entryways, basements or cabinets.

Looking for a professional rat exterminator in Melbourne? Positive Pest Solutions are providers of a wide range of services that include rat removal in Melbourne as well as rat control services in Melbourne. Get in touch with our friendly team today to discover more on the full range of services we offer and arrange a free quote!

Rats & rodents are major pests throughout Melbourne for many homes and businesses. It’s important to take great care and pay attention if you are faced with a rat infestation.

Anyone can suffer from an infestation of rats. There is an even higher chance of it occurring with winter on its way, as rodents seek shelter from the cold.

There are various serious dangers and health hazards that come with these common pests. It’s vital that if you are experiencing a rodent problem, to call your local pest control professionals before it escalates and gets out of hand.

Identifying Rodents

Damp, dark spaces around the home and areas that are rarely attended to can often be hotspots for pests. Mice and rats for example, could be residing in the attic, garage, laundry room, as well as basements. These areas are the perfect breeding ground for rodents, making them one of the first places you should clean and check for infestation.

The kitchen on the other hand, is a place we do actually visit on a daily basis but also where rats and rodents tend to get their snack on. The kitchen provides plenty of cracks and gaps that allow creatures to hideaway, as well as feast on wasted food.

Rodents are notorious for nibbling on almost anything, whether it’s food, wood or clothes, they are also highly adept at chewing through electric wiring. This is a huge worry as this can greatly increase the chance of an electric fire.

Rodents will usually crawl into homes through gutters and sewers, making them often draped in germs, fleas, ticks and other parasites. Besides sinking their gnashers on almost anything, rats are also known to urinate on everything, including food. This means absolutely anyone can be infected by coming in close contact with a rodent.

Rodent Facts

Rodents travel in packs. Meaning that if you’ve seen one in your home, there’s a high likelihood that an entire family of rodents is hiding somewhere. What’s more, rats reproduce at a rapid rate, with an average rat producing up to 12-13 young every few weeks.

Rodents are extremely agile and can enter any structure through the smallest of openings or gaps. Think of the size of a coin, and that’s how small of a gap a rodent can easily pass through. Their ability to climb also makes plenty of areas comfortable for them to reach and breed in.

As rodents get older and continue to develop and grow, their incisors also get larger, making chewing through wires, cables and small gaps even easier.

Diseases Spread by Rodents

Rodents can transmit several diseases. It’s vital not to underestimate the dangers and health threats of rats and rodents, as they can not only directly transmit diseases but also able to carry anything transmitted by parasites such as ticks and flies.

The diseases known to be spread by rodents include; Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis, Rat-bite Fever, Salmonellosis and Tularemia.

Dangers & Health Hazards

Rodent droppings are a particularly dangerous by-product of having a rat infestation in your home. If you see a rat that isn’t your pet, then the wild rat will most likely be a triple-D threat. This means that they’re dirty, damaging and disease-ridden.

Ever since the black plague, the fear of disease spread by rodents has been a widespread and well-known fact, which is why coming across rodent droppings can be just as dangerous as having physical contact with them.

These are the dangers & health threats of rats & rodents in your home and business.

• Food Contamination

Your kitchen or pantry makes for a highly attractive food supply. Rats and mice are known to chew through whatever’s necessary in order to reach sustenance. Usually, they’ll find a way to gnaw through the wood of your kitchen and cupboards without you knowing.

This damage can start way before you’ve even realised that you have an infestation in your home or business. Once inside, rats and mice will use this area as a buffet and chew through boxes and bags of food.

Any food that has been touched or eaten by these pests must always be thrown away as contamination will have definitely occurred.

• Chewed Wires

Electrical wires can be found everywhere in offices and homes. These wires are a safety hazard if they have been damaged in any way.

Outer casing helps to keep these wires safe however, rodents are capable of chewing through wires and everything else in the search of food or a breeding ground.

The exposure of these wires can lead to severe disruptions to your equipment – or even worse – a fire.

What’s more, your smoke and security alarm equipment around the home or office could be damaged – presenting real and tangible dangers to your family and home.

• They Also Enter Vehicles

The main concern for rodents is having them in your home. When it’s cold outside however, rodents that struggle to get into your home or office, will instead find it easier to chew their way into your garage and into your vehicle.

A warm place to stay is commonly the area underneath the bonnet of your car. Car engines can stay warm for a while, making it an ideal place for rodents to be attracted to.

Your car can be a great place to chew through materials and build a nest. If a rat has infested your vehicle, your car wiring is often damaged and – similar to your home and office – is a dangerous fire hazard.

• They Destroy Homes & Businesses

A rodent infestation is a huge conundrum for many homeowners and landlords. They will eat your food, leave droppings and spread dangerous diseases. Rodents are also nocturnal, meaning that they’ll often run around when everyone’s asleep or not present.

Rodents can ultimately cause fires within your home and it’s not difficult to tell if you do have a rodent problem. Their ability to chew through almost anything means that if given enough time, they are capable of causing long lasting permanent damage to your home.

For businesses with a rat infestation, it can be a huge reputational risk if they are found to be living within your building. No one wants to shop or dine in a store where rats could possibly be breeding.

A single rat can rapidly become a health violation, which could lead to fines and even the possibility of a shutdown of your business.

Any pantries or store rooms where grocery items are involved, could increase the chances of rats feasting on a wide range of foods at night when the store is closed. Chewed electrical wires in your office building can be a dangerous prospect for all employees.

How to Stay Safe And Protect Yourself

When it comes to a rat and rodent problem, it’s important to act swiftly, safely and responsibly to get rid of them.

If you have a rodent infestation and need to clean up any droppings, it’s always a good idea to air out the room and wear a face mask to prevent you from breathing any dust particles that could be contaminated.

Be sure to always side with caution when protecting yourself from rats and rodents and call in professional pest control services to help you get rid of them.

If you’re looking for professional rat and rodent control in Melbourne, Positive Pest Solutions are proud to provide a wide range of services that includes rodent removal in Melbourne and rat control services in Melbourne.

Get in touch with our friendly and reliable team today to find out more about our full range of professional services in rodent control in Melbourne and to arrange a free onsite quote.