Blocks and bait stations A better solution is the use of blocks, either alone or in combination with rodent bait stations. The new blocks on the market are more pet friendly than in the past. The active ingredient Coumatetralyl, found in the popular Surefire brand, breaks down fast in rodents once ingested.
Use Repellents – If you want a more natural approach, try using peppermint oil or garlic as an alternative to rodenticides in order to repel rodents from your property without harming them directly; however, make sure that whatever method you choose will not harm pets who might ingest it!
All-natural, eco-friendly formulations in MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid® products make them safe for pets and wildlife, even if those animals ingest rodents who have consumed our rodent control products.
Having pets makes no difference. Rats are not deterred by cats or dogs.”
Cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil, beaver oil, and citronella oil, could migrate them outside the home or less pungent environments around the property. At times, using crushed red pepper and onions can do the trick but can be dodged.
Use Non-toxic Rat Traps
It's a non-toxic rat trap designed with a small opening to attract rodents to the bait. The opening is wide enough to allow rodents in, but too small for dogs to reach the bait. When a rat or mouse enters the trap, it triggers a quick CO2-powered blow, which kills it instantly.
While dogs are not rat-catchers in the same sense as cats are, they are excellent rat detectors. A combination of their fantastic sense of smell and their incredible hearing means that they are able to sense rats with ease.
Cat, dog, or human hair or urine sprinkled in a garden also appears to have no impact on rats. Beware of anyone claiming they have a secret weapon or chemical that will get rid of rats. There is none.
Electronic rat traps are considered the most modern and effective traps for rodents. These traps lure rodents with food and baits them onto a metal plate inside that immediately electrocutes them. It is the most humane approach in comparison to snap traps and poisonous traps – the rat's death is nearly instant.
Essential oils are some of the best natural rat repellents. Rats have a highly developed sense of smell, which makes strong odors such as pine oil, cinnamon oil, and even peppermint oil offensive to them. Cayenne pepper, cloves, and a mixture of vinegar and ammonia will keep rats away as well.
Rat poisoning in dogs, that is by eating poisoned rodents can theoretically result in toxicity. The risk of your dog ingesting enough anticoagulant poison from a single feed of a poisoned rodent is low, and poisoning is more commonly seen in animals that feed repeatedly on poisoned rats or mice.
Baking soda combines with the stomach acids to produce carbon dioxide gas which rats are unable to tolerate. In turn, it builds up within their system and eventually causes internal blockage and rupture. Soon enough, you will have the rat-free environment you always deserved.
Outdoors, rats are likely to burrow into the ground and build their nests out of sight. They may also gather grass, straw, and twigs to create nests below rock piles and around foundations and concrete slabs. Some species also make their nests in trees.
Dogs make the best rat catchers, due to their precision and speed. Quite often we can smell a rat (thanks to their unmistakable acrid, stale, pungent urine) but fail to ever see them.
Dog poop attracts rats because they like to eat it, plain and simple. In fact, dog poop is said to be the number one food source for rats in developed areas.
Many essential oils, such as eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, pine, wintergreen, and ylang ylang are straight up toxic to pets. These are toxic whether they are applied to the skin, used in diffusers or licked up in the case of a spill.
Peppermint Oil
On a cotton ball use no more than 5 drops of 100% peppermint essential oil. Spread the oil on areas that you want rats to avoid, in your case, around the garden.
Spread peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, or cloves around the home's exterior to prevent the rats from entering the house in the first place. Apply your substance of choice generously along the line between your foundation and the ground.
Baiting is the most effective and preferred method of long-term population control for outdoor rats. This method uses rodenticide bait (in the form of blocks or pastes) placed inside of tamper-proof boxes.
This makes peppermint oil, chili powder, citronella, and eucalyptus the most common natural rodent repellents. Chemical smells, such as ammonia, bleach, and mothballs also work as mice deterrents.
While poison tends to be the quickest and most effective way to eliminate a rat infestation, the chances of our dogs also getting poisoned are high, either from directly ingesting the poison or indirectly from eating or licking a dead poisoned rat or eating their feces.