Immediate Action: The Best Types of Raticide

Common sense says that the best form of raticide is prevention. In real life however this does not always work. Sometimes in spite of your best efforts rats find a way into your home and decide to stay there. If this is the case however there are a number of things you can do to get rid of them.

The first step to getting rid of rats is to remove any attractants. If you live in an area where rats are common you may have already been doing this as a means of prevention. Most attractants are found in the kitchen in the form of crumbs and improperly stored food items. Make sure that everything is stored in the fridge or sealed in an airtight container and that your garbage has a lid and your floor is clean. Even if your rat problem has progressed to the point that you will need to take more extreme action removing attractants is an important part of any raticide regimen.

Once everything is clean it is time to deal with the rats that are currently living in your home. One of the most common forms of raticide is the rat trap. Rat traps come in a number of makes and models and many have proven to be successful at removing rats one at a time. The most basic type of rat trap features a spring-loaded bar that snaps down when it is triggered breaking the rat's neck. Some people believe that this method of killing rats is cruel and painful. If you fall into this group you might want to try a live trap. A live trap is considerably larger than its spring-loaded counterpart is but allows you to capture the rat without hurting it. This way you can either relocate it to a safe place away from your home or you can kill it more humanely.

The second most popular method of raticide is poison. This is often more effective for getting rid of large quantities of rats as it is easily accessed by multiple rodents. If you have pets or small children however it can be dangerous to lay down poisonous powder around your home. Additionally the rats usually do not die instantly and may begin to decompose inside of your walls. This creates an unpleasant smell and can lead to a number of harmful chemicals and molds in the air.

If you are unsure of how to deal with your rat problem you can always call a professional. Experienced exterminators can look at your home and may be able to tell you why you are having such a problem. They can tell you the most effective places to lay traps or poison. They may even recommend something as simple as boarding up a few holes where the rats are getting in.

Regardless of how you ultimately decide to deal with the problem it is important that you act quickly. Once the rats have entered your home they will soon multiply if you do nothing to stop them. The most successful raticide programs are the result of a quick response.