Rats and mice are more than a nuisance — they’re a genuine health risk and can cause serious structural damage to your home. Rodents gnaw through electrical wiring (a leading cause of house fires), damage insulation, contaminate food and surfaces with droppings and urine, and carry diseases including leptospirosis, salmonella, and rat lungworm. Once they’ve established in your roof void or subfloor, they’re difficult to remove without a proper control program.
Pure Pest Control provides rodent control services throughout the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay region — including bait station installation, exclusion advice, and ongoing monitoring programs for residential and commercial properties.
Types of Rodents We Treat
Roof Rats (Black Rats) — Rattus rattus
Roof rats are by far the most common rodent problem in Queensland homes. They’re agile climbers and use tree branches, power lines, pipes, and vines to access roof voids, where they nest in insulation and move through cavities above ceilings. The most common signs are scratching or running noises in the roof at night, droppings in the roof void, and gnaw marks on timber or wiring. Roof rats are sleek, dark-coloured, and have a tail longer than their body length.
Norway Rats (Brown Rats) — Rattus norvegicus
Norway rats are larger and more heavily built than roof rats. They’re ground-dwellers rather than climbers, burrowing beneath buildings, in subfloors, under concrete slabs, and along drainage lines. Norway rats are more common near waterways, commercial food premises, and older properties with subfloor access. They’re less common in suburban homes than roof rats but cause more structural damage when present due to their burrowing behaviour.
House Mice — Mus musculus
House mice are smaller than rats and can enter homes through gaps as small as 6–7mm — roughly the diameter of a pencil. They nest in wall cavities, behind appliances, in stored boxes, and in pantry areas. Mice breed rapidly — a single pair can produce five to ten litters per year — so a small mouse problem escalates quickly if not addressed. Signs include small dark droppings (smaller and more numerous than rat droppings), gnaw marks on food packaging, and a distinctive musty odour from nesting areas.
Signs You Have a Rodent Problem
Rodents are most active at night, so many homeowners hear the problem before they see it. The most common warning signs include scratching, scurrying or thumping sounds in the roof void, especially at night; droppings in cupboards, along skirting boards, in the roof void, or in the subfloor; gnaw marks on food packaging, timber, pipe lagging, or electrical cables; smear marks along regularly used runs near walls or pipes; a strong, musty ammonia smell from nesting areas; and nesting material (shredded insulation, paper, or fabric) found in hidden areas.
Our Rodent Control Approach
Effective rodent control has three components: elimination of the current population, identification and sealing of entry points, and reduction of attractants. Bait stations alone, without addressing how rodents are getting in, often result in ongoing reinfestation.
Bait Station Installation
We install tamper-resistant lockable bait stations in the roof void, subfloor, and around the external perimeter of your property. The stations are positioned along known rodent runs and contain second-generation anticoagulant bait that is effective against resistant rodent populations. Stations are secured and labelled, making them safe around children and pets while remaining accessible to rodents.
Exclusion and Entry Point Advice
We’ll inspect your roof void, eaves, subfloor, and exterior walls to identify how rodents are entering. Common entry points include gaps around pipes where they penetrate the wall, broken or missing vent screens, gaps in weatherboards or eave cladding, and tree branches overhanging the roofline. We’ll provide a written report of entry points identified and what needs to be sealed or trimmed. Blocking entry points is essential to prevent reinfestation after the current population is eliminated.
Ongoing Monitoring Programs
For commercial properties and high-risk residential sites, we offer ongoing rodent monitoring programs with regular station checks and bait replenishment. These programs meet the requirements of food safety audits and are popular with hospitality businesses, food manufacturers, and body corporate managers responsible for common areas in strata complexes.
How to Reduce Rodent Attractants Around Your Home
Rodents are opportunistic — they move in where food, water, and shelter are available. Reducing these attractants makes your property less appealing and makes pest control treatments more effective. Key steps include storing food (including pet food) in sealed, hard-sided containers; removing fruit from trees and ground as it falls; keeping outdoor bins sealed and away from the house; trimming trees and shrubs away from the roofline (a 600mm clearance is ideal); clearing stored timber, debris, or junk that provides nesting cover; and fixing leaking taps and drainage issues that provide a water source.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rodent Control
I can hear something in my roof at night — how do I know if it’s rats?
Roof rats are the most likely culprit for overnight roof void noise on the Sunshine Coast. They’re active after dark and produce scratching, scurrying, and rolling sounds as they move along joists and through insulation. Possums are often blamed but have a distinctive heavier, slower, thumping movement compared to the rapid light scurrying of rats. Our technician can inspect the roof void and confirm the pest within minutes.
Are the bait products safe around my kids and pets?
All bait stations we install are tamper-resistant and lockable — the bait inside is not accessible to children or pets without the correct key. Stations in the roof void and subfloor are completely inaccessible during normal household activity. We use registered rodenticides and follow all label requirements for placement and safety. We’ll advise on any specific precautions relevant to your property layout.
How long does rodent control take to work?
Second-generation anticoagulant baits typically result in rodent deaths within four to ten days of bait consumption. You’ll usually notice a reduction in roof activity within one to two weeks. If you’re still hearing activity after two weeks, we’ll revisit to check stations and assess whether entry points need addressing. Dead rodents in the roof void are common — we can advise on odour management and recovery if needed.
How much does rodent control cost?
Rodent control for a standard residential property starts from around $180–$250, including bait station installation in the roof void and an inspection of entry points. Ongoing monitoring programs for commercial properties are quoted based on site size and service frequency. Contact us for an upfront quote — we don’t charge for quoting.
Ready to take action? Visit our dedicated Rodent Control Sunshine Coast page for service details and booking.
