Have you recently seen a mouse in your house?
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Well, you wouldn't be the only one.
Just last month, Nathan Dennis, director of Dentec Pest Management in Dubbo, said he had "definitely" seen a rise in mice in the region.
Seeing a mouse at your place doesn't necessarily mean your home is dirty, or that you're leaving anything out for mice to enjoy, they're simply after a warm place to live and breed as the weather is getting cooler.
And, unfortunately, it's not just mice - rats are out and about doing the same thing, and they will be for the next few weeks.
Never fear, because owner of Canham Pest Management Services, Michael Canham is here to quash concerns, and maybe even help squash some rodents.
The pest management service can assist in controlling mice and rat populations in the home.
"We can come out, bait your roof for you, and we educate our customers about hygiene, about sealing up doors and that sort of stuff," Mr Canham said.
According to Mr Canham, there are several ways to eradicate rodents from your home, and this is by using a combination of bait and traps.
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The most important thing, however, is ensuring that you don't touch any bait or traps with your bare hands.
"This is not so that you don't poison yourself, it's so you don't put your scent on the bait," he said.
"It won't matter what bait you put out ... whether it's on a trap or in a bait station, they won't go near it if they can smell you on it."
When setting up a bait station, it is also important to ensure that it is properly contained, so that children and pets can't get at it.
Sticky pads and glue boards are also another alternative, though they're not for the faint of heart, as it will take longer for rodents to die via this method - which can be both visually and audibly confronting.
"And if it's a female and she's in season, you could get in a multi catch, because all the males come in and try to have their way with her while she's stuck on the glue board," Mr Canham said.
Though bait and traps are the best ways to get rid of rodents in the home, the best thing to do annually around autumn, is to practice preventative procedures.
"You're better off with bait stations around the side of your house so you can get them before they come in," he said.
"You have to make sure you're not leaving anything out for them as an attractant, so dog food, cat food, and that sort of stuff."
Patching up any holes and blocking any problem areas is also another important method of prevention, as rats and mice can make their way through very small spaces.
"The rule of thumb - if you can get your thumb in a hole, a rat will get in, if you can get your little finger in a hole, a mouse will get in," Mr Canham said.
Though mice only typically live for around one year, in this time, a female can reproduce up to ten times, with up to six kittens per litter, meaning that they are some of the best breeders.
"They leave the rabbits for dead," Mr Canham said.
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