House Grail is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.
8 Best Rat Poisons in 2023: Reviews & Top Picks
Codee Chessher
Last updated:
Rats are one of the worst infestations you can find yourself with. They spread disease, chew on your walls and wires, and can even cause house fires in severe cases. When you need rat poison, it can be difficult to distinguish between what’s effective and what’s a waste of money. In this article, we review some of the best rat poisons you can buy online today. Let’s dive in.
While many rat poisons on the market require multiple feedings to saturate the rats’ blood with poison, Just One Bite offers an instant solution to your rodent-related woes, making it the best overall rat poison. This product has eight large poison blocks, heavy enough that rats can’t just bring them back to the nest. They also have attractive little ridges that rats love to gnaw on, guaranteeing the poison’s effectiveness. Put all eight in the area you suspect rats or mice, and the poison is powerful enough to kill mice, small rats, and even large Norway rats. The blocks are very toxic and shouldn’t be used around pets or children.
Pros
Fast-acting poison kills even large rats in a single application
Ridges encourage rat gnawing and biting
Too heavy for rats to bring back to the nest
Easy to use
Cons
Toxic and not safe around children or pets
2. Tomcat Rat and Mouse Killer Disposable Station – Best Value
If you suspect a small infestation of mice or rats, you don’t need to go all-out with economy-sized rat poison. Just one Tomcat Rat and Mouse Killer Disposable Station is enough to kill 10 rats, and they’re tamper-resistant to make them safer near pets and children. However, they’re still loaded with poison and should be handled with caution. The station comes with a clear lid so you can monitor how much bait is left and know when it’s empty. If you’ve just noticed mice or rats in your home and don’t think there are many, these traps are perfect for getting rid of a few rodents. Plus, they’re super affordable, making them the best rat poison for the money.
Pros
Kills up to 10 rats or mice
Tamper-resistant
Clear lid allows you to monitor how much bait is left
Affordable
Cons
Not suitable for large infestations
Determined pets or children may still become exposed to poison
3. MOTOMCO Tomcat Mouse and Rat Pack/Pail – Premium Choice
If you live in a rural area or on a farm, this product has you covered in the event of a rat infestation. The MOTOMCO Tomcat Mouse and Rat Pack Killer is a standard rat poison that will clear out most rat or mouse populations within 4–6 days. As with all lethal rat poisons, you’ll need to clear out the rat or mouse corpses when they’re all dead. This product should only be used if there are no pets or children nearby because it’s extremely toxic. The biggest downside, though, is the price.
Pros
Kills rats and mice within 4–6 days
Easy to use
Kills small and large Norway rats alike
Cons
Toxic formula shouldn’t be used near pets or small children
Expensive bulk product
4. RatX All-Natural Non-Toxic Humane Rat Rodenticide Pellets
One of the biggest problems people face when they find rats is choosing a poison that’s safe around pets and children. Luckily, pest control formulas have come a long way. RatX All-Natural Non-Toxic Humane Rat and Mouse Rodenticide Pellets kill rats without being a toxic hazard to children or pets. The product prevents rats from hydrating after they eat it, and because rats can’t vomit, they swell up and die from dehydration. It’s essential that you know the rats have to eat a lot of the poison for it to work, and it still may be toxic if any pets or children have issues vomiting.
Pros
Non-toxic formula only kills rats
Safe formula around pets and children
Can be used indoors or outdoors
Cons
Toxic if pets or children cannot vomit the product back up
5. Neogen Havoc Rodenticide Rat & Mouse Bait Pellet Pack
This powerful rat poison uses brodifacoum to attract rats and kill them just a few minutes after ingestion. The poison has a unique component that attracts rats and kills them, which is ideal for large rat populations. The large pail means you can use more poison, but of course, you need to be careful not to use it around pets or children. Alternatively, you can reload pet and children-safe bait stations with this poison. Havoc is a traditional anticoagulant that acts faster than most products on the market and is the perfect choice for large infestations.
D-Con is a household name in rat poison for its very potent cholecalciferol bait traps, which kill rats by poisoning their kidneys. The poison is fast-acting, working to kill rats within minutes after leaving the bait station. The station has a clear lid so you can monitor when the bait is gone and 20 refills to help control the largest rat infestations. They’re also tamper-resistant, but you should still be careful using any toxic product near pets or children. Overall, D-Con is still a top contender in the pest control market.
Pros
Potent poison kills rats within minutes
20 refills
Clear lid to monitor bait levels
Cons
May need multiple refills to control large rat populations
Sometimes, fast-acting rat poisons can backfire and kill the rats too quickly, which will make the remaining rats wary of the poison. They’ll avoid it at all costs, but these Tomcat Bait Chunx are attractive and slow acting for the most paranoid rats. The chunks are designed to be impaled on nails or screws, so the rats gnaw on them and don’t carry them back to their nest. Best of all, they’re peanut flavored and have low wax content, which rats love. Be careful using these near pets or children, as they are toxic.
Pros
Peanut flavored and with low wax to attract rats
Slow-acting poison means the rats don’t become scared of it
Can be fixed in place with nails or screws
Cons
Not a quick fix
Rats can bite off chunks and hoard them instead of consuming the poison
This large pail of apple-flavored bait blocks is great for large properties or for agricultural purposes. The poison is slow-acting and kills within a few days, but rats need to repeatedly feed on the poison before they’ll die. These are a great second layer of protection against rats or to put in the attic, around sheds, or other structures on your property. If used in your home, the rats may die inside your walls and cause a foul odor.
Pros
Large pail of poison bait blocks means you can effectively control rats in multiple locations
Apple-flavored to attract rats for repeated feedings
Slow-acting poison is ideal in some situations
Cons
Not an immediate solution
May kill rats inside your walls and emit a foul odor
Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Rat Poison
Before you decide what rat poison to buy, you should consider a few key factors. The most important things to look at are fast or slow-acting, bait stations, and toxic or non-toxic qualities. These all impact how effective the poison is in your home or property. Let’s check them out in more detail below.
Consult a PEST-CONTROL expert
Find a pest-control specialist in your area, and get free, no-commitment estimates for your project.
Many poisons on the market today are slow acting to prevent rats from becoming spooked by the poison and avoiding it. However, this can be a hassle when you have rats inside your walls because they may die there and decompose. Sometimes you need a fast solution that will attract and immediately kill the rats so that you can clean them up faster.
Image Credit: Christine McCall, Pixabay
Bait Stations
Many rat poison baits are compatible with bait stations, which are small, enclosed plastic containers that typically have tamper-resistant features to keep pets or kids from eating the bait. Look out for baits that have holes in them, which is how you can tell they work with bait stations. Many stations can be bought online with refills for convenience.
Toxic vs. Non-toxic
The vast majority of rat poisons are toxic, but some new formulas are non-toxic. This is a bit of a misnomer because they do kill rats—they’re just not toxic to pets or children. If a pet or child eats non-toxic rat poison, they can usually throw it up and be safe. Toxic products are a serious health hazard, on the other hand, and should be used with approved bait stations or in areas not accessible to your pets or children.
Codee Chessher is a freelance writer with extensive knowledge on a variety of subjects that include travel, sound engineering, automotive, DIY, pets, and more. He has a colorful past that includes building schools and commercial driving, but the written word was always his first love. He believes there's nothing a well-worded sentence can't accomplish.When not writing, Codee enjoys epic fantasy novels, home DIY projects, and memorizing useless pop culture trivia. He has lived in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Most recently, he resides in northern Mexico.
Codee Chessher
