Rodents (Rats & Mice)

Rodent Control Products for Rats and Mice

Rats and mice can quickly become a problem in New Zealand homes, garages, sheds, roof spaces, wall cavities, vehicles and commercial buildings. Once rodents find warmth, food and shelter, they can damage wiring, chew packaging, contaminate food areas, create unpleasant odours and keep people awake with scratching or movement in ceilings and walls.

Pestrol stocks a wide range of rodent control products to help you deal with rats and mice at different stages of activity. Whether you need to repel rodents, catch them, bait them, protect a vehicle, or reduce the chance of them coming back, this category brings together practical solutions for both residential and commercial use.

Popular options include Pestrol Rodent Free Max for electronic rodent prevention, D-RAT PRO Snap Trap for direct capture, Pestrol Thanos Automatic Rat & Mouse Trap for automatic trapping, Tomcat Outpost Rodent Bait Station for controlled bait placement, and rodent bait options such as Brigand Rodent Blocks, Selontra Soft Rodent Bait, Storm Rodent Blocks and Ditrac Rat & Mouse Bait Blocks.

Signs You May Have Rats or Mice

Rodents are often active at night, so the first signs are not always obvious. Common signs include:

• Droppings in cupboards, garages, sheds, roof spaces or around food storage areas
• Scratching, scurrying or chewing sounds in walls, ceilings or under floors
• Gnaw marks on timber, plastic, wiring, insulation or food packaging
• Shredded paper, fabric, insulation or nesting material
• A strong ammonia-like smell from urine
• Greasy rub marks along walls, skirting boards or entry points
• Pet behaviour changes, especially around cupboards, roof cavities or garages
• Repeated damage to food packaging, stored goods or vehicle wiring

If you notice these signs, it is best to act quickly. Rats and mice breed fast, and a small issue can become a larger infestation if food sources, shelter and entry points are not addressed.

Choosing the Right Rodent Control Product

The best rodent control option depends on where you are seeing activity, how serious the problem is, and whether you want to repel, trap, bait or prevent rodents from returning.

Rodent problem	Recommended product type
Scratching in walls, ceilings or roof spaces	Electronic rodent repeller, ceiling trap, bait station, exclusion products
Droppings in cupboards, garages or sheds	Mouse traps, rat traps, bait stations, rodent blocks
Rodents around food storage areas	Enclosed bait stations, traps, hygiene and exclusion products
Ongoing prevention	Electronic rat and mouse repellers, entry-point sealing products
Rodents damaging cars, boats or machinery	Vehicle rodent repellers
Larger or commercial activity	Multi-catch traps, professional bait stations, bulk rodent bait
Chemical-free preference	Ultrasonic or electromagnetic rodent repellers, snap traps and exclusion products

Electronic Rat and Mouse Repellers

Electronic rodent repellers are a popular choice for people who want a low-maintenance, chemical-free way to help repel rats and mice. They are especially useful for ongoing prevention in homes, garages, offices, sheds and other indoor areas.

The Pestrol Rodent Free Max is designed for customers who want an electronic rat and mouse repeller for home prevention. It is suited to areas where rodents may be travelling through walls, ceilings and living spaces, and can be used as part of a wider rodent prevention plan.

Electronic repellers are best suited for customers who want to help make an area less attractive to rodents over time. For heavy infestations, they are often best used alongside trapping, baiting, cleaning and sealing entry points.

Rat Traps and Mouse Traps

Traps are a direct solution when you need to catch rodents already active inside a home, business, garage or shed. Pestrol stocks a variety of rat and mouse traps, including snap traps, enclosed traps, multi-catch traps, humane cage traps and automatic trap options.

For direct trapping, options include the D-RAT BASIC Snap Trap, D-RAT MINI Snap Trap, D-RAT PRO Snap Trap, D-RAT Super MAX Snap Trap, Kness Snap-E Mouse Trap and Trapper T-Rex Rat Trap.

For customers wanting an automatic trap option, the Pestrol Thanos Automatic Rat & Mouse Trap is another option for targeted rodent control.

Traps are useful when:

• You know where rodents are travelling
• You are seeing fresh droppings
• You want a bait-free control method
• You need to confirm activity
• You want a targeted solution for a specific area

For best results, rat traps and mouse traps should be placed along walls, near signs of activity, and away from children, pets and non-target animals.

Rodent Bait, Rodent Blocks and Bait Stations

Rodent bait and rodent blocks can be effective where rats or mice are actively feeding. Bait stations help protect bait from weather, reduce access by children and pets, and keep bait secured in a controlled location.

For controlled bait placement, the Tomcat Outpost Rodent Bait Station can be used to help keep bait contained and positioned in areas where rodent activity is present.

Rodent blocks are a common choice for bait stations and outdoor or semi-protected areas because they are easy to place and monitor. Options in this category include Brigand Rodent Blocks 2kg, Brigand Rodent Blocks 8kg, Storm Rodent Blocks 500g, Storm Rodent Blocks 3kg, Storm Rodent Blocks 10kg, Pestoff Rodent Block and Ditrac Rat & Mouse Bait Blocks.

Soft bait can be useful where rodents are not readily taking harder bait blocks or where a softer formulation is preferred. Selontra Soft Rodent Bait is one option in this category for customers looking for a soft rodent bait format.

Some rodent baits are first-generation anticoagulants, while others are second-generation anticoagulants or non-anticoagulant baits. First-generation bait options may be suitable where repeated feeding is expected, while second-generation baits are often used for more persistent rodent activity. Always follow the product label and choose the bait type that suits the situation, treatment area and safety requirements.

Examples in this category include Ditrac Rat & Mouse Bait Blocks for customers looking for a first-generation-style bait block option, and second-generation rodent bait options such as Contrac Blox, Generation First Strike Rodent Blocks, Storm Rodent Blocks and Talon XT Pro Wax Rodent Blocks.

Bait products should always be used carefully and according to the product label. If you have pets, children, livestock or wildlife nearby, choose enclosed bait stations and place bait in safe, appropriate locations.

Bait is often suitable for:

• Garages and sheds
• Commercial spaces
• Farm buildings
• Storage areas
• Outdoor activity zones
• Areas where rodents are repeatedly feeding

Rodent Control for Walls, Ceilings and Roof Spaces

Scratching in the ceiling or walls is one of the most common signs of rats or mice. These areas can be difficult to treat because rodents may be nesting or travelling through hidden cavities.

For roof spaces and wall cavities, consider a combined approach:

• Use electronic rodent repellers for ongoing deterrence
• Use traps or bait stations where activity is accessible
• Seal gaps around pipes, vents, doors, cladding and roofing
• Remove food sources and nesting materials
• Keep outdoor rubbish, compost and pet food secured
• Monitor activity over several weeks

For ceiling or roof-space activity where access is possible, the D-RAT Roof Cat Ceiling Trap may be useful as part of a targeted trapping plan.

Rodents can squeeze through very small openings, so prevention is just as important as removal.

Protecting Vehicles from Rodents

Rats and mice can cause expensive damage by chewing vehicle wiring, insulation and stored materials. This is especially common when vehicles, boats, caravans, machinery or trailers are parked for long periods.

The Pestrol Vehicle Rodent Repeller is designed to help protect cars, boats, garages, workshops and machinery storage areas where rodents may cause damage.

Vehicle rodent repellers are a good option where bait or traps are not practical, or where you want an extra layer of prevention around valuable equipment.

Chemical-Free Rodent Control Options

If you want to avoid poison, Pestrol offers several non-toxic rodent control options, including electronic repellers, snap traps, automatic traps and exclusion products.

Chemical-free options are often preferred for:

• Homes with pets
• Homes with children
• Kitchens and food storage areas
• Offices and retail spaces
• Ongoing prevention
• Customers who do not want dead rodents in hidden areas

For larger infestations, chemical-free products may need to be used as part of a wider plan that includes trapping, cleaning, sealing entry points and reducing food sources.

How to Get Better Results

For the best rodent control results, use a complete approach rather than relying on one product alone.

Start by identifying where rodents are active. Look for droppings, gnaw marks, scratching sounds, food damage and entry points. Then choose the right product type for the problem. Repellers are useful for prevention and hidden spaces, traps are useful for direct capture, and bait stations are useful where rodents are actively feeding.

To reduce the chance of rodents returning:

• Store food, pet food and bird seed in sealed containers
• Keep rubbish bins tightly closed
• Clean up fallen fruit and food scraps
• Seal gaps around doors, vents, pipes and rooflines
• Keep garages, sheds and storage areas tidy
• Use steel wool or suitable exclusion materials around small entry points
• Monitor activity after treatment

Shop Rodent Control Products Online

Browse Pestrol’s full range of rodent control products for rats and mice, including electronic rodent repellers, rat traps, mouse traps, bait stations, rodent blocks, soft baits, vehicle repellers and prevention products.

If you are unsure which product is right for your situation, start by matching the product type to the problem: repellers for prevention, traps for direct capture, bait stations for active feeding areas, and exclusion products to help stop rodents getting back in.