North Burnett region gripped with ‘terrible’ mice plague with thousands inside homes

Thousands of mice have inundated towns across southern Queensland with reports of a man waking to rodents chewing on his fingers.

A mice plague has ripped through a Queensland region with thousands of rodents inundating homes and businesses and wreaking havoc on feed and produce.

Towns throughout the North Burnett region including Gayndah, Monto and Biggenden have been invaded by mice with residents catching hundreds per day.

Months of wet weather and a mild winter have created the perfect conditions for the rodents plague with an abundance of grass to devour.

Resident Susie Capewell said she had spoken to a man who woke up to a rodent chewing on his hand.

“I asked him what happened to your hand and he told me he woke up to them chewing on it,” Mrs Capewell said.

“His hand was all scratched up with spots on it and loose skin chewed.

“It was terrible.”

Gayndah Veterinary Surgery posted a warning to residents after thousands of mice inundated the North Burnett region.

Mrs Capewell said she was also bitten by one after she emptied a trap.

“They’re feisty little buggers, my hand bled for ages,” she said.

Gayndah’s Norco Rural Store owner Beau Jordan estimated a “thousand” mice were finding their way inside his father’s property per day.

Mr Jordan said they were catching 200-300 a day at a massive cost to the family.

“Too many to count really,” Mr Jordan said.

“Every day they get into our stock and damage it. Chew through wires, computer systems, plastic containers.

“We’d be getting a thousand a day, it’s pretty bad. For us with all the feed we’re getting hammered.”

Mr Jordan said it was the worst plague he had seen – compared to a month ago when catching 30-40 a day was manageable.

Gayndah residents have been forced to kill thousands of mice after a plague ripped through the region. Picture: Susie Capewell

Gayndah citrus farmer Bevan Young said the peak of the mouse plague was about four weeks ago when his traps were snaring about 50-60 a night.

Mr Young said the mice were wreaking havoc throughout the region.

“The worst thing they can do is chew through wires which eventually will cause it to short out,” Mr Young said.

“When they get inside they really start to smell too.

“I know the feed and produce places are catching hundreds a night and are really struggling cause they’re getting into the feed.”

Mr Young said the farming region desperately needed a cold snap to come through to slow the mice down.

“They don’t like the cooler nights,” he said.

The resident snake in Susie Capewell's shed has been busy. Picture: Susie Capewell

It was understood the plague had stretched from Monto to Biggenden.

Fellow farmer Cris Bryant said houses in the middle of paddocks were a target for mice.

“We aren’t suffering but it’s certainly the talk of the town,” Mr Bryant said.

Mrs Capewell said the past few nights had been cooler and the numbers had slightly dropped off.

“Hopefully we have seen the worst of it,” she said.