What Is the Best Rat Bait?

To understand on what is the best bait to catch a rat, we first have to know:

• Does rats resistant to baits?
• Why do rats become resistant to baits?
• 5 reasons why rats in Indonesia are smart

Common understanding of bait resistance is often misunderstood in many senses which are:

Bait Shyness

A rat is always on the guard against the new and unknown. Thus its nature shyness should not be confused with bait resistance. Once the rat behavior changes and overcomes its shyness it will soon start to take the bait.

Yet… bait resistance is not bait shyness.

Poor Palatability

Rats are not pick eaters however if the baits that you have are not accepted, it simply means that rats dislike the taste of these baits.

Did you know? Rats can’t vomit. They tend to lick new food/ bait to test if it is safe before eating.

Yet… bait resistance is not poor palatability.

Neophobic

Neophobic: Fear of new things. Often feeding from the same old trusted sources, rats are well known to suffer from fear of new things and develop high guard level against new food and places. This is why the introduction of foreign new baits in place makes the rats wary of what they are dealing with. Rats may entirely avoid the baits which challenges the rat control situation.

Yet… bait resistance is not Neophobic.

Bait Resistance Is Genetic!

Did you know? Just like human beings developing resistance to antibiotics, rats develop resistance to rodent bait as well. This results largely due to poor pest control practices such as continuing usage of weaker baits and under baiting.

To better explain resistance being genetic, for example; after all correct pest control services are carried out, the rodents have a reduced sensitivity to bait and are only partially susceptible to the bait. This means genetic mutation with a handful of rats accumulating a resistance to certain baits.

What is the best rat bait?

Rat baits have to be alternated in order to be effective. Whether it is in the block or granules form, both can be alternated to achieve effectiveness. This will depend largely on the pest control team’s monitoring, trend analysis to achieve optimal trapping with periodical rotation of different rat baits. Inspection is also carried out to enable the team to recommend based on expertise.

Since the reason why rats become resistant to baits is mainly genetics, ERDM can be better practiced in the following to encourage lesser use of rodenticide thus reducing chance of changing rat genetics.

Exclude – By having pest proofing in place.

Restrict – By having great housekeeping.

Destroy – Rodenticide use.

M - Monitor.

If you are facing challenges with rat control, drop us a quick online form today and our team of pest control experts is able to share with you solutions catering to your personal or business needs.

Also read: the online article about: ‘Super Rats. Do they exist?’ that first appeared on Rentokil UK debugged – The Pest Control Blog.