Rodent Control in Helotes, Texas
Helotes is a small city in far northwest Bexar County, where Bandera Road climbs out of San Antonio into the Hill Country. Old Town Helotes still has John T. Floore's Country Store, the dance hall that has hosted country acts for decades, and the town throws its Cornyval festival every spring. Government Canyon State Natural Area sits just to the east.
Most homes are on larger lots carved out of cedar, live oak and limestone. That's good country for woodrats, deer mice and roof rats.
Brush on every side
Houses in Helotes often have brush on three sides. Pack rats build stick nests under decks, behind sheds and in the engine bays of trucks and tractors that sit. Deer mice come in from the woods during cold snaps. Roof rats climb the oaks onto the roof.
Clear a strip between the brush and your walls, keep firewood off the ground and away from the house, and look under the deck now and then. The pack rat guide has more on what to look for.
Stone homes and long rooflines
Newer stone and stucco homes here often have long, complicated roofs with lots of trim. Gaps at roof seams and around line sets let rodents in. An inspection that covers the roof, garage and outbuildings finds them.
Noise in the attic tonight? Talk to someone who handles San Antonio rodents.
Call (210) 955-2948
Well houses and outbuildings
Many properties here have outbuildings, well houses or pump sheds tucked into the trees. Those small structures are warm in winter, rarely opened and easy to get into. Check them every month or two, close gaps at the door with a metal threshold, and keep stored feed or seed in sealed metal containers. A pack rat nest in a pump house can block access when you need it most.
Landmarks and streets: Bandera Rd. · Old Town Helotes · Floore's Country Store · Helotes Creek · Government Canyon · Scenic Loop Rd. (ZIP 78023)
Questions from this part of town
Is Helotes covered even though it's its own city?
Yes. Providers who work northwest Bexar County cover Helotes and the area around it.
Are deer mice a hantavirus risk?
The CDC names the deer mouse as the main hantavirus carrier in the U.S. Clean droppings with the wet method. See droppings cleanup.
A pack rat nested in my truck. Now what?
Have the nest removed with gloves after wetting it, check the wiring, and move the truck more often. See the car engine article.
Other parts of town: Alamo Heights, Olmos Park and Terrell Hills, Stone Oak, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Castle Hills and Shavano Park, Medical Center, Windcrest, Live Oak and Universal City, Leon Springs and Fair Oaks Ranch, Beacon Hill and Five Points, South Side and the Missions, Monte Vista, King William and Southtown, Tobin Hill and the Pearl, Dignowity Hill and the East Side, Woodlawn Lake and Jefferson, Alamo Ranch, Schertz and Cibolo, Boerne, New Braunfels.