Getting Rid of Rats Without Poison

There are few pests that evoke more fear or disgust than a well-fed rat. Capable of living just about anywhere and eating just about anything, rats can find a happy home, in your garage, trash bin, walls or crawl spaces. While a knee jerk reaction to eliminating these hungry, and sometimes disease-ridden, rodents is to spray or pellet your entire estate with poison, those with small pets, small children or a love of the environment should consider other options of ratracide. The practical downside of poison is that the rats eat it and then go back into your walls, or hard to reach places to die leaving a terrible stench.

Things You'll Need

  • Traps
  • Cats
  • Sonic repelling device
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use a sonic rat repelling device. These are easy to manage, safe, but a little expensive. Rats can hear things at a higher pitch than humans. These devices create an annoying sound that humans cannot hear, but that drives rats from your home. The cost is around $50.

    • 2

      Try a live trap, such as a have-a-heart trap. Leave traps along walls, as rats do not like open spaces. These catch the rat without killing it, leaving you to dispose of it another way. If you catch a rat in one of these, do not just open the door and release it. Either kill it, by drowning it in a well-drawn tub, or drive it to a wooded area where it will find a home more suitable than yours to live in.
      Other traps such as snap traps and glue traps will also catch rats, but could also cause harm to small children or pets.

    • 3

      The most ancient way to get rid of rats is to own animals that have been bred especially for this purpose. Cats, terriers, such as the rat terrier, are very effective at scaring these unlikable critters away.

    • 4

      Keep rats from being attracted to your home. Keep food in airtight containers. And, clean up spills when they occur.