How long does rat poison take to work? - briefly
Anticoagulant rodenticides usually kill within three to seven days after the mouse consumes a lethal dose, whereas acute neurotoxic poisons can cause death in minutes to a few hours. The exact timing depends on the product type, dose ingested, and the animal’s size and health.
How long does rat poison take to work? - in detail
The effectiveness of rodenticide depends on its active ingredient, the dosage administered, the size and health of the target animal, and environmental conditions. Anticoagulant baits, such as those containing bromadiolone or brodifacoum, typically require the rat to ingest a lethal dose and then experience internal bleeding. Visible symptoms usually appear within 24–48 hours, while death often occurs between 2 and 5 days after consumption. First‑generation anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) act more slowly; clinical signs may emerge after 48 hours and mortality can take up to 7 days.
Non‑anticoagulant formulations—zinc phosphide, bromethalin, or cholecalciferol—have different timelines. Zinc phosphide releases phosphine gas in the stomach, producing rapid toxicity; signs can be observed within a few hours and death may follow in 12–24 hours. Bromethalin disrupts neuronal function; neurological symptoms appear after 24–48 hours, with fatal outcomes generally within 3–5 days. Vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol) induces hypercalcemia; clinical effects emerge after 2–4 days, and death may require up to a week.
Key factors influencing the onset period:
- Dose size: Sub‑lethal amounts prolong symptom development; lethal doses accelerate it.
- Species variation: Larger rodents metabolize toxins more slowly, extending the time to death.
- Food availability: Access to alternative food sources can dilute intake of the poison, delaying effects.
- Environmental temperature: Higher temperatures increase metabolic rates, potentially shortening the toxic timeline.
Monitoring dead rodents and documenting the interval between bait placement and mortality provides practical verification of efficacy. If no deaths are observed within the expected window, consider adjusting bait concentration, placement density, or switching to a different active ingredient.