Rodent Control Melbourne
Safer and Greener Pest SolutionsSeen signs of rats? We get rid of them and seal up how they got in, so you are not doing this again next winter.
Seen Signs Of Rats In Your Home?
Then you're in the right place. Scratching in the ceiling at night, droppings in the pantry, gnawed timber, greasy smudge marks along a wall... these all point to rats, and they won't sort themselves out on their own. The longer they're left, the more they breed and the harder the job gets.
SOS Pest Control has been treating rodents in Melbourne since 2003. Tell us what you're hearing and where, and we can help come up with the correct rodent treatment plan for your home or business.
The Rodent Baits We Use
Do we use just one type of bait? No, and we wouldn't want to. We tailor the treatment to the property and to what the rodents on that particular site are actually taking. Rats have preferences the same way people do, and a bait that works well on one property might sit there untouched on the next.
By using a range of baits rather than committing to one product, we're aiming to maximise how much actually gets taken, because bait that sits in a station untouched isn't controlling anything.
Plenty of what we use isn't an SGAR (second generation anticoagulant rodenticide) at all. Where we do use an SGAR, we return within 35 days as the current rules require. Where we don't, no return visit is needed, and we'll tell you which applies to your job upfront.
An established infestation is a bigger undertaking. Once rats are breeding in a roof cavity or inside a wall, it takes a proper program across more than one visit rather than a single treatment and done. We'll tell you upfront if that's the situation you're looking at, along with roughly what it involves.
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Rat Baiting Rules In Australia
Can you still buy rat bait yourself? Yes, but not the strong stuff anymore. On 24 March 2026 the APVMA restricted SGARs to licensed operators only, because those products were killing far more than the rats they were aimed at.
Owls, other birds of prey and family pets were eating poisoned rodents and dying from the secondary poisoning. That's the problem the restriction was brought in to fix.
It changed how the job gets done too. Outdoor rat stations now have to sit within two metres of the building rather than scattered further out across a property, and SGAR baits get checked and reassessed within 35 days instead of being left down indefinitely. If someone's still baiting along the back fence line the way it used to be done, they're not working to the current rules, and that's worth knowing if you're comparing quotes.
What if it turns out to be mice you're hearing rather than rats? That calls for a different treatment altogether, since the two need different approaches. You'll find the details on our mice control page.
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Don't Just Take Our Word For It: Recent Reviews
Rat Proofing And Prevention
Does baiting stop rats coming back? Not on its own. Baiting clears out what's already inside, but rats leave scent trails behind them and the next lot follow the same route in. Closing off the way in is what actually stops it repeating.
Where we check: Weep holes, roof penetrations, damaged eaves, gaps under doors and around pipework. These are the entry points we go through on every job, and we seal what's within our scope on the day.
The gap size: A rat can get through an opening about the width of your thumb, so what looks too small to worry about often isn't.
When it's bigger than a seal up: Some properties have far more openings than a pest treatment can reasonably close in one visit. Where that's the case, we'll show you exactly what needs doing and recommend a tradesperson for the larger rectification work as we are not equipped to carry out proerty repairs
We cover Cheltenham, Bentleigh, Bentleigh East, Moorabbin, Highett, Mentone, Mordialloc, Brighton, Sandringham, Hampton, Oakleigh, Clayton, Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Chadstone, Dingley Village, Keysborough, Springvale, Dandenong, Camberwell, Hawthorn, Balwyn, Box Hill, Toorak, South Yarra, St Kilda and the rest of our service areas.
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How To Book A Rat Treatment
Tell Us What You Have Found
Give us a call or fill in the quote form and tell us what you are hearing or finding, and where.
We Inspect And Bait
We work out how they are getting in, place stations where the rules allow, and treat what is there.
We Tell You What Happens Next
Whether a follow up is needed depends on the bait used and the situation on your property. We will tell you which it is rather than leaving you guessing.
Where We Find Rats In Melbourne Homes
Wherever you are hearing them, this is usually where they are living.
The SOS Pest Control Difference
Experienced Pest Technicians
More than 23 years across Melbourne homes, extensions and new builds.
The Same Pest Technician Every Visit
You deal with the same small team each time, not a different contractor every visit.
Licensed & Insured Pest Control
Licensed pest control and insured on every job, so your build is covered.
Safer Baits Around Pets And Kids
Treatments chosen for the build and the site, installed to the Australian Standard.
Honest Pest Control Advice
We look at your plans and tell you what the build actually needs, not what is easiest to sell.
Rated 5.0 on Google
More than 320 five star reviews from Melbourne homes and businesses.
Get a Quote For Rat Control Melbourne
Tell us what you are hearing or finding and which suburb you are in. We will come back with honest advice and a clear price.
Rat Control FAQs
Can I still buy rat bait from the supermarket?
You can still buy some of it, but the strongest products are restricted to operators who hold the right training and licensing. That is the practical reason a professional treatment reaches for things you cannot pick up off a shelf.
Why are the rats near the river so big?
The ones that come up from water and drainage tend to be the bigger ones, which is why properties backing onto the Yarra, the creek lines through Boroondara, Stonnington and Monash, or a main drain often get a nastier looking rat than the neighbours do. It does not change whether we can get rid of them. It changes where the bait goes, because those ones come in at ground level rather than through the roof.
Is rat bait safe around pets and wildlife?
Every bait sits inside a locked, tamper resistant station, so it stays away from pets, children and wildlife. A lot of what we use is not a second generation anticoagulant, which are the products that caused problems further up the food chain for owls and other birds of prey.
Do you always come back for a second visit?
It depends on the treatment. Where a second generation anticoagulant is used the rules require the bait to be reassessed within 35 days, so we return. Where we have used something else, that return visit is not needed. We will tell you which applies to your job before we start rather than leaving it vague.
Why do you use more than one type of bait?
Because rodents do not all want the same thing. Bait uptake varies between sites and environments, in the same way none of us eat the same meal every day, so offering a variety gives us the best chance of them taking it. What goes down is matched to your property rather than pulled off a standard list.
Do you seal the entry points as well?
We seal what is within our scope on the day, and there is usually plenty we can close up. Some properties have far more openings than a pest treatment can reasonably deal with, and where that is the case we will show you what needs doing and recommend a tradesperson for the bigger work.
How do I know if it is rats or mice?
The droppings give it away. Rat droppings are large and there are relatively few of them, where mouse droppings are small like a grain of rice and scattered everywhere. If it turns out to be mice, that is a different treatment and we cover it on our mice control page.
What if it is possums rather than rats?
That is a different job entirely, because possums are protected in Victoria, so it becomes exclusion and proofing work rather than baiting.
Need A Rodent Exterminator In Melbourne?
Tell us what you are hearing and where, and we will tell you what it takes to sort it.