RODENT CONTROL
Action (on bait) stations! By Ditch Keeling, Coastal Pest Solutions
G
idday folks, I’m recently back from my annual rabbit work on Great Barrier Island, which seems to be ideally timed to deal with a flurry of calls about unruly rodents as the temperature drops. More on rodents in a moment – before then I should mention that Great Barrier was fantastic. I spend around three weeks there each autumn and I have just completed my seventh consecutive stint on the 580ha Okiwi Station at the northern end of the island. Through these operations we have achieved a phenomenal level of pest control, totalling 7381 rabbits over the course of seven shoots, so I was thrilled to struggle to find just 332 rabbits this year compared to 3,753 during my first visit. That’s the kind of decline we like to see! In comparison, and closer to home, rats and mice are on the rise again. As these guys move into our buildings during winter, the damage they cause can be
extensive. That gnawing noise in roofs people often complain about is almost always from rats chewing on cables and pipes to keep their teeth nice and sharp. This can be particularly dangerous as gnawing on electrical wires or pipes is a common cause of fires or water leaks. When you consider that almost any rodent infestation can be removed for less than a couple of hundred dollars, it’s simply not worth the risks of ignoring them. We spend a lot of time in ceiling cavities where the amount of rat poo we encounter proves years of regular use. Removing any branches that allow rodents roof access is a really important step and it is so easily fixed. Sometimes, all you need do is remove a few branches and voila, no more rats! However, infestations aren’t always so easily resolved and they also require the use of either bait stations or traps. A well-run bait station programme will usually provide the most efficient form of rodent control, even more so than using traps. Of the many types of toxic bait available, we only use Pestoff
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Rodent Blocks, made right here in NZ and designed for our conditions. This bait has never let me down – and I mean never! As a very general rule (for a standard, three-bedroom house), you’ll need at least four stations, with four baits in each. Place two stations in the ceiling, two at the base of the building, and one additional station for each shed, garage etcetera. This should keep rodents at bay in most homes through the peak of winter activity with no further applications needed until next Autumn. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. For example, a property beside a creek or up against the bush will always suffer a greater level of rodent invasion, but even this can be managed If you have a with a few rodent issue and extra bait it’s beyond your own stations abilities, feel free to applied drop us a line to talk it around the through or book us boundary of in for a visit. the property.
Rabbit Control is fast, efficient and achievable Coastal Pest Solutions are working in your community – trapping, shooting, poisoning and dog work. Non toxic rabbit control is available. • Possums • Rabbits & Hares • Ferrets, Stoats & Weasels • Rats & Mice • Feral Cats • Goats • Pigs • Deer • Pest Bird Control • Wasps
Protect your land and environment from all animal pests, call us today!
Coastal Pest Solutions Wild Animal Control & Biosecurity Services 23 Years’ Professional Experience
Tel: 09 536 6020 Mob: 027 393 2125
143-145 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe • Ph 09 238 3281 Fax 09 238 6019 • Email parts@wallaceheron.co.nz www.ruralliving.co.nz
RL June-July22.indd 21
KAT5292
Email: info@coastalpestsolutions.co.nz • www.coastalpestsolutions.co.nz
Since 1957
KAT5294
Rural Living — June/July 2022 — 21
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