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L'înformâtion et les sèrvices publyis pouor I'Île dé Jèrri

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Rats, mice and moles

​​Who can help me get rid of rats, mice or moles?

The States of Jersey does not offer a pest control service. Contact your local pest controller if you are having a problem with:

  • rats
  • mice
  • moles

To help you find a relevant service the Jersey Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) website offers some names and contact details under 'Pest Control'.

CAB website

How can I tell if I have mice or rats?

Mice

Mice are normally active at night and you may not see them during the day. You may find nests, which are made of materials such as paper and look like a ball of material loosely woven together. You may find partially nibbled food and small droppings.

Rats

Rats are also nocturnal. Droppings near food sources are the most common sign of rats along with evidence of:

  • gnawing
  • tracks
  • burrows
  • nests

Health and safety risks from mice and rats

Mice and rats contaminate the environments in which they live through their:

  • urine
  • droppings
  • hairs

They can carry a wide range of diseases that can be passed on to humans, either by directly contaminating food with droppings and urine or by contaminating surfaces. Rats in particular can pass on Weil’s disease which can be fatal to humans.

Rats can also cause extensive structural damage to property. They are capable of gnawing a range of materials including electric cables and wiring which could cause fire or electrocution.

Reduce the risk of mice and rats in your home

Mice and rats may be discouraged and infestations prevented by improving hygiene and by blocking access points to your home:

  • make sure that air bricks are in place and intact (do not block them)
  • look for access points around​
    • gas
    • electricity
    • water pipes
  • check that doors fit tightly
  • fit cone guards around the bottom of drainpipes to prevent rats from climbing up – you’ll be able to get these from your local hardware or DIY store
  • fit metal balloon guards to the bottom of drainpipes to prevent them climbing up the inside – again, you can get these from your local hardware store

Improved hygiene will restrict the availability of food for mice and rats, reducing the chances that they will remain and breed successfully. Examples of how hygiene can be improved are:

  • store food carefully so that they do not have access to food sources
  • sweep up any spills as soon as they happen
  • remove rubbish
  • clean up under work units and other areas where food debris can build up

Controlling mice

There are 2 methods of control available:

  • trapping
  • poison baiting

Controlling rats

Before you attempt to deal with a rat problem try to find out where rats are:

  • living
  • feeding
  • drinking
  • and the routes they take between these areas

Look for:

  • runs and tracks
  • holes and burrows
  • droppings
  • footprints
  • other signs such as sightings or a musky smell​

Find out how the rats are getting into your home. This can be done by blocking any holes with newspaper and coming back 24 hours later to see which holes have been re-opened. You can then take preventative action to permanently block the access holes.

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