How do tracking powders generally work for rodent control?

Tracking powders are specifically formulated to assist in rodent control by adhering to the fur and feet of the animals that come into contact with them. When rodents walk through these powders, the fine particles cling to their bodies. Later, as the rodents groom themselves—cleaning their fur and paws—they ingest the particles, which may contain toxic agents designed to control the rodent population.

This method is effective because it capitalizes on the natural behaviors of rodents, using their instinct to groom themselves against the applied powder. In contrast, other methods of rodent control would not focus on this physical interaction and may have limited effectiveness or present additional challenges in ensuring the rodents come in contact with the control measure. For instance, poisoning the food source relies on the animals consuming the bait, which may not always happen if they are not attracted to the bait; creating noise or using sticky surfaces fails to directly address the need for a poison that results in the eventual removal of the pest. Thus, tracking powders effectively utilize rodent behavior to ensure that the harmful agent is ingested over time.