Toledo Rat Removal Tip: Poisons Will Not Make a Rat Go Outside and Die in Seek of Water

If you have encountered rats or mice in your home, you are no doubt seeking ways to eradicate them and prevent an infestation. DIY pest control is tricky when dealing with rats. It is recommended that someone with experience and knowledge in the subject attempt to handle the issue.

If you must embark on the journey alone, especially for the first time, you need to do adequate research. Part of this research is separating fact from fiction, so you know what will actually work and what won't.

One of the biggest myths surrounding DIY pest control for rats is that poison is a great option. People think that rats eat the poison and it makes them thirsty. The myth continues on the precedence that the rat goes outside in search of water and subsequently dies outside the home. This simply isn't true. Here is what really happens.

Poison for Rat Control

First off, poison will not kill every rat who consumes it. Some will die, and some will not. It also presents a huge risk to children and household pets as well. The rats who do die typically endure a very slow and painful death. It is a terribly inhumane way to go.

Secondly, rats rarely venture more than thirty to forty feet away from their nest. They also do not go outside in search of water. If they have taken up residence in your home, they likely already have a water source nearby.

When a rat consumes poison and dies, it often dies near the nest. This leaves rotting carcasses in your walls, your attic or near where they have nested in your home. You will have to find these carcasses and remove them. Otherwise, a horrible gut churning stench will permeate the air for months.

Better Rat Control

Rat control is best left to the experts. You want someone experienced who will come in and remove them, dead or alive. The same people will also know how to clean up all the disgusting mess rats leave behind near their burrows.

If you must do it yourself, traps are the best way to go. This allows you to completely remove them and clean up the mess they leave behind. It is important to wear the proper protective equipment as rats carry highly transmittable diseases.

You'll also need to disinfect the area thoroughly to prevent a re-infestation. Pheromones are present in their feces as a way to communicate with other rats and must be eliminated. You'll also need to find all the little rat entry ways and seal them off so others do not come in.