Mouse Control for Scarborough homes and businesses

Scarborough is a small, quiet village on the Atlantic side of the peninsula, wedged between fynbos-covered mountain and a wild stretch of beach. Many homes stand empty for weeks at a time, and pests make the most of that.

The local picture in Scarborough

Striped mice and house mice come in from the fynbos, and roof rats nest in quiet holiday homes. Checking traps and stations between visits stops a small problem becoming a big one.

Homes range from older wooden holiday cottages and timber-clad houses to modern architect-designed places on the slopes. Some have thatch or exposed timber, and many have large decks. Holiday homes that sit closed up for long periods let rodents, fishmoths and cockroaches settle in without anyone noticing. Wood and damp sea air together put timber at risk.

Mice and rats are the main issue in closed-up homes, followed by fishmoths and wood borer in damp timber. Ants and spiders are common in summer. Wasps nest on decks and under eaves.

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.

Cheese is a cartoon idea. Mice prefer seeds, grains and sweet, fatty foods, which is why peanut butter is such a good trap bait.

How to tell you have a problem

1. Tiny footprints or tail marks in dust on top of cupboards or in the garage.
2. Nibbled corners of cereal boxes, bread bags and pet food packets.
3. Small droppings about the size of a grain of rice in drawers, cupboards and along skirtings.
4. Light scratching in the walls or under the kitchen units at night.
5. A sharp, ammonia-like smell inside closed cupboards.

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.

Want the full step-by-step? See how our mouse control service works.

Prevention that actually works

• Keep the garage tidy, since boxes on the floor make perfect mouse nests.
• Move cereal, pasta, rice and pet food into hard plastic or glass containers with good lids.
• Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
• Fit brush strips to the bottom of garage and outside doors.
• Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.

Pricing, honestly

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 are one pest where DIY genuinely works if you are thorough: a handful of snap traps baited with peanut butter, set against the walls, will catch a lot of them. Where people go wrong is not sealing the gaps, so if you are still catching mice after two or three weeks, it is time to call us.

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