Strand is a beach town first, so a lot of our work follows the holiday calendar. Flats on Beach Road sit empty for months, then fill up over December, and pests that moved in quietly during the off-season suddenly become everyone's problem.
Rats in Strand: beachfront shops and holiday flats
Rats in Strand are busiest behind the shops, takeaways and restaurants along Beach Road and the main shopping streets, where bins and delivery areas give them a steady supply of food. From there roof rats climb into the ceiling voids of the neighbouring blocks of flats and run along them from unit to unit. Further inland, brown rats live in the stormwater drains and in the low, damp ground near the Lourens River mouth.
In a block of flats, one owner treating their unit rarely solves it. We work with the body corporate or managing agent to bait the refuse room and common areas in lockable stations, trap in ceiling voids and seal gaps where pipes and cables run into the flats.
The South-Easter blows hard across False Bay here in summer, pushing sand and debris into every gap under doors and garage roller shutters. Winter rain is lighter than on the Peninsula but the Lourens River mouth and the low-lying ground near it stay damp. Salt air also rusts mesh and vent covers faster than people expect, which opens new entry points.
German cockroaches in the flat blocks and around food outlets top the list, with rats and mice close behind wherever bins are left open.
Which rat is in your Strand 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.
Something most people miss
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.
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.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Store feed and bird seed in metal bins with tight lids.
- Keep compost in a closed bin and do not add meat or cooked food.
- Pick up fallen fruit, avocados and pet food every evening.
- 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.
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.
Questions we get asked in Strand
Is there a guarantee?
Yes, our treatments carry a minimum 3-month guarantee.
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.
Will treating my Strand flat on its own stop rats?
Not if they live in the building's refuse room or ceiling voids. A building-wide plan with the body corporate is what works.
Are rats dangerous to my children?
Rats can bite and spread disease through urine and droppings, so it is worth dealing with them quickly.
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.
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.
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