How to Kill Rats

We get a lot of calls from Atlanta homeowners who want to know how to kill rats effectively. There are a lot of methods out there and plenty of products in the hardware store that promise to get the job done fast, but rat extermination is a tricky business that needs to be approached carefully or you risk health problems for your family and an ongoing infestation.

One thing to keep in mind is that when you kill rats inside, you simply invite new rats to come in. The rats you have now are protecting their territory and keeping other rats out. Not exactly a good trade, but it’s how their little ecosystem works. If you interrupt that ecosystem, you risk drawing even more rats inside and making the problem worse.

So, while it’s important to know how to kill rats, you also must stop them from entering the house. This is done with exclusion techniques like closing up vents, checking the eaves of your house and inspecting every possible point of entry.

Rat Extermination Methods

There are many ways to kill rats, but only one really gets the job done right. Here is a quick look at each of the top three methods and my opinion on why only snap traps are effective:

• Poison – When learning how to kill rats, most homeowners assume that poison is the way to go. Unfortunately, poison is the worst possible response to a rat infestation. Poisons never kill all the rats and the ones they do kill tend to wander off and die in walls or ceilings, therefore needing to be removed at a later date. Avoid poisons at all costs!
• Glue Traps – Glue traps are better but still not that effective. Combined with rat bait, these traps will capture some rats, but many more will get away and usually those that don’t die a very slow, painful death.
• Snap Traps – Combined with good rat bait, snap traps kill quickly and efficiently and you can control where they are placed so you know exactly where to expect dead rats. It’s safer, cheaper and more effective – what more can you ask for?

The next time you wonder how to kill rats in your home, make sure to give us a call. Our Atlanta area rat extermination teams are skilled in using rat repellants and snap traps to keep rats away for good.