Rodents flock to buildings this time of year. Laura Haggarty shares her experiences with rodents, bait and pets. She shares a warning about Bromethalin, second generation rodenticides, that have NO ANTIDOTE.
We added information from the EPA to support her article.
Second generation anticoagulants tend to remain in animal tissues longer than do first-generation ones. These properties mean that second-generation products pose greater risks to nontarget species that might feed on bait only once or that might feed upon animals that have eaten the bait. – EPA
Source: Backyard Poultry, October 4, 2019. Link.
Source: EPA. Link. The bait components of the ready-to-use bait station products* currently registered for the consumer market to control mice and/or rats contain one of the following rodenticides:
- Bromethalin
- Chlorophacinone
- Diphacinone
* Pelleted baits no longer are permitted to be used in rodenticide products targeted for consumer markets.
Most of the rodenticides used today are anticoagulant compounds that interfere with blood clotting and cause death from excessive bleeding. Deaths typically occur between four days and two weeks after rodents begin to feed on the bait.
Source: Mouse and rat poisons in pellet form banned, EPA. Link.
Also see: 2nd generation, ultra-potent rodenticides create a first-class crisis for people, pets, and wildlife, Audubon, January-February 2013. Link.
INSIGHTS: Haggarty’s article was the catalyst for digging into the bait topic. The distinction between consumer retail and professional formulas is a concern as pest control companies are known to leave extra bait for “good” customers. We talked with local retail locations and found no one knowledgeable on the second-generation anticoagulants. Commercial hog and poultry operators seemed clueless during interviews unless the bait they use was not working.