I get this question all the time, I will be placing rodent bait in a crawl space of a home and the customer asks me when do you need to add more poison or replace it. I reassure the customers that have pets that as long as they keep their pets out of the crawlspace, or basement that
Ok, but when does mouse poison expire? Mouse poison doesn’t expire. As long as bait stays dry and the smell of the bait can still attract the rodent to it.
Mouse poison can last several years or a mere few days.
Where you live can also play a huge factor in how long mouse bait can work for you. Moisture will breakdown the grains and spoil the bait over time if it is left in an area where there is a lot of humidity and heat.
To find out more about mouse treatment and the treatment of rodents, in general, feel free to visit my rodent recommended products page.
How Do I Make My Mouse Poison Last A Long Time?
- Place mouse poison in a bait box to protect the poison from outdoor elements, pets, children, and wildlife.
- Don’t put mouse poison in wet areas or areas that are susceptible to moisture.
- When storing mouse poison in a bucket for later use, be sure to keep it in a dry and cool area. Also, make sure that you don’t store bait around other household chemicals, cleaners, pesticides, herbal mint, and gasoline. Storing mouse poison with other chemicals and cleansers will make the bait unattractive to mice and will make it worthless.
- Follow the label laws and tips so that you will prolong the effectiveness of your rodent bait.
- Indoor use of mouse poison will make it last longer since it will not be subjected to more extreme conditions in your home. This does not mean, however, that this is always the best placement of mouse poison. It will just lat longer.
What Is In Mouse Poison?
Mouse poison consists of grain poison and pheromones to attract the mouse to the bait.
There are two major poisons that are used in mouse bait that have similar names but they do very different things.
Bromethalin- This is a fast-acting poison that will deliver a quick kill upon consumption of the mouse poison. I use Bromethalin bait when I see a single mouse has been in customer’s homes or as a preventative measure to quickly ward away new infestations.
Bromadiolone- This is what I use to take care of large infestations. Bromadiolone takes several days to eliminate a mouse, the reason you may want to use a poison that has this chemical is so that the mice have time to share the food with all their friends.
*Neat Fact
D-con just switched their bait to be loaded with vitamin D3 also known as cholecalciferol. The reason for the switch was because of the safety and issues that can occur when placing mouse bait. Vitamin D3 is something that is good for humans and pets in fact it is healthy for us. But for rodents it is deadly.
It is the responsibility of the person putting out the poison to know where they are allowed to place
Does Rat Poison Expire?
Rat poison and mouse poison are the same thing. So the answer to this question is no. Rat poison does not have an actual shelf life.
Can Expired Poison Kill?
Some mouse poison stations may have an expiration date on them. This does not mean that the poison is still ineffective. As long as mouse poison is dry and free from moisture it can last several years.
Though the poison will still be effective if there is a mushy breakdown from moisture or it gets white with some house molds you will need to dispose of the old poison at that time. Expired mouse poison doesn’t make it any less poisonous, it just means that mice won’t come to the poison anymore.
Getting Rid Of Mice Without Killing Them?
Mice need 3 essential things to live so they will come into your home for one or more of these reasons. Food Water Shelter!
Here is a list of some natural ways you can get rid of mice:
- Keep Your Food Locked Away – Mice love human food and they will get into it at any opportunity that is presented to them. Usually, it starts with pet food that has been left outside and they make their way into the good stuff from there. To avoid this problem make sure that your food and your pet’s food is sealed up in a container that has a sealable lid.
- Keep your home clean – Mice will make their harborages in crawl spaces, musty basements, wall voids, attics, old boxes, clothing, and more. If your home is clean and organized you won’t run the risk of them making it their new home.
- Purchase A Catch And Release Trap – Catchmaster make a really good multi mouse catch mouse trap that you can see through the lid (see the current price for catchmaster 612 multi-catch on DoMyOwn.Com). If you don’t want to eliminate the mice you can simply use this device to catch them and release them far away from your home so that they don’t just come back.
- Mint Oil- Whether you use a defuser or you apply the oil in an area where you have seen mice evidence both of these methods can prove to be effective in deterring mice from the area until the smoke clears.
- Make A Catch And Release Trap – In this video, Chris Notap will teach you how to make a catch and release trap out of simple household items.
Summary
Now we know that mouse poison does not expire, expired mouse poison is still deadly but can prove to be unattractive to mice. If you don’t want to kill mice you can use catch and release traps, essential oils and more.
I hope you found this information helpful and as always:
“Thanks For Buggin Out With Me”
