Ask a Capetonian about the Southern Suburbs and they will picture oak-lined avenues, the mountain looming over Newlands and the rain that rolls in off it in winter. Those same oaks, gardens and wet months are why squirrels, rats, ants and wood borer make up so much of our work between Rondebosch and Constantia.
Mouse Control by suburb
We cover all 29 suburbs on our Southern Suburbs route. Each suburb page covers what we find there and what works for those streets and buildings.
City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard 26 areas
Southern Suburbs 29 areas
South Peninsula 17 areas
Northern Suburbs 16 areas
Blaauwberg & West Coast 10 areas
Cape Flats 24 areas
Mice in Southern Suburbs homes and flats
Mice in the Southern Suburbs move indoors when the heavy winter rain arrives, and older homes give them plenty of room. Suspended timber floors in Victorian and Edwardian houses have damp, sheltered voids underneath, and broken air bricks let mice straight in. In the blocks of flats around Claremont and Wynberg, they travel between units through service ducts, and student houses near UCT attract them with food left out in shared kitchens.
We use traps and secured bait in floor voids, roof spaces and kitchens, replace broken air bricks with metal mesh and seal gaps around pipes. In flats we can work with the body corporate on the shared areas.
This side of Table Mountain catches far more rain than the rest of the city, and Newlands is among the wettest suburbs in Cape Town. Kirstenbosch, Newlands Forest and the mountain slopes border the upper edge, while the Liesbeek River winds through Newlands and Rondebosch toward the Black River. Winter damp encourages fishmoths and borer, and the canopy of oaks and pines keeps grey squirrels well supplied.
A note from the field
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.
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.
How to tell you have a problem
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
How we handle mouse control in Southern Suburbs
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.
- Look for clues
We check droppings, nests and gnawing to work out where the mice are most active.
- Find the gaps
We check behind appliances, under units and around pipes for entry points.
- Set traps
Traps and, where suitable, sealed bait stations go along the mice's runs.
- Seal entry points
Small holes are blocked with steel wool, mesh and sealant so mice cannot get back in.
- Follow-up
We come back to check the traps, clear them and leave a report.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Do not leave pet food out overnight in the kitchen.
- Seal the gaps where pipes and cables come through walls, especially under the sink.
- Pull the stove and fridge out once in a while and clean the crumbs and grease behind them.
- 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.
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 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.
Questions we get asked in Southern Suburbs
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.
How do I get grey squirrels out of my roof in the Southern Suburbs?
The first step is finding and sealing every entry point once the squirrels are out, usually along fascias near trees. We can inspect your roof and advise on proofing and safe removal.
Why do I hear mice under the floor of my Southern Suburbs home?
Older homes with suspended wooden floors have voids underneath that mice use in winter. Treating the void and sealing air bricks stops it.
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.
How do mice get into the house?
Through tiny gaps around pipes, under doors, through air vents and roof edges. A gap the width of a pencil is enough.
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.
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