Harris County, Houston Rat Control Situation:
Dear Pest Control Agency, My name is Juan and I am working on my doctoral dissertation in Biology at Rice University, Houston, Texas. I have an undergraduate researcher who helps me with my research, and we both work in the laboratory of Prof. Michael. We have studied rats and mice in Europe, and we use the information to study a number of questions, including how rodent populations are connected between continents or within countries. One part of our work deals with the question of whether rats and mice in the US have developed resistance to rodent poisons, about which little is known. Our hope is that during pest control you will be able to obtain the tail tips (about 1 inch) of rats and mice that can be found at rodent infested sites. These could be collected from dead animals, and of course, we would send you everything you would need (scissors, tubes, gloves, prepaid shipping, etc.). If you decide to help us in our research, we would like to offer you a Domino's giftcard as a thank you for your efforts! We have received a large amount of support from a few pest control agencies so far. It would be wonderful if you would also consider helping us! Attached is a simple spreadsheet where a few details on the sampling are described. We do not need any specific information regarding locations where sampling was done, and no names of owners or of employees, etc. are needed. However, if you would like we would be more than happy to promote your company name in our research paper! Please feel free to contact us by email or phone if you have any other questions or concerns. Thank you so much for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon! Sincerely, Juan
Houston Rat Control Tip of The Week
Where Outside Should I Relocate A Trapped Rat After I Have Sealed The House?
For many homeowners, getting to know that the rats in their homes are finally trapped will come as a big relief. But what to do afterward is usually another challenging phase they will have to face to make sure their rat removal process is finished.
Have you also caught a rat in your home and you are bothered about where you should relocate the rat after you have sealed all their possible entry holes into your home? When it comes to relocating rats, you have to think through the best way to get it done. But first, you have to figure out the best place to relocate it.
A fact about rats is that they are accustomed to their environment and only have a slim chance of surviving in any new environment they are being introduced. Whichever place you choose to relocate the rat you caught, you need to make sure the place is far away from your home to prevent the rat from finding its way back to your property.
Your choice of where to relocate the rat should also depend on the availability of possible shelter and food sources. If the environment you choose to relocate the rat has these factors in place, its chances of survival will increase. While making your choice of where to relocate the rat, you need to also understand the fact that relocating it within a populated area automatically puts other homes close to where it was released at risk. This simply means that you have to choose a remote area that still has the potentials of providing some food and shelter for the rat.
After finding a place to relocate the rat, you need to go back home and disinfect your home properly. The best way to do this is to hire a professional wildlife agent to help you with this process.
