Rats are a serious health risk as they can spread diseases. You can help keep them away from your property by:
- Removing garden waste and unwanted materials from your yard.
- Picking up fallen fruit and nuts to reduce food sources (this also helps prevent flies).
- Keeping pet food dishes clean and only feeding pets what they need for the day.
- Storing pet food in sealed, rodent-proof containers.
- Covering compost bins and ensuring there are no holes for rodents to access scraps.
- Using first-generation rodent baiting stations and keeping them stocked.
- Setting traps in areas where rats may hide.
- Blocking entry points such as gaps around air conditioning units or electrical conduits (but do not block ventilation holes needed for moisture control).
Safe Rodent Control
Rodent bait can help, but it must be used safely. Second-generation baits containing difenacoum, brodifacoum, bromadiolone, or difethialone have been linked to secondary poisoning in wildlife such as birds of prey, bobtail lizards, and snakes.
The City recommends using less harmful baits with coumatetralyl (e.g., Warfarin or Coumatetralyl) and following all safety instructions.
If rat problems persist in your area, one of the City’s Environmental Health Officers may visit to discuss further action. Community cooperation is key—when neighbours work together, rat infestations can be controlled more effectively.
For more information on wildlife-safe rodent control, see the BirdLife Australia brochure regarding bird-friendly rodent control.