If you are anything like me there is only one kind of acceptable rat — a dead one. While I understand the importance of every critter in the ecosystem, I would rather not see a rat around the house or the farm (although they do tend to love life out in the fields, around the barns, and stowed away in the machinery). Every year during wheat harvest, I tend to get a bit nervous about critters looking for a new home. In order to get a jump start on this year’s preventive actions, I have explored the best rat poison options.
As a third-generation farm family, you learn a few tips and tricks to keep the rats at bay around the shop. For example, it is always a good idea to keep a good barn cat or two. Not too many as that is overwhelming, but a good one to keep the mice and rats to a minimum. Having a hungry owl nearby also seems to help keep the balance. But even with a good barn predator, rats still find a way to wreck things — either by chewing into feed or seed bags or gnawing on wires, usually at the most inconvenient times.
A little added help keeping the rats in check is welcome, and we’ve tried a lot of solutions to keep those critters at bay.
Below are our five favorites when trying to nail down the best rat poison options. And all of this can be ordered online and, depending on the supplier, shipped directly to your house or to a local farm store. Take a peek for yourself:
Tomcat Bromethalin Rodent Meal Bait
First up on the list is the 5-pound Bromethalin Rodent Meal Bait. This bait contains the active ingredient Bromethalin, excellent for control of high rodent populations and severe infestations.
- Proven combination of palatability and effective control
- Rodent meal bait kills by affecting the rodents’ nervous system — Bromethalin is an ATP Inhibitor, which prevents the transfer of energy across nerve cells
- Kills rats and mice in 2 or more days after consuming a lethal dose
- Critters cease feeding on rodent meal bait after consuming a lethal dose, requiring less bait to be used compared with other anti-coagulant baits
Promising Reviews:
“We bought this for a barn infestation that was beginning to come into the house. In the barn we dumped small piles by the feed bins, and the mice ate it all. Inside we used sliced cheese, and made it a ball around the bait. Success! We have tried so many different baits from Tomcat will little success, however this Meal Bate works!”
“I had a rat problem around the feed shed by chicken coop. Tried bait box and didn’t seem to work. The rats gobbled this stuff up and in a week my problems where solved. Just keep other animals away during the time you use it.”
Tomcat Rat Killer Refillable Station
The Tomcat 22814 Rat Killer Refillable Station meets EPA’S highest standard for bait station security and is proven resistant to tampering by children and dogs.
- Refillable rat killer station includes 15 x 30gm block bait refills
- Tier 1 rat killer station meets EPA’s highest standard for bait station security
- Proven resistant to tampering by children and dogs
- Approved rat killer station for indoor and outdoor use
Promising Reviews:
“I had rats in my lawn mower shed, next to the chicken coop. I use the Rat Killer Refillable station with bait blocks and now have no more rats. Neat and clean, no muss, no fuss. Works well.”
“Had this for a couple of years and have gone through a LOT of bait. Nice feature is that it has a viewing window on top so you can see when you need to replace the bait.”
JT Eaton Bait Block Anticoagulant, Apple Flavor
The JT Eaton Bait Block rodenticide is a first-generation anticoagulant bait with specially formulated blocks that have an apple flavor to attract and eliminate mice and rats.
- Anticoagulant bait block for attracting and eliminating pesky mice and rats
- 64 individual blocks of 1-ounce rodenticide in a tamper-evident, re-sealable Pail with transparent lid
- Proven solution that has a formulated, apple-flavored scent attractant
- Blocks have center holes for easy use in Bait stations
- Perfect for long-term use in farm and agriculture areas — also effective in attics, basements, and more locations indoors
Promising Reviews:
“I had field mice that found their way in when cold hit. Tried conventional traps, and glue boards. Then I ordered.the Apple bait blocks. Within 10 days all nice were gone. Be sure your pet can’t access your baits.”
“We rotate between this and the peanut butter flavor to keep the rodent population down on our farm. When we first moved into our current home this eliminated the rodent problem from the previous owners.”
Tomcat 3-Ounce Bait Pack Pail 22 PK
This Tomcat rat poison is a great option for the farm and home.
- For use in and around agricultural buildings and homes
- Rodents stop feeding after eating a toxic dose — more rodents controlled with less bait
- Kills anticoagulant resistant Norway rats roof rats and house mice
Promising reviews:
“Started putting these out in the garage every fall and we have been mouse free since. I place the bags behind my tool cabinet and freezer so our dogs can’t get to them. I like that I can see at a glance whether the mice have been eating the bait. Then I can replenish as needed.”
“Cleared out about 90% of the rats in a week.”
Tomcat Rat and Mice Bait Station
The Tomcat 33450 Rat and Mice Bait Station holds bait Chunx and traps rodents securely in the station, away from livestock, pets, children, and non-target animals.
- Good rodent control indoors and out
- Heavy-duty construction of rat and mice bait station will last years
- Offers keyless design and can be secured with an Allen screw, zip tie, etc.
- Rat and mice bait station to be placed along rodent runways
Promising Reviews:
“I bought a station and bucket of bait blocks, set it up in my barn where I’d seen daily rat activity, and 2 days later there is NO activity at all. WOW I cannot believe it worked that fast!”
“These bait stations are good if you have other animals and you don’t what them eating the poison.”
Can rat poison kill people?
Simple answer is: Yes. Even if the reality of some ingredients is “only” a maybe, it’s always best to assume that a poison like this can be lethal to humans as well as rodents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many rat poisons on the market use strychnine as an active ingredient. Strychnine poisoning can cause extremely serious adverse health effects in people, including death. Other rat-poison ingredients, such as bromethalin, make severe reactions or even death virtually inevitable if consumed in sufficient quantities by humans. As with anything, the dose makes the poison, so it’s best to avoid ingesting such products or touching sensitive areas like your eyes.
Can rat poison be sent through the mail?
Various shipping companies, including the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx, have unique requirements of what can be sent through their service. While it is possible to have a variety rat poisons shipped to you, a lot of depends on whether the retailer wants to send that kind of product through a delivery service and whether the delivery service allows it.
How quickly does rat poison work?
Elimination of rats won’t be instantaneous. Most good rat poisons on the market will take two to three days to start being noticeably effective, killing rats or forcing them elsewhere. Many poisons may also need up to a week or 10 days to take full effect. Exact timeframes depend on the scale of the infestation, both in terms of the number of rats and the size of the area you’re trying to target.
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