The problem of rodents is familiar to many owners of private households, because the fight against them sometimes plays a significant role in its organization. In addition, apartment owners may encounter such pests, as in some cases these small animals move from the basements to the entrances. The most accessible and well-known method of getting rid of such an affliction are rodenticides - chemical means against rodents, that is, poison. Let's see what it is, what types exist and how to use them.
What it is?
First of all, it is worth noting that rodenticide is any specialized chemical used to protect cultivated plants from rats and mice. Such a composition may be of both organic and synthetic origin, but the last option is still more popular, as it is produced in an accessible form. Soon after their use, you will notice that these are really effective drugs.
To combat insect parasites, insecticides are used: "Aktara", "Aktellik", "Konfidor", "Decis", "Calypso", "Fastak", "Vertimek", "Lepidotsid", "Kemifos", "Enzio", " Nemabakt, Aktofit.
The main requirement for any rodenticide is an attractive appearance and smell for the pest. It is no secret that rodents are distinguished by sufficiently high ingenuity; therefore, in order for them to eat poison, it should not arouse any suspicion in them.
Moreover, even after the poison has entered the body of the pest, it will not immediately begin to act, which is specifically provided for increasing the amount of eaten funds (without fear, mice can eat more than one dose).
Most of these compounds in the initial stages cause a choking attack in the rodent, which causes it to leave the habitat outside and die there. However, when choosing a drug, it is extremely important that it does not have a similar effect on domestic animals, because they can eat a poisoned rodent.
Rodenticides often come in the form of finished baits (cereals, granules or briquettes), and only a few of them can be supplied in the form of powder or liquid.
Did you know? For the destruction of rodents in the early twentieth century, gas methods were widely used. For the first time, asphyxiating gases were used to eliminate gophers in 1917, as they destroyed the crop in the fields of the Tomsk province. With the development of technology, in addition to chlorine, its mixture with phosgene and pure substance began to be used, as well as compounds in which chlorine and sulfuryl chloride were combined.
Classification and characterization
The division of all rodenticides into groups takes into account the rate of exposure of the poison to animals, as well as its chemical composition (organic and inorganic). More interesting is the speed of the poison on the animal's body, since it is this parameter that allows you to calculate the time for the removal of all pests.
Action
Such drugs lead to the death of the pest in a fairly short time (from 30 minutes to 24 hours). Such compounds include arsenic compounds, zinc phosphide, strychnine and others. All of them have a high level of toxicity, which is why they are not sold for free. In most cases, they are used only by representatives of sanitary-epidemiological services. 
Chronic
A subacute or chronic group of rodenticides combines substances that do not immediately act on rodents, but gradually accumulate in their bodies and show their effectiveness only with sufficient concentration. Most often, the effect has to wait a few weeks.
Such compounds include the so-called "anticoagulants", which lead to bleeding disorders and multiple hemorrhages that kill pests. The slow effect of these drugs does not cause any symptoms of rodenticide poisoning in rats, which means that they will return to the poison several times. 
General rules of application
For the most positive effect before applying the acquired composition, it is important to understand the possible ways of its use, which are divided into two groups: with the presence of bait and without it. In the first case, it is necessary to properly prepare the poison or purchase it in finished form and decompose it in the habitat of the rodents.
All such tools are supplied in the form of dry (powdered, cereal, granular, hard and soft briquettes) and liquid baits (5-10% sugar is diluted in water, beer, milk or other attractive liquid). 
In the latter case, poison mixture is applied to the resulting mixture or poison is simply dissolved in it. Ready-made containers are placed in places with low humidity levels, and with a high population of rats, the procedure is regularly repeated until they are completely destroyed.
A non-intrusive method of spreading poisonous substances involves the use of rodenticide dusts (made of anticoagulants), pastes and foams, which are simply applied to the surface of the floor or lower parts of the walls, where animals can get a good stain on them.
Getting on their skin, wool and mucous membranes, the poison gradually penetrates into his body, causing an appropriate reaction. The powder-like form of the poison is best suited for such purposes, so that animals can “share” it with their relatives (it is well rubbed into the coat, quickly falling on the skin). 
Important! It is better not to use besprimanochny methods in places where other pets are often or to buy formulations that are not dangerous for them.In some cases, for example, in the fight against gray rats, it is worthwhile to alternate the use of both methods, since these rodents perfectly detect any cover and bypass the toxic substance side.
Precautionary measures
Working with any pesticide is associated with a certain risk to the health of those who use them. Therefore, before buying chemicals against rodents, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with safety practices when using them. Of course, that only persons older than 18 years old and who do not have any contraindications to such actions (for example, allergic reactions, the period of gestation or breastfeeding) should work with rodenticides. 
Packing, preparation of poison and its layout in places of mass collection of pests should be carried out only in special clothes, made of cloth or ordinary cotton, protective shoes and gloves (when working with liquid poisons, they should be rubber or coated film). Also, eyes are protected (hermetic glasses are used) and respiratory organs (a special mask or respirator can be worn on the face).
Important! If you do not have rubber gloves on hand, you can use ordinary medical gloves, only you will have to monitor their integrity and impermeability. If moisture gets inside, the mittens are immediately replaced with a clean and dry pair.After work, clothes that come into contact with pesticides should be immediately removed, and performing this action in the following sequence: without removing gloves from hands, they are first washed in soda solution (10 g should be taken with 500 g of calcined substance), then rinsed in water and take off the respirator, goggles and shoes.
Then remove clothing and headgear from the body. Eye and respiratory protection should also be wiped with soda solution, then gloves should be removed and hands should be washed under running water with soap.Outerwear should be shaken, dried and well ventilated, then placed in storage in separate cabinets or drawers located in the living room (not at home!).
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It will be possible to perform washing of a suit as it is contaminated (at least once a week), of course, if we are not talking about a single treatment of the territory from rodents.
If it is necessary to handle a large area, which, accordingly, will take a decent amount of time, then every 50 minutes you need to do a fifteen-minute break, with the obligatory removal of clothes and protective masks. Go to fresh air or go to another room where there are no rodenticide fumes. 
It is also forbidden to smoke, eat or drink during work in order to prevent chemicals from reaching the skin and mucous membranes. If there is any damage to the skin (even minor scratches or cuts), it is better to entrust the work to someone else or, if possible, to delay the use of chemicals.
When processing large premises (for example, in factories) it is better to work in small groups or at least in pairs.
Did you know? Mice are the only representatives of the animal world who have never been sick. The fact is that they are not physiologically able to experience such a feeling, which is facilitated by the weak muscles of the diaphragm and the inability of the stomach to contract in such a way that it is possible to send food back.
The most popular drugs
On the modern market there are many preparations for rodent control. Each of them is toxic in its own way, so before choosing a means for processing its territory, you need to take into account its characteristic features: living space is a room or cellars, warehouses or garages. 
Some compounds can cause poisoning of a person even when they are inhaled, which means that they are not suitable for processing housing When stored in a processed room, food products should be protected from possible contact with rodenticides.
Consider the most popular options for such tools:
- "Rat death" - perhaps the most famous composition for personal use. It contains an anticoagulant that alters the composition of the blood of the pest, and forces him to go out into the street, where he dies. Since in this case food poisoning is not observed and the animals do not experience any signs of it, uninfected individuals do not give in to panic and soon become the next victims. This preparation contains both antimicrobial components and some flavors that prolong the effectiveness of using the product for two years. One pack of "Rat Death" will be enough to handle 40 m² of territory.
- "Krysid" - powder with many advantages and disadvantages. This bait adversely affects the blood circulation of the pests and causes their death less than a day after the use of the poison. For living in the house of cats, dogs and other pets, the composition has low toxicity, therefore, it is suitable both for fighting rats in the basement, and for getting rid of them in agricultural buildings. It can be mixed with seeds, cereals, grains, bread and even cottage cheese. Small rodents eventually develop immunity to the "Rat", which is why it should not be used more often than once every few months.
- "Golif" - one of the fastest and most effective means of this kind. It is mainly used by professional employees of the sanitary services, and the death of rodents does not occur immediately, but only after a few days, which makes it possible not to cause panic in the circle of relatives of infected individuals. Like many other similar compounds, "Golif" causes a feeling of lack of oxygen and makes the rats and mice get out of their shelters. That is, they die outside the building, thus avoiding the spread of unpleasant odor in the building itself.
- "Nutcracker". It is a gelatinous composition, supplied in the form of flat balls. Suitable for use in all types of premises: in residential and non-residential buildings, and the poison does not lose its properties even at high humidity.
- "Mortorat". This remedy differs from other similar preparations by the presence of brodifacum in its composition - the active substance that causes the mummification of the animal's body after its death. Of course, no corpse smell you hear. The drug is supplied in the form of briquettes, which are laid out in places where pests accumulate for maximum destruction (the distance between adjacent baits should not exceed 5 meters). The term of the drug - 5 days, after which the death of rats.
- "Zookumarin" - poison in the form of a dry powder, which is mixed with food and decomposed in places where rodents are active. When using it, there is 100% disposal of rats and 70% cleaning of the room from mice. The peak of rodent mortality falls on the 7-10th day after picking the bait.
Anticoagulant rodenticides
In 1942, the world learned about a substance such as coumarin, and a little later, scientists discovered the compounds of indandion, which became a turning point in the war with rodents. Therefore, instead of searching for highly toxic drugs, bright minds decided to move in a different direction, revealing the potential of anticoagulants.
When ingested in small doses or when taken once, they do not cause any manifestations of poisoning, and their toxicity increases with each subsequent use of the poison.
When its high enough quantity is collected, all such particles contribute to the disruption of the natural processes of blood clotting and increase the permeability of the blood vessel walls, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of many foci of hemorrhage and, as a result, to the death of animals. 
AT first generation such substances include "Zookumarin", "Dikumarol", "Kumakhlor", "Difenacin", "Fentolatsin", "Ethylfenacin", "Warfarin". All of them have one common drawback: to achieve the desired, you need to be sure that the rats eat bait for several days. Moreover, many of them are capable of producing immunity over time, which means that “not having finished it” once, the next such dose will not take them.
Second generation anticoagulants are represented by the drugs Flocumafen, Brodifacum, Bromadiolone, which are more toxic to pests, that is, only one dose of the drug leads to death. It must be said that these compositions are the most popular and effective in our time, although not all of them are allowed for use in personal needs.
Permissible options include rodenticides in the form of ready-made granulated baits, in cereal or briquetted forms (for example, Storm is a tool presented in the form of blue, wax briquettes, and Klerat are granules, which, for safety, make very bitter so that even accidentally swallowed them, and the rats do not even feel bitterness). 
The rate at which pests affect anticoagulants depends on their initial state and the dose of poison taken, therefore, can vary from several days to two weeks.
Did you know? The first patented tool of this kind is Warfarin, which was developed exclusively to kill rats and was highly toxic to the human body. However, over time, and more precisely in 1955, the drug was administered to persons who suffered a heart attack, which was largely made possible by a number of unsuccessful suicides with his participation.As you can see, there are many compositions that will help get rid of pests of the crop once and for all, but when choosing them, do not forget to learn all the characteristics, and when using them - to protect yourself properly from unwanted contact.
