The Atlantic Seaboard runs from Mouille Point and Green Point down past Sea Point, Bantry Bay and Clifton to Camps Bay, squeezed between the mountain and the cold ocean. Pest work here is mostly in apartment blocks, restaurants and holiday rentals, where one problem flat can spread to the whole building.
Mouse Control by suburb
We cover all 26 suburbs on our City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
- Bantry BayMouse Control
- Bo-KaapMouse Control
- Camps BayMouse Control
- CliftonMouse Control
- De WaterkantMouse Control
- ForeshoreMouse Control
- FresnayeMouse Control
- GardensMouse Control
- Green PointMouse Control
- HiggovaleMouse Control
- Hout BayMouse Control
- Imizamo YethuMouse Control
- LlandudnoMouse Control
- Malay QuarterMouse Control
- Mouille PointMouse Control
- OranjezichtMouse Control
- Schotsche KloofMouse Control
- Sea PointMouse Control
- TamboerskloofMouse Control
- Three Anchor BayMouse Control
- University EstateMouse Control
- Upper WoodstockMouse Control
- VredehoekMouse Control
- Walmer EstateMouse Control
- WoodstockMouse Control
- ZonnebloemMouse Control
The local picture in Atlantic Seaboard
Roof rats (black rats) climb and nest in roof spaces and parking basements, while brown rats live around the refuse rooms and storm drains near the promenade. Rodents also come down off the mountain slopes in winter.
Much of the coast is high-rise and mid-rise flats along Beach Road and Victoria Road, mixed with older semi-detached houses inland and big modern homes cut into the slopes higher up. Apartment blocks share refuse rooms, service ducts and basements, which is where rats and cockroaches settle. Holiday lets change guests every few days, and that turnover brings bed bugs in with the luggage.
The cold Atlantic keeps summers mild, but the air is salty and damp, so roof timbers and cupboards hold moisture. Lion's Head, Signal Hill and the Twelve Apostles rise right behind the houses, and the fynbos and rocky slopes are where rodents and some spiders come from. When the South-Easter drops in late summer, flies and mosquitoes become noticeable along the promenade.
Rats in refuse rooms and basements are the biggest call-out, followed by German cockroaches in restaurant kitchens and flats. Bed bugs are a recurring problem in short-term rentals and backpackers. Pigeons and gulls on balconies and roofs keep many body corporates busy.
How to tell you have a problem
- Light scratching in the walls or under the kitchen units at night.
- Nibbled corners of cereal boxes, bread bags and pet food packets.
- A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
- Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
Something most people miss
Mice do not need to drink much water, because they get most of it from their food. That is why they can live happily in a dry pantry.
Our process, step by step
We start by finding where they get in and where they nest, which is usually a gap behind the stove, around a geyser pipe or under a kitchen unit. Indoors we mainly use snap traps and enclosed traps placed along the walls, because mice run close to edges and are curious enough to investigate. Where baiting is needed, it goes inside tamper-resistant stations that children and pets cannot open, after a bait risk assessment. We then seal the entry points with steel wool, mesh and sealant, because mice can squeeze through a hole about the width of a pencil. A follow-up visit checks the traps and confirms the activity has stopped.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our mouse control service works.
Prevention that actually works
- Fit brush strips to the bottom of garage and outside doors.
- Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
- Move cereal, pasta, rice and pet food into hard plastic or glass containers with good lids.
- Pull the stove and fridge out once in a while and clean the crumbs and grease behind them.
- Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
How much will it cost?
The price depends on how many rooms are affected, how long the mice have been there and how many gaps need sealing. A single kitchen is quicker than a whole house with mice in the walls and the garage. Follow-up visits are usually included, and the quote is free.
Mice move indoors when Cape Town's winter rains and colder nights start, usually from late April, and the numbers stay high until spring. In the Boland, harvest time and ploughing can push field mice towards farm buildings too.
Frequently asked questions
Do you use poison in the kitchen?
We prefer traps in kitchens and food areas. If bait is needed, it is kept in sealed stations.
Do you come out to Atlantic Seaboard for mouse control?
Yes. Atlantic Seaboard is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Sea Point, Green Point, Bantry Bay, Clifton. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
If I see one mouse, are there more?
Usually, yes. Mice live in family groups and are shy, so if you see one in daylight there are probably others.
How long does mouse control take?
Most homes are clear in two to three weeks once the traps are set and the gaps are sealed.
Why does my Sea Point or Green Point flat get rats when I keep it clean?
Rats in apartment blocks usually live in the refuse room, basement or service ducts and move up through the building. We work with the building as a whole, baiting the common areas and sealing the routes into individual flats.
Do Atlantic Seaboard holiday rentals really get bed bugs?
Yes, because guests change often and bed bugs hitch a ride in luggage. A quick inspection between bookings, plus treating at the first sign, stops a small problem turning into cancelled stays.
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