If you notice evidence of rats or mice in your home, your first instinct may be to pick up some rat poison at your local hardware or home supply store. However, rodenticides can actually be very dangerous to use for DIY extermination because of the rat poison ingredients they contain.
Here is a look at how rat poison works and why it’s a pest control strategy best left to professional exterminators.
Types of Rat Poison and Rat Bait
Rat poisons, also known as rodenticides, are often anticoagulants and designed to stop blood clotting. These poisons stop a rat’s body from controlling its own bleeding so that an excess of internal bleeding occurs and leads to death.
Rat baits contain edible poisons that are attractive to rats and make them willingly eat poisonous chemicals. Rodent death typically results within about a day. Acute toxins and calcium releasers are other types of rat poison in addition to the anticoagulants.
The Dangers of Rodenticides
Rodenticides are definitely not something you want lying around the house if you have kids or pets. These substances are very toxic to humans and other animals besides rodents. If a pet or person accidentally ingests rat poison, it is crucial to call a poison helpline immediately.
Common Rat Poison Ingredients
Long-acting anticoagulants, bromethalin, cholecalciferol, and phosphides are the most common active ingredients in rat poison. Some rat poisons are slow-acting, while others are fast-acting. The fast-acting poisons require fewer doses, while the slow-acting poisons may take a few days of a rat eating them before enough toxins build up in its body. Diphacinone is an example of a slow-acting poison that kills rats within about four to five days.
Why It’s Best to Leave Rat Poison to the Professionals
At Precise Termite & Pest Control, we certainly understand why you don’t want mice in your home at this time of the year. However, setting out baits with rat poison on your own is rarely a good idea. Poison is just one of many extermination strategies available to professional exterminators, so we can introduce you to alternative ideas for rat control if you are concerned about kids or pets. We typically only recommend trying rodenticides after other control methods have been ineffective. If you do choose to use rat poison, our experts can make sure that baits are placed where nothing else will come in contact with them for the safety of all your household members.
To learn more about our rodent control strategies or to schedule your free home inspection for any potential rat problems, contact us online or at 866-971-2847.