Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

An alternative rodent control technology is presented. The patented discovery that specific plant-derived structural carbohydrate polymers are inhibitory to the water retentive mechanisms of rodents is discussed. Specifically, it has been discovered that when natural complex structural carbohydrates are formulated into a palatable pellet, target species of rodents (rats, mice, and ground squirrels), after ingesting the polymers, become less active and eventually die after 3 - 10 days. Captivity and in situ tests on the Norway rat have indicated the lethal dose for rats to be approximately 35 - 50 g consumed over a period of 72 - 96 hours, whereas for house mice it is 7 - 10 g over the same period. Captive trials on California ground squirrels have indicated a similar lethal dosage to that of rats, specifically 35 - 50 g consumed over 72 - 96 hours. The commercial product is exempt from registration in many countries including the U.S. This paper discusses laboratory and field test results on rodents to date and field use experiences.