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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to burn down my house and move

84 replies

mommy2ash · 20/02/2016 12:34

The is something living behind my kitchen cabinets. It has ripped a cardigan in half, nibbled holes through a shirt and stolen a packet of cherry bakewells. I can see the top of the insert sticking out of a hole under the stairs that leads into the backs of the cabinets. My dd is off out with her friends for the day and I need to figure out how best to start a fire help!!!!

OP posts:

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DelphiniumBlue · 20/02/2016 13:19

Contact landlord today - don't wait till Monday.
Our local authority treat rats for free, but will charge you for mice. Email them today if you can't phone, referring to vermin.

MNHQ

DawnMumsnet · 20/02/2016 13:20

Hey mommy2ash is there any chance in the world your DD could have snaffled the bakewell tarts and stuffed the wrapper where she thought you wouldn't notice? Her and her mates could be eating them right now!

Doesn't explain the holes in the shirt, though...

SuperFlyHigh · 20/02/2016 13:20

Delpjinium our local authority when up I shared a flat came out for mice for free, laid all sorts of poison.

ppeatfruit · 20/02/2016 13:21

Get a strong room spray and spray everywhere you think it's getting in and or living. That works , we've had something scratching about in the attic eating the insulation or the beams who knows (we're both too scared to look up there, having a dh makes no difference ).

We've put in special plugs which give off high frequency sounds that only they (whatever they are) can hear and they WERE working. But the spray works better , they hate strong smells Good luck

Also it doesn't kill them they just go away.

NarcyCow · 20/02/2016 13:21

Are you sure it wasn't a kid eating the bakewells and hiding the evidence? Because if it was a beastie, it's a very strong one...

Furiosa · 20/02/2016 13:22

What if it's Eugene Tooms!

Just kidding.

But what if it's something complete unknown to science!

SuperFlyHigh · 20/02/2016 13:22

OP just thought you could just could ask a single handsome male neighbour to help out... Could kill 2 birds with one stone if you're in the market for a new man!

MrsJayy · 20/02/2016 13:22

Its a buff mouse if it can drag a packet of biscuits I honestly think you need pest control and move out

Condorwoman · 20/02/2016 13:24

It'll be a rat. A mouse would be too small to drag 4 cherry bakewells behind a cabinet. The type that move into houses aren't the huge cat sized monsters you see on the tv though. They're bigger than mice but not huge and honestly quite cute.

I realise this isn't making you feel any better. The sonic thing sounds worth a try. If it's hauling cherry bakewells home then it's probably got babies so a trap won't be much use and feels a bit cruel.

SuperFlyHigh · 20/02/2016 13:24

MrsJayy the one time I shuddered was when I worked in Brick lane and a coworker saw after dark a rat the size of a small cat.... aarrrgghhh

Anniegetyourgun · 20/02/2016 13:25

Well, it's not going to be all that big or it couldn't have fitted itself behind the cabinets. In any case whatever it is it's going to be a great deal smaller than you, if that's any comfort (not much, I realise).

Upside is if it's into nibbling clothes and cake it probably doesn't eat people.

Probably.

The cardigan thing is a little disturbing though.

BigChocFrenzy · 20/02/2016 13:26

If it's rats, well they like cake
And if a nice rat couple have moved in, they can have up to 6 litters per year, 6-10 babies per litter .....

Best not to play romantic music

OurBlanche · 20/02/2016 13:26

Do what you can and then contact your landlord. Pests are usually their issue, unless you have done something to attract them.

And (dons reassuring tone) that single mouse won't be too hard to get rid of

Original poster

mommy2ash · 20/02/2016 13:32

Once my dd has left I'm off to the DIY shop to get the plug in repellant some traps and poison. My landlord is away till Monday so will contact him then. I'm having a spring clean and clearing out the kitchen also.

I really wish it was my dd who stole my cakes. When I moved in I notice the opening under the stairs into the cabinets and shoved an old bath towel in there. They have obviously chewed through this and there is now a tiny opening at the top.

I'm definitely sleeping elsewhere tonight I'm very afraid of any that crawls other than a baby

OP posts:

Jessbow · 20/02/2016 13:38

DONT put down Poison, your cherry bakewell might be safe but the stench of dead rat behind the cupboard wont be nice. leave it to the pro's.

It might be the polish girl that was hiding in the loading bay in the knicker factory in Corrie of course- she was partial to cakes & biscuit

Sophie38 · 20/02/2016 13:43

I don't think poison is a great idea either. The last thing you want is a stumbling, dying rat buggering about in your house.

Traps are OK if they do the job quickly and humanely.

But you need a professional. Rats are easier to get shot of than mice as they need slightly larger access routes. Don't despair.

Can you move house?

Sophie38 · 20/02/2016 13:44

Also if you know anyone with a little terrier dog, get them round. Terriers can have a rat in seconds and will smell it and bark.

Original poster

mommy2ash · 20/02/2016 13:47

My friend is a landlord and her house had rats and pest control were pretty useless they put down poison said the rats would die and to wait a few weeks for the smell to go

OP posts:

MadamDeathstare · 20/02/2016 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GreatFuckability · 20/02/2016 13:49

We has a squirrel in our attic once. Before I knew it was a squirrel I had convinced myself it was a herd of mutant rats and made my then dp nail the hatch shut as it was in my bedroom and I was convinced the mutants would open the hatch and kill me in my sleep.
I'm not very rational about rats.

AmberNectarine · 20/02/2016 13:56

Yes, I lived in a flat where a squirrel got in behind the kitchen cabinets.

For ages my flat mate and I would hear it scratching around and we had no idea what it was. We called it the possum.

Turned out it was just a squirrel. It came and went until we moved.

LumpySpacedPrincess · 20/02/2016 14:00

Sounds like you got yerself some fraggles

MimsyBorogroves · 20/02/2016 14:05

Could it be Shergar?

AliceThrewTheFookingGlass · 20/02/2016 14:05

This reminds me of my old house. Tea towels, sponges and cloths kept disappearing and I found them all stashed and shredded under the kitchen cupboard behind the kickboard. I thought it was a rat or mouse but there was no droppings to be seen anywhere at all including under the cupboard. Whatever it was came back every night and would totally ignore the bin of delicious scraps and just pinch my sodding tea towels instead.

I realise this is no help to you at all but I haven't had anyone to share this mystery with until now

scarednoob · 20/02/2016 14:06

We had rats in our house in Spain - we didn't go for a year when my DM died unexpectedly and none of us could face it for a while. I went with DF in the end, and knew instantly that animals had been in. Turned out to be rats.

The cheeky twunts had been into the bodega (cellar) and dragged full cartons of orange juice up 3 flights of steps to enjoy them on the sofa in my parents' room!

If you rent, your lease may well say pests are your responsibility. I'd check that, then call the council. Tell them you suspect rats and they'll be there ASAP.

Then move out and don't look back. You can always buy more stuff

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