Camps Bay has the beach, the palms and the Twelve Apostles towering behind it, and plenty of homes that are let out to visitors for part of the year. From our side, it is a suburb of big glass houses on steep plots, busy restaurants on Victoria Road and a mountain that sends rodents and insects downhill.
Rodents around Camps Bay
Roof rats come down from the pine trees and mountain slopes into roofs and garages, while brown rats work the restaurant refuse areas on Victoria Road. Stormwater channels carry them between properties in winter.
Houses step up the slope in terraces, with basements, garages and pool rooms cut into the hillside. These lower levels stay cool and damp and are where rats, fishmoths and cockroaches settle first. Guest houses and villas with frequent changeovers need fast, discreet treatments, and the restaurant strip along the beachfront has its own commercial kitchens and refuse areas to manage.
The Twelve Apostles and the Glen at Kloof Nek border the suburb, so fynbos, pine plantations and Table Mountain National Park are right on the doorstep. The South-Easter blows hard through summer, but the suburb can be still and hot in the late afternoon. Winter brings heavy rain off the mountain, and runoff through the stormwater channels pushes rodents out of their burrows.
Rats in basements and roof spaces top the list, followed by German cockroaches in restaurants and holiday homes. Ants trail in from irrigated gardens, and bed bugs come in with luggage in short-term lets. Gulls and pigeons cause mess on roofs, decks and pool areas.
A note from the field
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.
The biggest mistake is putting traps in the middle of the floor. Mice run along walls, so traps should be against the skirting with the trigger facing the wall.
What gives them away
- A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
- Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
- Tiny footprints or tail marks in dust on top of cupboards or in the garage.
- Shredded paper, fabric or insulation bundled into a nest in a hidden corner.
- Nibbled corners of cereal boxes, bread bags and pet food packets.
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
- Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
- Move cereal, pasta, rice and pet food into hard plastic or glass containers with good lids.
- Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.
- Fit brush strips to the bottom of garage and outside doors.
- Pull the stove and fridge out once in a while and clean the crumbs and grease behind them.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Do rats in Camps Bay come down from the mountain?
Some do, especially roof rats living in the pines near the Glen and on the Twelve Apostles slopes. Others live around restaurant refuse areas, so we look at both before placing bait and sealing gaps.
Can you treat a Camps Bay holiday villa between guest bookings?
Yes, we can plan the visit for a changeover day and use odourless products where possible. Ask about after-hours or weekend visits if your turnaround is tight.
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.
What is the best bait for a mouse trap?
Peanut butter works better than cheese, and only a small dab is needed so the mouse has to work at it.
Do you come out to Camps Bay for mouse control?
Yes. Camps Bay is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Clifton, Bantry Bay, Atlantic Seaboard, Llandudno. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
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.
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