Rodents and mice in Al Shuhada, Makkah

Targeted, not broadcast

Product goes into cracks and runways, never sprayed across open surfaces.
Told before we start

What we will use, where it goes, and what to cover or move before we arrive.
A follow-up visit

We return after the first treatment, because what survives it does not show on the day.
Homes and businesses

Apartments and villas, and kitchens and stores that need a record of each visit.

Why they keep coming back in Al Shuhada

Old buildings sit directly on rock with no isolation layer, so foundation cracks are deep and wide, and allow continuous rodent entry even after repeated treatments. The method is set out in full on Rodents and mice in detail.

The first reason

Rock fissures beneath old buildings

Old buildings are founded on cracked natural rock, and the deep fissures in it form underground passages that cannot be fully sealed. Rodents live in these cracks all year and climb up hunting for food.

The second reason

Narrow passages and joined roofs

Houses are packed close together with narrow passages between them, and roofs connect easily. A rodent moves horizontally across roofs from house to house and descends into any open gap it finds.

The third reason

Popular markets and accumulated waste

Souq Al Utaybiyah and other tight market lanes supply exposed food, and waste piled between houses gives constant food sources for rapidly breeding rodents.

Landmarks of Al Shuhada

In Al Shuhada, mountains close the district in: Jabal Al Shahid lies to the west with cracks that shelter rodents, and Hajj Street runs nearby with industrial workshops, so treatment must focus on sealing cracks in the foundation and closing shared passages.

Hajj Street
Madinah Road
Al Shuhada Square
Thaniyat Al Bayda
Jabal Al Shahid
Asad ibn Zurarah Mosque

Before treatment

What we read in the building before any bait goes down

The district sits on rocky ground between Wadi Al Zahir south and Wadi Al Tanim north. Natural fissures and gaps in the rock provide permanent shelter for rodents.

An exterior door with a narrow gap at the threshold

The gap under the door

The gap under an old house door is wide, and the rodent pushes it from outside to make it wider. Rock cracks in the foundation provide many entry holes.

Pipes passing through a concrete wall from outside

Pipe and conduit openings

Drain pipes and cooling ducts run through rock fissures with wide openings that cannot be sealed easily because of the rocky nature of the foundation.

An electrical cable with its outer sheath damaged

Gnaw marks

Gnaw marks appear readily on wires and wood in old houses, and the rodent chews everything round the openings trying to widen them.

The corner between a skirting board and a tiled floor

The run along the wall

The run along the wall follows natural cracks and fractures in walls and foundations, and the rodent travels them with ease.

Palm fronds touching the edge of a building roof

The route from above

The route from above comes from roofs and passages between houses, and the rodent drops from the ceiling into the building through multiple openings.

Sacks of grain stored on a storeroom floor

The water and the food on offer

Water from wet cracks in the rock and food from nearby markets draw rodents to stay permanently.

How we work

1
Inspect and trace the runs

We work the perimeter, the kitchen, the store and the false ceiling, establish the species, the entry points and the water source, and mark the station positions before anything is carried in.
2
Close the openings

Metal mesh, mortar and base strips at the gaps, around pipe sleeves and at vents, because foam and silicone are gnawed through within days.
3
Secured bait and traps

Closed stations fixed on the runs outside the building, and traps rather than loose bait indoors, so that anything that dies stays somewhere we can reach.
4
The follow-up visit

We read the take at each station, replenish what has gone, remove anything found, and close any opening that showed itself once the movement settled.

What rodent control includes

Inspection and a station map

Entry points, runs and station positions recorded, so the same points are checked on every visit.
Sealing pipes and drains

Floor traps, pipe sleeves, vents and the air conditioning drain line, the routes that arrive from outside the unit.
Secured bait stations

Closed and fixed on the outside runs, out of reach of children and animals, while indoors we work with traps.
Treating the nest site

A rodent leaves parasites and nesting material behind, so the nest is removed and the void it sat in is treated.
Aftercare instructions

Stock lifted off the floor, droppings cleaned damp with disinfectant instead of swept dry, and pet bowls emptied at night.
A scheduled follow-up

A set date after the first visit: read the take, replenish the bait, remove anything found and close what is still open.

What is different about Al Utaybiyah Sub-Municipality

Al Utaybiyah sub municipality covers the old districts north of the Grand Mosque: the hillside quarters of Al Hajun, Al Utaybiyah and Al Bayban, Al Zahir and Al Shuhada at the northern entrance, and the newer Al Zahra, Al Diyafah and An Nuzhah westward. Its building stock is among the oldest in Makkah, stone houses on the hills, packed apartment blocks and sewers decades old, threaded with crowded markets like the Utaybiyah souq and furnished flats that fill in the pilgrim seasons. Wadi Al Zahir and Wadi Al Tanim carry storm water through it, and industrial workshops line Hajj Street.

Questions about this district

Why are old buildings in Al Shuhada permanently infested with rodents?

Deep rock fissures beneath buildings offer permanent shelter that cannot be sealed, and rodents live there all year and climb up hunting for food. Nearby markets provide continuous supplies.

Is treating one house enough in an old district?

No. You must treat foundations, outdoor passages and connected roofs, because rodents come from neighbouring houses, roofs and rock cracks, so treating one house does not stop fresh entry.

Does sealing foundation openings hurt natural ventilation in an old house?

No, sealing large gaps under the floor with gnaw-proof material does not affect air flow. Ventilation comes through windows and doors and high openings. Only rodents use the low gaps.

Do rodents come from Souq Al Utaybiyah next door?

Yes. The popular market supplies ample food and waste piles up in it. Rodents move from it into neighbouring houses across the close passages and nearby roofs.

Does damp from the wadi make treatment harder?

Yes. High humidity from Wadi Al Zahir weakens bait, so we place it in secured stations on dry ground and check it often. Treatment needs regular follow up.

How often does Al Shuhada need treatment because of the deep rock fissures?

Initial treatment needs regular follow up every two weeks, because rodents return quickly from the rock fissures. Follow up may continue for several months to ensure they do not return.

How much does rodents and mice in Al Shuhada cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Shuhada.