The 6 Best Rat Poisons 2023 Review

Top 6 Rat Poisons

Best For Outdoors: Motomco All-Weather Bait Chunks Most Versatile: Tomcat Bait Chunx Pail Best Seeds: Motomco Meal Bait Best Pellets: Neogen Ramik Green Rodenticide Best Spray: Natural Armor Peppermint Repellent Best Bars: Farnam Just One Bite II Mouse and Rat Bars

Best For Outdoors: Motomco All-Weather Bait Chunks

Pros and Cons

✔ Also kills mice✔ Comes in a large four-pound bucket✔ Kills rodents in four to six days ✘ Only meant for agricultural or rural use✘ Takes longer to kill a rat than the other baits in this review

What Customers Are Saying

Customers felt that these chunks were easy to use, worked both indoors and outdoors, and eliminated a large number of rats and mice. However, some customers were disappointed that the poison didn’t contain the powerful rodenticide bromadiolone. They thought that this might have contributed to the chunks taking days to kill rodents.

Most Versatile: Tomcat Bait Chunx Pail

Pros and Cons

✔ Kills up to 12 rats per block✔ Can kill rats in as little as two days✔ Has a mold- and moisture-resistant formula ✘ Can be dangerous if it’s ingested by pets or children✘ Can only be used within 100 feet of manmade structures

What Customers Are Saying

Customers who left positive reviews for this rat poison liked that it was weatherproof, easy to put out, and attractive to rats and mice. However, customers who left negative reviews for this product didn’t like that it was dangerous to have around pets. Some also said that it didn’t always kill the rats that ate it.

Best Seeds: Motomco Meal Bait

Pros and Cons

✔ Comes in a five-pound container to tackle a large rodent infestation✔ Kills anticoagulant-resistant animals, such as roof rats and house mice✔ Can also be used to bait active rodent burrows ✘ May look like food to birds✘ May go through a container faster because the seeds are smaller than chunks or pellets

What Customers Are Saying

Happy customers said that the seeds were easy to spread and able to kill large infestations from rats and other pests. However, some unhappy customers claimed that mice and rats sometimes avoided eating the seeds. Others said that they arrived poorly packaged.

Best Pellets: Neogen Ramik Green Rodenticide

Pros and Cons

✔ Kills rats, mice, and meadow voles✔ Has a fish flavor to attract pests✔ Can be used indoors and outdoors ✘ May entice children and pets because it looks and smells like food✘ Could be ingested by other outdoor animals

What Customers Are Saying

Those who were satisfied with this poison liked that it worked well on multiple types of rodents and was easy to disperse. However, those who were unsatisfied with the product said that it was less effective than traditional traps.

Best Spray: Natural Armor Peppermint Repellent

Pros and Cons

✔ Safe to use near pets because of its all-natural formula✔ Doesn’t leave stains when it’s used indoors✔ Comes with a spray nozzle for application ✘ May have an overpowering smell for some users✘ Not as effective as repellents made from harsh chemicals

What Customers Are Saying

Positive reviews for this spray said that it didn’t have an overwhelming smell, was long-lasting, and eliminated unwanted insects. However, those who left negative reviews claimed that the pump leaked and was difficult to use.

Best Bars: Farnam Just One Bite II Mouse and Rat Bars

Pros and Cons

✔ Rodents can easily consume a lethal dose in a single night’s feeding✔ Death is delayed four or five days, so there’s no bait shyness for the rodents✔ Effective against warfarin-resistant Norway rats ✘ Potentially lethal to pets if accidentally ingested✘ Only for use in and around agricultural buildings

What Customers Are Saying

Overall, most customers gave these bait blocks a four- or five-star review, claiming that the bars were effective in getting rid of their rodent problem. Users also enjoyed a rodent-free home long after the bait was deployed and consumed, so the product had a long-lasting effect for them. Critically, some users said the bars smelled foul and were overpriced given the other rat poison options on the market.

Buyer’s Guide

Rat poison is a useful and easy way to get rid of rats. To narrow down your search, consider the following factors.

Type of Poison

The main types of rat poisons include acute toxins, calcium releasers, and anticoagulants. Acute toxins release a small amount of poison into the rodent’s bloodstream until it builds up to a lethal dose. Meanwhile, calcium releasers increase the total amount of calcium in a rat’s bloodstream, causing its organs to shut down. Anticoagulants cause internal bleeding, which leads to death once the rat loses too much blood. None of these options are painless deaths, so if that’s something you’re conscious of, you may want to look into other ways of killing rats, such as snap traps.

Type of Bait

Rat poison is available in block, chunk, nugget, seed, and bar forms. Ultimately, there is little difference between these forms. Larger pieces, such as blocks, chunks, and bars, may be slightly easier to set up and less messy. Larger pieces of bait are sometimes known as bait stations.

Kill Time

Poisons are either slow- or fast-acting. While slow-acting poisons take days to kill rodents, they can usually kill more. This is because the rodent may carry the poison back to its friends, thinking that it’s sharing a meal. Fast-acting poisons work right away, but other rats may catch on and learn to avoid these baits.

Toxicity

Standard rat poisons are made with chemicals that are also toxic to pets and humans. However, if you’re using a repellent as opposed to bait, you can usually find options with non-toxic formulas. These repellents are usually made from natural ingredients, such as peppermint oil. While anyone can use them, they’re particularly useful in homes with pets and children who don’t know to avoid pest poison.

How To Prevent Rats

Instead of eliminating rats, avoid an infestation altogether with preventative measures.

Fill holes and cracks

Most rats can squeeze through a hole that’s around the size of a quarter. Go around your home, and make sure any holes or cracks of this size are filled. Pay special attention to doors, windows, basements, and garages.

Don’t leave food out

Rats are coming into your home to look for food. Prevent them from accessing any by keeping trash cans closed, wiping counters, and storing food in a fridge or airtight container.

Remove possible habitats

Rats are drawn to areas where they can hide, such as in old appliances or cars, piles of wood, metal, or trash, and heavy vegetation. Eliminate as many of these habitats as possible to steer rats in a different direction.

What is the most effective rat poison?

The strongest and most effective rat poisons typically contain bromadiolone or difethialone as their active ingredient. Slow-acting poison tends to be more effective than fast-acting poison because it won’t deter other rodents from eating the bait. Additionally, knowing what species you’re dealing with can help you find the most effective rat poison for the job at hand.

How does rat bait work?

While the specific method of killing varies depending on the type of poison in the bait, all rat bait works in generally the same way. A rat sees the poison as food and eats it. The poison eventually works its way through the rat’s body, killing it.

How long do poisons take to kill rats?

Fast-acting poisons kill rats within hours, while slow-acting ones can take as long as a week.

How do I know if I have a rat infestation in my home?

Here are some common signs that rats are living in your house:

Urine or droppings on the floor Scurrying or squeaking sounds Damage to baseboards

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