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Something crazy is in our attic

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  • May 2nd, 2019 11:54 pm
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Member
Oct 3, 2012
233 posts
50 upvotes
GTA

Something crazy is in our attic

It moves around at all hours of the night. Sounds like light tapping then some rustling. I am afraid to open the hatch and have a look ...
Are mice typically noisy up there? It's not crazy noisy like something heavy would be, like a racoon.
This attic creature is most definitely nocturnal.
I know that when I finally have a look up there that it will likely go into hiding but I'm worried that it will escape through the hatch and into my house!

What do I do?
26 replies
Deal Fanatic
Feb 4, 2010
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Hmm seems pretty obvious but why not call a professional to have a look and safely remove the animal?
Deal Addict
Feb 16, 2013
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Most likely a squirrel. Mice are stealthy.
Could also be a boa constrictor or Chupacabra.
Call some1.
....
Newbie
Jun 12, 2017
37 posts
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put a cell phone on a selfie stick and pop it through the attic hatch with the flashlight on...that's how i discovered my raccoon...
Sr. Member
Feb 10, 2008
656 posts
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Toronto
If it's at night, it's likely a mouse or mice. And yes, they can be crazy loud! Squirrels sleep at night.

Before you call an exterminator, pick up some rat/mouse poison pellets from the hardware store (either loose or in packets). Open up the attic hatch (during the day if you are scared), and toss a couple of handfuls of pellets into the attic. The mouse will be dead and dried up in a couple of days. It won't however stop more from coming in...but you can either repeat each time, or try to find the hole(s) they are getting into the attic from and seal it up.
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Mar 9, 2007
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Jul 3, 2017
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If it's a night, it's a raccoon, rat or mouse. Squirrels are active during the day.

It's hard to interpret the size of the creature from some stealthy rustling, but mice are generally very small and quiet unless they are chewing through something. Raccoons tend to have several dens scattered throughout their territory and they rotate between them, so if the noise is there every night, it's less likely to be a raccoon.

Do not attempt to use poison pellets. First of all most rodents are now resistant to warfarin, the most common approved ingredient in pest poisons, because it was over-used and they adapted. And a raccoon would have to gorge on warfarin daily for a month to have any effect (read the fine print on the label about size of pest and dose required). And worst of all, if you did manage to kill a mouse or rat, it would then rot in your attic or inside your walls and stink up the place.

So what you should do is:

1. Go up there in the day and take a look around. See if there's any obvious damage or droppings, and check where they might getting in.

2. If you can, block the place they are getting in during the day, and they won't be back. Make sure you use metal (metal plate plus wire mesh etc.), because rodents can chew through wood, and raccoons are strong enough to rip out most barriers, and they can be very persistent. Professional pest controllers will often place a one-way door over the opening for larger animals like raccoons to make sure they can leave but can't come back.

3. Place traps. Traps are way more effective than poison for mice and rats. But a raccoon trap is bigger and more expensive and harder to use, and you'll have to deal with a trapped live animal, so you might want to get professional pest control advice if it comes to trapping a raccoon.
Deal Addict
Feb 25, 2007
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I had a very similar situation few years ago, I went up to the attic to have a look and couldn't find anything, it really bug me for those couple of weeks, then it hit me, its the wind, one of the vent cover things was loose, got that tighten and never heard the noise again, I felt so silly

yours could be different and actually may have an animal
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Dec 26, 2005
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cowbunpants wrote: Most likely a squirrel. Mice are stealthy.
Could also be a boa constrictor or Chupacabra.
Call some1.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4695012/

How does your roof look? Easy to access soffits? Near-by trees? Do you hear them running on your roof at night? Raccoons can easily lift soffits and get in.

bjl
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Feb 11, 2007
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As other said, could be anything from mice to racoons. If you're not brave enough to look yourself, have a brave friend take a look or hire an exterminator ASAP before the problem gets worse.
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Jul 3, 2017
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soupmaster666 wrote: Trapped raccoons are terrifying. They have razor sharp claws and teeth, they bark, they'll charge you, etc. If you trap one outside they'll move the cage until they're up against something, then destroy that thing.
Wow, are you sure you didn't trap a wolverine? :)

I've trapped lots of raccoons. They will tear away at the ground or surface underneath the cage trying to get out, and they will snarl at you when you approach, but they can snarl all they want - they're going for a long ride. I've even had them charge at me after I opened the cage door to release them, but it's all show - they back off and run away fast if you move toward them.

The real problem is skunks! They frequent the same territory as raccoons, and they're a whole lot dumber and more likely to go into a cage if it's on the ground (skunks don't like to climb). I've seen animal handlers move skunks in cages no problem by just being calm and not agitating them, but that doesn't seem to work around here - they're quick to alert and spray if you approach the cage. I generally wait a few hours into the morning until they get drowsy, then approach from a blind angle, pop the cage open fast, and retreat quickly so as not to catch any spray. Sometimes they will spray a little if they are startled or giving warning, so you don't want a cage that might catch a skunk right up against your house. Keep in mind that skunks prefer to spray forward by raising their tails and spraying over their heads, not backwards like you see in cartoons.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 5, 2009
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Almost certainly mice. Sounds like it.

Squirrels are not active at night.
Raccoons would be way more loud.

Poke your head up there and look for trails and holes in the insulation. Don't worry about them jumping out. they are very afraid of humans and very good at hiding and not being seen. Also they mostly sleep during the day.
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Jul 3, 2017
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fdl wrote: Poke your head up there and look for trails and holes in the insulation. Don't worry about them jumping out. they are very afraid of humans and very good at hiding and not being seen.
Sounds like every horror movie ever made - the quiet scene before the screaming and the gore starts...
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Oct 23, 2008
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Likely mice...

Or a Duppy!
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Jan 17, 2002
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Get it dealt with before the possibility of babies and lots of feces.
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Mar 14, 2006
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I would guess racoons or mice...have a professional look at it..otherwise could cause damages in future.
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Dec 11, 2005
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Julypop wrote: It moves around at all hours of the night. Sounds like light tapping then some rustling. I am afraid to open the hatch and have a look ...
Are mice typically noisy up there? It's not crazy noisy like something heavy would be, like a racoon.
This attic creature is most definitely nocturnal.
I know that when I finally have a look up there that it will likely go into hiding but I'm worried that it will escape through the hatch and into my house!

What do I do?
Sorry to bring back this thread from last year. I thought I'd ask how did you dealt with the situation and what did the find?

We have a similar noise coming from the roof, can't tell if something is in our roof or attic. My neighbor came to be asking about the noise ( felt like someone jumping in our attic) and at times the noise sounded like: someone putting the box down.....
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