Onions call kill animals, and eating onions raw has an effect that will kill rats naturally.
Onions can be toxic to anyone if consumed in a large amount, even to humans. However, humans are obviously larger, and to have an effect on the human body, a person would need to consume an absurd amount of onions.
Rats are the most successful mammals on the entire planet and rats can adapt to anything. It is like a superpower they have and can adapt and grow into anything that repels rats.
Rats are smaller beings and they need to consume only a smaller portion of onions for the toxins to take effect. Feeding the rats cooked onions is okay as heat breaks down the toxic chemicals present in onions. Onions are effective to deter rats as rats cannot vomit.
They do not have the function to vomit physically and so if they consume fresh onions, they are bound to be attacked by the toxins in onions. Even in smaller amounts, onions can be used to deter mice.
Rats and mice are small animals and are strongly affected by even a small amount of onions. Fresh onions won't kill the rats and mice instantly but will make the rodents very sick.
Roof rats do not like when changes are made to their environment and hence are affected by the unfamiliar odors added to their homes. These rodents hate the pungent aroma of the onions, so even if they don't eat them, they will leave just by the smell of the onions.
If they eat the vegetable though, they will eventually die.
Repelling rats is important as they can really damage properties and create ruckus inside the house. With the presence of rats and mice, no human foods on the table are safe.
So to get rid of these tiny creatures in the house is very important. However, if you have rats as pets, remember not to add onions to the pet food.
Onions will probably make the rats very sick, so it is not recommended to feed rats onions, even in smaller quantities. Make the rats stay away from the onion slices at home.
The strong pungent smell typically never attracts rats. However, if the onions are mixed with something that smells delicious might make rats eat that food and fall sick, dying eventually.
Roof rats hate onions and if they come to know about the presence of the onions in the food, they will stay away and not eat it.
This is why onions are not the best way to get rid of rats. If you want to get rid of rats, you can keep onions in the house as even if they don't eat onions, they will stay away because of the unpleasant smell.
If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about do mice eat roaches and do mice carry rabies here on Kidadl?
Do onions kill rats?
Onions will only kill rats if they are tricked into eating them. Other than that, rat poison is the best way to kill rats.
Rats and mice hate the smell of raw onions and will run away from them the first chance they get. Eating onions can make rats sick slowly and will only create more hassle for you.
Garlic cloves can also help you keep the rats out, but when they dry off, the stubborn rats will be back again to wreak havoc in your house.
Raw onions might kill rats as they drain the cells and limit the oxygen in the body. If rats consume onions in a closed area, without water to drink, they will die.
And this is why mice hate the sight of onions and run away. To attract rats and kill mice, put the onions in some other food to confuse them.
How do onions kill rats?
Rats are very small and their body does not have the capacity to break down the molecules in onions.
Due to the lack of oxygen required by the rats for survival, onions are the best way to kill rats.
Rats eating onions is a myth, as these smart animals will always run away at the sight and smell of the impending danger of onions. The best way to fool them is to mix this one such vegetable with a pungent smell with minced meat that most animals and rodents will love.
The strong smell of just onions will be too much to prevent rats, but eventually, they will be back and bring infectious diseases with them.
Are onions poisonous to rats?
Onions are poisonous to rats and they will suffocate after eating onions due to the lack of oxygen and water.
Only a small number of foods that we consume are toxic to rats, and food sources like onions are poisonous to rats. A rat is too small to break down the onion and will suffocate on it.
However, this death of the rat will be slow and painful. There are other ways, home remedies, to keep the rats away like using peppermint oil in cotton balls, a mixture of cocoa powder and plaster of Paris, baby powder and baking soda, and many more.
Natural ways to get rid of rats
There are many home remedies that can be used to get rid of rats.
Baking soda is a good option as under acidic conditions, it will decompose to produce carbon dioxide. As the rat eats baking soda, it comes into contact with the acids in the tummy and creates gas inside which kills the rat.
Rats also hate the smell of peppermint, so you can put some peppermint oil in cotton balls and put them in places where the rats can make their homes.
You can repeat this process every few days to keep the rats away and also keep your home smelling fresh with the fragrance of peppermint. You can try to bury an unset rat trap beneath sawdust to catch it.
Try placing an enticing food trail leading to a box and put the trap and sawdust in it. You can also put hot pepper flakes to keep the mice away from your house.
Scare rats with the smell of things they dislike and they will never come back.
A mixture of cocoa powder and plaster of Paris can be spread in areas where the rats usually roam and when they eat this mixture, they will go out of the house to drink water and then die. Chopped garlic deter rats too.
You can also put cat litter as rat despises cats and are scared a lot of them. Dried snake litter can also be used.
Attract rats with food like cheese, peanut butter, and much more. Blue cheese is harmful and won't attract rats to kill them. Other things that can be used are instant potato powder, cotton balls soaked in clove or castor oil, a trap trigger, green potatoes, cow dung, bitter almonds, poppy seeds, and weirdly enough, owl feathers.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do onions kill rats, then why not take a look at do mice bite or deer mouse facts pages?
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Ritwik BhuyanBachelor of Arts specializing in English
A skilled content writer, Ritwik holds a Bachelor's degree in English from Delhi University. He has refined his writing abilities through his past experience at PenVelope and his current role at Kidadl. In addition to his proficiency in writing, Ritwik has pursued his passion for flying by achieving CPL training and becoming a licensed commercial pilot. This diverse skill set highlights his commitment to exploring multiple fields. Ritwik's experience in the aviation industry has provided him with a unique perspective and attention to detail, which he brings to his writing.
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