Rats can be a major problem in many areas of the world, including the US, where they are one of the most common pests in home infestations. They are also destructive and will chew through materials like plastic, insulation, and electrical wiring, on top of spreading disease.
The first step to take when you detect a rat infestation is to contact a pest control company. They will assess the severity of the infestation and provide recommendations on how to proceed with the removal efforts.
When it comes to control methods, poisons and traps are usually the go to choices. Poison can be used to kill a rat within a few hours to a few days, depending on the type of poison used, and traps can take up to several days, because the rats have to get used to the traps being in their environment, before they will approach them.
When considering the ETA, it is important to consider the size of the infestation. Larger infestations will take longer to remove. You can also decide whether you want to hire a professional or go DIY. While DIY efforts are more time-consuming than professional ones, they can save you money.
Different Control Methods and Their Efficacy
Rat poisons work through several mechanisms, depending on the active ingredients. Anti-coagulants are the most commonly used type of rodenticides, and they work by thinning the blood of the rat and preventing it from clotting. This leads to death from internal bleeding. There are also non-anti-coagulant rodenticides, which can be split into several subgroups. Generally, the more toxic the poison, the quicker the death of the rat. However, very toxic poisons can be dangerous to use around the home if you have pets or children. In these situations, the pest control pro will use rat baiting stations, which will make the poison inaccessible to anything but a rat.
When it comes to traps, the pest control pro will generally go with the classic snap trap, but there are numerous other options on the market. Snap traps are easy to set up, bait, use, and re-use. The problem with using traps is that they take much longer to handle a large infestation. If there are four or five rats in the home, the traps will do just fine, but if there are signs that the infestation is very large, poison will be much more effective in removing the infestation quickly.
If you would like to know more about your control options, and how long it will take to remove a rat infestation from your home, contact us today.