Pest control (rodent in the attic)

[wizards8507]

Okay guys, I'm stumped. There's some kind of critter living in my attic and I can't for the life of me figure out how to get it out of there. My challenge is that a human being can't actually get IN my attic. There's a trap door where you can stick your head in, look around, and maybe get some boxes up there, but this is on the far side of the house from the noise so I can't physically get to the area where the noise is coming from. It's just a bed of insulation with no catwalk to crawl across, and the entrance is too small to get any plywood up to make one. Even the building inspector couldn't figure out how to inspect up there when we bought the house a few months ago. I hate to pay for a professional for something as simple as trapping or poisoning a few rodents.

 

[RyCo1983]

The rodent will actively seek out any bait you put up there.
Set some old fashioned non-humane traps up anywhere you can get to, anchor them, and put something delicious on there. I use peanut butter for mice.

Hopefully it's not squirrels. I hate squirrels. Unless they're in soup.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Pest control (rodent in the attic)

I would bet the house on it being a raccoon, mayyyyyybe a opossum or squirrel. Here's my advice (from experience):

1) don't go up there
2) get a professional that uses traps, not those supersonic noise makers
3) make sure they seal all entry points
4) they're not supposed to, but make sure the guy kills them or they will come back
*A professional will make sure all babies (you wouldn't hear noise if there weren't babies most likely) are removed too. If you remove mom on your own, your attic will stink like $hit from their hidden, rotting carcasses

If you absolutely must deal some death on your own, put some flybait (you can get it at farm stores) in a bowl with Cherry Coke. Critters can't resist it, and they are lucky to take two steps after taking a sip before falling over dead. Once again, I'd be concerned little ones are still up there though.

 

[wizards8507]

The rodent will actively seek out any bait you put up there.
Set some old fashioned non-humane traps up anywhere you can get to, anchor them, and put something delicious on there. I use peanut butter for mice.

Hopefully it's not squirrels. I hate squirrels. Unless they're in soup.

I would bet the house on it being a raccoon, mayyyyyybe a opossum or squirrel. Here's my advice (from experience):

1) don't go up there
2) get a professional that uses traps, not those supersonic noise makers
3) make sure they seal all entry points
4) they're not supposed to, but make sure the guy kills them or they will come back
*A professional will make sure all babies (you wouldn't hear noise if there weren't babies most likely) are removed too. If you remove mom on your own, your attic will stink like $hit from their hidden, rotting carcasses

I don't think it's a squirrel or raccoon. I stuck my head up there and didn't see anything. The entire attic is a bed of insulation so anything much bigger than a rat would probably be immediately apparent, right?

Plus, there are no trees that lead anywhere near my roof so whatever is in there would have to be capable of vertical climbing. And it's my understanding that a squirrel wouldn't be active at night.

 

[BobD]

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[IrishSteelhead]

Pest control (rodent in the attic)

I don't think it's a squirrel or raccoon. I stuck my head up there and didn't see anything. The entire attic is a bed of insulation so anything much bigger than a rat would probably be immediately apparent, right?



Plus, there are no trees that lead anywhere near my roof so whatever is in there would have to be capable of vertical climbing. And it's my understanding that a squirrel wouldn't be active at night.

Raccoons would be bedded in the sides out of sight. Shine a flashlight around and look for a latrine in one of the corners (piles of poop).

Leave the light on up there (if there is one), and put a radio up there playing talk shows 24/7 as loud as you can handle it. That is one way to keep coons out. They hate light and human voices.

 

[Irish#1]

I don't think it's a squirrel or raccoon. I stuck my head up there and didn't see anything. The entire attic is a bed of insulation so anything much bigger than a rat would probably be immediately apparent, right?

Plus, there are no trees that lead anywhere near my roof so whatever is in there would have to be capable of vertical climbing. And it's my understanding that a squirrel wouldn't be active at night.

If it was a raccoon it would probably sound like they are tearing a wall down, but they can hide when you try to see them. Like the others have said, you put food out in a trap by your scuttle hole, they'll find it.

If it is a coon let me know and I'll send over someone who can take care of it for free.

 

[Irishnuke]

I think the most likely scenario is that you have a demon in your house that will stop at nothing to destroy you. Either that or Koon (the poster, not the animal) is hiding out in your attic watching you.

 

[RyCo1983]

I think the most likely scenario is that you have a demon in your house that will stop at nothing to destroy you. Either that or Koon (the poster, not the animal) is hiding out in your attic watching you.

Best keep a shirt on at all times.

 

[Redbar]

Pro's are not that expensive. Steelhead is exactly right, you have to make sure that you get all of them, getting mama will leave stinking rotting babies and then a plague of huge flesh eating flies. Trapping them is the way to go. Poison can kill them but leave you with the problems we are outlining now. A pro will come and set traps then check them each day. In my area Terminex will not do this sort of thing even if you have a pest and termite contract. I had a squirrel family get in a mesh cover on a chimney in my old house. Mama fell down and got trapped in the fireplace. I removed her and had a cast iron damper installed, not realizing she had babies on a ledge in the chimney that could not be reached, had to burn a fire for a week. Thought everything was good until the flies came about a week later. Huge slow flying blood filled flies. I was away, my wife (a super clean freak), went nuts. She took the kids and stayed in a hotel. Had to "bomb" the house then clean every inch of it. Not fun. Pro is worth the money.

 

[wizards8507]

I think the most likely scenario is that you have a demon in your house that will stop at nothing to destroy you. Either that or Koon (the poster, not the animal) is hiding out in your attic watching you.

Best keep a shirt on at all times.

I'm not Koon's type. Too fat, too white, and over 18.

 

[wizards8507]

Do I have to worry about any of these beasties getting tired of the attic and coming down into the living space instead? Our food is well sealed and all that, and we have baseboard heat with no AC so there's no ductwork anywhere.

 

[RyCo1983]

I'm not Koon's type. Too fat, too white, and over 18.

Better warn the kids, just to be on the safe side.



Best of luck in your adventure.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Do I have to worry about any of these beasties getting tired of the attic and coming down into the living space instead? Our food is well sealed and all that, and we have baseboard heat with no AC so there's no ductwork anywhere.

If it was rats or mice, they would already be down by the food. Coons just want a dark warm place, and will leave at night to forage outside, and possibly raid your garbage if it is outside. They are too terrified of humans to invade your actual living space.

 

[tussin]

If you have squirrels, Godspeed. I have some real horror stories. Sounds more like a raccoon though.

As others mentioned, whatever is up there will seek out any bait you put down. Kill them, don't trap.

 

[tadman95]

I'm betting a squirrel or squirrels. They'll come across power, phone and cable lines and can create and get through pretty small holes.

A 'coon or 'possum will need a larger hole and you should be able to see it from the outside. A squirrel can pick through the screen on eve vents.

If it's a hard to access area, best to get a professional, jmho.

 

[BobD]

Could it be a possum or bats?

 

[wizards8507]

Could it be a possum or bats?

I suppose it could be but the thing that makes me think it's not a possum, raccoon, or squirrel is that it doesn't seem nearly loud enough.

 

[Wild Bill]

Sounds like a raccoon. Do you have a tree that is close to your house? They're crafty fuckers and are using it to climb into an opening. Trim the limbs or chop it down.

Cut a 2x6 or 2x8 twenty inches in length. Get two of them, get in the attic and use them to move across the joists one at a time. You could just cut enough to go across the whole length too. Just nail them in and leave them.

Please video and share with us, especially if it's a raccoon with babies.

 

[wizards8507]

Sounds like a raccoon. Do you have a tree that is close to your house? They're crafty fuckers and are using it to climb into an opening. Trim the limbs or chop it down.

No tree, that's what has me puzzled. My house is on a steep slope so the basement is at ground level in the back. The only way up back there would be a three-story vertical climb up the chimney. I know raccoons are creative climbers, but do they have the chops for a straight vertical up brick like that?

 

[IrishSteelhead]

No tree, that's what has me puzzled. My house is on a steep slope so the basement is at ground level in the back. The only way up back there would be a three-story vertical climb up the chimney. I know raccoons are creative climbers, but do they have the chops for a straight vertical up brick like that?

You'd be surprised. The bottom line is if a coon wants in somewhere, it gets in. End of story.

 

[Wild Bill]

No tree, that's what has me puzzled. My house is on a steep slope so the basement is at ground level in the back. The only way up back there would be a three-story vertical climb up the chimney. I know raccoons are creative climbers, but do they have the chops for a straight vertical up brick like that?

You'd be surprised. The bottom line is if a coon wants in somewhere, it gets in. End of story.

Yeah, they're crafty but that's sounds a bit too intense. They are going to take the easy option and that doesn't sound easy. Have you found them on your property before? Ask your neighbors too. Is anything going through your garbage cans?

I bought a house once that had raccoons living in the attic (it was a foreclosure). They chewed through a few of the ceiling joists, shit and pissed all over the attic. Long story short, after I stripped the insulation and drywall, I went through hell to get the smell out. Don't be penny smart, dollar stupid if you can't get in that attic. Just call someone to come out.

 

[tussin]

No tree, that's what has me puzzled. My house is on a steep slope so the basement is at ground level in the back. The only way up back there would be a three-story vertical climb up the chimney. I know raccoons are creative climbers, but do they have the chops for a straight vertical up brick like that?

Squirrels can easily do that. I don't think it is a squirrel though because they make tons of noise.

 

[wizards8507]

Squirrels can easily do that. I don't think it is a squirrel though because they make tons of noise.

And, from what I understand, wouldn't be active at night, correct?

 

[tussin]

And, from what I understand, wouldn't be active at night, correct?

That's not a hard rule. We had a massive squirrel problem for a few months and we could hear them at all times.

 

[wizards8507]

It's hard not to eye the 20-gauge I keep in the corner of my bedroom and wonder "what if?" It's the perfect little shotgun for varmint hunting, Mitt Romney style. I don't think my wife would be too happy with me blowing holes in the house though.

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[Bluto]

Call that dude Turtle Man from that TV show. Lol.

 

[ND NYC]

gotta be mice.

simple mouse traps set with peanut butter all u probably need.

the mice "come in from the cold" this time of year.

 

[BeauBenken]

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[Bishop2b5]

Yeah, with only a little noise, I'm thinking mice too. Glue traps secured to the joists and baited with peanut butter should do the trick, and it's an inexpensive way to find out if it's mice. Either that or put a light up there and turn a cat loose in your attic. If the cat comes out a day later fat and happy, problem solved. If something tosses the cat's lifeless body out of the attic, call a professional and go spend the week in a hotel.