Are Rats Immune To Off-The-Shelf Poisons?

Pests have been studied by scientists for a long time. This is mostly so that we can eradicate these vermin. Over the years, these scientists have made many breakthroughs in the fight against pests. Unfortunately, these discoveries have become rather disturbing in recent years. What is happening is that many pests (like rats) are now becoming completely immune to rodenticide. But why are rats immune to this poison and what can we do about this?

Are rats immune to poison and why?

The problem with rats being immune to poison is due to evolution and how rats adapt. This is according to a new study by the University of Reading. The issue is really because rodenticide does not always have a 100% kill rate. Many poisoned rats survive. These rats then carry genetic mutations which are passed on to their children.

Technically this is known as L120Q resistance, and it’s this mutation which basically makes rats immune to poison. Not only that, over the decades these mutations become stronger. This means that some rats are now completely immune to almost all poisons but the strongest. What’s more, these rats can survive repeated poisonings while those without the mutation die. What this means is that we are essentially creating a breed of super rats.

Should you buy off-the-shelf rodenticides?

Besides genetic mutations there are other reasons why this is happening. You see, the real problem is members of the public using off-the-shelf poisons to treat rats in places they hide, like your walls. Most of these poisons are extremely weak and almost less than useless. They are not nearly as strong as the industrial grade rodenticide used by pest control professionals.

What this means is that in many cases the rats easily resist these poisons. You’ll recall that this is the cause of the genetic mutations. The rats survive being poisoned and then pass this resistance along to their offspring. This is also why most people have very little success with store bought poisons. In fact, many rats eat this poison as if they are eating sweets.

So, what can you do about rats being immune to poison? Well, it may sound biased, but the best solution is to employ professional rodent control. Yes, there are some rats that can resist poison, but the chemicals we use are still 99% effective. Compare this to off-the-shelf solutions that may only be 50%, 30%, or even 10% as effective.

We also have the advantage of knowing what we are doing. Poison resistance is not the only reason why you’re having problems with rodents. There may be dozens of other factors at play. For example, rodents may be accessing your home in ways you’re not aware of. Our skilled technicians can investigate these problems and provide a solution that handles the problem permanently.