Rat poison/bait

[Neal 1,869]

Like many people, we regularly get rats in the garden. We no longer keep chickens and no longer put out bird food but still get a few visits every year.

I usually find that an ordinary rat trap placed inside an old compost bin, baited with either peanut butter or chocolate spread is good enough but this year we have a particularly persistent one (or more) which has managed to trigger several traps without being caught. We've seen it several times right up by the back door, including one occasion when I went into the kitchen and caught it sitting nonchalantly on the window sill. In addition, it's found its way into the cavity walls and can be heard walking inside the walls. Fortunately, it's not found its way into any rooms yet (touch wood).

We've decided to give in and get a bait station from Mole Valley Stores with some poison bait. Any idea which type is best? I want to make sure this thing is dead; I don't want to just give it a gippy tummy! I've seen that Robert Dyas sell them too but I'm presuming they won't be any good. Does anyone have experience of them? I think it's called deadfast.

Many thanks in advance.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Neal

[Dirksdonuts 79]

Hi Neal - Deadfast products are based around a rodenticide called Difethialone 0.0025% strength. The product its self will certainly kill rats as the Lethal dose for an average rat of 250gms needs to eat 5.6gms of this bait to kill it. Each block is 20gms. 

You live in a county that is renowned for resistance to certain kinds of rodenticide but there is no resistance in Hampshire to this rodenticide. 

Avoid products like warfarin, difenacoum and Bromadialone.

The only thing that would put me off buying the product would be the size of the box that it comes in normally they are so small for a decent sized rat.

The bait on wire pushed into the cavity would work as long as it's secured and cant be dragged outside allowing non target animals to eat it. 

Remember neophobia when dealing with rats. They hate new things and will avoid them for ages like 2 weeks sometimes. 

 

[Neal 1,869]

Thanks. Apologies for late reply. Had a senior moment. Wrote the question and then forgot I'd posted so forgot to check back for a response.

I can't remember the name of the stuff I bought from Mole Valley Stores, but it's blue blocks with a hole through the middle which are threaded onto a fixed wire inside the bait box. Thanks for the advice. 

[Deker 3,478]

On 11/12/2022 at 13:52, Neal said:

Thanks. Apologies for late reply. Had a senior moment. Wrote the question and then forgot I'd posted so forgot to check back for a response.

I can't remember the name of the stuff I bought from Mole Valley Stores, but it's blue blocks with a hole through the middle which are threaded onto a fixed wire inside the bait box. Thanks for the advice. 

Lots of baits have a hole through the middle.

There are only approved baits available in the UK, and most are in the region of .0025% strength, this was changed a few years back from .005%, bonkers in my view, that will only make immunity more likely.

Anyway, main thing to remember is use plenty of bait, check regularly, and NEVER let it run out until job is done!