How to deal with rodents in your home and garden.

We are working with Bridgend Council to combat the problem with rodents in the area.

What are the signs of a rodent in my home?

Smell

Rats and mice typically have a very strong ammonia smell.

Sound

Rodents can be heard scratching, gnawing and rustling. 

Droppings

Rats excrete pellet-shaped droppings up to 14mm, while mice droppings are typically 5mm, like a grain of rice.

Smears

Grease and dirt from their bodies may leave smudges on surfaces and skirting boards. Due to their poor eyesight, they tend to use established routes.

Footprints

Rats can leave foot and tail marks in dusty, less-used areas of buildings.

What can I do to help prevent rodents in my home?

Cut off food and water sources

Store food in sealed containers to prevent rodents from accessing it and to minimise any smells that may attract them. Pet food should be boxed and put away, not on the floor or open in the kitchen. 

Ensure that any outdoor bins have secure lids. Compost bins should be fastened tightly. Dripping taps, paddling pools, and even ponds, can all attract rodents to your garden.

Food waste should be put in the brown recycling bin. Do not put food waste in refuse bags.

Nappies should not be placed in the general waste. A separate collection service is available for nappies and absorbent products.

Rinse cans and plastic items free of food before putting them into your recycling bags. Replacement or additional recycling containers can be ordered from the Council by visiting www.bridgend.kier.co.uk or by emailing

recyclingandwaste@bridgend.gov.uk.

Avoid feeding any animals outdoors such as birds, stray cats, or squirrels.

Ensure any animal droppings from domestic pets are cleared as these can all feed rats. If you are feeding birds, use a purpose-made feeder, don’t scatter food on the ground.

Remove access

Seal any holes larger than a quarter of an inch, which is the width of a biro pen. Rodents can quickly chew through all sorts of materials to create larger openings. If you are concerned about any external holes or damaged drains in your home please call us to book a repair.

Remove shelter and cover

Where possible, objects should be moved away from the walls so that you can easily check behind them.

Regularly clean under stoves, fridges, cupboards as well as any other hard-to-reach areas.

Ensure there is no overgrown grass or plants, rubbish, or a build-up of old materials and rubble in your garden.

What should you do if you see a rodent in your home?

Call Bridgend Council on 01656 643643.

Conditions to meet before Aderyn will visit:

  • You must have seen a rat within the last 24 hours inside your home (mice are not deemed as an emergency).
  • Must be within the living space: only rooms within your home such as kitchen, bathroom, living room or bedroom. Attic, cavity wall and garages are not deemed as living space.

Don’t use your own bait or traps.

As per the label on rat poison, it is the responsibility of the person who placed the bait to check it and collect any bodies. Aderyn will not attend to check your own bait or pick up carcasses from your own rat poison.

What can I do if rodents are outside the living space?

  • Cut off outside food sources. Do not feed any animals outdoors such as birds, stray cats, or squirrels. Ensure any animal droppings from domestic pets are cleared as these can all feed rats.
  • Remove cover for rats. Ensure there is no overgrown grass or plants, or a build-up of old materials/rubble at your property. This removes shelter for rats.
  • Protect food waste containers. Ensure all food waste containers are sealed and shut away so no animal can access them.
  • It must be a consistent problem rather than just seeing one rat in passing which isn’t seen again. If a rat can’t find food or shelter, it has no reason to return to a garden.
  • Don’t use your own bait or traps. As per the label on rat poison, it is the responsibility of the person who placed the bait to check it and collect any bodies. Aderyn will not attend to check your own bait or pick up carcasses from your own rat poison.

What should you do if you continue to have a problem?

It is normal to see a rodent outside. If a rat can’t find food or shelter, it has no reason to return to a garden.

If baiting isn’t working, or you are seeing more than one rodent in your home please contact us. We will arrange for our contractor to survey your home and identify what may be needed, for example putting down traps, bait and tracing dust.

They will continue to visit your home to monitor activity for at least three weeks and provide updates to us on anything further that needs doing.

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