In short
With anticoagulant baits, rodents usually die several days after eating a lethal dose: activity drops sharply within one to two weeks, and the follow-up visit confirms the result. In the meantime, don't move the bait stations, don't leave food within reach and don't block holes yourself before the technician says so.
Most rodenticides used by professionals are slow-acting anticoagulants. The delay is deliberate: the rodent doesn't link the bait to feeling unwell, so it keeps eating, which means the whole colony is reached.
The downside is that you shouldn't expect results the next morning. Here is how the following weeks usually go, and the mistakes that slow things down.
The usual timeline
In the first few days, rodents find the stations and start feeding. It is normal to still hear noises or find fresh droppings. Death generally occurs several days after a lethal dose has been eaten.
After one to two weeks, activity drops markedly. The follow-up visit built into the protocol is used to record bait take, adjust stations and decide on the remaining proofing work.
- Days 1–5: rodents find and eat the bait; activity still visible.
- Weeks 1–2: clear drop in noise and fresh signs.
- Follow-up visit: records, adjustments, sealing of entry points, then bait removed at the end of treatment.
What to avoid
Most failures come from well-meant actions. Food that's more tempting than the bait, a station moved 'so it's less in the way', a hole sealed too early: each of these can drag the infestation out.
- Don't move or open the bait stations.
- Store all food, including pet food and birdseed, in closed containers.
- Don't add your own products or traps without telling us.
- Don't block holes before the technician says so: a rodent trapped in a cavity wall may die there and cause smells.
Smells, cleaning and pets
If a rodent dies somewhere inaccessible, a smell may appear and last from a few days to two or three weeks while the body dries out. Let us know: the technician can sometimes find and remove it.
To clean up droppings, wear gloves, spray them with disinfectant before picking them up and never dry-sweep them, so you don't raise dust. If you think a pet has eaten rodenticide, call your vet straight away: the antidote to anticoagulants is vitamin K1.
Key points
- Anticoagulant baits work with a delay of several days, by design.
- Expect a clear drop in activity within one to two weeks.
- Don't move stations, and remove any accessible food.
- Sealing holes is decided with the technician, at the right time.
General information, correct at the date of publication; it does not replace personal legal or medical advice.