Obs is a neighbourhood of narrow streets, terraced cottages and a Lower Main Road lined with restaurants and bars. Put two rivers, a hospital precinct and a lot of shared housing together and you get a steady diet of rat, cockroach and bed bug work.
Rats in Obs: the rivers and Lower Main Road
Rats are constant in Observatory. Norway rats burrow along the banks where the Liesbeek and Black rivers meet on the eastern edge, and they come up through old drains and cracked air bricks into the floor voids of the Victorian cottages. Behind Lower Main Road, the restaurant and bar kitchens, cellars and bins in tight yards keep a second population fed. Roof rats run along the walls and overhead cables between terraces.
Because the cottages share walls and roof spaces, rats move from house to house without going outside. We bait yards and lanes in lockable stations, trap in roof and floor voids, and replace broken air bricks with metal mesh.
The Liesbeek and Black rivers meet on the eastern edge of the suburb, with the old River Club land and the observatory grounds alongside. Devil's Peak and Groote Schuur estate rise to the west. Winter rain runs down from the mountain toward the rivers, and the low-lying streets near the water stay damp.
Which rat is in your Observatory 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
From the technician
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.
How to tell you have a problem
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.
Our process, step by step
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.
Prevention that actually works
- Trim back trees and creepers at least a metre from the roof, because roof rats jump from them.
- Fit drain covers and check that old drain pipes are not broken underground.
- Pick up fallen fruit, avocados and pet food every evening.
- Store feed and bird seed in metal bins with tight lids.
- Do not leave building rubble or wood piles against the house for months.
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.
One rat in a garden shed can be caught with a decent snap trap and some patience. Rats in the roof are smart and cautious, and loose poison from the shop often ends with a smell in the ceiling and a sick dog, so I would call someone in once they are in the house.
Rat Control questions from Observatory
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 do rats get under the floor of my Obs cottage?
Usually through cracked or missing air bricks and old drains. Replacing air bricks with metal mesh and baiting outside keeps them out.
Is there a guarantee?
Yes, our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee.
Do Observatory rats come from the Black River and Liesbeek?
A lot of them do. The banks give them burrowing ground and water, and the old drain network links the river to homes, so blocking air bricks and drain gaps matters here.
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 treat a whole row of cottages in Obs at once?
Yes, and we recommend it when cockroaches or rats are moving through shared walls. Coordinated treatment stops them simply shifting next door.
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