Bellville is the commercial heart of the Northern Suburbs, with a busy CBD and transport hub around Voortrekker Road, the Tyger Valley area and plenty of quiet residential streets. We are a short drive away in Brackenfell, so we see a lot of Bellville homes, offices and food businesses.
Rats in Bellville: CBD, rivers and older roofs
Bellville's rat problems centre on two areas. Around Voortrekker Road, the CBD, the taxi rank and the food outlets, brown rats live in drains and service lanes and move into shops and the homes that back onto them. In the residential streets, roof rats use trees and cables to get into the ceilings of older 1950s to 1970s houses.
The Elsieskraal River and Kuils River act as corridors, so streets near the rivers see more activity. We set lockable bait stations outside, trap inside the roof and close the gaps, including the broken air bricks that let rats get under floors.
Bellville sits on the lower slopes of the Tygerberg Hills, with the Elsieskraal River and the Kuils River running through the wider area. Winter rain sends ants and rodents indoors.
Rats around the CBD, taxi rank and food outlets are a big issue.
Which rat is in your Bellville home?
Brown rat
Rattus norvegicus- Norway rat
- Sewer rat
- Family Muridae
- Body
- Heavy and thickset
- Nose
- Blunt and rounded
- Ears
- Small, furry, close to head
- Tail
- Shorter than its body
- Weight
- 250 to 500 g
- Droppings
- Up to 2 cm, blunt ends
- Burrow holes along walls, under paving and sheds
- Greasy rub marks low down along skirting and walls
- Gnawed bins, compost heaps and pet food bags
- Coming up through drains and broken sewer pipes
Black rat
Rattus rattus- Roof rat
- Ship rat
- Family Muridae
- Body
- Slim and agile
- Nose
- Pointed
- Ears
- Large, thin, almost bare
- Tail
- Longer than its body
- Weight
- 150 to 250 g
- Droppings
- About 1.2 cm, pointed
- Scratching and running in the ceiling at night
- Droppings in the roof space, cupboards and on beams
- Chewed cables, insulation and ceiling boards
- Running along fences, power lines and tree branches
ActiveBusierPeak, as rats move indoors in the cold, wet winter
Signs to look for
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
A note from the field
Rats are neophobic, which means they avoid new things. A trap that has not been touched for a few days is not a failure; it often works after they get used to it.
What happens when we come out
First we identify the rat and track its route, because a roof rat problem is solved at the roof line and a Norway rat problem at ground level and in the drains. In the roof and inside the house we prefer heavy-duty snap traps, so there is no smell from a rat dying in the ceiling. Outdoors we use lockable, tamper-resistant bait stations, positioned along runs and fixed so they cannot be moved, and we do a bait risk assessment where pets, children or owls are around. Then we proof: steel mesh over vents, sealing gaps around pipes and cables, and advice on trimming branches. Burrows are treated and collapsed after the colony is dealt with.
- Identify the rat
We look at droppings, tracks and entry points to tell a roof rat from a Norway rat.
- Find the runs
We trace the routes from nest to food, inside and outside the property.
- Traps and stations
Snap traps go inside and locked bait stations outside, placed on the actual runs.
- Proofing
Gaps, vents and roof entry points are closed with steel mesh and cement.
- Follow-up check
We return to check traps and stations, adjust the plan and leave a report.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Trim back trees and creepers at least a metre from the roof, because roof rats jump from them.
- Keep compost in a closed bin and do not add meat or cooked food.
- Do not leave building rubble or wood piles against the house for months.
- Fit drain covers and check that old drain pipes are not broken underground.
- Pick up fallen fruit, avocados and pet food every evening.
What affects the price
Price depends on the size of the property, which rat species you have and how many entry points need proofing. A roof rat problem with lots of overhanging trees takes more proofing work than a single burrow in the garden. Follow-up visits are part of most rat jobs and are included in the free quote.
Rat calls peak in Cape Town's rainy winter months, when burrows flood and rats head for dry roof spaces. Roof rats are busy again in late summer and autumn when fruit trees are loaded.
Rat Control questions from Bellville
Can you get rid of rats near a river or canal?
Yes, but properties near water usually need ongoing stations and good proofing, because new rats keep arriving.
How are rats getting into my roof?
Roof rats climb trees, walls and cables and squeeze in under roof tiles, fascia boards or through open eaves.
Do rats from the Bellville CBD move into nearby homes?
They can, especially where homes back onto lanes or shops with poor waste control. Baiting outside, sealing gaps and good bin habits keep most of them out.
Will poison make the rats smell in the ceiling?
It can, which is why we prefer traps in the roof and keep bait in outside stations.
Are rats dangerous to my children?
Rats can bite and spread disease through urine and droppings, so it is worth dealing with them quickly.
Do rats from the Elsieskraal River get into Bellville homes?
They can, using the river course as a corridor and getting in through broken air vents and gaps under floors. Fixing vent grilles with metal mesh and baiting outside keeps most of them out.
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