Muskrat poison is being discussed here for information.
This article will look at a controversial muskrat treatment; the use of poison! Over the years, there has been a steady outcry over the disadvantages of poison use on muskrat. If so, why are we discussing the topic?
Here, you’ll get to understand how such poison is deployed, the type of poison, and its impact on these rodents. The purpose of adopting poison use on muskrats is simply to achieve extermination.
So, are there disadvantages? Stick with us to find out more on this.
Why Muskrats Need To Go
Irrespective of what control methods you adopt, muskrats pose a wide range of problems to property owners.
Persons having decorative ponds will be stressed by the tunneling activities of these rodents.
Tunneling or burrowing springs up many issues such as embankments. Water barriers are also likely to weaken. All of these issues combined can lead to flooding, seepage, and erosion.
To save the property, an urgent and appropriate response is needed.
The spread of diseases is also a possibility when you have muskrats around. Diseases such as leptospirosis and tularemia are likely to be spread to humans. This is possible when open wounds come in contact with infected animal tissue.
Another possibility for the spread of diseases is when contaminated water is consumed. Rabies can also be spread because muskrats carry the rabies virus. These rodents may confront your dog resulting in a bite.
You’re at risk of exposure due to your closeness to your pet.
Sometimes, muskrats may get aggressive towards humans.
This presents a serious problem as kids are at risk of being bitten by them. Kids are the most vulnerable because they like to explore their surroundings. They may end up getting too close to muskrat dwellings.
Another reason why you need to get rid of muskrats is the attraction to your garden. You may end up having your garden ruined by these creatures when no action is taken.
Muskrats love vegetables and would come around whenever they need to get a fill.
How Muskrat Poisons Work
For any results to be had, muskrats will need to ingest baits laced with poison.
These baits consist of food products considered attractive to muskrats. The exterminating action of poisons is only possible when it gets into the system of muskrats through ingestion.
Some poisons are slow-acting while others act fast to kill these rodents. Poison use is considered one of the harshest ways to exterminate muskrats. This is rightfully so due to the grueling pain muskrats go through before they die.
-
What Muskrats Feed On
Before a poison is ever applied, knowledge on food choices & preferences of muskrats is necessary. These rodents are mainly herbivorous with a love for semi-aquatic plants like a water lily, cattail, horsetail, pickerelweed, and duck potato.
Other targets include bulrush and smartweed. Muskrats won’t restrict themselves to semi-aquatic plants alone. If there’s a presence of certain cultivated crops, these rodents will readily feast on them. Such crops include corn, sugarcane, and soybeans.
Others are grain, wheat, and oats. Your quality of response determines whether your crops are saved or not. So, is muskrat poisoning a viable means of control? This remains to be seen.
Asides from our recommendation, you’ll have to decide whether it’s worth taking the risk or not.
The Downsides To Poison Use
The use of poison for muskrat extermination may give the desired results intended. However, there’s also the risk factor to consider. In other words, Muskrat poison creates a whole lot of issues.
One of the most worrisome includes risks posed to non-target species.
Sometimes, other harmless creatures get poisoned by consuming the poison intended for muskrat extermination.
This is also known as secondary poisoning. The unpleasant experience with muskrat poisoning is the fact that these rodents may get killed immediately.
They may die farther away from their habitats. You’re likely to notice much from the foul odor arising from their decomposing bodies.
Another risk posed by poisoning is the possibility of muskrat carcass being devoured by other animals. This creates a classic example of secondary poisoning.
Is Muskrat Poison Use the Best Option?
Muskrat poison use isn’t the only method available for control. This brings up the question of reliability.
Is this the best option to consider when dealing with an infestation? The answer here is no. Before now, we’ve highlighted the risks associated with poison use for muskrat extermination.
This inhumane method coupled with the risks posed creates a significant problem that needs to be reconsidered. We recommend the adoption of safer control methods to keep your pets safe. You also get to lower the possibility of secondary poisoning.
Alternatives To Poison Use
Muskrat poisoning isn’t an effective and reliable method of control.
Several others provide better results. These include the adoption of a professional approach as well as live trapping among others.
-
Professional Approach
As a property owner seeking a solution for your muskrat issues, chances are that you have limited knowledge and experience on muskrat behavior. Not understanding how these rodents behave places you at a disadvantage.
However, your best bet is to seek professional help. Professional help comes when you contact a pest control service. These pest services offer a wide range of solutions that are included in their integrated approaches.
Integrated approaches include the use of live-trapping methods as well as preventive action or exclusion among others. You’ll need a reliable pest control service for long-lasting results.
-
Live Trapping
If you feel you’re experienced enough to carry out live trapping yourself, then this option will be most preferable.
First, you’ll need to get the right equipment. Such equipment will include purchasing humane traps designed for this purpose.
Conclusion
Muskrats present all sorts of problems for property owners. This damage is even more pronounced in areas with water bodies such as ponds. The next logical step to take in this situation has to do with the adoption of an appropriate control measure.
Muskrat poisoning has been the focus of our discussion. While this successfully kills muskrats, problems arise from secondary poisoning among other possibilities.
In response to such issues, we’ve provided reliable alternative ways to get rid of muskrats.