Houston ranked 7th in the country for rats Houston ranked 7th in the country for rats

More property owners in Houston are saying, “rats!” Pest control company Rentokil Terminix analyzed the number of calls for rodent activity around the country and found Texas had a 23% increase last year.

HOUSTON – More property owners in Houston are saying, “rats!”  Pest control company Rentokil Terminix analyzed the number of calls for rodent activity around the country and found Texas had a 23% increase last year.

And Houston ranks as the 7th highest city in the U.S. for rats!

What we know:

Life in large urban areas is becoming even more of a rat race.    

“We’re seeing a huge influx in the rodent population, particularly roof rats,” said Roy Higgins, Branch Manager with Rentokil Terminix.

We know renters have complained of rats in some apartment complexes.  Even the Houston police smelled a few rats stealing drugs in the evidence room. And we know rats can go where they find food.  

But this report from Terminix says there is a rat uprising in houses, too, in both new construction and old, wherever the rat burglars find holes to break in.

“They love areas where they’re not bothered, like attics, crawl spaces, storage units, drawers,” said Higgins.

And it’s the long hot summers and mild winters that have them settling in and starting families.

“They live longer, so they’re producing 6–8 pups per litter more often,” he said.

Preventing and addressing costly critters

Why you should care:

They can do serious damage, like gnawing on wood and wiring. And, rats, do they love the attic!  

“They can do damage to your insulation. Rodents love to nest there, they have litters there. So they can damage it through their saliva, their urine, their feces,” said Higgins.

Rats can carry Hantavirus, which can be deadly.  

What you can do:

You can set out snap traps with a little peanut butter or chocolate syrup.  

But professionals really recommend, well, calling a professional.  

“We can remove contaminated insulation, we can sanitize the entire attic, we can blow in new insulation,” said Higgins, showing us some insulation called TAP, that contains pesticide.

“You’ve got Thermal Acoustical Pest control, and it’s just pest control insulation infused with boric acid,” he said.

Not gonna lie, removing and replacing insulation can cost thousands of dollars.

Big picture view:

Prevention is key.  Look for signs like rodent droppings, teeth marks, and noises in the night.

“When you hear a rustling in the walls or in the attic, you hear sounds like two things fighting, rustling or thumping. That’s how you know you have rats in your house,” said Higgins.  

Steps to prevent a rat infestation include:

Keeping a clean houseKeeping food sealedMaking sure trash bags and trash cans are sealed, as well, to keep those dirty rats from finding a reason to move in

The Source: Information in this article is from the State of the Rodent Report from Rentokil Terminix, and our interview with Roy Higgins, Branch Manager with Terminix.

Sullivan’s Smart SenseConsumerNewsHoustonKaty