Rodenticides include grains, seeds, nuts, and other foods that contain chemicals that are lethal to mammals. Most are used in bait traps or bait stations. Rodenticides are generally employed when other methods of eliminating rat populations have failed or when the population is especially large. Chemical control of rats involves baits designed to kill rats.
Care must be taken to ensure that the baits are positioned correctly and that the instructions for use on the product label are strictly followed. One of the most common techniques for using bait is to place the bait formulation in a tamper-proof rodent bait station that protects the bait from accidental exposure to non-target animals or people. In situations where rats are not controlled with conventional products, fumigation of transport vehicles or terrestrial rat burrows may sometimes be necessary. A popular blood-thinning bait is the JT Eaton 709-pn Bait Block.
This first-generation anticoagulant bait has specially formulated peanut butter flavored blocks to attract and kill mice and rats. Fumarin and warfarin are also popular rodenticidal blood thinners that kill rats in a few days. Perhaps the most common type of rat poison, blood thinners contain chemicals that deplete vitamin K, an important component in blood clotting. When a rat ingests an anticoagulant, the poison suppresses the growth of vitamin K in the intestinal tract and rapidly decreases vitamin levels in a matter of days, causing internal bleeding.
If you're not sure what type of bromethalin product to buy, try Tomcat Rodenticide with Bromethalin, as it can kill rats and mice within two days of ingestion. Take precautions and consider using a chemical-free option, such as traps, if you have pets in your home. Bromethalin is known to poison other animals. Consider using Ramik green bait packs that contain granules that can be used indoors and outdoors to control rats, mice, and other rodents.
Metal or zinc phosphides react with acid in a rodent's stomach to form a toxic gas called phosphine that kills the rodent in a few days. These active ingredients are often found in rat baits that have a strong garlic-like odor, which attract rodents but repel other mammals. Depending on the type of rat poison, or rodenticide, whether it's blood thinners, phosphides, bromethalin, or calciferols, the poison will work in a variety of ways. Keep in mind that most rat poison is harmful to children and pets.
Consider chemical-free options, such as rat traps, if you are concerned about the effects of rodenticides on humans or other animals. Rodenticide properly deployed outside a home may be the preferred method of getting rid of mice. Traps are effective solutions, but the correct use of rodenticides is better for complete extermination. Getting rid of rats in a home is no easy task.
Even with so many DIY disposal methods on the market, most homeowners realize that tackling a rat problem on their own is not only costly, but also time-consuming and often ineffective. Fortunately, professional rat exterminators know how to solve a rat problem quickly and effectively. From recognizing the signs of rats in your home to restoring any damage they cause, rat exterminators help care for a rat infestation forever.