Pets, Wildlife, And Rodent Control
Many of the methods and materials
used to control rats and mice can affect pets and wildlife. All rodent baits
are toxic to dogs, cats, and wildlife, so be cautious in their use. Because the
anticoagulants are cumulative and slow acting, dead rats or mice may contain
several lethal doses of toxicant, and secondary poisoning of pets and wildlife is
possible if several carcasses are consumed over a few days.
While this secondary poisoning is possible, it is not common. Most fatalities in pets involve dogs and are due to the animal consuming the bait directly (primary poisoning) or a combination of direct bait consumption and secondary poisoning.
Anticoagulant baits used to be thought of as relatively safe baits to use around the house and garden because they required multiple feedings to be effective. With a reaction time of three to four days, and vitamin K as an antidote, the risk of accidental poisoning of humans and pets was considered low. Newer anticoagulant baits, however, have been developed that only require a single feeding to be effective and are, therefore, more hazardous to pets, children, and wildlife than the older type of anticoagulant bait.
Baits that require multiple feedings over a period of several days contain warfarin, chlorophacinone, or diphacinone as their active ingredient, whereas the single-feeding anticoagulants contain brodifacoum, bromadiolone, or difethialone.
Use extra caution with the single-feeding anticoagulant baits; exposure to even a single dead rat or mouse killed by these might be enough to cause poisoning in a pet or other animal. The great advantage of multiple-feeding anticoagulants is that a good antidote, vitamin K1, as well as whole-blood transfusions are available if medical attention is received early enough. Symptoms of anticoagulant poisoning in mammals include lethargy, loss of color in soft tissues such as the lips and gums, and bleeding from the mouth, nose, or intestinal tract.
Put bait in a tamper-resistant bait box in locations out of the reach of children, pets, domestic animals, and wildlife. The bait box must be resistant to destruction by dogs and by children under six years of age, and must be constructed in a manner that prevents a child from reaching into the bait compartments and obtaining bait. If bait can be shaken from the box when it is lifted or tipped, the box must be attached to stakes in the ground or otherwise immobilized. Clearly label all bait boxes with appropriate warnings, and store unused bait in a locked cabinet or other areas inaccessible to children and domestic animals.
Flooding or Smoking Rats Out
Norway rats may be drowned or flushed from their burrows with water from a garden hose. The entire tunnel system will need to be quickly and completely flooded to evict its tenets, which can be dispatched with a shovel or caught by a dog. Be careful when attempting to flood out a rat near a building—doing so could damage the foundation or flood the basement or crawl space. Concentrate the effort in late winter and early spring, before rats give birth. Fill all holes with dirt when done.
Smoke or gas cartridges are registered and sold for the control of burrowing rodents. When placed into the burrows and ignited, these cartridges produce toxic and suffocating smoke and gases. Norway rat burrows may extend beneath a residence and have several open entrances, however, permitting toxic gases to permeate the dwelling. For this reason, and because fire hazards are associated with their use, smoke and gas cartridges are not recommended for rat control around homes.
Shooting rats
Controlling small, isolated groups of Norway and roof rats with a pellet gun is effective. For safety considerations, shooting is generally limited to rural situations and is considered too hazardous in more populated areas, even if legal.
Rat Follow-up
It is difficult to permanently rat-proof a structure when houses settle new opportunities for reentry open up, and rats can chew a hole into or burrow under an unprotected structure at any time. Therefore, keep watch for any new rat sign (droppings, food damage, gnawing damage, burrow entrances, etc.).
While this secondary poisoning is possible, it is not common. Most fatalities in pets involve dogs and are due to the animal consuming the bait directly (primary poisoning) or a combination of direct bait consumption and secondary poisoning.
Anticoagulant baits used to be thought of as relatively safe baits to use around the house and garden because they required multiple feedings to be effective. With a reaction time of three to four days, and vitamin K as an antidote, the risk of accidental poisoning of humans and pets was considered low. Newer anticoagulant baits, however, have been developed that only require a single feeding to be effective and are, therefore, more hazardous to pets, children, and wildlife than the older type of anticoagulant bait.
Baits that require multiple feedings over a period of several days contain warfarin, chlorophacinone, or diphacinone as their active ingredient, whereas the single-feeding anticoagulants contain brodifacoum, bromadiolone, or difethialone.
Use extra caution with the single-feeding anticoagulant baits; exposure to even a single dead rat or mouse killed by these might be enough to cause poisoning in a pet or other animal. The great advantage of multiple-feeding anticoagulants is that a good antidote, vitamin K1, as well as whole-blood transfusions are available if medical attention is received early enough. Symptoms of anticoagulant poisoning in mammals include lethargy, loss of color in soft tissues such as the lips and gums, and bleeding from the mouth, nose, or intestinal tract.
Put bait in a tamper-resistant bait box in locations out of the reach of children, pets, domestic animals, and wildlife. The bait box must be resistant to destruction by dogs and by children under six years of age, and must be constructed in a manner that prevents a child from reaching into the bait compartments and obtaining bait. If bait can be shaken from the box when it is lifted or tipped, the box must be attached to stakes in the ground or otherwise immobilized. Clearly label all bait boxes with appropriate warnings, and store unused bait in a locked cabinet or other areas inaccessible to children and domestic animals.
Flooding or Smoking Rats Out
Norway rats may be drowned or flushed from their burrows with water from a garden hose. The entire tunnel system will need to be quickly and completely flooded to evict its tenets, which can be dispatched with a shovel or caught by a dog. Be careful when attempting to flood out a rat near a building—doing so could damage the foundation or flood the basement or crawl space. Concentrate the effort in late winter and early spring, before rats give birth. Fill all holes with dirt when done.
Smoke or gas cartridges are registered and sold for the control of burrowing rodents. When placed into the burrows and ignited, these cartridges produce toxic and suffocating smoke and gases. Norway rat burrows may extend beneath a residence and have several open entrances, however, permitting toxic gases to permeate the dwelling. For this reason, and because fire hazards are associated with their use, smoke and gas cartridges are not recommended for rat control around homes.
Shooting rats
Controlling small, isolated groups of Norway and roof rats with a pellet gun is effective. For safety considerations, shooting is generally limited to rural situations and is considered too hazardous in more populated areas, even if legal.
Rat Follow-up
It is difficult to permanently rat-proof a structure when houses settle new opportunities for reentry open up, and rats can chew a hole into or burrow under an unprotected structure at any time. Therefore, keep watch for any new rat sign (droppings, food damage, gnawing damage, burrow entrances, etc.).
This information was provide by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Russell link and Michael Holmquist
Click here to return to the home page.
Click here to return to the home page.
