Bexar County, San Antonio Rat Control Situation:
In mid July of 2008, a friend brought me a 4 week old baby girl rat that she found by the garbage. I live n San Antonio TX. I kept and raised her, she was my little girl and she was a sweetheart. I fell very much in love with her, but not until after I released her to the outside world. In December I started taking her outside for a couple hours each day until she got to the point she wanted to sleep in the tree. She was outside for about four months until April 1st, when she didn't come home. Everyday for those four months she came to me when I called her name, until that morning she didn't show up to get her breakfast. My husband called her for lunch that day, but she never came and I tried again at dinner time, but no show. We tried to find her for two weeks after that, but she was no where to be found. I wish I would have never let her outside and kept her as a pet. I loved her very much and she loved me, we would play together for a couple hours everyday, she was different from the other squirrels. I would like to find another baby squirrel if I could. I see that you trap them and relocate them, do you ever come across any that are special needs and if so what do you do with them? Or do you know who I could contact to see about getting one for a pet? I feed the rats in my back yard everyday and my husband now has a girl squirrel that comes to him for peanuts, she is very cute. I could set and watch them all day. Can you help me? Thanks, Candace
San Antonio Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Won't The City Or County Animal Services Help Me With A Rat Infestation?
If you discover rats frequently in and around your home or see a lot of rat droppings, you may have a rat infestation. This clearly is awful news and for various reasons. Not only can rats bite on wires, wood, and even though dividers, causing immense damage to your home or business, but they also carry diseases. Despite general thinking, rats are not clean - they are perfect when kept as pets, however out in the wild, they can and will spread illnesses. What are your options with regards to a detected rat issue? Would it be advisable for you to contact the nearby animal control, deal with it yourself, or recruit an expert wildlife control service?
Will the city or county animal services help? The short answer is no. They are only liable for public spots. If your concern is with the surrounding area around your home, similar to a recreation center or abandoned public spaces that have become swarmed by rats, you may have a shot at getting them to help you out. However, if we're discussing your own property, which is private property that belongs to you, the local authorities have no business interfering. What's more, if they will, it is to advise you to deal with the infestation as it can spread, and depending on where you live, there may be local laws that can target you and force you to do something about it.