Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To feel scared that there is something huge and scary up in the loft

56 replies

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 20:51

Since Christmas I've heard loud scrabbling at night over our bedroom. DH thought it may have been a bird. I didn't and convinced him to put a mouse and rat trap up there. Today while near the loft, whatever is up there loudly banged/scrabbled/trampled over the loft hatch. DH came hoe and checked the traps. Both have been set off and emptied of chocolate (no jokes about the Easter bunny being up there please) and I'm thinking that there has to be something pretty huge up there to set off a rat trap and not get caught in it. Should I get the exterminators in or is that a no brainer...

OP posts:

quoteunquote · 03/04/2013 20:54

squirrels ?

What's the outside of your building like?

we have bats in ours so if we set traps we would be fined.

Iamsparklyknickers · 03/04/2013 20:55

Animals are clever little buggers - a fair few of them seem to laugh in the face of man made traps

I'd get a professional in, they'll know how to spot if it's rats, squirels or birds. They'll probably also want to sort out any neighbours who share your roof space - so I hope you're not in a terrace!

SarahAndFuck · 03/04/2013 20:55

Could it be Christopher Eccleston and a big pile of money?

HandMini · 03/04/2013 20:56

I would bet its a squirrel. They are bloody noisy and need specialist traps, so a rat trap wouldn't have worked. Get some professional exterminators in.

CockyFox · 03/04/2013 20:58

Next doors cat? Apparantly that happened at my great gran's house butshe was known for exagerating so probably not true.

WeAreSix · 03/04/2013 20:58

MIL had a squirrel in her loft. The mess, destruction and noise created by one small animal was quite incredible.

If it is a squirrel you'll want it evicted ASAP - MIL's loft was ripped to shreds.

CreatureRetorts · 03/04/2013 20:58

Zombie?

SmiteYouWithThunderbolts · 03/04/2013 20:59

Could it be Christopher Eccleston and a big pile of money?

morethanpotatoprints · 03/04/2013 21:00

Could be owls, bats, rats, squirrels.
You won't know unfortunately until you get a pro to look at it.
Rats follow a line and scratch and make a tapping noise as they move around.
Are you town or country as this could be an indicator.
Yes bats are a protected species so be careful what you exterminate.
Your council will come and look free of charge, especially if you tell them you think its rats.

Original poster

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 21:01

No, we're not in a terrace but we are semi-detached. My DH has had a good look around and can't see any places an animal that could make that much noise could get in on our side. I'll go see the neighbours tomorrow to see if they've heard/noticed anything.
It could be squirrels as we live in quite a rural area. It's a wild stab in the dark but I have a feeling that one of our cats may have dragged something in over Christmas, let it go and it climbed into one of the decoration bags that we then put up in the loft. Although, saying that, surely something like a rat would have made itself known as we lifted it up into the loft.
Whatever it is sounds large so I'm thinking a rat or squirrels. I can't think of anything else it could be. Whatever it is, I don't like the thought of it in the house..esp not if it's nicking all the chocolate out of the traps and laughing at me!

OP posts:

Original poster

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 21:11

If only it was Christopher Eccleston!

OP posts:

SarahAndFuck · 03/04/2013 21:19

Check for drill holes OP, that's all I'm saying.

You never know when you might have a loft full of Christopher Eccleston and a big pile of money. But if you happen to trip over Ewan McGregor pinned to your floor, I think that will prove it conclusively.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 03/04/2013 21:21

Skellig?

Original poster

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 21:25

70isaLimit That's why the Chinese takeaway keep delivering no. 27 and no. 53 to our house. He must have access to a phone up there!

OP posts:

CarpeVinum · 03/04/2013 21:28

Rats follow a line and scratch and make a tapping noise as they move around.

OR they make the most godawful noise while they play volleyball with a half brick they have managed to free from the chimney stack.

The bastards.

Put poisen up there. Covered in peanut butter.

Don't use the sticky traps. In fact don't even mention sticky traps or some poster will come on and tell you about how they try and escape the sticky trap, with free extra details about the screaming they do during drastic escape attempt.... and you will never sleep again

KateShmate · 03/04/2013 21:29

Birds are really really noisy when they're in the loft, and they can get in tiny holes too. My bets are on a bird.

Original poster

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 21:34

CarpeVinum Hahaha! The traps have now got peanut butter in them and if this doesn't work, it'll have to be a visit from the council (£35). I'm pretty sure they use poison and will also clean up anything that needs cleaning. I'm a bit wary of just sticking poison down myself...don't ask me why as it's prob no less cruel than having your neck snapped in a trap (not that it did much neck snapping last time!)

OP posts:

Original poster

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 21:36

KateShmate I'd be fine if it was birds roosting up there but there is an awful lot of scratching and scampering and pounding going on. Plus earlier, I heard something run over the loft hatch and I'm not sure a bird would do that.

OP posts:

Chocoflump · 03/04/2013 21:37

Numerous scary movies have the big scary thing living in the loft

Original poster

Shelly32 · 03/04/2013 21:39

chocoflump This comment in addition to the 'Haunted House' thread will not do my nerves any good!

OP posts:

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 03/04/2013 21:40

It probably is a squirrel. The little bastards get everywhere and make a hell of a noise. Get your council man to bring a special trap. I bet that's what you find in it.

AnOeufUniversallyEggnowledged · 03/04/2013 21:42

Squirrel/s?

Many moons ago, when I was a teenager on exam leave, I was terrified in our family home as I could hear 'someone walking around upstairs' every day. My mum told me I was imagining things... until she was home sick one day and also heard it.

They make a lot more noise than you'd expect and cause LOTS of damage.

grimbletart · 03/04/2013 21:45

Almost certainly a squirrel. They sound as if they have hob nail boots on.

wentshopping · 03/04/2013 21:45

In various houses we have had squirrels and mice in the attic. Mice sound like huge creatures the size of badgers in the middle of the night. They can also squeeze through a hole the diameter or a biro. Ours had crawled in through an air brick...
Squirrels do not like the smell of mothballs - to get rid of them in our current house the pest man said to leave mothballs out a couple of days, then block the gap with chicken wire. The squirrels left, and have not been back.

MrsCosmopilite · 03/04/2013 21:46

We've had wood mice in our loft. Several times they've tripped the traps and got the food out. And they're noisy buggers. Got rid of 5 so far and heard some scrabbling yesterday.

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread