Green Point packs a stadium, a big urban park, the Metropolitan golf course and dense streets of flats, guesthouses and Victorian semis into one small slice of the Atlantic Seaboard. Lots of people, lots of restaurants and lots of open lawn means rats, cockroaches and Egyptian geese all feel at home.
Rats in Green Point bin rooms and back lanes
Green Point's rats live where the people and the food are. Behind the restaurants on Main Road and Somerset Road, brown rats work the back lanes and nest in the basements and shared bin rooms of apartment blocks. Roof rats climb along cables and creepers into the roofs of the Victorian terraces on the slopes towards Signal Hill, and the old stormwater drains running down to the coast connect it all underground.
On match days and big events at the stadium, extra food waste on the streets gives them a boost. We bait bin rooms, basements and lanes in lockable stations, trap inside roofs and flats, and seal the routes from common areas into homes.
The suburb runs from the lower slopes of Signal Hill down to the Green Point Common, with Green Point Urban Park and Cape Town Stadium on the flat land toward Mouille Point. Old stormwater drains run downhill toward the coast, giving rats and big drain roaches a network under the streets.
Rats in bin rooms, back lanes and roof spaces lead the list, with German cockroaches close behind in restaurants and older flats.
Which rat is in your Green Point 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.
Why it matters: Rats spread leptospirosis through their urine, and they can carry salmonella and other diseases onto food surfaces. They gnaw on electrical cables in roofs, which can start fires, and chew through water pipes and geyser fittings. Rats also bite, especially when cornered or when a small child or sleeping person is involved. A couple of rats can become dozens within a season because they breed fast.
Worth knowing
People often block the hole the rat used and trap it inside the roof. Always deal with the rats before you seal the last gap.
Loose rat bait is one of the most common causes of pet poisoning. Keep bait in locked stations, and keep your vet's number on the fridge anyway.
How the treatment works
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.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our rat control service works.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Store feed and bird seed in metal bins with tight lids.
- 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.
How much will it cost?
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 Green Point
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.
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.
Why do I get rats in my Green Point terrace house?
Roof rats climb cables and creepers onto the roof and get in at the eaves, while brown rats come from the lanes behind Main Road. Cutting back creepers, sealing gaps and baiting outside solves most cases.
How do I know if it is rats or mice?
Rat droppings are much larger, roughly raisin-sized, and rats are noisier. Send a photo of the droppings on WhatsApp and we will tell you.
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.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes, our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
