My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join the discussion and meet other Mumsnetters on our free online chat forum.

Chat

Anyone awake, I'm terrified

107 replies

Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 02:57

I have a small back hall. I heard a noise when I was watching TV and thought it was someone at the back door, as I went into the back hall I heard a strange rustling noise them something furry jumped at my leg. Well I screamed the place down and ran out shutting the door behind me. It must be a rat or a squirrel as I had the back door opened for a while earlier. I've never seen any rats here but plenty of squirrels. Can anyone talk me through how to get it out, I'm alone in the house and scared to open the door again Sad

OP posts:
Report
RonaldMcDonald · 01/12/2020 03:00

Mmmm
Leave it locked in and sort in the morning.
Hopefully it is a squirrel

Report
joystir59 · 01/12/2020 03:01

Nope I can't do that.

Report
Chottie · 01/12/2020 03:02

Is it safe to leave your outside door open in the middle of the night? If it is, make sure all internal doors to the back hall are closed and then open the back door. Have all lights switched off and go into the rest of the house and leave the animal to find its own way out.

If it isn't safe to leave your outside door open in the middle of the night, wait until it starts to get light and do the above then.

I've done this with foxes, pigeons and other birds who have come into my home and it works. The important thing is not to frighten or spook the rat / squirrel.

Report
popshops · 01/12/2020 03:04

If it's a squirrel it won't get through a shut door but it'll be scared in there, you really need to open the door to the outside. Could you go round the outside of the house and open the door from there so you don't need to go in the room ?

Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:05

Well the volume of my screaming I'd be surprised if it didn't drop dead with fright Grin I am too scared to open the door again and its not really safe to leave my back door opened all night. It's a wonder I didn't wake the neighbours tho a pity as they have an outdoor cat I could have borrowed.

OP posts:
Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:07

The problem is I've left the key in that door and don't have another one. I keep feeling it's horrible scratchy paws on my ankle. If it's a squirrel won't it do damage in there? All my kids Christmas presents are stored in that room Sad

OP posts:
Report
Lifeispassingby · 01/12/2020 03:18

You have to go in there eventually so you need to prepare yourself for that by reassuring yourself. You will be ok, I would put on as many layers as I could and run!

Report
ItsDinah · 01/12/2020 03:22

I'd put on a pair of boots and a heavy jacket or coat as armour. I'd go out the front door and round to the back door with a torch to see if I could see what was in the back hall. I'd try and fail to turn the key from the outside ( do you have forceps?) . I'd then go back in via the front door, arm myself with a mop/broom and a bath towel/tablecloth;slither round the door into the back hall and open the back door wide;then leave the back hall,turning light off and sit there till the squirrel/rat went. It's OK to whimper and moan throughout and it will be alright. You have to do it because of the christmas presents.

Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:26

Oh god. I really don't want to have to do this, I'm so scared Blush if it's a squirrel then I'll be OK because they are kind of cute but not a rat. It jumped at me, do rats jump Confused

OP posts:
Report
katy1213 · 01/12/2020 03:29

Er, squirrels bite.

Report
HopesMama32 · 01/12/2020 03:29

No advice op but just wanted to leave some support! You'll be ok 👌

Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:30

Oh ffs 😭

OP posts:
Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:31

Right. I'm going to need to just dig my brave pants out. Someone stay online to i can come back on crying when I shit myself 🙈🙈

OP posts:
Report
sergeilavrov · 01/12/2020 03:36

Tuck your trousers into your socks, and keep all the lights on. Gradually open the door so you keep control of the situation and focus on the ground pushing a stick forward toward it. You want to isolate it and slowly reduce the space it has if possible until it’s trapped.

Report
DeeCeeCherry · 01/12/2020 03:36

You can do it OP. Follow ItsDinah rules to the letter. You'll be fine, you're a looming giant to a squirrel, it'll be scared and want to get out asap.

Report
Wemayhavemetbefore · 01/12/2020 03:37

Do you have any 24 hour pest control firms in your area op? If so you could try phoning to see if they d come out? Or any brave neighbours you know well enough to wake up? (Almost certainly not, to that one, i do realise)

Report
avamiah · 01/12/2020 03:38

Hi OP,
It sounds like a rat to me

Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:41

I have about £30 to my name until the end of the week. Council website says they could take 5 days to come out. Soonest I could get anyone out is in the morning when my dad is awake but I can't sleep knowing it's there

OP posts:
Report
avamiah · 01/12/2020 03:44

Notsure2020,
Don’t panic .
It’s probably more scared of you.
Do you know anyone who has a cat that would happily hang around your house .
I have 3 cats and to be honest only 1 of them would go into a neighbours house .

Report
Snipples · 01/12/2020 03:44

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

avamiah · 01/12/2020 03:46

Snipples,
Are you serious ?

Report
AnyName1 · 01/12/2020 03:47

Have you something you could block the bottom of the door with so you could open it a crack and see where it is now? I'm thinking 2 foot high plank or something.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Snipples · 01/12/2020 03:49

Sorry if I read it the wrong way (I've been up about 10 times with the baby and I'm so tired a hallmark card could be interpreted as bitchy by me right now).

I just think if OP is scared saying it's a rat isn't going to help. It could be a gremlin or whatever but it still needs to get out.

Report
Notsure2020 · 01/12/2020 03:51

Still trying to get my brave pants on everyone Blush

OP posts:
Report
Fungster · 01/12/2020 03:54

It won't be as bad as you think. Really, it'll be more scared of you. Go in, keep the door open and watch it zoom out the door! You can do it!

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.