When working on a farm or in a busy warehouse, there can often be nothing worse than spotting the signs of a rat infestation. These rodents leave damage in their wake by chewing through wires and walls, contaminating food and water, and spreading diseases like leptospirosis, hantavirus, and rat-bite fever. Rats pose a biosecurity hazard, and can also spread avian influenza, an incredibly dangerous disease to captive birds that can result in entire flocks needing to be culled.
A rat infestation can be overwhelming, and chances are you’ll have a lot of questions. In this post, we’ve answered your frequently asked questions surrounding rat infestations, pest traps, and rat poison, to help you feel more confident when it comes to tackling your rat problem, and fast.
Are rats hard to get rid of?
Yes, rats can be hard to get rid of if you don’t use the right techniques and products. However, with the proper equipment, getting rid of rats and rodents doesn’t need to be a struggle.
So, why can rats be so difficult to get rid of? It’s down to several reasons.
First, rats reproduce fast and often. Female rats can have between 6 and 12 litters a year, with each little producing 6 to 12 pups. This means that female rats can produce between 36 and 144 pups each year, and they can all start having pups themselves from around three months old. It’s clear to see why an infestation can begin so quickly.
Second, rats are resilient. They are highly adaptable creatures that learn and get used to changes in their environment quickly. This includes home remedy deterrents and weak traps or poisons.
Third, rats take every opportunity they’re given. If they’ve found warmth or a reliable food source, they aren’t likely to move on any time soon without proper intervention.
What kills rats quickly?
The fastest way to kill a rat is via snap or electronic traps. These are instant kill solutions for when you need to target specific areas quickly, such as near entry points, or for when you suspect the infestation is small. They’re also useful for detecting whether an area has a rat problem in the first place – if they stay empty, you’ll know you have nothing to worry about.
The downside to these traps is that they are single-kill tools, so once a rat has been trapped, the remains will need to be removed before you can reset it. This is why they’re ideal for small infestations or very specific spaces. We would recommend the Pest Stop Electronic Rat Trap for a mess-free kill, or the Snap-E Rat Trap placed inside bait boxes for a quick, reliable death.Â
Are rat traps legal in the UK?
Rat traps are legal in the UK, but there are regulations in place and some limits on trap types.
When placing a legal spring rat trap, such as the Fenn Trap, it must be housed within a natural or artificial tunnel or burrow, sized to suit the pests you are targeting. For example, a spring trap for rats and squirrels must be in a tunnel that allows non-target animals no larger than these to enter.
It is illegal to lay a spring trap out in the open. If you do so and accidentally kill a protected species, such as the dormouse, you could face fines or even imprisonment. It is also illegal to use leg-hold or gin traps, which are traps that feature toothed or jagged jaws.
Rat spring traps must be set correctly to avoid catching an animal in the leg or tail instead of delivering an immediate kill, and they need to be securely anchored.
What is the best thing for rat traps?
The best thing to use with your rat traps is a reliable rodenticide bait, designed to smell and taste fantastic to rodents. This combo creates an irresistible lure to guide rats into your traps. Poisons like Roban Whole Wheat Bait Poison is the perfect chocolate-flavoured bait to use in traps to tempt rodents thanks to its attractive taste, ideal for use on rats eating your stored whole grain food stuffs.
If you don’t wish to use bait, then household foods like peanut butter also work well as a lure.
You may be asking yourself: why do I need to kill a captured rat? Let’s answer that now.
Is it illegal to release trapped rats in the UK?
Yes, it is illegal to release trapped rats back into the wild in the UK unless you have a specific wildlife licence. If you are discovered to be releasing trapped rats, you can be fined or imprisoned, depending on the severity of the offence.
Did you know that once you catch a rodent, it is then governed by the Animal Welfare Act 2006? This states that you immediately become responsible for the welfare of the animal, meaning you cannot cause it unnecessary suffering: when you capture a rodent, you must kill it quickly so as not to cause it stress. This is why using a fool-proof rodenticide or fast-acting trap is the most humane way to eliminate rats from your property.
Can I use rat poison without a bait station?
No, you should always use a sturdy enclosed bait station, like the Decimax Rat Poison Box with rat poison for the safety of other animals and humans that may come into contact with it. Without the station, baits and poisons are left out in the open, easily accessible by pets, wildlife, captive animals such as poultry, and maybe even children, who could be attracted by the typically bright colours of rodenticides.Â
There is only one type of bait poison that is to be used outside of a bait station, and these are cream, foam and gel baits. You won’t typically find these for sale as they are almost exclusively used by professional pest controllers due to the danger they pose, being outside of bait stations.
It’s also worth noting that not all baits are weather-resistant. Some rodenticides, like wheat bait, are much better suited to indoor spaces where there is little chance of water contact, otherwise, they can become damp and lose their colour in a way that is unappealing to rats. By keeping baits inside a station, you protect them from the elements and keep them attractive to rodents.
Do you need a licence to put down rat poison?
Whether or not you need a licence for rat poison depends on the amount of poison you wish to purchase and the amount of active poison within the bait. You can purchase small amounts personally for your home and garden, where the amount of active poison is 25ppm, but for larger orders, and higher amounts of active poison within the bait (50ppm), you’ll need an appropriate certification or membership.
A person purchasing three 10kg bags of block bait for their home can raise some suspicion, no matter the intent behind the order, so the purchase amount is limited without a certification.
If you are interested in obtaining a certificate, such as the Responsible and Effective Control of Commensal Rodents (CRRU) certification, you can do this online.
Is rodenticide poisonous to dogs and other animals?
Yes, rat poison is dangerous when ingested by dogs, cats, and other pets and animals. In dogs and cats, rodenticides can cause pain, respiratory issues, vomiting, seizures, internal bleeding, organ failure, and death. For animals smaller than cats, it’s likely that rodenticide ingestion will always result in death. For animals larger than dogs, such as cattle and horses, it is much less likely to cause death, but can still cause a lot of long-term harmful and distressing symptoms.
Rodenticide bait is designed to taste and smell attractive, and it will be for all animals. So the manufacturers add Bittrex, a substance that will make most animals want to spit the bait out or vomit. Rodents, however, can’t vomit.
If an animal not intended for the poison ingests it, then you must act immediately and get them to an emergency vet. The antidote to most rodenticides is vitamin K, which will thicken the blood if an anticoagulant has been ingested.
This is why placing any bait and poisons inside a high-quality bait station is so essential. These handy pieces of equipment prevent anything bigger than a rodent from getting inside, stopping any pets or livestock from getting to the sweet-smelling yet highly toxic poison.
Which rodenticide do I need?
Rodenticides feature various poisons, such as brodifacoum, difenacoum, and bromadiolone, each suited to different applications and environments. At AFS Supplies, we offer a wide range of rodenticides and pest control products to suit your needs, and we’re on hand to help you choose the best rat poison to help eliminate rodents from your property, warehouse, farm, and other buildings suffering from a rat infestation.
To use our years of experience, just give us a call. One of our friendly, knowledgeable team will give you advice and recommendations for pest control supplies based on your requirements, ensuring you leave knowing you’ve ordered the right product.
Call us on 01842 765 634 or send us an email at sales@afssupplies.co.uk, and let’s discover what we can do for you.
