Rat poison is regularly advertised as an effective solution for ridding the home of mice. Using it comes with unintended and dangerous consequences. Rat poison is ineffective for reasons outside of the fact that it’s filled with potent chemicals. Keep reading to find out why you shouldn’t use rat poison to get rid of mice, and what you should do instead.
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Unintended Victims
Using rat poison around the home puts pets and young children at risk. Loose pellets could wind up in the hands of toddlers, who are attracted to the colour and small size. These curious family members may get a little too close and personal to the poison, which could result in an unplanned trip to the hospital.
Pellets resemble food, and leaving these on the ground makes it easy for your wandering dog to enjoy an unplanned snack. Your pet cat might accidentally eat the mouse who’s already ingested the poison, leaving you to determine why they suddenly don’t feel well.
These accidental incidents aren’t worth the risk when other methods exist to get rid of mice in the home. Rat poison in the home creates unintended targets. Alternative options that reach the right audience exist.
Harmful to the Environment
Rat poison doesn’t end at rats—its negative effects extend to unintended third parties. If a hungry predator eats these victims, the predator is affected. Rodenticides ingested by mice and rats and stay in their body, and they’re harmful to more than those pesky pests. This poison transfers to unknowing predators.
Poison ingested by the pest buildups in the bodies of larger animals, which can eventually lead to death. Anticoagulants, one of the most common rodenticides, works by preventing blood from clotting. This causes internal hemorrhaging, which can persist in the animal for months, causing bigger problems. Drowsy animals become a target for roadkill. When these animals are mentally and physically slowed down, they don’t know where they’re going and could wind up being struck on the road.
Bobcats, foxes, coyotes, and hawks are likely third parties unintentionally killed on route after pests. Indirect contact is a problem, but poison has a direct side effect as well. Pellets left on the ground around the property could be scooped up by wandering wildlife. Overall, poison damages our ecosystem.
It Misses the Problem
Using rat poison to rid the home of mice doesn’t solve the problem of mice in the home. Even if it gets rid of the animal, it doesn’t remove the nest and droppings left behind, or fix the gaping holes in the foundation where mice found their way in. Mice can die somewhere in the home, leaving homeowners new bacteria to cleanup and prevent from spreading.
Rat poison doesn’t kill all mice in the home—only the ones who happen to eat it. Poison is a temporary fix that only gets rid of mice for a little bit. Don’t forget that mice have a rapid growing population. You need to prevent them from coming back. A more permanent solution is necessary to ensure all mice are gone.
The best solution is humane mouse removal services. Homeowners benefit from trained professionals who come in, inspect the problem, evict the mice, and put preventative measures in place so they don’t return. These services have an action plan that works to get every last mouse out. With decontamination processes in place, you can be sure your home won’t attract other mice, and it’ll be free of droppings and grease marks. Humane mouse removal services understand the importance of all animals in the ecosystem, making sure both parties are protected.
Mice removal should only be done by professionals.
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