Scurrying sound in house - ( +VIDEO)
Discussion
My second post in tihs forum today, things are going well aren't they.
This is a sound I have heard before a couple of months ago upstairs. A slight but hurried scurrying. However this evening I overheard it whilst the TV was on and it was pretty bloody noisy. I rarely hear this it must be said, but have heard it enough now to post up. Were talking around 5 times in 6 months, plus I am awake at all hours due to shifts so thats no bad going considering.
This sound sounds like it is coming from the walls. Tonight (just now) and still as I type, I can hear it and it sounds like whatever it is is in a panic. Very fast and sudden scurryings. I am thinking mice...
A video of it here... you can hear it at the very start and then at the end. 3/4 of the way through when I tap the ceiling 3 times, then you can also hear it. I have checked the flat roof above but there is nothing on it.
Video Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV9cq4Ks0h8
Can anyone identify what it is, what risk it presents and what do to about it? There are no obvious entrances into the building work but I am terraced.
This is a sound I have heard before a couple of months ago upstairs. A slight but hurried scurrying. However this evening I overheard it whilst the TV was on and it was pretty bloody noisy. I rarely hear this it must be said, but have heard it enough now to post up. Were talking around 5 times in 6 months, plus I am awake at all hours due to shifts so thats no bad going considering.
This sound sounds like it is coming from the walls. Tonight (just now) and still as I type, I can hear it and it sounds like whatever it is is in a panic. Very fast and sudden scurryings. I am thinking mice...
A video of it here... you can hear it at the very start and then at the end. 3/4 of the way through when I tap the ceiling 3 times, then you can also hear it. I have checked the flat roof above but there is nothing on it.
Video Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV9cq4Ks0h8
Can anyone identify what it is, what risk it presents and what do to about it? There are no obvious entrances into the building work but I am terraced.
In this country the only scurrying creatures that commonly get into houses are rats, mice, borrowers and squirrels. Assume the worst and get someone to in to lay traps (not poison) and make sure you get them back in quick when you hear a trap go off. They may well notice other things if they have a look around.
Unless it's a family of Albanians who have moved into your loft without you noticing.
Unless it's a family of Albanians who have moved into your loft without you noticing.
We had the same sort of thing and it was mice. Council put bait up there quite a while back and we don't get repeat offenders or a smell.
Also occasionally get birds up there so I need to find that gap. At least they seem to find their own way out or starve quite quickly as it never lasts long.
Also occasionally get birds up there so I need to find that gap. At least they seem to find their own way out or starve quite quickly as it never lasts long.
Because you said over 6 months, i'd go with rats too, i remember having a bird of some sort fall down a chimney and get stuck behind a bricked up fireplace.
you'd hear it trying to escape occasionally over a few days, then silence again.
on the bright side, it didn't stink, and it hasn't become a ghost either.
you'd hear it trying to escape occasionally over a few days, then silence again.
on the bright side, it didn't stink, and it hasn't become a ghost either.
FourWheelDrift said:
In this country the only scurrying creatures that commonly get into houses are rats, mice, borrowers and squirrels. Assume the worst and get someone to in to lay traps (not poison) and make sure you get them back in quick when you hear a trap go off. They may well notice other things if they have a look around.
Unless it's a family of Albanians who have moved into your loft without you noticing.
Don`t know about you old son but when I get a borrower on the doorstep I usually make sure they`ve gone before I shut the door. Unless it's a family of Albanians who have moved into your loft without you noticing.
Something scary got into my mother's house last year. She's almost blind so it terrified her for 2-3 days, running about the house at random and knocking over a large glass vase that was on a landing windowsill. It also chewed up the window frame quite alarmingly.
So big brave me went over to investigate and searched the house. The last place I searched was a built-in wardrobe full of clothes. As I was on all fours poking around with a stick, something about the size of a cat ran past me. I looked up and there was a massive great squirrel sitting on the stairs. Eventually shooed it out. I can only think it fell down the chimney.
So big brave me went over to investigate and searched the house. The last place I searched was a built-in wardrobe full of clothes. As I was on all fours poking around with a stick, something about the size of a cat ran past me. I looked up and there was a massive great squirrel sitting on the stairs. Eventually shooed it out. I can only think it fell down the chimney.
Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 1st March 22:49
Silent again now, what puzzles me is the time gaps. I heard a scurrying late 2009 in the loft then forgot about it. I have never heard it as clear as that before, and not in the kitchen either.
The space above the kitchen is a very small one, it is ceiling below flat roof, thats it! No gaps or entrances I can see but then we are terraced so who knows. Will call council tommorow and if that doesn't work maybe a Rentokill job!
The space above the kitchen is a very small one, it is ceiling below flat roof, thats it! No gaps or entrances I can see but then we are terraced so who knows. Will call council tommorow and if that doesn't work maybe a Rentokill job!
there will be small gap where electrical wiring has been run between the joists and probably from the main part of the house into the extension ,sounds like the noise I had when we had mice under the boards ,little 
got up the cavity then under the boards
although yours sound like they have hobnail boots on
mouse trap placed under the boards with chocolate as a bait got all 3 of them
can you lift a board easily enough somewhere ?
got up the cavity then under the boards although yours sound like they have hobnail boots on
mouse trap placed under the boards with chocolate as a bait got all 3 of them
can you lift a board easily enough somewhere ?
I had something similar a few years back in a newish build 3 storey town-house with an integral garage. The little blighters had got in through the gap at the bottom of the garage door, squeezed through a 1cm wide gap in the boxing for the soil pipe and climbed 3 stories and found themselves in the loft where they were stuck. They proceeded to run around and eat the trusses making a sound not dissimilar to what's on your video at annoying times of night.
As we hadn't had any food eaten or seen any droppings I was convinced it was squirrels or birds. So I bought the biggest traps I could find covered them in seeds and peanut butter and found 2 of these guys..
never has something so small made so much noise.
Buy some traps, bird, squirrel, mouse, rat can all meet the same springy demise... something like this http://www.rentokil.co.uk/residential-customers/di...
As we hadn't had any food eaten or seen any droppings I was convinced it was squirrels or birds. So I bought the biggest traps I could find covered them in seeds and peanut butter and found 2 of these guys..
never has something so small made so much noise.
Buy some traps, bird, squirrel, mouse, rat can all meet the same springy demise... something like this http://www.rentokil.co.uk/residential-customers/di...
Ive had mice for 3 years.Just cant get rid of them.Ive caught 8-10 this year and the house has only been up 8 years.
I had a rat in a rental and poisoned it.Had to rip up the floor boards to remove it as it stunk like a dead body had been intered under the floor.
If its a semi or a terrace, it could be coming in from next door,especially if its old.
They can climb up the cavity and into the roof and into the floor space as well.
I had a rat in a rental and poisoned it.Had to rip up the floor boards to remove it as it stunk like a dead body had been intered under the floor.
If its a semi or a terrace, it could be coming in from next door,especially if its old.
They can climb up the cavity and into the roof and into the floor space as well.
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