Raptors are the true environmentally friendly solution.

Rodenticides may not have been intended for raptors and other predators, but it is not selective in what it kills. Despite what many people are told, and what is written on labels, no poison is safe to use. When rodents eat the poison bait, death can take several days and before they die, they are free to roam. During this time they become weakened from internal bleeding, which makes them easier prey for predators and in turn poisons them. Many studies have been done and show that a wide variety of species contain traces of rodenticides, not just hawks and owls. Foxes, bobcats, cougars, coyotes, racoons, skunks, and even pet cats and dogs can contain traces. No animal is exempt. Even children have been made sick from ingesting the poison bait. Approximately 10,000 children a year in the US alone come into contact with rodenticides.

Poisons disrupt the natural way of the food chain. When the predators in the area are killed, the rodents are then free to breed unchecked and their population can grow out of control. Any use of rodenticides is a danger to non-target wildlife, your pets, and your family. Predatory wildlife will control rodent problems naturally with no harmful side effects. There is no safe poison!

Rats who have eaten poisoned bait do not stay within the bait boxes and die. They can end up dying in the walls of your house, your attic, or become a meal for a predator or scavenger, which in turn can poison them.

Types of Rodenticides

2nd-generation anticoagulants:
banned for consumer use but commonly used by professional pest control companies
• Brodifacoum (brand names d-Con, Mouser, Ratak, Talon)
• Bromadiolone (Maki Mini Block, Contrac)
• Difenacoum (Di-Kill Rat Bait Blocks)
• Difethialone (First Strike, Hombre)

1st-generation anticoagulants:
slower acting but no safer; widely available in stores
• Chlorophacinone (Ratol, Ground Force)
• Diphacinone (Wilco Ground Squirrel Bait, Ramik, TomCat)

Other toxic rodenticides:
• Bromethalin (Fastrac, Assault)
• Cholecalciferol (Terad3)

How to Prevent Rats in your Home and Business

Th number one way to deal with your rat problem is through prevention. Instead of using rodenticides to control a rodent problem, consider the reasons why they are coming to your residence or business in the first place.

• Remove pet food from outside, clean up spilled bird feed from feeders & use seed catching trays, clean up fallen fruit from trees, and try to remove any other food attractants.
• Keep trash and recycling well contained with tight fitting lids.
• Prune back shrubs and other vegetation away from buildings, keep grass short, remove debris, and clean up brush piles or other vegetation where rats can hide.
• Locate and block access points to your home or shed with 1/4 inch mesh or steel wool and caulking. Seal any holes that are 1/4 inch (0.6cm) in diameter.

Alternatives to Rodenticides

Listed below are some alternatives that are safer for non-target species. The number one solution is to let natural predators take care of the problem, but if you must, please consider using one of the following options that are safer for non-target species:

• Mechanical traps (Live capture, electronic traps, covered snap trap, bucket trap, Mascall’s Spring trap, CO2 Powered Traps, etc.)
• Coyote or other predator urine or scent
• Ultrasonic repellers
• Install owl perches and nesting boxes
• Hire a rodent exclusion company instead of an exterminator

Please note: Avoid using glue traps. They may seem like a good alternative to rodenticides, but they can and do trap other non-target species, such as snakes, songbirds, and kittens. Animals trapped by glue traps suffer a long, horrible death or can be seriously injured if they manage to free themselves.

The A24 Automatic Rat & Mouse Trap

Targeting rats and mice, the weatherproof trap kills rodents repeatedly without toxins or electricity, automatically resetting itself after each CO2-powered shot so you don’t have to. Simply mount it, sit back, and then toss the remains (or, if installed outdoors, let scavengers do that for you.) Available exclusively at Automatictrap.com in U.S. and Canada.

A24 Rat Trap How it Works