A rat might look tiny and unharmful, but the damage that it could cause is boundless. Cats and dogs are sought-after pets, and some grow cats just because they keep the house free of rats. But not all of us love pets, and some even suffer from phobias to rats, cockroaches, and lizards. It might seem funny from an outsider’s point of view when someone runs hither and tither in sight of a small creature, but it is never so simple for the person handling the situation.
Rats not only result in damaged foods and destruction of valuable goods but also spread various diseases. It’s not pleasant to see a rat running around your place in the middle of the night when you would like to drink a glass of water from the kitchen. Neither would it be a happy sight for your small kids who might eventually develop a fear of even moving inside the house. We do have rat traps, gums, and rodent repellants, which boast of catching the rats in a jiffy, but not all are the same. We have curated a list of the top 10 best rat poison that is effective against rat problems.
Table Contents
- Top 10 Best Rat Poisons in 2023
- 1- Motomco Rat & Mice Poison
- 2 – Farnam Pellet Rat Poison
- 3 – D-con Trap & Refills
- 4 – Neogen Fish-flavored Nuggets
- 5 – EcoClear All-Natural Rat Poison
- 6 – JT Eaton Peanut Butter Rat & Mice Poison
- 7 – Kat Sense Pest Control Rat Traps
- 8 – Tomcat Indoor & Outdoor Rodent Station
- 9 – Rat Zapper Electronic Rat Trap
- 10 – Tomcat Bait Pellets
- Buying Guide of Best Rat Poison
- Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Conclusion
Top 10 Best Rat Poisons in 2023
Rat poisons contain harmful chemicals that act on the rats causing death. Given below are reviews and buying guide of top 10 rat poisons curated with the help of pest control professionals and expert opinions that could effectively solve your rodent problems. All of the products are from high-quality manufacturers who promise a safe rodent trapping experience.
1- Motomco Rat & Mice Poison
The poison comes in forms of pellets that come exactly in sizes that are suitable for rodent consumption. The size here even attracts the rat for coming near the poison mimicking rat food. The company boasts that its product is much much better than your pet cats that could kill the mice and rats in your home. The poison consists of human food-grade ingredients but has the dangers of causing secondary poisoning.
The dead creature carries high contamination risk, which makes it integral to dispose of the killed rodent as quickly as possible to avoid killing any other creatures due to secondary poisoning affecting the ecosystem balance. It is ideal to use these pellets in a tamper-proof bait, which could be replenished until your goal is achieved.
Key Features
- This poison is a first-generation anticoagulant that kills the rats or mice in 4-6 days
- Contains active ingredient diphacinone
- Suitable for all weather conditions
Pros
- An excellent poison to use for almost all types of rodents
- Affordable providing excellent value for money
- A poison that comes in the right size that’s attractive for pests
- Better than a cat killing the rodent in a simple way
Cons
- Could require multiple ingestions
- Not as efficient as second-generation poisons as some rodents are resistant to anticoagulants
2 – Farnam Pellet Rat Poison
The rat poison is from Farnam, a company that’s been in pet product development for more than five decades, making it ideal for immediate freedom from rodents. But the product is designed to use it in agricultural buildings, and one should never make the mistake of purchasing it for domestic usage. That’s because the product contains the active ingredient Bromadiolene, which can kill the pest with one feeding.
The pellet contains potential quantities of the chemical which produces death within 4-5 days of ingestion. They come with nibble ridges that attract rats and mice for feeding and also have a central hole to make it compatible with different bait stations.
Key Features
- Ability to kill warfarin-resistant Norway rats
- Only for agricultural use
- Nibble ridges enhance chewing desire
- The product contains eight separately wrapped 1 pound bars
- The pellets are treated with S-methoprene to avoid infestation by insects
Pros
- Assured kills with a single feed
- A classic for use against vast quantities of rodents
- Potent rat poison that assures killing of rats within 4-6 days
Cons
- Not suitable for domestic use
- Extremely harmful components that are lethal even if ingested by mistake
3 – D-con Trap & Refills
This company does justice with its job by providing rat poison along with a bait station to ensure that the rats never escape from its clutches. The product is created with delicate care to ensure that it’s tamper-proof from children and pets but also the safest to use. This product is ideal for use in our attics, garages, basements, sheds, and places where rats enjoy their taste of freedom running around, biting food, and tampering our places with utter delight. The bait pellets are made of real food ingredients, making them delicious to eat such that the rats enjoy a lip-smacking meal along with the wrapper without any clues that they are going to end up dying.
The attack set by the manufacturers here is simple. The mouse enters the bait station to eat the bait and then dies at its resting ground after three days. This helps humans avoid any contact with the dead mouse from thereon. The product is a second-generation anticoagulant that kills the rodents with a single feed.
Key Features
- Weather-resistant bait station that’s tamper-proof from kids and pets
- Excellent design and promised to kill
- Safe, appealing and delicious bait pellets
Pros
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- A product from a brand that’s been in the market for more than 60 years assuring no contact with the dead mice
- Ideal for those who hate having dead rats strewn all over their home
- Small and compact bait station
Cons
- Rodents quickly adapt to bait station and pellets making them suspicious of the bait
- Don’t die as rapidly as promised
4 – Neogen Fish-flavored Nuggets
Does your rat love the smell of fish? Then the Neogen fish-flavored green nuggets could do the trick on your rat trapping them in their bait. The nuggets are made from first-generation anticoagulant diphacinone, which have a food quality fish flavor in each. The Neogen rodenticide is designed for use in any environment, any kind of weather and on any land-wet or dry, marshy or damp.
Diphacinone is effective against rodents such as rats, mice, squirrels, and voles, too, and exhibits stronger action than warfarin too.
Key Features
- Wax-free formula
- Suitable for indoor or outdoor use
- The green rodenticide is made of the first-generation anticoagulant
Pros
- Versatile for damp and wet weather remaining solid while many poisons simply dissolve in such conditions
- Better performing than warfarin and other anticoagulants
- Good choice for getting rid of domestic rodents as well as agricultural pests
- Suitable for many different rodents
Cons
- The fish smell repels some rodents affecting their killing
- Sometimes doesn’t work well on rats
5 – EcoClear All-Natural Rat Poison
EcoClear could be the best choice if safety is your primary priority, as it is non-toxic. Are you a loving person who doesn’t like to harm creatures unnecessarily? Then again, it is ideal to choose the EcoClear poison as the product works only on rats and mice, killing them as subtly as possible. The products block the neurotransmission signals that make rats and mice go in search of water. Finally, this leads to dehydration and finally death of the rodent in a day or two.
There is no harm caused by other rodents, pets, and humans and also no chances of secondary poisoning to predators that consume these dead rats, thereby balancing the ecosystem. The product boasts of having zero contamination risk to crops and food and makes it safe to use in homes with kids and pets.
Key Features
- The product is completely biodegradable
- The technique used to kill the rats is 100% natural needing just one feeding for the job to be done
- No specific instructions needed for handling the product, transportation, storage or disposal
Pros
- No risk of environmental pollution
- No chance of secondary poisoning
- Non-toxic and safe on people and pets
- One dosage does the job
- The sight of rats and mice that die is visible clearly
Cons
- Quite expensive for some
- No flavor that seems to be a negative trait to attract mice and rats to feed on it
- Monopolized use on rats and mice which is not useful for killing other creatures such as moles and voles
6 – JT Eaton Peanut Butter Rat & Mice Poison
JT Eaton has been into pest control business for almost more than 85+ years, making them a professional in the field of eradicating pests producing the highest quality products possible. Maybe, that’s why they are delighted to offer peanut butter rodent poison to attract and kills rats and mice! The product contains the active ingredient diphacinone along with a distinctive peanut butter flavor that effectively discards rats and mice.
Each bait block is more substantial than regular blocks, and the product comes in a 9 lb pail containing 144 such blocks. The blocks use the first-generation anticoagulant that kills the pests via internal poisoning in a couple of days.
Key Features
- The blocks come in a tamper-proof resealable pail
- Eliminates pests using the active ingredient diphacinone
- One year limited warranty
Pros
- Peanut butter flavor blocks attract rats and mice to the bait for yummy food
- The bait blocks come with a hole making them easy to fix on bait traps
- A product from a reputed manufacturing company assuring guaranteed quality
- Offers large bait quantities for the price paid
Cons
- Multi-feeding required for killing the pests
- Certain rodents become resistant to the active ingredient
7 – Kat Sense Pest Control Rat Traps
You might have the yummiest bait for the rat, but nothing works in your favor without a versatile rat trap. Kat Sense comes to your rescue manufacturing rat traps with high-quality stainless steel spring that offers 35% more force compared to other rat traps. The trap also comes with a bait cup that provides the user with the facility to place his/her chosen bait for luring the rat. The design is simple, yet never allows rodents to escape nor causes false triggers. The construction is sturdily made of polystyrene, fulfilling long-lasting rodent trapping ability.
The product has an excellent snap mechanism with a superb pedal that never lets the rat and mice escape. The trap is designed, keeping it as humane as possible, killing the rat in the first go without much bloodshed and pain. The traps are also easy to maintain as they are made of washable material, unlike wood traps that send out foul smells that might even be a source of warning to the rat. Dispose of it off easily just by pressing the trap over your bin, and the rat neatly slides out into the bin.
Key Features
- Excellent design and construction capable of killing the mouse, rats, chipmunks, and even squirrels
- Bait cup provided with the trap to place the bait
- Stainless steel spring offering 35% more force
Pros
- Humane way of trapping without much bloodshed
- Easy to wash and reuse without any foul smell
- Precise catching hold of the prey in the first go
- Money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with the product
- Sturdy and durable
Cons
- Poor quality
8 – Tomcat Indoor & Outdoor Rodent Station
The rodent station consists of four bait securing rods and a security key made of durable and high-quality plastic and designed efficiently to trap rats and mice. The station could be placed easily in different places, including garage doors, near windows and utilities, and in even areas that are small and unreachable.
The station offers the user an extremely versatile way of disposing of the pest as it traps it well without any fear of harm to kids and pets. Though the device might seem small from outside, the design is good enough to facilitate easy placement of the bait for catching the rodent.
Key Features
- Compatible for outdoor and indoor use
- Small but compact
- Weather-resistant and free from tampering
Pros
- Extremely safe for use in the presence of kids and pets
- Easy to place in small areas where rodents would be in hiding
- Durable and straightforward to use
Cons
- The key is complicated to operate.
9 – Rat Zapper Electronic Rat Trap
Do you know that rats are blessed with the option of restarting their heart? But this electric rat zapper shocks the rodent for two full minutes, ensuring that the creature is dead. The product helps you catch big-sized rats/mice rapidly without missing them. The rat trap comes with a high-power battery that gives you 60 kills with one time charging.
Dead creatures are not a sight to behold, and the rat trap helps you avoid this by giving you a no view disposal. You have indicated the death of the rodent with the blink of a button, after which you can simply dispose it into the bin.
Key Features
- Light is an indication for dead rodents or low battery
- Shocks for two full minutes for killing the rat
- Great product for trapping and killing large-sized rats
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Keeps off yuck factor by directly dumping the dead rodent into the bin
Cons
- Kills only one rat every time
- Only for indoor purpose
10 – Tomcat Bait Pellets
Tomcat Bait Pellets is one of the safest methods for disposing of rodents such as rats and mice as it provides a natural solution free of any synthetic pesticides. This is a modern method that is the perfect replacement for conventional pesticides.
This product is for DIY use containing corn meal gluten and salt dehydrating the rat, thereby leading to death. It’s one of the humane ways of killing the rodent too.
Key Features
- Natural rat poison pellets that act rapidly to control rats
- Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
Pros
- Free from synthetic chemicals and pesticides
- DIY use
Cons
- Rats don’t die as quickly as promised
Buying Guide of Best Rat Poison
Rat poison is a chemical that’s manufactured primarily to kill rodents and comes in various forms such as pellets, powders, extruded blocks, and so on. Extruded blocks come as small blocks of varying colors that are attractive to the rats. Before you choose a rat poison to use, there are certain things to keep in mind before concluding.
Things to Keep in Mind While Buying a Rat Poison
Safety: This should be the topmost concern while choosing a rat poison, especially if there are kids or pets in the house. Rat poisons come as natural or chemical rat poisons. Natural poisons are generally preferred by households as it is safer for humans when it is used with gloves. Those using chemicals such as anticoagulants are deadly on your pets too. Hence, it is necessary to go for one that works only on rodents.
The same is true in case of secondary poisoning too! Many rat poisons cause secondary poisoning of predators that consume the rat. Hence, it is essential to look for a safe wildlife poison that doesn’t harm other creatures unnecessarily. Choose a product that notifies safety directions to use as prescribed by the US Environmental Protection Agency regulations. In case of no such directions, the product could be hazardous and must be avoided.
Dosage
We use rats and mice interchangeably, but the dosage required for either varies. First, analyze and understand the type of rodent that’s roaming around freely on your property and then purchase the poison. For this, the size of the droppings could be helpful. Rat droppings are quite more prominent than that of mice—the number of rats to decide upon the dosage needed to kill them. A large area of land requires a higher amount of packages for decluttering your space from rat attacks.
Ingredients
All rat poisons contain some rodenticide, which attracts the rat and kills it. The critical of them include calcium releasers (lead to organ failure), acute toxins (cause accumulation of toxic substances), and anticoagulants (prevents vitamin K production leading to internal bleeding). Each of them is dangerous in their way not only for the rat but for human use, too, causing damage to other creatures, ecosystems, or even cross-contamination. Dangerous ingredients such as metal phosphide and anticoagulants might be present too. Choose a product that’s non-allergic to the user and unharmful to individuals of the house.
Toxin forms
Different types of poisons serve good for different purposes, although each of them contains harmful ingredients to kill the rat. Block baits are suitable for mounting walls and bait stations in any climatic condition. Pellets work well with bait stations and suitable for farms, significant areas of land, garages, and basements. Some rat poisons contain chemicals such as zinc phosphide that’s recommended for use only in agricultural areas, making them unsuitable for households. That’s because toxic gases are released into the atmosphere once the rodent consumed the poison, and its quantity (gas) builds up until the creature dies.
Poisons containing calcium releasers are safer than the rest comparatively as they cause no secondary poisoning and cause minimum ecological damage except on the rodents. Most commonly used poisons contain anticoagulants, but these are also highly dangerous as the poison can cause the death of other animals too. Rodenticides might be single-feed or multiple feed options, and anticoagulants are multiple feed options as the rats need multiple feeding on the poison to die.
Other poisons might be single feeds, but these are extremely dangerous as they contain potent toxins that are harmful to other creatures too. It is always better to choose multiple feed ones such as anticoagulants, which might take time but are also safer than the rest.
Duration
Each type of rat poison takes a different time frame to kill the rat, and the duration also depends on the size of the creature and the age of the poison. If you have unused older ones left that have been kept as bait, it usually takes a longer time as the poison has become less productive with time. The standard period is 2-3 days for a poison to kill the rat, but it is generally 4-6 days in the real world.
It is possible to minimize this period by making certain smart moves. Put the poison in an ideal position that attracts the rat and remove any potential food sources from the poison that might distract the rat’s attention. Even if it doesn’t work on the first go, place the poison in the same place as rats are attracted by familiarity and keep coming back to the same place time and again.
Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Rodenticides are rat and mice baits that contain pesticides to kill the rodents. These could be block baits, pellets, meal baits, liquid baits, and soft baits. These baits are primarily classified into anticoagulants and non-anticoagulants. Anticoagulants primarily affect the clotting process of rodents leading to internal bleeding and death. Non-anticoagulants disrupt the rat’s nervous system or lead to an increase in calcium levels in their blood, leading to organ failure and death. Other means by which the rat poison kills the rodents include death due to heart attack, lung failure, central nervous system failure, and dehydration.
Anticoagulants are blood thinners that cause internal bleeding taking about 3-4 days to kill the rodent. Dehydration results in death anywhere between 3 and 5 days, lung failure causes rapid death between 12 hours and two days, central nervous system failure leads to a rat-free place in 14 hours-4 days. While most poisons boast of a 2-3 day period, it is practically experienced that it could take anywhere between 4-6 days for the poison to kill the rat.
Poison is dangerous, and rat poison is also hazardous. But, the quantity of poison that’s mixed to kill rats and mice is not enough to kill humans too-though kids and pets are at high risk. Rodenticides could cause secondary poisoning when some prey eats the dead rats killed by rat poison. Your pets, too, could become bait to the rat trap!
Certain rodenticides are lethal and could cause health effects on humans. Natural rat poisons are safer for humans to use when it is dealt in the right way. They are non-toxic, and humanely kills the rats/mice. But, this could not be the best fit for all types of problems.
We could get rid of rats using snap traps, glue traps, live traps, bait boxes, and electrical boxes. Bait traps could do the trick to help you get rid of these rodents in a fast and furious way without causing much pain to them. Glue traps are inhuman, and the rat could suffer for days stuck on it before dying. Electrical boxes could be unsafe in homes with kids and pets. Bait boxes attract the rodents with a small piece of bait placed inside bait stations that are tamper-proof. These baits kill the rats in any of the ways mentioned above, depending on the poison in it.
It is generally seen that we get to know a rodent’s presence by the droppings littered around the house or from chewed cardboard/food too. It is ideal for placing the bait/traps in places where there is increased activity such as feces/urine traces, hair, chewing marks, or from a place where their squeaking noise is audible. Always keep the baits/stations near a wall as rats/mice are not good with vision and always run near the walls or so. But ensure to place them out of reach to children and pets.
There could be multiple reasons behind this, and one needs to understand that the poison might even take up to 7-10 days to kill the rat. Repeatedly using the same poison such as warfarin could develop resistance in these creatures, and it is ideal for switching over to single-feed anticoagulants or others. You have switched over, but if the problem persists, maybe the bait quantity was not good enough to kill the rodent. Empty bait traps are indications that the rat is finishing off its meal, and you can continue placing the baits and wait patiently.
The rats might move the bait foods to the hiding and take their own time to finish or even waste it. Hence, choose single-feed pellets that could be finished inside the bait station itself such that the rat is sure to ingest it before coming out. Despite all this, if the bait/trap doesn’t work still, maybe, it’s time to switch over to other products that could be more effective.
Conclusion
Rats and mice are rodents that can cause great harm when they are left to roam about carelessly ruining your peaceful life. Rodenticides are a great way to get rid of your pests, but many rat poisons can cause secondary poisoning to those predators which eat the dead rats ruining the ecosystem balance. These baits are also highly dangerous to kids and pets, which needs utmost caution while using them. It is also advisable to choose a product that ensures the killing of these rodents in a humane way-after all; these rodents are also organisms that breathe and eat!
James has been working with lot’s of power tool brands like Husqvarna, Makita and WORX for over 12 years. With his passion for power tools and gardening he is helping both consumers and businesses with his expertise. He now runs the editorial team at HomeGearExpert and loves to support local charities in his spare time.