Jonathan Hatch

Rat Poison Note:

Rat poison is an effective means of rat control, but you might have a problem when they crawl away and die in a place where you can't reach them. Try rat traps before poisoning the rats, unless you want to smell death for a couple of months.

Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.

How to Get Rid of Rats

Preventing rats from becoming a problem is a daunting task indeed. They are resilient little creatures, and often times it takes more than a little poison to keep them out of your home. Besides, rat poison takes forever to work, and then they die behind your fridge and you gotta get them out, but they smell so bad. So here is some DIY pest control advice about how to prevent a rat infestation and how to get rid of rats if they find their way into your home.

Natural Rat Control

Cats make excellent rat traps. Some people say sonic devices are the best way to go, but the long-term results are never satisfying. Cats are great because not only do you get rid of your rat problem, but if you pick the right cat you'll have a cute little buddy to keep you company.

Some things to think about before getting a cat:

1. Female cats are generally considered to be better mousers than male cats.

2. If you're bent on a male cat, be prepared to smell the consequences -- they'll spray your house for free, no charge!

3. It takes a few months to raise a cat. It takes 30 seconds to set a trap.

4. You can't snuggle with rat traps.

5. Adopt your cat from a shelter, or buy only from reputable cat breeders and catteries.

6. Don't use poison and cats at the same time. Rat poison is delicious.

The best way to avoid rat problems is to prevent the infestation. That is, making sure rats don't feel invited or tempted to come into your home is the best way to fight them, and the best way to keep them out is to rat-proof your house.

Rats love messy rooms . Like mice and other rodents, rats love it when you have a messy room because it gives them more places to hide as they travel from room to room. So, clean your room!

Rats love a dirty kitchen. Rats will eat anything we humans eat, and as consumers of the same food, it's a good idea to keep this food out of their reach. Clean up crumbs, oil, and other remnants of last night's cuisine.

Rats love food that's left out. The best way to prevent rat infestation is to put your food in proper containers, thus eliminating the temptation for rats to come into your home looking for a meal.

Rats don't just hang out in kitchens . Go through your home and find places where you may have dropped food or other edible substances, and vacuum it up.

Rats will infest your home. Rats find plenty of ways to get into your home, and plenty of places to live. Make sure your house is sealed from foundation to roof. Make sure wood piles and garbage containers are a safe distance from the house. Make sure boxes of fabrics are kept on shelves.

Rat Poison and Rat Traps

Step 1 is of course a preventative measure, and if you're thinking it doesn't work, then there are more active alternatives. Rat traps are probably the easiest solution because if the rat is dead it ensures that it won't come back. Then again, if you're dealing with an entire community of rats, poisons will help you get the whole lot of them. Just be careful when you're using poisons, because when rats eat poison they usually crawl into a hard to reach place and die.

After completing these two easy tasks, you should have no more rats scurrying around in your walls or chewing away at your cereal boxes in the middle of the night.