Mouse plague hits Sydney suburbs as homes are overrun with vermin

Mice spilling from cracks in ceilings, residents refusing to return to their homes and properties overrun by rodents. This is the reality of the mouse plague gripping Sydney’s suburbs.

The devastating mouse plague terrorising farmers in the state’s Central West has burst into Sydney with a vengeance — as families on the outskirts of the city’s western suburbs report an onslaught of vermin in their homes.

Silverdale resident Amanda Simpson said she was finding at least a dozen mice in her home everyday for the past few months.

“It is horrible, they are living in the walls, behind the brickwork.” Mrs Simpson said.

“They are so brazen, after the floods we had a crack in our ceiling and they would drop from the ceiling and run across the fireplace while we were in the room.”

Silverdale resident Amanda Simpson found mice living in her walls and falling from a crack in her ceiling.

Mrs Simpson said the homes of friends and families who live in Silverdale had been overrun by mice.

“We were finding them everywhere,” she said. “The worst moment was discovering them in our bedrooms.”

Meanwhile her neighbour, Melanie Taylor said she and her husband are fighting to keep the rodents out of their home.

Pictured at her home at Silverdale in Sydney is Melanie Taylor with her grandson Luke Neave. She is holding a bucket of rat poison that the mice ate through to get to the bait. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We are seeing them grow in numbers on a daily basis,” Mrs Perkins said.

“We are battling to keep them out of our house because every time they have got in, it is near impossible to get rid of them.”

The grandmother said she and her husband woke in the night to hear mice dragging baits they had planted in their roof space across the ceiling.

“It has got to the point where it is getting ridiculous,” she said. “We have even found they have eaten through the bait packaging — they are relentless.”

Critter Busters owner, Michael Fitzpatrick said he has seen a 70 per cent increase in the number of rodent jobs he is called out on daily compared to last year.

“We have people desperately calling us, some are even telling us they are too afraid to return to their homes because of the infestations they are living with,” he said.

Pictured in Jordan Springs is Michel Fitzpatrick who has been very busy with his pest control business with the influx of mice. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We have major supply shortages across Sydney because the demand for bait is so high.

“There were reports saying the Central West plague could be here in Sydney by August — that is wrong, they are here now and multiplying faster than ever.”

The pest specialist said infestations were becoming more common in hot spots including Wallacia, Silverdale, Glenbrook and Kemps Creek.

New sighting data on the CSIRO’s Mouse Mapping system has revealed “widespread” reports of mice in Ropes Crossing and Bonnyrigg. Meanwhile “patchy activity” of vermin has been reported in Narellan, Emu Heights, Freemans Reach and Canley Heights.

A CSIRO spokeswoman said while mice were not “migratory animals”, urban areas across Metropolitan Sydney has seen an increase “because they have access to good food and shelter”.

“The cooler weather encourages mice to find shelter inside homes, making them more likely to be seen,” the CSIRO representative said. “Mouse numbers are in abundance following the breeding season and juvenile mice disperse to find other places to live.”

Sydney Mouse alert mapping – CSIRO

The representative advised homeowners to patch up holes, cracks in walls and roof spaces.

“Use snap traps, which takes away the need for chemicals,” she said.

“If using bait outside, pick up and dispose of any dead mice.
“Unlike agricultural baits, domestic poisons cause secondary poisoning which can harm domesticated and native animals.”

Originally published as Mouse plague hits Sydney suburbs as homes are overrun with vermin