Rat and rodent control in Singapore
Rats and mice spoil food, gnaw through wiring and pipes, and can carry disease, so one in the home or office is worth dealing with quickly. Most jobs have two halves: removing the rodents that are there, and closing the gaps they used to get in.
Tell us what you've seen or heard and we'll pass it to a partner pest-control firm. The firm inspects, finds the way in, and quotes for control and proofing.
What a rodent problem looks like
- Droppings: dark and pellet-shaped, along walls, in cabinets, behind appliances or in the false ceiling. Rat droppings are bigger than a grain of rice; mouse droppings are smaller.
- Scratching or scurrying in the ceiling, the walls or behind kitchen cabinets, usually at night.
- Gnaw marks on food packaging, cables, doors, plastic pipes and furniture.
- Dark, greasy rub marks along skirting and walls, where rodents run the same route again and again.
- Burrows in garden beds or along drains and walls outside landed homes.
- Nests of shredded paper, fabric or insulation in storerooms, ceilings and behind appliances.
- A strong, stale smell in enclosed spaces.
The rodents found in Singapore homes are usually rats: the larger brown rat, which lives in drains and at ground level, and the roof rat, which climbs pipes, trees and cables into ceilings. House mice turn up too. Where the signs are tells the firm which one it's dealing with.
Treatment options for rodents
The partner firm recommends a treatment after seeing the property. These are the methods it's likely to talk you through.
Inspection and entry-point survey
The firm finds where rodents are getting in, where they travel and where they nest. Common ways in are gaps around pipes and cables, drains, the gap under doors, roof eaves and false ceilings.
Baiting
Rodent bait goes into locked, tamper-resistant stations along the routes rodents use, out of reach of children and pets. The firm checks and replaces the bait over several visits until activity stops.
Trapping
Traps are used where bait isn't suitable, such as kitchens and homes with pets, or to catch a rodent quickly. The firm removes whatever is caught on its visits.
Proofing
Entry points are sealed with wire mesh, metal plates, sealant and door brushes so rodents can't come back. Without proofing, new rodents often move in once the first ones are gone.
Housekeeping advice
The firm points out what's drawing rodents in, such as open food, bins and clutter, so the problem doesn't return.
Ask whether proofing is included or quoted separately, how many follow-up visits there are, and who removes trapped or dead rodents.
What affects the price
We don't publish prices. The partner firm gives you a price after an inspection, or from what you tell it when the job is simple. These are the things it will ask about.
- How many rodents there are, and how long they've been there.
- The size and layout of the property, including ceiling spaces, storerooms and any garden.
- How much proofing is needed, and what materials it takes.
- The number of follow-up visits to check bait stations and traps.
- Whether it's a one-off job or a regular service, which is common for offices and for landed homes near drains or greenery.
- Access to ceiling spaces, roof eaves or service ducts.
Comparing quotes
When you compare prices, compare what's included: the number of visits, whether follow-ups are in the price, what's treated, and what happens if the problem comes back.
How to prepare, and what happens on the day
Before the visit
- Put food in sealed containers, and don't leave pet food or fruit out overnight.
- Note where you've seen droppings or gnaw marks, or heard noises, and at what time.
- Clear access to storerooms, under the sink, behind appliances and to the false-ceiling hatch if there is one.
- Don't put down your own poison beforehand. Rodents that die in the ceiling or walls cause a lasting smell, and home products often aren't placed safely.
- Tell the firm about children, pets and anyone vulnerable in the home, so bait and traps are placed to suit.
On the day
- 1 The firm inspects inside and out, including ceilings, drains and likely entry points.
- 2 Bait stations or traps are set along the routes the rodents are using.
- 3 Entry points are sealed, either on the day or on a later visit if materials are needed.
- 4 Before leaving, the firm sets dates to come back and check, and tells you what to watch for.
Afterwards
Keep food sealed, bins closed and clutter down, and don't move the bait stations. If you notice a smell or fresh droppings after the firm's last visit, tell it: it may mean a gap was missed.
Rodents in homes and offices
The same pest is a different job in a flat, a landed house or an office. Here's what changes.
HDB flats
In HDB flats, rodents usually come in from the ground floor or the refuse chute, or along pipes and cables, and often end up in the kitchen or a false ceiling. Treatment inside the flat goes together with sealing the gaps around pipes. If you see rats in the common areas, bin centre or void deck, report it to the town council, which looks after those areas.
Condos
In condos, rodents often move between units and common areas through service ducts and ceilings. Treat and proof your unit, and tell the managing agent, because the bin centre, car park and landscaping are the management corporation's to treat.
Landed homes
Landed homes have more ways in: drains, the garden, roof eaves, trees touching the roof and gaps around the kitchen and service yard. Proofing is usually a bigger part of the job, and landed homes near drains or greenery often keep a regular service.
Offices
In offices, rodents are usually drawn by pantries, food waste and cabling in ceilings and raised floors, where gnawing can damage wiring. The firm can work out of hours and set up a regular inspection programme with records. If you lease the space, involve building management, because the source is often in shared areas.
Pest control and NEA licensing
In Singapore, companies that do vector control work, which covers pests such as mosquitoes, rats and cockroaches, must be registered with the National Environment Agency (NEA) as Vector Control Operators. The people doing the work must hold NEA licences or certificates. Before work starts, you can ask the firm for its registration details and check them against NEA's list of registered operators.
Questions about rodents
How long does it take to get rid of rats?
It depends on how many there are and how they're getting in. Baiting and trapping usually run over several visits, and the job isn't finished until the entry points are sealed. The firm will set out its schedule in the quote.
Is rat bait safe with children and pets?
Firms put bait in locked, tamper-resistant stations to keep it out of reach, and use traps where bait isn't suitable. Tell the firm about children and pets when you book.
Why is there a smell after treatment?
A rodent that has eaten bait can die in a ceiling, wall or duct. The firm can usually help find and remove it, which is one reason proofing and follow-up visits matter.
Ask for a rodent control quote
Tell us the pest, the property and roughly where it is. It takes a minute, and there's no obligation to book.
Thank you. Your enquiry is on its way.
We usually reply within one working day. We'll pass your enquiry to a partner pest-control firm, which will contact you to arrange an inspection or give you a quote.
There's nothing else you need to do. If you left something out, send another enquiry.