Below is a list of tips to ensure your pets are happy and safe during and after your next pest control treatment. 

Tell your provider 

If you have a pet, tell your provider when you book your pest control service, as they may need to tailor the treatment. Before the treatment begins, always discuss any concerns you may have with the office or with a pest control specialist. 

Before the treatment starts, make sure you remove any water/food bowls, toys or bedding if they are in the treatment area.

Secure your pets 

Pets are often curious and may try to investigate new sounds and smells in their home. Our technicians love meeting your pets; however, sometimes, that curiosity can bring them too close to our treatment and increase the chance of something going wrong.

You will need to keep your pests safely secured while our pest technician is carrying out work. We often recommend leaving your pets with a friend or at a kennel for the day of the treatment. If this isn’t an option for you, close them in a room that isn’t being treated and make sure you use a towel to block any gaps in doorways. For example, if you have a pest problem in your kitchen, you may want to put your them into your garage or bedroom. Make sure cats or dogs can’t sneak back inside if you placed them outside for the treatment. 

Feathery And Fishy Friends

We need to know if you have birds, fish or reptiles kept in tanks or cages inside. Please don’t be upset if we can’t treat a room where you have birds, fish, reptiles or other such pets that can’t be relocated. Our job is to make sure we keep you and your pets safe during pest treatments. 

Ideally, you will relocate them somewhere safe during the treatment. However, this is not always practicable so at the very minimum you need to cover tanks including filters with a nonpermeable fabric. Make sure there are no gaps where air can enter. Be careful when doing this, as if the power is on the heat from the covered motor may create a fire hazard. Make sure any food or equipment you use is put away or covered. 

If you are worried, we recommend calling your veterinarian to ask if the pesticide will react with your pet. Some birds have susceptible respiratory systems and may be prone to problems. 

Important note about rodent treatments

When carrying out rodent control, it’s important that you tell us if you have a dog or if dogs frequent your property. Rodenticide is toxic and harmful to humans and pets. It can be lethal to dogs. THE ANTIDOTE IS VITAMIN K1. If you have a dog, we recommend you check that your local vet has stock. We use lockable tamper-proof stations to hold bait (rodenticide), which are designed to help protect people and pets from accidental exposure to the bait inside. While we take the utmost care to ensure stations are secure and out of reach from pets, we can’t guarantee that your pet won’t access the bait inside. 

Are you still worried? Please speak with A-Jet Pest Control today. They are knowledgeable and always happy to answer any concerns you may have. 

Hire A Professional 

Most importantly, if you have pets avoid doing the treatment yourself. If you don’t know how to apply the pesticide correctly or if you use the wrong amount, you run the risk of unintentionally poisoning your pet. In saying that, no two pest control companies are created equal. If you’re looking for the safest and most effective service, ensure you hire a certified PMANZ (Pest Management Association NZ) technician. If you still have concerns about your pet’s safety, contact A-Jet Pest Control for free advice or a quote. Our founder was the past president of PMANZ, so we know what we’re talking about! 

While many people bury their heads in the sand after seeing a solo mouse in or near their home, left unresolved, a rat or mouse problem can soon escalate, causing unseen damage to the electrical systems and structure of your home. As rodent control experts, we’re sharing a few of the most common signs to look out for, so you can act quickly before the problem gets out of control.

When an intruder comes to your house, there are telltale signs that will let you know something is amiss. Here are the most common:

Signs Your Building May Have A Rodent Problem

If you suspect your home may have a rat or mouse problem, there are a few common hallmarks to look out for. If you identify any of these in or around your home, call our rodent control team for further investigation.

• Rodent Droppings

One of the most obvious signs that you have a rodent problem is the presence of droppings in your home. Rat droppings are shiny, black, and 12-18mm long, while mouse droppings are smaller with slightly tapered ends. Droppings will likely be found in areas of high rodent traffic, such as cupboards under the sink and around food. 

• Gnaw & Scratch Marks

Known for their gnawing habits, rodents will chew through almost anything. Gnawed food packaging is a sure sign that rodents have been in your home, but you may also find bite and scratch marks on walls, floors and pipes. 

• Nocturnal Noises

Rats and mice are nocturnal, meaning that they’re most active after dusk. So, while you may not have seen any rodents scurrying around your home, you’re likely to hear them as you try to drift off to sleep. From the rustling of nesting to the screeching of fights, rodent noises are unmistakable.

Why Rodent Removal Is Necessary

Although the phrase may be “breeding like rabbits”, “breeding like rodents” may be a more accurate way to describe the prolific nature of mice and rats. Both have a gestation period of less than a month, meaning that in as little as a year, two rats can become 1,250. 

While it’s unlikely you’d let the problem get this out of control, every month that you ignore the problem, it becomes exponentially bigger. Each of those rodents has the potential to destroy the cables, wires, piping and wood that lies within your walls and ceiling. Not to mention spreading a range of diseases. 

Rat Exterminator Auckland

With over 35 years in the rodent control industry, A-Jet Pest Control is your trusted rat and mouse exterminator. Our team has the equipment and experience to stop rodents in their tracks with minimal disruption to you. If you have a rodent infestation, addressing it quickly is the best course of action. Speak to a member of the team for an obligation-free quote.

We’re here to help! In New Zealand, we have four types of invasive rodents, which are the house mouse, the ship rat, the Norwegian rat, and the kiore. Below, we’ll go through the characteristics of each type so you have a better idea of what you’re dealing with. First, though, we’ll take an overview of rodents as a whole.

What Are Rodents?

Rodents are a type of small mammal, classed as part of the order Rodentia, and include squirrels, hamsters, mice, rats, and guinea pigs. What do all of these have in common? The answer is their teeth.

All rodents have teeth that are specialised for gnawing: these come in the form of sharp upper and lower incisors which are constantly being ground down and so constantly growing so that they stay a consistent length. They’re natural hunters, with keen senses of smell, hearing, and vision.

House Mouse

The house mouse (Mus musculus) is the common mouse, best known for making peoples’ homes their primary food source – being omnivores, they’ll eat just about anything they can get their paws on – but also for their role as prominent laboratory organisms.

You’ll recognize them from their white undersides. Typically, the upper (dorsal) side of a house mouse’s body is dark to light brown and the lower (vental) side is pale brown.

You can tell the difference between a mouse and a rat based on their tail – mice have shorter, hairy tails, whereas rats have long, completely hairless and “scaly” tails.

Ship Rat

The ship rat (Rattus rattus) is the most common pest in New Zealand, being found in just about every part of the country. It’s also known as the black rat – a bit of a misnomer as its fur can range in color from grey to black – and the roof rat because it likes to build its nests in high-up roof spaces. This species is a very good climber!

The most distinguishing feature of the ship rat is its very long tail, which stretches out longer than its body. Its ears are also noticeably longer than those of its European cousin, the Norwegian rat.

Norway Rat

The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is more commonly known as the brown rat – you’ll be able to tell it apart from the ship rat by its lightly-colored fur. You might also know it as the water rat due to its proclivity for wet environments.

As opposed to the very long, skinny tail of the ship rat, the Norway rat has a thick tail that is slightly shorter than its (on average) 20 cm long body. Additionally, their ears are short and stubby, unable to cover their eyes if pressed down.

Kiore

Kiore is the Māori name for the Pacific or Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans). Kiore are often confused with ship rats, as their coloring is very similar. One way to tell the difference is by the length of its tail, which is either slightly shorter or slightly longer than its body.

The other most common way to tell a Kiore from a ship rat is by its size: Kiore look like a smaller version of the ship rat. A third way to distinguish Kiore is through its distinctly pale foot.

If you’ve seen any of these critters in your home, it’s important to get the situation under control before it has the chance to get out of control. Rodents breed rapidly and cause all sorts of issues – from diseases through to electrical fires or floods. For peace of mind, feel free to give us a call today!