Fresnaye Mouse Control

Fresnaye climbs the slopes above Sea Point toward Lion's Head, all steep streets, big houses and apartment blocks with sea views. Most calls here are about rats in roofs, ants in kitchens and pigeons on balconies.

Rodents around Fresnaye

Roof rats come down from the vegetated slopes into roofs, gardens and garages, especially in winter. They love dense creepers and ivy on walls.

Homes range from large modern houses with flat roofs, pools and glass to older double-storey homes and blocks of flats. Many are built into the slope with retaining walls, basements and garden terraces, which create plenty of hidden voids. Flat roofs and roof gardens attract pigeons and gulls. Staff quarters, garages and pool rooms add more places to check.

Fresnaye runs up the lower slopes of Lion's Head and Signal Hill, with fynbos and greenbelt directly above many homes. The South-Easter can be fierce, and winter storms hit straight off the Atlantic. Water runs down the slopes in winter, and rodents move down with the weather.

What gives them away

1. Light scratching in the walls or under the kitchen units at night.
2. Shredded paper, fabric or insulation bundled into a nest in a hidden corner.
3. A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.
4. Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.

Worth knowing

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.

For homes with toddlers and pets, traps can go inside lockable boxes or behind appliances where little hands cannot reach.

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

• Move cereal, pasta, rice and pet food into hard plastic or glass containers with good lids.
• 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.
• Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
• Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.

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.

Questions we get asked in Fresnaye

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