Anyone awake, I'm terrified

[Notsure2020]

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

[Notsure2020]

I feel much better after pest man told me how rats work. He said it's not trapped, it'll be coming in and out of the house. So he put pellets down and will be back in 10 days.

[Lifeispassingby]

how did you get on today OP?

[Tingalingtortoise]

Hope it’s all going well OP!

[Wemayhavemetbefore]

Excellent news, do let us know what happens!

[Notsure2020]

Phone call from pest control, they will be here in 10 minutes

[Notsure2020]

They aren't giving any advice really. In fact there was a post today on Facebook, a local village is plagued with rats and the council aren't doing anything to help. I spoke to the local councillor this evening and she is going to get on to the council tomorow.

[Wemayhavemetbefore]

"council said they aren't going pest control due to covid"

What are they advising people to do instead, if they aren't coming out? Strange - private pest control firms are still operating (though do cost £££ as you say op.)

[Camdenish]

@MingeofDeath one of those in your back passage is asking for Trouble.

[yearinyearout]

Have you seen the Catherine Tate sketch about the mouse having all his mousey mates round for a party?

[Sexnotgender]

Could just be mice? I had them in my old flat and could hear them scrabbling around in the walls.

[FizzyPink]

Oh god I knew the sewer rat thing was real. Saw a program when I was a teenager where a lady had builders in and they hadn’t closed the pipes or something and a rat had come up the toilet and bitten her bum!
DP hangs around on the toilet for ages and I’ve warned him what could happen but he’s always told me it’s a load of rubbish and rats can’t get up into toilets

[Knittedfairies]

If your cunning plan involves a cardboard box, be aware that rats can chew through cardboard; some seem to be attracted by it. You wouldn't want a rat in a box with a hole in it... If it's blocked in the wall and dies there, the stink will be horrendous. Awful. It might be a squirrel, but they're just rats with better P.R.

[blackpoolsneighbour]

We have something similar at the moment OP. We have blocked up the hole but we've got an airbrick right by it, I think it's come in the air brick so hopefully will go out the same way. I blocked the hole two days ago and haven't heard it at all since so I'm about to put wire over the outside of the air brick to keep it out.

[Notsure2020]

I think my dad's blocked him in 🙄 council said they aren't going pest control due to covid so this is my plan. I've got a massive box, cut a hole in it, tape the top of the box up and unblock the bit my dad blocked up. Put flour on the bottom and something heavy on top so it can't move. If it goes into the box and back into the hole at least I can see what I'm dealing with looking at paw prints. If it stays in the box then I can release it.

[MingeofDeath]

It could be a tribble. Be careful because those thing breed quickly.

[tara66]

The saying that in London ''you're only ever 6 ft. away from a rat'' is not true - it's actually 164 ft.!

[PerveenMistry]

If you've boarded up the hole to the wall, how do you expect it to get out? Ffs. Are you ok with it dying of thirst and starvation??

Unblock the hole and leave your outside door open. The poor creature deserves a chance to live.

[spongebobscaredypants]

Shameless place making for the big reveal

[user1481840227]

What if you left the doors open and a whole family of them came in?
Do rats and squirrels do that? Maybe not but i'd be afraid to leave the door open if that was a possibility!

[jessstan1]

What do you think this animal, whatever it is, is going to do to you? I can assure you it will be more scared of you than you are of it.

I echo what others have said about opening the doors, blocking off he rest of the house, so it can go out, when it is daylight. I had a rat which came in to my kitchen and it left of its own accord.

Neither rats nor squirrels will hurt you unless you corner them and I doubt you are likely to do that.

If you really cannot get rid of it, hire pest control.

[blisstwins]

You will be OK. This will make a wonderful story. It is a small animal and it is scared to death. Just put on layers. We are sending you strength.

[PorpoiseSpitGazzette]

When the going gets Tufty, the tough get going ! for going back in OP.

[tolerable]

you can by a silent screetchy machine-that probli has a more reasonable name-you dont hear it,rodenty vermin do.i swear i had worst panic attack of all...cos i suddently though "Oh feck-exodus..they gony look like wee rufugges with their wee rat lives in a wee rat barra..and went to my mums til i had a word with myself

[avamiah]

Notsure2020,
Any droppings ?
There has to be .