Noise between the floors - but what critter?

cb123

Not sure if this is the place, direct me if not.

Living in the countryside, surrounded by farms and unfortunately critters are apart of life. We occasionally find them in the compost and running along the walls and are no bother.

Over the past six months we've been hearing sounds between the floors. This can happen at any time, day or night. At the beginning we thought it may be a bird as it sounds flappy but as time has gone on we're thinking other critters such as rats, but we only ever hear one running. The sounds is heavy, and very fast and as mentioned sometimes sounds flappy or like dragging. We never hear any gnawing, chewing or scratching which I find odd. There is no evidence of droppings or food being disturbed in house (I think this is thanks to our two cats).

Do we have a solo diurnal rat, or a gang that takes turns coming and going? and if so what to do, it's between the floors and we cannot get to it without ripping up them up. Any advice would be appreciated. The sound is driving me up the walls.

Stigura

Which county?

GinSoaked

Stigura wrote: »

Which county?

Come on, you're the expert, when I saw you'd posted in this thread I expected more than that

The Red Ace

Assuming it is a rat or maybe even worse a pine marten you need to find where the entry point is because regardless of what is in there they need to get out for water so this entry point needs to be closed off. Often rats get in where water waste pipes are badly finished off in outside walls. If you have turf it is a natural hiding place so get the bait down

Stigura

I've got a well enough educated suspicion. But, location is relevant

JustAThought

speaking as someone who in different jobs worked from rambling okd converted houses and had RATS and bloody mice TWICE I can guarantee you you do not want the stench of bait dead rats or mice in your hiuse. Far better to live with an unbearable noise than an unbearable smell. And no- it does not fade.

My neighbour has starlings living inside the plaster wall between their roof and their bedroom/landing. The access is too
high so they live with it. You would never imagine it is possible for the birds to fly in there - or deairable - there are trees outside!

It could be a bat which could explain the odd noise - protected. Also I think pine martins are on the extinction list so not good to be killing them either.

Where you have one rat you usually have lots more - same with mice. Could it be a bird or bat or pinemartin?

I found those two level frequency plug in things plugs do really work - I hear they make
them for teenagers now too! you can usually get them in hardware shops. Well worth a try before anything else. They are about e15. Try the mouse/rat ones.

cb123

Stigura wrote: »

Which county?

South Kilkenny, near the Waterford boarder.

cb123

The Red Ace wrote: »

Assuming it is a rat or maybe even worse a pine marten you need to find where the entry point is because regardless of what is in there they need to get out for water so this entry point needs to be closed off. Often rats get in where water waste pipes are badly finished off in outside walls. If you have turf it is a natural hiding place so get the bait down

Unfortunately closing off the entry points would be impossible. ****ty built house, it would be quicker to knock it down and start again.

GinSoaked

Hopefully off topic but while checking Pine Marting distribution I found this useful info https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/pine-marten-in-houses.pdf .

cb123

JustAThought wrote: »

speaking as someone who in different jobs worked from rambling okd converted houses and had RATS and bloody mice TWICE I can guarantee you you do not want the stench of bait dead rats or mice in your hiuse. Far better to live with an unbearable noise than an unbearable smell. And no- it does not fade.

My neighbour has starlings living inside the plaster wall between their roof and their bedroom/landing. The access is too
high so they live with it. You would never imagine it is possible for the birds to fly in there - or deairable - there are trees outside!

It could be a bat which could explain the odd noise - protected. Also I think pine martins are on the extinction list so not good to be killing them either.

Where you have one rat you usually have lots more - same with mice. Could it be a bird or bat or pinemartin?

I found those two level frequency plug in things plugs do really work - I hear they make
them for teenagers now too! you can usually get them in hardware shops. Well worth a try before anything else. They are about e15. Try the mouse/rat ones.

The attached surrounding sheds are full of swallows and birds but they've only returned. For the most part. This bugger has been here for a while. Though our first thought was bird. So maybe.

Bats, we did consider it but I presume these would be nocturnal so ruled it out.

We have one of those frequency plugs. Uses the electrics and a sonic sound but unfortunately due to the cats we can't use the sonic part and it seems useless.

Your right about the smell. I would rather live with the sound. I'm just worried if it's getting to other places in the house such as the water tank. Really don't want to be brushing my teeth with critter water.

cb123

GinSoaked wrote: »

Hopefully off topic but while checking Pine Marting distribution I found this useful info https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/pine-marten-in-houses.pdf .

Very interesting. Never seen a pine marten around but it would make sense.

cb123

Want to add a few more things, that might be useful to identifying the critter;

It definitely has a path or habit of going the same way.

It's located in the upper floor of the house, sitting ceiling/bedroom floor (Thankfully we can't hear it from the bedroom)

I thought it was just in that room, but I was informed by my partner last night that he hears it in his adjoining office.


It has definitely gotten heavier over the pass few months. - Update: My partners thinks it sounds hollow and not heavy.

There is no smell, that I'm aware of and the only annoyance we have is the sound.

Nothing more so far. No evidence of anything in the house. The cats listen to the sound when it's happening but don't seem too interested and one in particular is an prolific hunter.

Stigura

CB; Yep. Retired now