Best Mouse Poison Reviews – Mouse And Rat Bait That Actually Works

Have you got mouse problems? Have you given up on the repellents, traps and that cheap mouse poison from the hardware store that the mice seemed to love?

Then it’s time for the nuclear option. You’re going to need the best mouse poison on the market. The kind that professional pest control contractors use to get rid of mice fast!

Mice may be cute but when they get into your house or shed they can cause havoc. They’re often too smart for mouse traps and a lot of the mouse repellents don’t seem to work that well either.

When choosing the best mouse bait poison it’s important to understand the difference in the active ingredients that each brand uses.

We’ve put together mouse poison reviews of the best mouse bait available so you’ll know the best way to get rid of mice.

D-Con mice pellets has been the best selling mouse poison for household consumers for a long time now.

The EPA banned the manufacture of their pellets and blocks citing danger to other animals.

D-Con agreed to only supply their pellets in bait traps and not loose pellets. They were allowed to supply the stock that had already been produced so if you can get your hands on some of this very effective mouse poison then grab it.

Just be very careful where you place it if you have pets or birds in your garden.

These pellets are a perfect size for mice. Put a couple of these trays down and within 3 to 6 days your mouse trouble will be over. Guaranteed! You might want to make a small hole in the cover instead of opening the entire trap to prevent scattering.

Motomco have put together a lethal dose of Brodifacoum into a bait chunk that mice can’t resist.

When presented with this bait and other brands it seems that mice prefer the Jaguar chunks. Whatever they’ve put in there it seems that the smell and taste is just what they want.

They only get to enjoy it once though because this second generation anticoagulant means that a single feed is all that’s required.

It’s an all-weather bait so it’s perfect for farms, sheds or other areas that are exposed to the elements.

Motomco claim that it’s their best selling product to poultry and swine farmers. Just make sure that you put these inside a bait station because this stuff will kill more than just mice.

This fast acting mouse poison has been designed specifically for use in farms, warehouses and other commercial and industrial areas. They’re perfect for residential use too.

Just 1 bait block every 8 to 12 feet where you expect the mice to run and a day or two later you’ll see your first dead mouse. The bromethalin kills after a single feed.

Because it attacks the central nervous system of the mouse it also stops it from feeding. This way there’s enough bait to go around with each mouse getting his fair share.

The “Fast” in Fasttrac is entirely justified as it takes just 1 or 2 days to get results. Just remember to dispose of the mice quickly so your pets don’t get at them.

You don’t want to use this on mice in hard to reach areas where you can’t dispose of them easily. If you do you'll be dealing with the smell of dead mouse in your house.

If you’re trying to get rid of mice outdoors or in places exposed to the elements then this product is a good option.

A lot of cheap mouse poisons are susceptible to moisture and once they get moldy no mouse is going to touch it.

This mouse poison has been designed specifically for use in damp and wet areas.

It uses a first generation anticoagulant so you’re going to need to put bait down every day for about 10 days. You’ll think that you’re just feeding a colony of mice but eventually the poison will kick in after a few feeds.

Because the pellets are so small the mice also carry these back to their nest for the rest of the gang to snack on. It comes supplied with a decent bait station so you can keep the poison out of harm's way.

This rodenticide from Tomcat uses Bromethalin as its active ingredient which is a good bet if you’re dealing with warfarin-resistant rodents.

It takes around a week until you see dead mice so it’s not the fastest acting but it’s pretty effective and sells at a reasonable price.

This isn’t all-weather bait so it’s not going to last once exposed to damp or rain.

Your best option in these conditions is to put it in a trap protected from the elements or otherwise be prepared to pay for one of the more expensive all-weather mouse bait options above.

The price and the free latex gloves that is comes with make it a good option if you’re on a budget. Some people have reported that their mice didn’t want to touch the stuff. You might have to take a chance to see if the flavor is to the liking of the mice you're dealing with.

If you’re looking for a cheap mouse poison that actually works then this rodenticide from JT Eaton is a solid choice. If you have some patience.

It uses a first generation anticoagulant, Diphacinone, which requires multiple feeds before killing the mouse.

To keep the mouse coming back for seconds they’ve made it peanut butter flavored. We can’t vouch for whether or not they got the flavor right but the mice seem to like it.

At first you’ll think the mice are loving it because you’ll need to keep putting more down but after about 2 weeks you should see untouched bait and no more mice.

This is the highest rated mouse poison legal in California. If you’re looking to save some bucks and you don’t mind putting blocks down over a period of two weeks then they’re a good option.

If you want something that will work in 3 days or so you’re going to need to invest in a second generation anticoagulant.

Motomco are experts in producing rodent pest control products. This is one of their cheap mouse poison products from their budget range.

These bait chunks are made with human food grade ingredients that mice can’t resist.

The active ingredient is Diphacinone, not Bromadiolone as indicated in the Amazon description. Diphacinone is still effective but requires multiple feeds to kill the mouse.

If you’ve got mice in your attic or walls then it’s a good bet if you’re OK with a longer wait before they die.

If the mice are running around in open areas then it’s not a good option because you need them to keep coming back to the bait for a few feeds.

The bait is described as “all weather” meaning it is resistant to moisture and mold. This keeps the bait active for years after you put it down. These bait chunks come in a 4lb pail or you can buy the kit which also comes with a bait station and four glue boards.

If you have just a few mice around then a few packs of this great mouse poison will get the job done nicely.

It uses Bromadiolone, a second generation anticoagulant, as its active ingredient and kills mice within 5 days or so after just a single feed.

The pack contains 8 scored pieces of bait that take a little effort to separate. Placing one piece every 8 to 12 feet will do the trick for mice.

If you’ve got pets make sure you put the bait in a bait station because this stuff is deadly.

This bait isn’t all-weather bait so don’t expect it to last very long. It goes stale after a few days so it’s only a good option for localized short term mouse eradication.

If you want a longer term solution then go for one of the second gen mouse bait options above.

How Does Mouse Poison Work?

Rodenticides, or mouse poisons, are most commonly either of the anticoagulant type or the type that attacks the central nervous system of the mouse. Mice don’t have the ability to vomit so when trying new food they will nibble a bit, see how they feel a little while later, and then come back for more if all seems good.

The anticoagulant type attacks the enzyme that enables the mouse to process vitamin K. This stops any production of what the mouse needs to allow its blood to clot.

This, along with the other poisons in the bait, causes the mouse to bleed internally and eventually die. This process takes a few days but the fact that the mouse doesn’t immediately feel ill means that it doesn’t associate the bait with poison. This means it keeps coming back for more.

Anticoagulants come in either first or second generation variants. The first generation anticoagulants like Diphacinone (Diphenadione) are less toxic and require multiple feeds before causing death.

Baits that use these active ingredients are normally cheaper and less effective against warfarin resistant mice.

Second generation anticoagulants (brodifacoum, difethialone, bromadiolone) are a lot more toxic, require a single feed only and work a lot faster. Mouse baits that use these ingredients are effective against even warfarin-resistant mice.

Because of their toxicity you need to be extra vigilant if you have pets as they can be fatal from both primary or secondary poisoning. Just because it's called "mouse poison" doesn't mean that it's only bad for mice!

Bromethalin vs Anticoagulant

Bromethalin attacks the central nervous system of the mouse and is not an anticoagulant. It’s a very effective mouse poison and kills within 3 or 4 days after a single feed.

What makes bromethalin a good choice is that in attacking the central nervous system of the mouse it stops the mouse from eating too much of the bait. That way your bait lasts a lot longer and you kill more mice with a single block.

The disadvantage of bromethalin is that there is no antidote for it. If your pet ends up eating some of this you need to get it to the vet ASAP and hope for the best.

​The anticoagulant mouse poisons are also very effective, especially the second generation types. The first gen ones take longer to work and aren’t any good if the mice have built up warfarin-resistance.

If a human or pet is poisoned by this active ingredient then a treatment of Vitamin K1 is administered.

Palatability, Bait Shyness and Acceptance

The toxicity of the bait is only one part of the solution. It also needs to be something that the mouse actually wants to eat. You’ll see that some manufacturers of mouse poison will use terms such as “acceptance” or “palatability”.

This refers to how likely the mouse is to be attracted to the bait and actually like how it tastes. Bait shyness is a common problem with some of the cheaper mouse poisons. The best mouse bait food will be made with food grade ingredients to overcome this.

Is There A Mouse Poison That Dries The Mouse Out?

People often ask what mouse poison dries the dead mouse out so that it doesn’t smell. They say that they’ve heard that some mouse poisons will make the mouse thirsty and go outside looking for water. This simply isn’t true.

Even though a lot of pest control “experts” will tell you that the poison they use dries the mouse out. There is no such mouse poison!

Understand that if you’re using bait to kill mice in your home there is a good chance that the mouse will crawl into your walls or under floorboards, die and then proceed to stink up the place for days or even weeks. Mouse poisons are best used outside the home.

If you’ve got mice in the house then your best bet is to try a mouse repellant or mouse trap. If you absolutely have to use poison then make sure there’s no ways the mouse can get into your walls.

What Is The Best Mouse Poison?

Don’t bother buying the over the counter mouse poison that your local hardware store sells. These poisons hardly ever contain sufficient doses of the most effective active ingredients. The more hype and pictures on the labels the less effective they usually are.

Make sure you get something that has a good second generation anticoagulant as its active ingredient. This way you only need the mouse to have a single feed and there’s no chance of any resistance building up as is the case with Warfarin.

You also want to be sure that it has good palatability. There’s no point having a great poison that mice don’t want to touch.

Moisture can cause even the best mouse poison to go stale or moldy after a few days causing mice to avoid it. If you’re using the bait inside your house then it’s less of a big deal. 

If you’re using the mouse bait outside your home or in the garage, shed or other exposed areas then you want to get an all-weather mouse bait. It will last longer and will give you protection from future mouse invaders.

How To Use Mouse Poison

• Mice need less poison than rats do so placing a bait block every 8 to 12 feet will normally do the trick. It’s always best to have the bait inside a bait station. This not only keeps it out of reach for children and pets but also protects the bait from moisture so that it lasts longer. It also prevents the mouse from carrying the poison off into it’s nest and keeping it all to himself.
• Make sure that you remove all alternate food sources so the mice go straight to the bait. This is especially important if you’re using a cheap mouse poison that uses a first generation anticoagulant that requires multiple feeds before causing death.

• Make sure that you wear gloves and long sleeves when handling the poison. The active ingredients can be absorbed through the skin. Be especially careful if you’re cutting or breaking the bait into smaller pieces. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after working with the mouse bait.

• Always be vigilant to prevent secondary poisoning. Pick up dead mice as soon as possible so that no birds or other wildlife get poisoned by eating them.