What's happening to my apples?

[Silvershroud]

We moved to a new house a few weeks ago. Last week I noticed an apple in a bowl on the kitchen counter was partly eaten. Today when I got home, in the bowl one apple had quite a bit taken out of it and a few other apples had small slivers taken. I searched the kitchen for signs of mice (chewed wood, droppings) but there was nothing. No other signs of infestation or wildlife. Anyone have any idea what is going on? Poltergeist?

No children. Thanks for all your helpful comments. I'm going to put a couple of snap mouse traps under the kitchen units and see what happens. Also keep the kitchen window closed for a while. Our local council charges £96 for 4 visits so that's not so bad if we fail to sort it. I've just been listening to the Battersea Poltergiest podcast (recommended) so I was rather hoping...

Leave the traps out and try to find where they are coming in. There may be more than 1 rat.
I like rats (I had pet rats) but I wouldn’t want them in the house. It’s not just hygiene but also fire risk as they will chew cables.

what could I do?

Not put up a photo.

Am I alone in not wanting to see that?

It’s pretty upsetting to see that photo. No need for that. Looks just like our lovely boy (one of 3 brothers) who died a few weeks ago. It’s up to you how you deal with it, but to post a picture like that with no warning is very unpleasant indeed. I’m very fragile emotionally at the moment (having had a huge bereavement) and pick the stuff I read on-line very carefully. There must be others like me who are upset by such pictures.

Why would you prolong its agony by taking a bloody photo?

What was the photo of?!

A rat - nice and healthy looking probably quite young, in a trap. Really upset me.

The photo was a rat in a trap.

There'll be more OP so keep the traps out for a few weeks.

Can you set up a little camera somewhere?

In a snap trap?

Have you checked your attic OP? There could be someone living there.

does your house have solid foundations?
they can get through the dirt and then up through gaps in the floor boards. especially near cables/pipes.

@Lussekatt

In a snap trap?

Yes

Reindeer. They actually prefer carrots, which will be why they've only had a nibble, to make sure it wasn't a carrot.

Bloody hell, rats! 🤢🤢🤢🤢

@LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood

Sorry, to be clear I mean rats badly as in yuck rats you aren’t expecting in your home! Not as in a pet you choose to buy and love - there’s a huge difference

That’s fine! I guessed what you meant. Our pet rats are super. Intelligent and affectionate and inquisitive; like little dogs. But I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. And wild ones even less so.

Oh, sorry about the photo, I didn't mean to upset anyone. Lesson learnt.

So was it a rat? With nice I've always got pallets from B&Q and just put them in little piles in the corner of each room. I don't notice the pellets going down but I never see them again. I know people say that they smell but I think mine must go outside today because I've either immediately found a dead body or not found anything and never heard anything again.