ONG scurrying noise tonight

[StormCattitude]

Tonight I'm upstairs crafting, so sat still for ages. My children downstairs directly below me watching TV, also unlikely to have moved for ages.
I heard a weird noise around 11pm, couldn't place it as I had music on low. Wondered possibly if it came from the chimney breast but unsure.
Next thing my DC shout that they're coming up to bed, they'd heard a scurrying noise in the living room. They couldn't place it either, but said the cat looked alerted (she's old so this just means raising her head in the direction of suspicious noise these days).
I went to the living room & we quietly stood for a moment. The noise started again, but moving location. Basically it sounded like something moving around in void between the downstairs ceiling & upstairs floor.

It's got to be a mouse, or mice, hasn't it?

What do I do? What can I do? Actually have rodent poison as we're not far from a park, but I've never used it as it was more bought with the garden in mind. Wasn't expecting this. And if I used poison inside and a mouse died in the void it'd stink wouldn't it? I'm post covid with no smell so might not even notice!

Just me & my DC. No experience with this & no one to help me / us. Don't think I'll sleep tonight anyway, plus DD is in my bed & has said she wants music on all night as mice don't like noise.

Thinking back, the other day I saw the cat sniffing at a new doorway to the extension which hasn't been fully plastered yet so possibly open to the void. I thought she was just being weird. And I remember waking about 2-3am a couple of months ago & hearing something which sounded like something was moving possibly in the loft (I never go in there) but I was half asleep & after I'd got up to try to place it, it stopped, didn't hear it again so I'd forgotten about it.

@Stomacharmeleon

Well after this thread I have been proactive and ; Phoned orbit and made official complaint about tile (missing for three years) in roof.

Spoken to environmental health who said they would deal with Ratatouille in my walls!

Spoke to housing about substandard accommodation and lovely houses being left to rot by housing association.

Thank you again!

That's brilliant, well done you. Hope you get sorted ASAP!

I feel your pain OP. I saw a mouse in our kitchen on Friday - running along one of the kickboards. Yuck.

We found it’s entry point (just had new pipes installed to put washing machine in the airing cupboard, and there was a small hole left around there) confirmed by a scattering of mouse poo so we filled it with wire wool and set snap traps and put poison down. The little fucker has evaded us since and I haven’t seen any other signs but all I’ve dreamt about since Friday is bloody mice.

We’re in a 3rd floor modern flat so the walls are all studwork and everything is a bit crap and flimsy. Im totally convinced it’s hiding in a wall or has found another hole left by the builders to use to come in and out. It’s horrid waiting to see proof of its extermination but I don’t think I’ll relax until I see dead mouse/mice

The bastard rat. We put traps around the gaps we were aware of. He’s avoided them all and instead has now popped out of a gap around pipe to our bath and eaten my soap.

I am so miserable about it.

Your rat might have learned to avoid the traps, if he has seen a dead rat in a trap he'll avoid that type. If you have wooden snap traps switch to metal, or try a bin trap.

@SantaHat

The bastard rat. We put traps around the gaps we were aware of. He’s avoided them all and instead has now popped out of a gap around pipe to our bath and eaten my soap.

I am so miserable about it.

They will actually eat anything! Was it a fruity soap? I've read that rats like fruit a lot.

I hope someone buys you an extra fancy new soap for Christmas 🎁

Thanks Storm. It was a posh, Italian Lilac soap :(

More traps of different kinds with different baits now set. I hate the feeling of being unsafe and violated in my house. I know it’s ridiculous but it’s been a really shit few weeks and this is just the cherry on top.

@StormCattitude

double3xposure omg your curtains! I'm yet to find any signs in the actual house but your curtains are unmissable. Hope they weren't your favourites.

Thank you. They were not my favourite and they are quite old but the windows are tall so I’d have to get new ones made, I can’t buy that length off the shelf. And that’s not in the budget right now.

They also ate holes in 3 dresses and about 8 t shirts and fleeces that were hanging on the lower rail In the wardrobe. Wee bastards.

@StormCattitude how are you getting on?
Any more noises? I honestly thought we'd never get rid of ours and after almost a year on I still freeze everytime I hear an unusual noise but so far so good. There was a time that we could actually hear them squealing as they were 'playing'in the roofspace
I feel your pain

Contacted my council. They couldn't / wouldn't come out to treat unless I know what I'm dealing with. Since I'd not seen them, I couldn't get help. Madness. Only ever heard the beasts above the living room ceiling once every few days for a minute or so.

Anyway, I've just been sorting through Christmas bits in the extension side room & found the attached photo evidence. Under a bag which contained bars of choc, one of which has been half eaten. So pretty conclusive for mice?? F*&k.

Best way to clean the area? This was in a bag with things I'd bought for Christmas. Do I need to throw everything (some edible but doesn't look to be touched) or wipe over with disinfectant? Money is tight 😔 Can't remember if I opened that kitchen roll pack or they did it. That Plenty was a Christmas treat to myself over the usual cheap kitchen roll. The swines.

My old house was a new build in the country. OMG fucking god it kept me awake for nights. Numerous mice traps -then we had rats. We killed hundreds over the years -rats -they caught 26 in 7 days - we lived right on fields and it drove us and the neighbours insane.

We had no gaps -pest control in -and ever 6 months they were back!

I think those poos look too big for mice :(

@OhYouBadBadKitten

I think those poos look too big for mice :(

Whaaaaat?! 🤢😭

They're about 0.5cm which is more mouse sized..? Though I'm not sure if one is better to have than the other. Both horrendous. Booked in council pest control for tm now I have evidence it's mice / rats. Currently racing about like a nutter clearing jumk that's sat for years, to allow less hiding places for the rodents & more wriggle room for traps. Makes me realise I'm such a hoarder which absolutely hasn't helped once vermin have arrived. I've had a little weep this aft. Trying to focus & be practical now.

Believe me you'd know if you had rats - they are bold , you'd see one . We had them in an old office in London , they'd look you right in the eye without flinching ! That packet would have been pretty much destroyed if it was rats .
I've had mice - pull out the fridge if you can - they huddle at the back for warmth . you'd see poo there .
Every time you find poo , bleach the area . make sure all your food is in tight containers and get those plug ins to deter them ( check if safe for cats)
If you remove all their incentive for being there they should go away .
bleach the floors and skirting boards where they leave their scent. Little buggers I hate them

Definitely mice poo. Also the shredding. I get them every every year, usually coming in through an ill fitting original wood barn style door in to the under stairs cupboards - that’s exactly the kind of evidence they leave behind! The ‘good’ news is mice are more likely to be caught on humane traps (we use a bit of chocolate to bait) as they are very inquisitive - whereas rats are wary and avoid new things.

It looked bigger than that, you have a good camera, sorry for scaring you!

Try not to stress OP, it will be ok, and get sorted out

Well now my tile is down ratty ratticus and mukkas are frenzied above me in the cavities.... oh the joy.
And it keeps setting the dog off. Am going to ring environmental health tomorrow :/

They LOVE mars bars!!

Worth a try?

Stomacharmeleon that sounds like torture, listening to that. At least they aren't inside your house, small mercy.

I've set up 2 traps now I know where they've been in the house, it's literally steps across the landing from where we sleep. Eek. Does anyone know when they catch a beastie, is it noisy? Thinking whether the mouse screams. It could be especially traumatic for the DC getting woken by that.

A good technique is to make popcorn in the evening. They can't resist the smell and will come out! Then have your traps ready.

They don't scream. You won't hear any noise apart from "SNAP"… unless the mouse isn't caught properly (i.e., the trap doesn't break its neck). Then you'll hear it thrashing around for a while. If it goes on for too long you might want to get up and help it on its way. This normally only happens if it's a very small mouse and the trap is too big.

I've just dealt with this. I heard rustling in the loft, then saw a mouse one day we came back late.

The only way out from the wall cavity into the house was via the bath panel - I was putting a new one on.

I bought a bait station from the supermarket for £5, put it under the bath and refilled it twice. No more rustling noises.

I cut the creepers back from the house as well. The only way mice could get into the loft that I could find was up the outside of the house and in, under the slates.

Having palpitations. Just caught a live one in my kitchen. Mouse.

Was in a box of tinned food that I'd also had some double-bagged bread flour in. It's been munching on that. The cat alerted me this morn being very inquisitive around the area. Managed to throw a lid on the box so it's trapped. At least pest control can see exactly what they're dealing with now as the traps upstairs caught nothing.

I'm in shock!

Oh you are very brave !

@Double3xposure

Oh you are very brave !

I don't feel it! Still feel woosey from it!

Running out of boxes for things they might nibble too. Arrggh. Would they go for bags of crisps?