Rat Removal Houston

Roof rats or their scientific name Rattus Rattus are the most common rats found in the Houston area.  They were brought into the US through shipping containers from Southeast Asia.  Now they are commonly found in shipping and receiving cities throughout the US.  This invasive species is commonly referred to as Roof rats because of their tendency to enter and reside in the upper areas of structures.  They generally travel outside by means of power lines and fence tops. 

The other type of rat not so commonly found is the Norway rat, also known as the Brown Rat. The Norway rat is a slightly larger less nimble rat.  They are more of a burrowing rat, but can climb into attics as well. 

The roof rat can be identified by having a longer tail than the body.  The Norway rat has a larger body and shorter than body tail. 

Both species of rats are prolific breeders and can have up to 6 litters in a single year. If you believe you are in need of rat extermination services, contact us for a Free Evaluation — Elite Wildlife Services has a proven rat removal process that is not only humane, but also highly effective.

The first and most common sign of rodents, such as rats and mice in a home or business is noises at night.  Peak rodent breeding season starts around late September and ends around May in the Houston area.  Though they breed year round, it is during these cooler months that people experience the most intrusions.  This also coincides with the common Grey squirrel’s breeding season. 

The best way to distinguish between rats and squirrels in a home is when most of the activity is heard.  Squirrels are typically noisy at daybreak and can be heard leaving the attic and then again in the evening when it gets dark.  Rats are different as the are nocturnal making their noises at night. 

Rats also have an oil in their fur which contains a pheromone that we cannot smell or detect.  They lay down this smell along their trails which attracts other rodents and in some cases the predators that feed on them such as Texas rat snakes.   When rats have established a structure they tend to use one or two entry points and will generally travel the same pathways to get to the entry points.  Heavy travel of these pathways or entries causes a darkened stain to form and is a clear indication of a problem. 

Another indicator is droppings in the attic or clear trails in the insulation in the attic.  These trails will be most defined leading to the entries where the rats are entering the structure. Droppings will occur throughout attic, as rats and other rodents urinate and defect wherever they travel and don’t use a specific area.

So rats can be more tricky to rid from homes and businesses than other invasive pests because many people will try to just block them out or just trap them.  Both of these methods are effective short term but in most cases the rodents will win over time. 

At Elite Wildlife Services we use a thorough and humane process that has demonstrated effective as long as it is followed in its entirety. A thorough inspection of the affected structure is conducted identifying all of the used entry points and known potential entries.  Unlike rat exterminators, our process starts with either trapping in the affected spaces or installing of a one-way excluder that allows rodents to leave but not regain entry to the structure.  After the removal method is set all entry points are sealed with effective structure blending products to ensure areas are not chewed-out in the future. 

We also install rodent bait stations around the perimeter of the property controlling the outside population, which are serviced monthly, to keep rats to a minimum, preventing a re-entry.  The final step includes a chemical sanitation of the affected areas (typically attic spaces) with a cold fog machine and may be combined with insulation removal or a “topper” covering trails and help mask the “attractants” left behind by rodents.  All methods work in conjunction together to create a whole home or business solution for even the most extensive problems. 

It is difficult to quote prices because each situation is unique with many different variables that deal with the condition of the home and the extent of infestation.  The location of the structure can also be another factor as Houston has many pockets of city that have a much higher population of rodents residing and require a much more comprehensive service combined with a monthly population control. 

A small trapping and population control may only run $249 but a large infestation on a large home or business can be over $2000. 

At Elite Wildlife we offer a complimentary whole home or business inspection combined with a thorough explanation and clearly laid out plan of execution.  The entire process is made transparent to ensure our customers have a full understanding of their situation and all options available for them to help enable them to be able to customize their plan to fit their needs.