The Critter Team Podcast
The Critter Team is a 100% military veteran owned and operated wildlife removal company serving over 60 communities across Harris County, Montgomery County, and Liberty County in the greater Houston, Texas area. The company was founded in June 2015 by Mike Garrett, a 20-year US Army veteran who brought the discipline, precision, and follow-through of his military career directly into the wildlife control industry. Mike runs the business alongside his wife Victoria, who serves as Office Manager and handles scheduling, customer communication, and operations. With two offices in Humble and Spring, The Critter Team operates 24/7 with emergency service available and serves homeowners and businesses from Houston, The Woodlands, Conroe, Kingwood, Atascocita, Cypress, Tomball, Katy, Crosby, Porter, Huffman, Magnolia, Cleveland, and dozens of neighborhoods in between. The company carries $1 million per occurrence general liability coverage, $2 million aggregate, and full workers' compensation, and holds all proper state of Texas licenses and permits for commercial nuisance wildlife control.
Mike Garrett's technical credentials set The Critter Team apart in a field full of general trappers. He holds a National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) Bat Standards Certification, which is a specialized credential for bat removal and exclusion work, along with a certificate of completion for the NWCOA Wildlife Control Operators course. The company is also a Ridge Guard Certified Installer and authorized distributor for the north Houston metro area, a Bird Barrier Certified Installer, and Mike carries additional certifications in Advanced Metal Fabrication and Precision Shooting in Critical Environments. In 2018, The Critter Team received the Animals Happen Excellence Award for outstanding wildlife control services in the Montgomery County, Liberty County, and Harris County areas. The company's services span bat removal and exclusion, raccoon removal, squirrel removal, snake removal for both venomous and non-venomous species, bird control, skunk trapping, armadillo trapping, beaver removal, roof rat extermination, opossum removal, dead animal removal, and coyote trapping. Beyond removal, the team performs full attic restoration and decontamination, wildlife exclusion and animal proofing, structural damage repair to soffits, fascia, roofing, electrical wiring, drywall, and HVAC ductwork, insulation replacement, and sanitization. One key differentiator is that The Critter Team does not subcontract any of its services. Every job is performed in-house by trained staff who understand how to make repairs that actually stop wildlife from getting back in, not just patch a roof.
Customers across Google, Yelp, and Nextdoor consistently call out Mike by name for his responsiveness, honesty, and depth of knowledge. One Google reviewer described calling another company that quoted $4,000 without even inspecting the problem; The Critter Team came out, did a proper inspection, determined it was not a bat issue at all, and saved the homeowner from an unnecessary and expensive treatment. Team members Jeff, Julio, Tad, and Chris have also been praised by name in verified reviews for their professionalism and quality of work. The company follows a documented 4-step process on every job: full home inspection with positive animal identification and photo documentation, humane removal with traps that are safe around children and pets, professional cleanup and decontamination, and guaranteed exclusion work using animal-proof materials that comes backed by a written warranty. After a decade of serving the Houston metro, the Garrett family continues to operate by the same principle Mike brought home from 20 years in the Army: do it right the first time.
The Critter Team Humble Office
6942 FM 1960 Rd E, Suite 211
Humble, TX 77346
(281) 667-0171
The Critter Team Spring Office
17627 Shadow Valley Dr
Spring, TX 77379
Listen on:
Episodes
Wednesday Mar 18, 2026
Wednesday Mar 18, 2026
This episode covers everything homeowners need to know about Humble, TX wildlife removal and why the area sees consistent animal pressure year-round. Mike Garrett, founder of The Critter Team and a retired U.S. Army veteran, walks through how Humble's position along wooded corridors connecting Harris County to Montgomery and Liberty Counties keeps raccoons, squirrels, bats, roof rats, and snakes active in residential neighborhoods every season.
Subdivisions like Kingwood, Eagle Springs, Atascocita, and Fall Creek sit close to green space and waterways that wildlife use as travel routes straight into attics and crawl spaces. The episode walks through the most common entry points found in Humble homes - fascia boards, soft roof connections, mushroom vents, and gaps around AC lines that roof rats exploit through any opening wider than a dime.
Humane exclusion methods are covered in detail, including how Humble bat removal and raccoon removal in Humble each require a different approach for getting animals out safely before sealing the structure with materials built to last in Houston's climate. Spray foam breaks down in the heat. Steel wool rusts out in months. Proper exclusion uses metal fabrication, stainless or copper mesh, and clear sealants finished so the work blends into the home.
Attic contamination is another key topic, including why bat guano and animal droppings in an unused attic still create health risks when AC systems and pressure differentials push contaminated air into living spaces. The episode also covers Texas wildlife law, bat protections, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the legal requirements around relocating trapped animals that most homeowners don't know about until it's too late. Working with a state-licensed operator carrying a nuisance wildlife removal permit and $1 million per occurrence liability coverage means the job gets done legally, correctly, and backed by a written warranty.
Homeowners can also review Texas Parks and Wildlife guidance on nuisance wildlife to understand what state law requires before trapping or relocating any animal on their property.
The Critter Team - Humble, TX
6942 FM 1960 Rd E, Suite 211, Humble, TX 77346
(281) 667-0171
Wednesday Mar 18, 2026
Wednesday Mar 18, 2026
This episode covers what homeowners need to know about Spring, TX wildlife removal and why the area sees consistent pressure from nuisance animals year-round. Mike Garrett, founder of The Critter Team and a retired U.S. Army veteran, explains how Spring's mix of established neighborhoods, heavy tree canopy, and proximity to wooded corridors stretching through Montgomery and Harris Counties creates ideal conditions for raccoons, squirrels, bats, roof rats, and snakes to find their way into homes. Attics in this part of North Houston stay warm and humid, which makes them attractive nesting spaces especially during breeding seasons.
The episode walks through the most common entry points found in Spring homes - soft roof connections where soffits meet shingles, loose or aging fascia boards, mushroom vents, AC line penetrations, and gaps around brick that are wide enough for a roof rat but easy to overlook during a basic inspection. It explains why a thorough exterior review, from the foundation to the peak of the chimney, matters before any removal work starts.
Humane exclusion methods are covered in detail - getting animals out without trapping them inside and sealing the structure so re-entry isn't possible. Mike explains why material selection is critical in a climate like Houston's, where extreme heat and humidity destroy spray foam and steel wool in months. Proper exclusion uses metal fabrication, copper or stainless mesh, and clear sealants matched to the home so the work is invisible when it's done right.
Attic contamination is another key topic. Bat guano, raccoon feces, and rodent droppings carry real health risks even in attics nobody enters regularly. Air conditioners move air through the home, and improperly sealed attic ladders and can light gaps let contaminated air filter into living spaces. Safe decontamination, full PPE, attic vacuuming through soffits rather than through the house, and insulation replacement are all part of a complete job. The CDC's guidance on histoplasmosis covers the health risks tied to fungal spores found in accumulated animal waste in enclosed spaces.
The episode also touches on Texas wildlife law - bat protections, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act covering species common to this region, and why relocating certain animals without proper licensing puts homeowners in a difficult position. Working with a state-licensed, fully insured operator who carries a nuisance wildlife removal permit means the job gets done legally and correctly the first time.
The Critter Team - Spring, TX
17627 Shadow Valley Dr, Spring, TX 77379
(281) 800-4992