At Falcon, we regularly receive calls from people who have tried to deal with their rat issue themselves, only to find that not only has the problem not gone away, but it has also got worse. Often, they use rodenticides to try and deal with these nuisance pests wasting time and money and then calling us anyway. We always advise against using rat poison in, or around, the home yourself to try and eradicate rats. There are a number of reasons for this.
Rat Poison is Harmful to Wildlife
The type of poison used to deal with rats, is killing a number of Britain’s birds of prey and this number is rising. It’s not just birds of prey either, it is also harming other wildlife, and if not used properly, especially in outside areas, can be dangerous to domestic pets and children too.
Incorrect use of rodenticides can have disastrous consequences and lead to catastrophic situations with not only your own dogs and cats but also other wildlife such as hedgehogs, rabbits, wild birds and the like.
The trouble is, those that are using rat poison as a DIY cure for a rat or mouse infestation, are not doing so with the knowledge or experience of how and where to use it or the potential consequences.
The Hazards of DIY Rodent Control
It’s not just the poison that you have to be careful of but also the dead rodents and what may consume them. In fact, any animal that dies as a result of being poisoned can be harmful when ingested by another. In addition to this outcome, imagine where the rat may go to die. If it crawls off into an area of an outbuilding, or worse, in your home, you may start to notice a terrible smell after some time has passed.
A Surge in Super Rats
Professional pest controllers are also warning against using DIY rat poison as they are leading to a surge in ‘super rats’. Rats are becoming increasingly resistant to poison as it is being used in too small quantities – the rat ingests something that contains the poison and builds up a resistance to it.
If you try and deal with a rodent problem yourself, and get it wrong, you could have a bigger problem on your hands. Rats are prolific breeders – a pair of brown rats can produce up to 2,000 offspring in a year- a staggering statistic if left unchecked! You may just have one rat, but you’re never far away from more.
Call Falcon for Professional Rodent Control
Whether you suspect you have a rat problem, or you know that you do, always consult a professional and call in expert pest controllers, whether that is inside your home or outside. With the amount of money that you are likely to spend on DIY methods, it’s always more cost effective to start with a solution that is going to produce the required results from the outset. You can call us to discuss your rat problem on 01752 929292 and we will be only too happy to help.
