There are a range of different poisons and traps used in Australia for controlling rats and mice. The RSPCA is concerned that many of these methods are inhumane and involve a long slow and painful death. The following information provides advice on how to reduce the chances of mice or rats causing a problem in your house or surrounds, and where control is necessary, it outlines the most humane methods available.

Houses that are located close to bush or parkland or other open spaces are prone to mice infestations. In older buildings where there may be cracks or loose bricks, problems with mice and rats are also common. There are a number of things that you can do around the home to reduce the chances of mice and rats getting into your house and or sheds. Many of these tips are easy to do and don’t require expensive materials.

Ten tips for mouse and rat proofing your home:

• In your cupboards and pantry, store opened food in metal, glass or heavy duty plastic containers with tight lids.
• Don’t leave extra pet food out, store it in a secure container. Also remove any uneaten pet food so that it doesn’t attract mice and rats.
• Sweep up food remains, litter and other rubbish inside and outside your home.
• Store rubbish in metal or heavy plastic bins with tight lids.
• Place rubbish outside on the morning that it is to be collected; don’t leave rubbish bags or bins on the footpath overnight.
• Remove weeds and debris near buildings and in yards; don’t give mice and rats a place to hide.
• Make sure that you have screens on your windows and check the windows and screens for holes.
• Keep outside doors closed; use metal trim to prevent rodents from gnawing and entering underneath.
• Inspect your basement, garage and house for cracks and holes; seal them with mortar or ‘spakfilla’ so mice and rats can’t come through the holes.
• Don’t provide hiding places for mice and rats. Store materials such as firewood, garden supplies on raised platforms with an open area underneath. Remove unused materials and junk.

Where infestations are bad and you need to consider using methods for killing mice and rats, the RSPCA recommends that you use a method that ensures a quick and humane death. Many people use a rodent bait to kill unwanted pests. Often people choose this type of bait as the rodent goes off somewhere else to die and in most cases there is no body to have to deal with. These baits contain chemicals, called anticoagulants, which cause the rodent to die by slowly bleeding to death internally. This form of killing is not humane as it causes great suffering to the rodent which takes a long time to die. In addition, the poisoned body of the rodent presents a risk if it is eaten by other animals such as native birds.

A more humane and faster method is the use of a snap trap. These come in different sizes that can be used for either mice or rats. When used properly, these traps ensure a quick death to the mouse or rat and can be re-used. When setting the trap you should place it at right angles to a wall or other solid object with the bait nearest to the wall. It is also best to set the trap away from furniture and other material, providing the rodent with a path to the trap. The types of bait that can be used include bacon rind, peanut butter, dried fruit and bread crusts. Bait should be changed daily to keep it fresh. If the bait is not attracting rodents you should switch to another type.

The use of live traps is a popular choice for many people who do not like the idea of killing mice and rats but want to remove them from their home or property. However, the humaneness of live traps depends entirely on how frequently the traps are checked and whether food, water or nesting material are provided to avoid starvation, dehydration or cold stress. Often animals are simply left to die slowly in the trap. Unfortunately, the available evidence suggests that the survival rate of relocated animals is very low - releasing animals into a new location is therefore not likely to be a more humane alternative to killing them.

A detailed report on the humane control of rodents is available from the UK based Universities Federation for Animals Welfare (UFAW) website: www.ufaw.org.uk/documents/GuidanceonhumanecontrolofrodentsFeb2509V19.pdf