Methods of Destroying Rats

Practical guidance for controlling the brown or Norway rat and similar house rats outlines their prolific breeding, omnivorous diet, burrowing and nesting habits, and the wide range of damage and disease risks they create. The text reviews main control approaches: poisoning, trapping, the use of ferrets and dogs, fumigation, and rat‑proof building construction. It gives detailed poison recommendations and cautions, favoring barium carbonate for domestic use while warning about rapid-acting toxins and phosphorus hazards, and it describes careful baiting techniques and poultry-safe bait boxes. Trapping advice emphasizes simple, metal guillotine-style traps, and additional sections address fumigation practices and natural enemies.