Cairns Pest Control Services RODENTS

Information Fact sheet One

Information on pest species only.

Information on all species

Go to Fact sheet Two

Join with us in the protection of our native species. What are rodents?

Some rodents are destructive pests that can spread disease, contaminate food and destroy property. They vary in color and size by species. The most

common rodents that live in close proximity to humans (called commensal rodents) in Australia are Norway rats, roof rats, house mice and the

protected species white tailed rat

Norway rats are grayish-brown, roughly 13 to 17 inches long from nose to end of tail.

Roof rats are black or brown and smaller and sleeker than Norway rats, with tails longer than their bodies.

House mice, usually light gray, are small and slender, five to seven inches long from nose to end of tail.

Where are rodents found?

Rodents are found throughout the world, wherever food and water sources exist and can be difficult to keep out of homes regardless of size or

species. In fact, rats can squeeze through openings as small as a 20 cent piece, and mice can squeeze through holes the size of 5 cents.

Why should I be concerned about rodents?

Rodents, which can be hard to control, may also be harmful, contaminating food and spreading diseases. World studies have shown that mice alone

contaminate 10 times the amount of food they actually consume. World Health Authorities states that 406 cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome,

one of the many diseases carried and transmitted by various rodent species have been reported since the disease was first recognized in 1993. Thirty-

six percent of all reported cases have resulted in death. Additionally, rodents can carry fleas known to spread various types of plague and other

diseases such as Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). The house mouse is the primary carrier of LCMV, which causes symptoms such as

headache, fever, chills, muscle aches and even meningitis (inflammation around the brain and spinal cord). Typically, however, LCMV has little

effect on people with normal immune systems, but has been known to cause serious infections in people with weakened immune systems. Women

who become infected with LCMV during pregnancy may experience severe complications.

How can I help prevent a rodent infestation?

CAIRNS PEST CONTROL recommends the following tips for rodent control in and around the home:

Store food in secure rodent-proof containers. Wash dishes and cooking utensils immediately after use.

Seal all unintentional holes, gaps and cracks in your home or garage that are larger than 1/4 of an inch.

Do not leave animal food out day or night.

Keep spillage from bird cages swept up daily.

Install weather strips at the bottom of exterior doors.

Don’t store cardboard boxes in interior cupboards, garages or sheds.

Remove any piles of debris near the home or garden mulch, branches piles in the yard.

Trim branches, plants and bushes that hang over the home.

Ensure that gutters are directing water away from the home.

What do I do if I suspect a rodent problem around my home?

Because of the health concerns related to rodents, anyone suspecting a problem should contact a licensed pest management professional CAIRNS

PEST CONTROL the Rodent professionals can help identify and eliminate rodent problems.

During and after severe weather conditions like cyclones, rodents often relocate to new areas in search of food, water and shelter. Evacuees re-

entering their homes after extended absences in areas affected by severe storms like Larry should take precautions when cleaning rodent urine,

droppings or nesting materials, and take steps to eliminate the infestation by removing rodent food sources and nesting sites with the advice of a

licensed pest management professional.

Rodent Sounds

Rodents’ teeth are very hard and rodents tend to gnaw on many hard surfaces to gain entry or to find food. . These chewing noises can reverberate through wood or concrete and sound like heavy scratching. Clawing sounds can also be heard. Clawing may come from within walls or ceilings, or may be the result of a rodent attempting to enter a home from outside. Rodents tend to claw when searching for new nesting places or foraging for food. Clawing, gnawing and scratching sounds may also come from the roof of your house if you are experiencing a roof rat infestation. These rodents live in trees and enter homes on roofs and in attics or eaves of homes, as they prefer to dwell at high elevations. Squeaks are also audible throughout infested homes.

Rodent Infestation

Rodent infestations in or surrounding a home can prove extremely destructive. Different species are known for different nesting and feeding behaviors, but infestations cause damage to gardens, yards as well as to the home and the contents. Baits may be used to lure rats into traps. However, rats are highly suspicious of anything new that comes into their established foraging paths. Glue and classic snap traps are available for purchase, but rats are capable of escaping from glue traps and mice often jump over them. Classic snap traps tend to make unsightly messes and must be reset after each use. Although poisons are commercially available, they are toxic to humans and pets so you should refrain from trying DIY with poisons Rodents multiple swiftly and infestations may be extremely difficult to exterminate. It is advised that anyone experiencing a rodent infestation contact their local pest control professional for an inspection and consultation.

PHONE CAIRNS PEST CONTROL FOR RODENT CONTROL 40454950

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Norway Rat: Facts, Identification & Control

Latin Name:

Rattus norvegicus

Appearance:

Brown, heavy-bodied, six to eight inches long, with small eyes and ears and blunt nose. Tail is shorter than head and body. Its fur is shaggy. Droppings are capsule-shaped.

Habit:

Nests in underground burrows, from which they enter buildings in search of food. Tends to remain in hiding during the day.

Diet:

Omnivorous, but prefers meats. Cannot survive long without water.

Reproduction:

Reaches sexual maturity in two months and can breed any month of the year. Litter may number from eight to twelve. Females can have four to seven litters per year. Adults live as long as one year. Back to Start

Roof Rat: Facts, Identification & Control

Latin Name:

Rattus rattus

Appearance:

Black or brown, seven to 10 inches long, with a long tail, large ears and eyes, and a pointed nose. Body is smaller and sleeker than Norway rat. Fur is smooth.

Habit:

Nests inside and under buildings, or in piles of rubbish or wood. Excellent climber that can often be found in the upper parts of structures.

Diet:

Omnivorous, but shows a preference for grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Reproduction:

Becomes sexually mature at four months, producing four to six litters per year that consist of four to eight young each. Lives up to one year.

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House Mouse: Facts, Identification & Control

Latin Name:

Mus musculus

Appearance:

Small and slender, three to four inches long, with large ears, small eyes and pointed nose. Light brown or light gray. Droppings are rod-shaped.

Habit:

Nests within structures and burrows. Establish a “territory” near food sources that are generally 10 to 30 feet from nest. Inquisitive, but very wary. Excellent climbers.

Diet:

Omnivorous, but prefers cereal grains.

Reproduction:

Prolific breeders by two months of age. Can have litters as often as every 40 or 50 days, with four to seven young per litter. Live up to one year.

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Information Fact sheet Two To understand the species and habitat please read all of this document

RODENTS

While mice and rats are common, outdoor-dwelling rodents in both urban and suburban areas

throughout the Cairns Region, a sudden change in their environment can quickly trigger these animals to seek shelter in nearby homes and businesses. Although the most common cause

for this relocation seems to be the onset of winter, factors such as new construction, excavation and demolition can all contribute to a sudden influx of activity indoors. Cane Harvesting was always a contributor to this influx but not so much to-day with no burning and

cane being forced further out from the built up area.

Due to the health risks associated with these pests, eliminating their presence is of key importance. Areas where these rodents frequent can quickly become polluted with urine and

faecal droppings. Stored food products are also subject to contamination from gnawing and rodent hair. In fact, rodents contaminate more food through contact, hair and faeces than

they do with what they eat.

The common house mouse will range from 60cm to 90cm long weighing only around 20gm to 30gm. Rats, on the other hand, are considerable larger at 190cm to 250cm in length and can

weigh as much as a 500gm. Since both of these animals are nocturnal by nature, daytime sightings are rare except in cases of heavy infestation. With this in mind, it becomes very important to look for signs indicating their presence such as droppings, evidence of gnawing

(especially around entrance points like pipe chases, garage doors, etc.), “rub marks” along baseboards, open garage and shed roofing timbers, as well as noise coming from ceilings and

walls in the middle of the night.

Because we care

Environmentally Responsible

Join with us in the protection of our native species.

Australia’s native rodents are the most ecologically diverse family of

Australian mammals. There are about 60 living species – all within the subfamily

Murinae – representing around 25 per cent of all

species of Australian mammals. They range in

size from the very small delicate mouse to the

highly specialised, arid- adapted hopping mouse,

the large tree rat and the carnivorous water rat.

The Book: Native Mice and Rats: describes the evolution and ecology

of this much-neglected group of animals. It details the diversity of

their reproductive biology, their dietary adaptations and social

behaviour. The book also includes information on rodent parasites and diseases, and concludes by

outlining the changes in distribution of the various species since the arrival of Europeans as well as

current conservation programs.

Rats and Mice: ONLY Highlighted species are Pest Species (3)

Queensland is home to seven species of native rodents and three introduced species.

All of these can be distinguished from the marsupials by the long pair of yellow, beaver-like incisors (teeth) found at the tip of the mouth on the upper and lower jaws.

All but the House Mouse and the Water Rat are look-alikes and can be hard to identify.

With the exception of the introduced House Mouse, Ship Rat and Sewer Rat, all the rodents listed here are protected.

Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes)

Fawn-footed Melomys (Melomys cervinipes)

Grassland Melomys (Melomys burtoni)

House Mouse (Mus musculus)

Pale Field Rat (Rattus tunneyi)

Swamp Rat (Rattus lutreolus)

Ship Rat (Rattus rattus)

Sewer Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Water Mouse (Xeromys myoides)

Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster)

Australian Rats

Question: Is this rat native or introduced?

A native Bush Rat, Rattus fuscipes

Photographer: Gary Lewis. Source: Gary Lewis Photographics Pty Ltd.

Answer: This little creature is a Bush Rat, Rattus fuscipes. It’s one of Australia’s many species of native rat.

Native rats are often mistaken for introduced rats. In eastern Australia, people most often confuse the Bush Rat and the introduced Black Rat, Rattus rattus.

This is an easy mistake to make. The two species are similar in size and both have fur that is quite variable in its colour and pattern.

The subspecies of Bush Rat that lives in eastern Australia is called Rattus fuscipes assimilis. Any Latin scholar will tell you the latter name, assimilis, means ‘similar’. It was given the name assimilis because it looks so much like the introduced Black Rat.

An introduced Black Rat, Rattus rattus

Photographer: Ian McCann. Source: Parks Victoria.

Despite their similarities, there are a number of ways to distinguish between the Bush Rat and the Black Rat.

Bush Rats are shy. They rarely enter buildings and are usually found well away from human habitation. They do not construct nests in buildings. Black Rats, on the other hand, love to nest in buildings, particularly in roofs.

Bush Rats have rounded ears. Black Rats have thin pointed ears.

Black Rats have long tails – their tails are as long, or longer, than the length of their bodies (from the snout to base of the tail). The tails of Bush Rats are shorter than their body length.

These are good identification points but it is always worth checking with a reliable expert. Return to Top

Museum Victoria has a free identification service. If you would like to have something identified, you can attach a photograph to our online enquiry form or contact the Discovery Centre at the Melbourne Museum.

Bush Rat

Rattus fuscipes

Identification:

Body length 160 mm; tail length 150 mm; weight 120 g. Rat-sized; body brown-grey; tail shorter than head-body length and ringed with bands of scales.

Habitat and Range:

Rainforest and thickly vegetated moist gullies, lantana and bracken patches and creekside verges. Common along D'Aguilar Range and its associated gullies. Patchy distribution in coastal areas of eastern Australia, also SA and south-west WA.

Notes:

Nocturnal. Prefers insects, but will eat anything. Around the Greater Brisbane Region, most easily confused with Pale Field Rat and is also similar to the Fawn-footed Melomys, Ship Rat, Sewer Rat and Swamp Rat.

Threats: Cats

Traces: Messy feeder, leaving droppings and smelly urine. Droppings torpedo-shaped, usually pointed at one end (17 mm long by 4 mm wide). Often digs burrows alongside building footings.

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Fawn-footed Melomys

Melomys cervinipes

Identification:

Body length 114 mm; tail length 160 mm; weight 70 g. Rat-sized; variable colour, but adults are usually brown rather than grey; belly pale to whitish; tail longer than head-body length, hairless with small scales arranged like mosaic bathroom tiles. Hind foot length is usually greater than 26 mm and first interdigital pad is longer than 2.3 mm. First and second molars have 4 roots.

Habitat and Range:

Rainforest and moist lantana, bracken, creek verges of the D’Aguilar Range and southern foothills. Common in restricted habitat. East coast of Qld and northern NSW.

Notes:

Nocturnal and partly arboreal. Similar to Grassland Melomys.

Threats:

Cats and land clearing.

Traces:

Droppings often very small, knobbly and mouse-like (5 mm long by 2 mm wide). Return to Top

Grassland Melomys

Melomys burtoni

Identification:

Body length 100 mm; tail length 120 mm; weight 55 g. Size of a large mouse; harsh reddish-brown fur; tail longer than head-body length, dark on top, off-white on underside, virtually hairless with small scales arranged like mosaic bathroom tiles. Hind foot length is usually less than 26 mm and first interdigital pad is shorter than 2.3 mm. First and second molars have 5 roots.

Habitat and Range:

Rarely encountered. Grasslands and heath fringes bordering swamps and mangroves. North Stradbroke and Moreton Is. Found in Kimberley region, WA, coastal NT and from Weipa, Qld, to the tip of Cape York Peninsula and down east coast to mid NSW.

Notes:

Nocturnal; solitary and aggressive with its own kind. Agile climber. Builds a nest like that of a wren, placed in long grass or in thick vegetation (such as pandanus leaves). Similar to Water Mouse and Fawn-footed Melomys.

Threats:

Cats, land clearing and reclamation.

Traces:

Droppings like those of House Mouse. Return to Top

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Identification:

Body length 75 mm; tail length 80 mm; weight 15 g. Usually olive-brown; strong musky-mouldy scent. Small notch on inner side of both large upper incisors.

Habitat and Range:

Everywhere — from swamps to refrigerators and from wallum country to food warmers. Common. Australia-wide. Immigrant from Central Asia. Also North America, Africa, NZ, Pacific islands, West Indies and Mauritius.

Notes:

Nocturnal. Capable of breeding in temperatures from below freezing to 40° C. This is the ‘field mouse’ sometimes said to be encountered in Brisbane. Similar to Common Planigale and Feathertail Glider.

Threats:

Reproduces and expands its range regardless of all threats and in spite of predation at all levels.

Traces:

Musty smell; screeches while fighting; droppings usually pointed (5 mm long by 2 mm wide) and produced in enormous

numbers. Return to Top

Pale Field Rat

Rattus tunneyi

Identification:

Body length 140 mm; tail length 120 mm; weight 80 g. Yellow-brown above; bulging eyes; tail shorter than head-body length.

Habitat and Range:

Mainland — grassy or tussocky open forest, cultivated pasture, pine plantations and canefields. Bay islands and wallum swamps. Northern Australia and along east coast of Qld.

Notes:

Attractive gentle animal. Nocturnal. Builds runways through dense grass. Most easily confused with the Bush Rat, also similar to the Fawn-footed Melomys, Ship Rat and Sewer Rat.

Traces:

Trackways through tussock grass. Droppings torpedo-shaped, usually pointed at one end (17 mm long by 4 mm wide).

Threats:

Unknown. Return to Top

Swamp Rat

Rattus lutreolus

Identification: Body length 160 mm; tail length 110 mm; weight 120 g. Stocky blackish-brown body; black feet; significantly short tail.

Habitat and Range: Uncommon; requires specialised habitat, such as swamps, thick vegetation along watercourses and dense island vegetation

above the high water mark. D’Aguilar Range and southern foothills, Logan City, Nth Stradbroke I. Patchy distribution in coastal

areas of north-east Qld; and central Qld to Vic.; also SA and Tas.

Notes: Active day and night. Feeds on reeds, swamp-grass stems and seeds. Cuts complex runways through thick vegetation. Similar

to the black phase of the Ship Rat.

Threats: Cats, land clearing and swamp reclamation.

Traces: Cuts runways through reeds and sedges. Droppings large and coarsely granular (17 mm long by 5 mm wide

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Ship Rat

Rattus rattus

Identification:

Body length 190 mm; tail length 230 mm; weight 280 g. Sleek-looking; may be any colour from black to white, but generally steel-grey with a white belly; tail much longer than head and body. When pulled

forward, ear extends past middle of the eye.

Habitat and Range:

Occurs anywhere around human habitation — in ceilings, verandahs, dumps, gardens, shops, warehouses, fowl houses and degraded habitats. Most common rat. In coastal areas around most of Australia. Immigrant from South-east Asia but now occurs throughout the Americas, NZ, France, PNG, Pacific and Indian Ocean islands and the West Indies.

Notes:

Nocturnal. Accomplished climber, rarely seen on ground. Surprisingly gentle disposition. Similar to Sewer Rat.

Threats:

Thrives on all forms.

Traces: High-pitched calls, sitt-sitt, or more raucous ehh-ehh-ehh. Night-time grinding on woodwork, loud pitter-patter over

ceilings. Hollowed-out macadamia nuts, emptied pawpaws, scalped seedlings, empty snail shells assembled in

caches. Droppings are blunt pellets (10 mm long by 3 mm wide).

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Sewer Rat

Rattus norvegicus

Identification:

Body length 240 mm; tail length 200 mm; weight 300 g. Shaggy fur; colour varies from black to white, but is generally brown on back and dirty white on belly; thick tail. Small ears when pulled forward, ear just reaches eye:

Habitat and Range:

Human habitation, in particular wharves, warehouses, tunnels, drains and sewers. Common. Port cities Australia-wide. Native to China, but now found in North America, NZ, Pacific and Indian Ocean islands, and the West Indies.

Notes:

Nocturnal. Non-climbing, digs burrows. Feeds chiefly on meat (insects, prawns, birds, eggs, mice) and scraps. Wary and difficult to trap; unpleasant disposition. Similar to Ship Rat.

Threats:

None sufficiently effective to exterminate it.

Traces:

Trackways along creeks, riverbanks and in vegetation near rubbish tips and sewerage depots. Large droppings, pointed at one end (16 mm long by 5 mm wide).

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Water Mouse

Xeromys myoides

Other Names:

False Water Rat.

Identification:

Body length 100 mm; tail length 80 mm; weight 40 g. Small, size of a large mouse; silky, slate-grey back and pure white belly; short tail with sparse hairs, lacks white tip. White spots on backs of adults.

Habitat and Range:

Intertidal sedgeland zones adjacent to mangrove forests, also freshwater swamps and reedy lakes close to foredunes. Bribie I., Pumicestone Passage, Donnybrook, Beerwah, North and South Stradbroke Is., Pimpama and Coomera Rivers. One of Brisbane's rarest mammals and one of Australia's rarest rodents. Distribution elsewhere is not fully known; occurs in NT and then patchy distribution from Mackay, Qld, south to NSW border.

Notes:

Active at night. Known to eat crabs, shellfish, mud lobsters and marine flatworms. Constructs ‘white ant’ (termite) mounds of peat and mud up to 60 cm high. Rarely climbs; has been seen swimming in the wild, but does not pursue an active aquatic lifestyle. Similar to Grassland Melomys.

Threats:

Direct or indirect interference with mangroves, swamps and freshwater lakes.

Traces:

Large cylindrical droppings, ends rounded, often in threes connected by hair, smelly, (11 mm long by 4 mm wide). Large mud nest structures in sedgeland. Feeding scraps (crab and mud lobster shell fragments) at the hollow bases of mangrove trees.

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Water Rat

Hydromys chrysogaster

Identification:

Body length 300 mm; tail length 270 mm; weight 700 g. Large (rabbit-sized); brown-black back, golden belly; small ears; flattish ‘square’ head; white-tipped tail.

Habitat and Range:

River banks, estuaries, beaches, mangroves, wharves, lakes, dams, creeks and polluted watercourses. Also recorded from St Helena, Nth Stradbroke and Moreton Is. Reasonably common, though rarely seen. Australia-wide.

Notes:

Active day or night. Eats mainly yabbies, mussels and fish, although poultry, frogs and snails may be taken. Builds a nest at the end of a complex burrow along the waterside. Similar to the Platypus and Common Ringtail Possum.

Threats:

Tough and resilient — threatened only by localized habitat destruction (swamp drainage and land reclamation).

Traces:

Strong fishy scent; ‘runway’ tracks along water’s edge; feeding ‘tables’ scattered with shells and other leftovers. Torpedo-shaped droppings (25 mm long by 8 mm wide); dead poultry with throats and heads roughly skinned. Ponds surrounded by fish bodies.

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