Somethings in my attic and I’m freaking out!!!

[DandyPinkDuck]

There’s something living in my attic and I’m freaking out, this whole situation is making my mental health even worse, I’m so anxious I can’t leave my room and haven’t eaten all day as I’m scared I’ll find something running around I’m extremely on edge 😔 I live by myself in a semi detached house in a semi-rural area.

Sunday around 2am I heard a noise outside my bedroom window (I have a conservatory below my window) it literally sounded like someone was trying to break in or open the window, was rather loud and I freaked out. Calmed myself down and thought maybe it was a cat outside my window on the conservatory roof….I was wrong…today (Monday) this time at 12:30am I could hear noise above me in the attic which was definitely in the attic as was rather loud, sounded like something crawling/running pretty fast as well as scratching, lasted about 10minutes and then went silent and not heard anything as of yet. Best way I can describe it is it was like a kitten that’s energetically running around and clawing things. I assume whatever it is climbed onto the conservatory and at first tried to find a way into my bedroom around the window which failed, I'm praying it failed, and then settled to the attic instead.

I called my landlord as I rent a council property and they said someone will contact me in 2-5 working days and I can’t afford to go private but I’m loosing my mind I’ve genuinely had anxiety attacks on/off all of today as I’m really stressed and scared to death that I’m gonna see something big and grey (don’t want to mention it) running around I honestly cannot relax and as mentioned I’ve not eaten because of it… may sound silly to some but my mental health is really bad and this situation has made it worse. The fact I heard it trying to get into my room near the window makes me terrified they may come into my room or already be here somewhere I’m having to constantly scan my room every few minutes to check (it’s triggering my OCD symptoms).

I know it’s not something sitting on the roof and doubt it’s a bird as when it was moving it was really fast. There’s no way I can put traps around or go into the attack, as you can tell I’m already distressed just knowing somethings there. I feel like I’m a complete mess and I’m dreading tonight as I know I’m bound to hear it again I’m really anxious this time I’ll hear it in my actual room or trying to get in again. I couldn’t even pluck the courage to look outside my window onto the top of the conservatory this morning in case I saw something.

Should I call the landlord again tomorrow to explain how I suffer with mental health and it’s really effecting me to hopefully see if anyone can come sooner?

Any reassurance would be great right now as I’m very panicky, already searched what the chances are of a pest in the attic coming into the actual house and regret searching it…any reassurance on that would be great or just to hear peoples experiences.

Posting an update for those who asked, bit of a long one sorry, it’s been a month since I first heard noises in the loft and sadly it’s not improved. They assume it’s rats (I think it’s a single one) as there’s been a rat issue in the area.

The pest control company my landlord hired comes out for 3 free visits, had my second visit on Monday and the man said none of the baits have been touched and that there’s still no signs of anything, although he only poked his head in the attic and didn’t fully go in so I don’t think he did a sufficient check, which is frustrating. Baring in mind it’s been 3 weeks since the bait was put down, surely it would’ve been eaten by now and if it hasn’t been then I think the rat is smart enough to not eat it and other options should be explored…the man insisted it’ll get eaten and he’s referred my house for a roof/drain survey.

The rat seems to come and go as I’ll hear it for a few nights then it dissapears, but it keeps coming back. Sunday and Monday night were the worst yet as the rat became extremely active and managed to get into my bedroom wall! I finally got over the fact it was in the attic but completely lost it again once it was in the walls…I could hear it scratching like crazy, running up and down and dragging stuff right in the wall behind my bed, of all places! I was terrified it would get into my room as that wall is a thin stud wall, I became a complete mess and didn’t get much sleep those two nights.

I haven’t heard it again since Monday night, wish I could believe it’s gone but I know it’ll be back, I'm listening out waiting to hear it running around again. I feel like things have gotten worse as the rats not eating the bait and has now got so comfortable that it’s started exploring more and got into the walls, the way things are going it’ll probably eventually get into the house!

I don’t feel like the pest man listened to me and it’s upsetting. He told me the rats probably going through the drain, through the walls then into the attic…Im no expert but I know this isn’t true…the first night I heard the rat it was outside my bedroom window and sounded like someone trying to break in, so that shows it most likely got in externally not through drains. Secondly I only heard the rat in the walls on Sunday and Monday, it was previously only heard in the attic, so it couldn’t have been getting to the attic via the drain and walls as I would’ve heard it sooner. All off this suggests his theory is wrong and that instead the rats possibly coming through the roof and is now starting to go into walls as it’s been left for so long. I only have one more free visit with them and I highly doubt it’s going to “eat the poison” as the man says it will so feel hopeless.

Im so sorry its not resolved. We have purchased a camera which wasn't too expensive and mounted it in the loft. Its got night vision and is activated by movement. Maybe you could buy one and ask someone to install it. They should also put UV powder down to be able to track how its getting in. We have been experiencing similar to you but ours are field mice and we have caught 3. Its a shame you're not near me or I would have recommended my guy. I still think you should sleep on the sofa to try and avoid the stress of it.

@Ponchodreams
I honestly thought it would’ve been resolved by now as it’s coming up to over a month and I’m confident there’s only one, so the infestation isn’t too extreme. Pest company definitely hasn't put much effort in or done typical things such as the UV powder you mentioned or even sealed entry points like the entrance to the wall the rats now made! I’ve been left to just deal with it and hope the rat will “eat the poison” my house may as well have a big welcome sign above it for rats to enter 🙄. Sorry you’re going through a similar situation but that’s amazing you’ve caught some already, that’s really me consider going private as I’m sure most places would’ve gotten rid of it by now! Still haven’t heard it since Monday so going to see what happens and wait for my roof/drain survey whenever that may be 🙄

We have squirrels. 3 to be precise. Pest controllers came out twice and were useless. Landlord refused to send them again so I bought a wireless camera £37 and tied it to the beam in the loft using cable ties. Pointed it at the drey (nest). We have so much footage and we have shared it with the agents who are actually taking action. So far they have cut the trees down after we were able to identify the points of entry. Next step is for them to block up the holes that the camera has also helped to identify. Pest controller would have cost £50+vat per visit but this camera was only £37 and has already helped so much more.