Rat in the attic

annaindundalk

Hi everyone. It's just myself and my little one here in our new house and I just heard what sounded like an animal scurrying in the ceiling. My face just turned white with fear. The insulation in the attic had been pulled back so I could here it loud and clear. Are we ok sleeping in the house for the night? I have a toddler so I'm quite worried. BTW Sorry I couldn't find the appropriate topic.

ardinn

annaindundalk wrote: »

Hi everyone. It's just myself and my little one here in our new house and I just heard what sounded like an animal scurrying in the ceiling. My face just turned white with fear. The insulation in the attic had been pulled back so I could here it loud and clear. Are we ok sleeping in the house for the night? I have a toddler so I'm quite worried. BTW Sorry I couldn't find the appropriate topic.

You'l be grand - it's at worst a rat - no need to move out or anything - get some stuff and lob it up in the attic tomorrow!

It's probably a ghost though!

pablo128

annaindundalk wrote: »

Hi everyone. It's just myself and my little one here in our new house and I just heard what sounded like an animal scurrying in the ceiling. My face just turned white with fear. The insulation in the attic had been pulled back so I could here it loud and clear. Are we ok sleeping in the house for the night? I have a toddler so I'm quite worried. BTW Sorry I couldn't find the appropriate topic.

The rat will not come down to attack you, trust me! You need to get a rat trap tomorrow and tie it or nail it to something. An attic joist will do. If the trap is not secured the rat could drag it around if it's not properly caught in it and you might not find the bugger then.

If you know someone with a cat you could ask them could you put it in the attic for the night?

DANNY2014

Have you seen a rat??? A mouse can sound like an elephant in the attic... It could be a mouse and Worse case scenario a rat... Have a look for droppings and determine which trap you need...

RayM

It's very possibly just a mouse. Weirdly, they're louder than you expect them to be. Rats are even less sociable (with humans) than mice, so it's unlikely to come anywhere near you. Don't worry.

Alternatively, at this time of year, it could be a bird.

(and sometimes, contrary to what everyone tells you, it can just be one mouse - I know from experience)

ardinn

Or a Velociraptor!

annaindundalk

ardinn wrote: »

You'l be grand - it's at worst a rat - no need to move out or anything - get some stuff and lob it up in the attic tomorrow!

It's probably a ghost though!

Lol oh Lord I think I'd prefere a ghost actually, thanks for replying.

BorneTobyWilde

I've never seen a cat catch a rat yet. Is it a myth? I dunno.

DANNY2014

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I've never seen a cat catch a rat yet. Is it a myth? I dunno.

Ya want a lil terrier for rats...

BorneTobyWilde

Must be a way in, usually an obvious hole.

RayM

I had a mouse in my house a couple of years ago (he/she was ridiculously cute, so I couldn't bring myself to use conventional traps). I'm pretty sure it came in through the electricity meter box, which was blown open by the wind (the hole where the wires go into the house was easily wide enough for a mouse to fit through). Alternatively, they can crawl through air vents. I'd almost bet money that you've got a mouse and not a rat.

annaindundalk

DANNY2014 wrote: »

Have you seen a rat??? A mouse can sound like an elephant in the attic... It could be a mouse and Worse case scenario a rat... Have a look for droppings and determine which trap you need...

Far too scared now to even open the attic door. And to think I had it open for a good half hour the other day. ;(

annaindundalk

RayM wrote: »

It's very possibly just a mouse. Weirdly, they're louder than you expect them to be. Rats are even less sociable (with humans) than mice, so it's unlikely to come anywhere near you. Don't worry.

Alternatively, at this time of year, it could be a bird.

(and sometimes, contrary to what everyone tells you, it can just be one mouse - I know from experience)

Actually now that you mention that the other day when I was putting things into the attic I thought I actually heard a bird but I forgot about it. Not too worried about a bird but then last night it sounded just like something running across the floor.

DANNY2014

annaindundalk wrote: »

but then last night it sounded just like something running across the floor.

Sounds definitely like a mouse to me... Get a trap and put a bit of chocolate on it and if you don't want to go into the attic just open the door and just leave it in set... Birds aren't too bad sometimes they can make there way out again but have ya ever smelt a dead bird in the attic(not nice)...

SmartinMartin

This time of year it's most likely to be starlings nesting. Noisy hoors, and love attics. No matter what I do I can't get rid of the feckers, same time every year.

fred funk }{

SmartinMartin wrote: »

This time of year it's most likely to be starlings nesting. Noisy hoors, and love attics. No matter what I do I can't get rid of the feckers, same time every year.

Surely you can find where they're getting in. A birds entrance is a lot easier to close off than a rodents.

Right2Write

If it is rodents, best to try and have them trapped. You can get poison but then they'll die up there more than likely and the smell and flies will be unattractive.

Day Lewin

Ah, another appearance of the Dundalk Demon!

It tramps around in attics until it has eaten fifty spiders. Then it morphs into a large bat and flies to the next attic.
Don't worry, it's usually only a week or so before it's had enough. You could try feeding it spiders to make it go away sooner.

Only joking...couldn't resist... ;-)

okedoke

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I've never seen a cat catch a rat yet. Is it a myth? I dunno.

I had a cat before that regularly caught rats outside and brought them into the house (dead and alive)

Day Lewin

Cats can catch baby rats, and regularly do. It can be hard to tell them apart from the mice.

An adult rat is a good size and and only a large, strong cat would tackle one.

gizmo81

I was worried about this too. We heard scurrying in the attic but it seemed bigger than a mouse. Then we noticed we've got magpies nesting, looks like they are going in under a tile.

So don't worry too much have a look if there are any birds flying in and out.

annaindundalk wrote: »

Hi everyone. It's just myself and my little one here in our new house and I just heard what sounded like an animal scurrying in the ceiling. My face just turned white with fear. The insulation in the attic had been pulled back so I could here it loud and clear. Are we ok sleeping in the house for the night? I have a toddler so I'm quite worried. BTW Sorry I couldn't find the appropriate topic.

annaindundalk

Day Lewin wrote: »

Ah, another appearance of the Dundalk Demon!

It tramps around in attics until it has eaten fifty spiders. Then it morphs into a large bat and flies to the next attic.
Don't worry, it's usually only a week or so before it's had enough. You could try feeding it spiders to make it go away sooner.

Only joking...couldn't resist... ;-)

Lol oh that's creepy