Mouse Control in Bo-Kaap

The Bo-Kaap climbs up the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre, with brightly painted houses, cobbled streets and the oldest mosque in South Africa on Dorp Street. Homes here are packed close together and often very old, so pests like rats, cockroaches and pigeons move easily from one roof to the next.

The local picture in Bo-Kaap

Brown rats come up the hill from the city's old drains and the restaurant lanes below, while roof rats travel along the joined parapets from house to house. Gaps in the old lime-mortar walls give them easy entry.

Most homes are flat-roofed terraced houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, many with thick walls, old timber beams and small backyards. Flat roofs and parapet walls give pigeons places to roost and nest. Shared walls and old drainage pipes let cockroaches and rodents travel between neighbours.

The suburb sits on the lower slopes of Signal Hill, with steep streets that catch the full force of the South-Easter as it comes off Table Mountain. Winter rain runs down the hill and can soak old walls, encouraging fishmoths and damp-loving insects. The city centre below provides food and shelter for rodents.

Tell-tale signs

1. A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
2. Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
3. Tiny footprints or tail marks in dust on top of cupboards or in the garage.
4. Shredded paper, fabric or insulation bundled into a nest in a hidden corner.

A note from the field

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.

In flats and townhouses, mice often move between units through shared walls and service ducts, so one owner treating alone may only push them next door.

What happens when we come out

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.

1. Look for clues

   We check droppings, nests and gnawing to work out where the mice are most active.

2. Find the gaps

   We check behind appliances, under units and around pipes for entry points.

3. Set traps

   Traps and, where suitable, sealed bait stations go along the mice's runs.

4. Seal entry points

   Small holes are blocked with steel wool, mesh and sealant so mice cannot get back in.

5. Follow-up

   We come back to check the traps, clear them and leave a report.

Prevention that actually works

• Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
• Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
• Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.
• Pull the stove and fridge out once in a while and clean the crumbs and grease behind them.
• Fit brush strips to the bottom of garage and outside doors.

What affects the price

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.

Mouse Control questions from Bo-Kaap

Mouse Control nearby and related