Rats and DCON

[Capvin]

I have a wood deck in a part of my yard that is surrounded by pea gravel. Several weeks ago I noticed that some of the gravel was pushed away and a small hole was leading under the deck. I bought some of the large Dcon bait trays that says "kills rats" and slid one into the hole where in was under the deck but only a corner was showing. In a couple of days all the bait was gone and I put in a second one. Since that time I have put in about 25 bait trays and they are always gone in a couple of days. My question may have an obvious answer, but do I have a colony of rats whose numbers are into the hundreds and they keep eating the bait and die off, OR, am I just feeding the rats who are prospering and growing fat?? Is it really possible that Dcon has no bad effects on rats?

 

[berniezahm]

I wasn't aware that a rat could with stand Dcon. Must be a lot of rats or a few really tuff rodents. I would suggest getting the nail up bait from some place like Tractor Supply Company or your feed store. A one gallon bucket is about $30.00 but worth it. I use them in my feed room at the barn and around my brooders that are also in the barn equipment room. My chickens don't free range in there, so I haven't lost any poultry to them.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Hi Capvin,

I don't have any idea what the active ingredient is in D-Con but there are certain rat and other rodent species that are Warfarin resistent. So if that is the active ingredient it's possible you have resistent rats. Again, not something I've looked into very much so I don't all the details. I've used Havoc when I started seeing rats and I know for a fact it took them out.

So, either that or you've got a heck of a population!

Good luck!

 

[Capvin]

The active ingedient is BRODIFACOUM 3 and the type of rats I am trying to control are a variety called a hyspid cotton rat that generally lives in the scrub and pine forest that surround me. Recently one of them got into the AC ducts of one of my cars and it cost me $600 to have the damage taken care of, fumigate the car, etc.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Hmm, I believe that Brodifacoum is listed as being effective against Warfarin resistent rat's/rodents.

So, in that case, Capvin, I'm a little afraid of what your feeding under your deck there!

On the serious side, I wish I had a better suggestion for you other then to try a different brand/type of bait. I take it you haven't seen anything deceased yet?