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
How Can I Get A Rat Out Of My Car?
Clean Up Your Car:
When a rat no longer has access to the food inside your car it will no longer have a good place to nest, sleep, or find food. Rats always nest close by to where their food source is and if you have a large amount of garbage in your car or items that can be fed upon, they're much more likely to stick around.
Trim Back Foliage From Your Car:
When you notice branches that overhang your car it's possible that you can have problems with a number of uninvited guests. Trimming back the items around your car can be a crucial way that you can prevent pests like rats from having a direct line to get into the vehicle.
Close Up Your Car:
Make sure that you are closing up your car. If you have a window that is open, a sunroof that opens, or a door that doesn't quite close, a rat can make their way in quite quickly and easily. A rat only needs around half an inch to get into a space and even though it may not seem like there is that much room, a rat can make it into the area easily.
Remove Moisture And Damp Clothing From Your Vehicle:
If you have paper, damp clothing, or other items across your vehicle, they need to be removed quickly. Damp clothing can be an ongoing problem when it comes to attracting rats and keeping them in your car.
Set Down Some Traps:
A quick set trap that you place in your car in the evening or a metal pedal trap can be a great way to manage a rat problem in your car. Making sure that you can trap the rat in your vehicle can be crucial to building a better method of keeping rats out of your vehicle.
