strange noise from loft

[stinkypants]

what could it be:
-started about 2-3 weeks ago
-night time
-tapping, vibrating type noise lasts for a -couple of seonds, pause, repeat, over and over, then long gap, then starts again
-no visible evidence of anything in the daytime
Any thoughts?, driving us potty!!

Bats?

death watch beetle i expect

do any of you feel ill?

We need to know what you know is in your loft so we can check off the list. Any hot water tank, etc?
Can you see any daylight when you look in the loft - is the roof sound?

Birds.

I used to keep rats and when they were scratching their little selves, up behind the ear with a hind leg, like a cat does, their heel would bang aginst the side of the tank and make a little vibrating noise for a few seconds, then they pause, eat whatever they have found under their claws/nails, then scratch again. :)

Loved 'em I did.

Your description fits it exactly.

In my house, the noises come from under the floorboards....

Mad axe murder with a lot of patience.

HTH

Bats; birds; or squirrels.

If you're in the Bucks/Herts area it could be "glis glis" here. They're little buggers and you'll need to get rid quickly if it is them!

Could be <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=lh3.ggpht.com/_x2LrDZQFGdA/SD6qAC18bAI/AAAAAAAAAKI/i8sRwMnK0U0/bat%2Bt%2Bshirt.jpg&imgrefurl=picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hB2KhrsAQn3Vub65kK9avA&usg=__bgWQmmaROK3azOIL6RVcs7JV2_U=&h=890&w=900&sz=65&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=2lbFaoxQ50d1KM:&tbnh=154&tbnw=155&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmumsnet%2Bbat%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1362%26bih%3D595%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=131&vpy=71&dur=124&hovh=223&hovw=226&tx=134&ty=119&ei=9-3qTMazEYqxhAe8jrXGDA&oei=9-3qTMazEYqxhAe8jrXGDA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this....?

Rats.

Father Christmas and the reindeers planning their route?

I had a funny noise in one of our chimneys last week. It stopped. Now there is a funny smell

Methinks whatever was living in my chimney has left the building.

I lived in a scummy house in Camberwell as a student and we really did have rats in the attic. The waste pipe didn't have one of those little wire upside down basket things on the top of it and they were getting in that way. I used to lie in bed listening to them scurry - it was hideous.

But it was definately scurrying rather than tapping.

Ooh Ohhh I know morse code mouse

Pipes?

Google 'water hammer'.

Or.....it's a ghost. Or a zombie.

lady of the flowers,. hilarious. thankyou.
oh gosh you'vew all freaked me out - thought it was something SMALL at least and hoping 6 or 2 legs, not 4!! arghhhhh! gonna have to call some professionals i think...
there is a water tank, loads of stuff really. out in the countryside but not those counties mentioned above.
hope it IS the big FC and his friend R.

Squirrel- they come in this time of year.

We have bats. I can't tell DD(3) as she's horrified by bats having seen some when we were on holiday. There is no way I can mention that they're lodging in the loft...

Good luck!

We had mice in our attic last year. I was scared stupid it was rats because they were nocturnal and bloody noisy.
The pest control man said definitely mice with clogs on not rats
Have you been to investigate? If squirrels they will have totally wrecked anything up there. If mice or rats you will see droppings (size will indicate which animal type)

We have bats, they don't make a lot of noise. And certainly not tapping.

Keep an eye on your electrics for flickering and if there are rodents up there, do go up and have a look for damage to cables. A lot of loft fires are caused by critters merrily scoffing the wiring.

DH just informed me there is some torn felt between the slate and the roof batons - does that help?

Yep - things can get in...

oh wow really? must get up there pronto, will be sending him up the ladder first thing.

It's me MWHAHAHAHAH MWHAHAHAHAHA

wow really bout the fires that is

jaq you're not my DH's freaky ex are you? (-;