Weird scratching noises in the loft

WellyMan

WellyMan

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We keep hearing scratching noises in the loft but whenever I go up there's no signs of birds or rodents. Because I read The Exorcist years ago and the first signs of something happening is sounds in the attic it freaks me out every time I go up in our loft!
 
I had my husband dismantle the fire surround once because I heard scratching, he found a bird that had fallen down the chimney.
 
Pearl said:
I had my husband dismantle the fire surround once because I heard scratching, he found a bird that had fallen down the chimney.
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Mrs WM thinks it could be a bird in the chimney which sounds like it's in the loft. We're hoping to get the chimney capped next year because when it's windy it makes loads of noise down the vent (the house doesn't have a fireplace). We know that some small birds nest in the gable end of the house where they get in a gap by the plastic fascia.
 
Graham said:
When you go up the loft look for droppings or evidence of chewing. Dont forget the garlic & crucifix though!
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I'm also listening out in case Mrs WM starts levitating from the bed and saying "The sow is mine" ☺
 
Get some poison or traps up there - you don't want your electrical wiring to be chewed.
 
I have exactly the same problem, it's almost certainly going to be mice. I suggest getting the plastic traps and using peanut butter as bait, we catch at least one a week. We've had the council & a pest control company out and they say it's inevitable in the countryside and something we need to live with!
 
I once had a squirrel living in the bottom of my chimney. I had been hearing scratching up and down the chimney for a long time, and then noticed that the door to the clean-out in the cellar was unlatched and saw the end of a twig moving up and down the opening. I called the sweep to clean it out and install a screen and cap at the top. That afternoon there was a very angry squirrel running back and forth on the roof and jumping down on a small roof over a door, which was within jumping distance of a screened window, trying to get in the house. It gave up after a while, thank goodness.
 
Barrychuckle said:
I have exactly the same problem, it's almost certainly going to be mice. I suggest getting the plastic traps and using peanut butter as bait, we catch at least one a week. We've had the council & a pest control company out and they say it's inevitable in the countryside and something we need to live with!
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That's one thing I'd never want to live with, I hate anything with a tail.
 
We had that problem. Mice were chewing/breaking off overgrown/sharpening their teeth on wood joists.

Pest control put a few poison boxes up there but said it would be a few days/weeks before results apparent. It did work though.

An item I ordered but have yet to use are the inaudible "sonic" repellents. Be careful that you don't have hamsters/guinea pigs (maybe ferrets?) that those can harm.
 
Very interesting fact about both mice and rats is their teeth continually grow so they have to gnaw on wood etc or their teeth would get too long and pierce their mouths. I wouldn't allow the pest control man to put poison in our loft as they are food for barn owls where I live and that can kill the owls if they eat poisoned mice.
 
WellyMan said:
We keep hearing scratching noises in the loft but whenever I go up there's no signs of birds or rodents. Because I read The Exorcist years ago and the first signs of something happening is sounds in the attic it freaks me out every time I go up in our loft!
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Go up there and stay for a while so as to look carefully for bird or rodent signs. Remember that this is man against nature. Can you set a trap? Can you call an exterminator? He has had much experience with this sort of thing and can figure it out, find where the bird or rodent is entering, etc. Or if there is no other evidence of bird or rodent egress and they're not in the house, (just in the loft) just live with it.
 
Barrychuckle said:
Dogs & Cats too? :eek:
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Tiny things with tails, I like cats but I'm afraid of dogs. My granddaughter wanted a hamster so we went to the pet shop and they gave us a chose between 2 varieties, we asked what the difference was and she said one has a tail and the other doesn't I screamed " no tail!! NO TAILl!!! "
 
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