Scratching sound coming from ceiling - I’m terrified

[Sleeple55]

We have a decent sized attic which is in relatively good condition but we haven’t really entered since moving in (6 years ago). Was just in one of the rooms which has the attic above it and heard quite a loud continuous sound which was similar to scratching and moving around. I’m convinced it’s rats/mice and have no idea how I’m going to sleep tonight. Any advice on who I should call out, rentokil perhaps? And how do they get in in the first place?

They sell mouse traps in B&Q which work every time.
Sorry to anyone reading who prefer them to be alive but they are vermin.

I agree with above poster re traps. If it was a rat it would sound like an elephant treading across your attic. may be mice.

could be a squirrel, do you have holes in your guttering? If it was mice/rats they'd be all over the house tbh

The sounds from over our heads are martens. They are living in the space above the ceiling and the roof. Occasionally they bring prey in not quite dead. They are suprisingly loud and clompy for such small animals.

Yeah, could very well be birds. Rats and mice are drawn to food scraps generally, so an attic wouldn't be their first choice given presumably there's a kitchen downstairs!

Squirrel, bird, rat or ghost…someone needs to be brave and look 😬😬😬

Put a saucer with a piece of bread and peanut butter on in the attic. If it goes walking you need pest control.
A tiny piece, don't make it a sandwich or anything like that

Reindeer?

It won't be rats or mice. It will be a squirrel

We have this frequently. Rats Mice get in through roof as we are on a slope. We put down rat poison then check after 2 days. If it's gone put down more etc.

Its probably just a massive tarantula that's escaped from a spider tank somewhere in the neighbourhood. I wouldn't worry about it.

We had rats recently in our attic. Get the pest control people out.

My guess would be birds, I have starlings in my roof and they are pretty noise especially early in the morning, sounds like scratching and a bit of tapping. I know it’s not rats as it’s mainly in one corner, rats would move around and rats sound like a heard of elephants (had them before when living in a farm house).

Birds can make an atrocious amount of sound.

Did you let one of those Elf on the Shelf dolls into the house?

Yeah...don't watch Luther or go up into the attic!

We had this not too long ago. I had to sleep on the sofa for a week. The sounds was bloody horrible!

Was a rat. Had to get pest control out and they sorted it. I didn't go anywhere near 🤣🤣

We had this and I got the pest control firm in. Imagine my surprise when they came back downstairs and said there was nothing they could do because it was Christopher Ecclestone. Protected species apparently.

Why terrified? Could be squirrels or birds or rats or mice or anything. My parents have bats and squirrels in their roof 🤷🏻‍♀️

Elves casing the joint for Santa

I had this - squirrels. Worst thing was, for some reason they kept falling down the chimney (which was supposed to have been blocked off, but seemingly only by parcel tape and plasterboard - rented place) and running around the bedroom. My other half used to joke I was the squirrel queen and they came to sacrifice themselves, it was so freaky. I even found unfortunate victims drowned in the toilet, twice, which was a bit of a shock when you’re bursting but have to fish them out and give them a decent burial after such a nasty end. I recall getting to the stage of picking one up and chucking it out of the window (ground floor) but there’s not much you can do as pest control will just kill then all if they’re grey squirrels since they’re not viewed as native, and I wasn’t quite prepared to go postal on my (potentially) adoring public. My advice would just be to make sure you close the toilet lid!!!

Rats or squirrels I expect, given it’s cold, they will come into attic space for warmth and to have their babies, get pest control out ASAP.

Local council or an independent pest control company, will be lighter on your pocket than rentokil.

We have bats now, I found out after calling the rat man. 2 years ago it was rats...they were loud.

I'd suggest opening up and looking around, the poo will tell you who to call.

BTW don't call rentokil, they are the most expensive people ever, you need a local man.

This is why I don’t have my old doll (that looks like Chucky) up the loft.