Rodents move indoors as Melbourne cools down. Learn the signs of rats and mice, the health risks, and why sealing entry points matters more than baiting.
Melbourne's Rodent Season
As autumn and winter set in, rats and mice move from gardens, drains and roof voids into warm homes. Inner-city suburbs with laneways and older weatherboard or brick homes with subfloor access are especially prone. The two main culprits are the roof rat (agile climbers that nest in ceilings) and the Norway rat (burrowers near drains and compost).
Signs of a Rodent Problem
- Droppings along skirting boards, in the pantry or roof void
- Scratching or scurrying sounds in the ceiling at night
- Gnaw marks on food packaging, cables or timber
- A stale, ammonia-like smell, or smudge marks along walls
Why Rodents Are More Than a Nuisance
Rats and mice spread salmonella and leptospirosis, contaminate food, and chew electrical wiring - a genuine fire risk. A pair of mice can become dozens within months, so early action matters.
The Right Way to Treat Them
Effective rodent control is not just laying baits. We trap and remove active rodents, place tamper-resistant bait stations safely away from children and pets, and - most importantly - seal the entry points they use, from roof gaps to weep holes and drain penetrations. Without exclusion, new rodents simply move back in.
Keep Them Out
Store pet food and pantry items in sealed containers, keep firewood and compost away from the house, and trim branches that touch the roofline. For a thorough rodent treatment with entry-point sealing and a warranty, call Pest Eraze on 0416 528 547.
Cost of Rodent Control in Melbourne
Rat control starts from around $249 and mice control from around $229, with both services combining baiting or trapping with sealing of entry points, since exclusion work is what determines whether the result actually lasts beyond a few weeks.
Why Sealing Entry Points Matters More Than Baiting Alone
Baiting removes the rodents currently in a property, but rats and mice can enter through gaps as small as 6mm (mice) or slightly larger for rats, meaning a home with unsealed entry points will typically see new rodents move in within weeks of a bait-only treatment. Combining baiting with physical exclusion is the difference between a temporary fix and a lasting result.
Rat or Mouse: Which One Is in Your House?
Treatment differs by species, so it pays to know. Droppings are the easiest tell: mouse droppings are rice-grain size, rat droppings are olive-pit size. Sounds: light scratching and scurrying suggests mice; heavier thumping or gnawing points to rats. Location: roof rats dominate Melbourne ceilings; mice favour kitchens, pantries, and wall voids. Our guides on mice in the house and rats in the roof cover each in detail.
Why Baiting Alone Fails
Bait kills the rodents currently on your property - and does nothing about the gap under the garage door they came through. Melbourne's rodent pressure is constant, especially near laneways, creeks, construction sites, and cafés strips, so new arrivals replace the old within weeks. Lasting rodent control is bait + trap + proofing: sealing every entry point down to a 6mm gap for mice and a 12mm gap for rats.
How Long Does Rodent Control Take?
Most Melbourne homes are rodent-free within 2-3 weeks of a professional program: activity drops sharply in the first week as bait takes effect, then proofing prevents reinfestation. Heavy infestations with established nesting can take a second visit. After that, an annual check keeps the proofing intact - door seals wear and new gaps appear as houses move.
