[Closed] Noisy little beasts in the wall.

Maybe they're not in the wall. They are in your mind. Makes you think.

Don’t listen to the Poltergeist podcast on BBC sounds. Don’t.

Maybe they’re not in the wall. They are in your mind. Makes you think

I'd imagine if they've nested in his mind there's likely not enough left to think with.

If you've any luck op let me know.

The correct method is to drill a 10p sized hole in the wall, fix a trapped and baited box and wait patiently. All well and good with stud walls, not so much with masonry.

We had rats in the wall. They were in the same place because that's where the nest and rat babies were. They were coming up through next doors sewer, into her roof cavity, across to our roof, then down into the wall. I concreted the gaps in the party wall in the roof space and they just dug through it! Next I re-concreted it then glued a tile over the hole, didn't hear them again. The neighbour has also had her drains fixed. Took a lot of effort to clear up the mess and get rid of the stink. They weren't fussy where they went to the toilet

They sneak out when you are sleeping and lick your eyeballs.
FACT.

We've had mice in our cavities and roof space since last autumn. We've put some humane traps in the ceiling and to date we've caught over 60 field mice, plus a field vole. The house is a rental and the landlord refuses to do anything as it isn't "structural".
The building is a converted steading with three adjoining properties - they climb the walls and get through the eaves.
We also had rats burrowing under the floor, but stuffing the holes with steel wool, expanding foam and capping with postcrete appears to have stopped the buggers.

They weren’t fussy where they went to the toilet

Not true, they're very fussy about it. They use it to mark safe places to move and less pleasantly things to eat. So they go to the loo only in places they feel safe but, more accurately, everywhere they feel safe.
It's the main reason for not arming traps until the bait has gone a few times, you need them to pee all over it so they feel safe around it and eating it. They rely on it less as they get older but it's how young rats particularly know where to go and what to eat.

and to date we’ve caught over 60 field mice, plus a field vole.

or the same mouse 60 times!

Hmm,

Never really noticed it before, but about two foot away from where they are scratching is one of those plastic vent panels. So, I could get at them. But is it opening a can of worms? I don't want them suddenly bolting out into my bedroom...

Will they just clear off eventually? This has been going on for a year at least.

Edit: Actually, I bet the vent is just a tube through the wall. Probably won't be able to get at them. Was thinking of pushing a cat in there for a bit. Or my mate's Jack Russell.

But is it opening a can of worms?

I doubt you'll have worms up there.

Hehe,

Bloody silence now that I'm up and about. Nothing, not a peep. Even knocking around the area gets no response. Perhaps they're out for the day.

Definitely rats/mice not bats isn't it?* The former do tend to move about in the day from time to time.

I'd take the panel off and have a look. Could be a vent directly to the outside with a tube, could be venting cavity too in which case it's a good place fit traps...

*this is a trick question, the first rule of having bats being don't tell anyone about having bats.

some humane traps in the ceiling

or the same mouse 60 times!

Good indicator that it's probably the same group of mice.

They sneak out when you are sleeping and lick your eyeballs.
FACT.

Fixed it.

or the same mouse 60 times!

We were mouse free for a few months in the middle of winter so I doubt it - I released them a few hundred meters down the road, there are 2 properties between so they'd head there first! We're out of here shortly, so they're welcome to come back once we're gone - might spread some peanut butter on the cables in the roof for them to have a nibble too 😉

Wasps nibbling the paper off of the back of polystyrene coving make a surprisingly loud noise too...

I think technically that's OK as the mouse is a native species but you still have to consider their welfare needs.

"(ii) Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA) (available at<i>Legislation.gov.uk)</i> prohibits the release into the wild any animal which is 1) of a kind that is not ordinarily resident in and is not a regular visitor to GB in a wild state or 2) is included in Part 1 of Schedule 9. Currently (June 2008), the black rat (Rattus rattus), the fat/edible dormouse (<i>Glis glis</i>), the grey squirrel (<i>Sciureus carolinensis</i>) and the Mongolian gerbil (<i>Meriones unguiculatus</i>) are listed on Part 1 of Schedule 9 and therefore cannot be released, except under licence.
Under the WCA there is no prohibition on the release of other species of rats or mice which are ordinarily resident in GB. For example, the view of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is that the release of brown/common rats (Rattus norvegicus) into the wild is not unlawful under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 because, despite their non-native origins, they could be classed as 'ordinarily resident' in Great Britain as they are now well-established. However, this is not to say that it is acceptable or permissible to release them on other people’s property.
Bearing in mind the exceptions above, although the law does not prevent the release of captured target animals (brown rats or mice), it is often likely to be an unwise thing to do either because it is counterproductive to control and/or because it may have adverse welfare consequences for the animal (see text). Release near the point of capture is unlikely to solve the problem as the animals are likely to return unless the premises have been effectively proofed. Release in an unfamiliar environment may have adverse welfare consequences as animals may have trouble finding food and shelter. Also if the area contains suitable habitat it is likely to already be occupied by other members of their species and may not support additional animals.

https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/threads/releasing-brown-rats-norway-rats.56587/

Releasing them on other people's property is not on, likewise releasing them away from yours but in a place where they are likely to then go to someone else's property....either if it's good for mice it'll probably have it's own tribe (bad for new mouse's welfare) or just be bad for mice anyway (bad for their welfare)

In the end the 'kindest' thing is leave them be, or dispatch them properly.

Umm TLDR?

Does that mean shoving a Jack Russell into the hole is ok, or not?

We get noises around our bedroom window (basically a 90s timber frame house inside a 1750s stone building so there’s lots of voids between the stone and timber /drywall

in our case it’s bats. we just got used to it and ignore it

Does that mean shoving a Jack Russell into the hole is ok, or not?

Cats need less room

Could be worse, you could live in New South Wales.

I have the same issue in a new flat roof on a side extension. I do not think it will be possible to seal up all potential access points. Plan this weekend is to drop a LED downlighter out of the ceiling and fix a box with trap underneath the light fitting hole.

Frank

Try Surekill, based at Maxton, he's sorted us out.

I released them a few hundred meters down the road, there are 2 properties

Mice can return home from a mile or more quite easily, and will avoid new places if there are other mice already there...

Try Surekill, based at Maxton, he’s sorted us out.

I'm an enthusiastic mouse killer but the flat roof is a new challenge for me. Do you think he will have better options than my plan to trap below a fitting hole? Happy to pay if he can bring cleverer options to the fight.

I released them a few hundred meters down the road, there are 2 properties between so they’d head there first!

I admire your optimism. Is it your first mice infestation?

If you didn't plug the holes they are coming straight back without impunity.

I’m not sure what books you all have been reading, but there are countless documentaries on this subject. All of them agree that there is a perfect arch in the skirting board. The mice families live behind this and have tiny televisions, which they watch from tiny sofa, and eat at tables with a knife and fork. They are clearly much more intelligent than you imagine. Despite their diminutive stature they are skilled in handling weapons as large as a frying pan. Incredible creatures.

Had rats in wall before, they ruined the cavity wall and loft insulation. Was not a pleasant job to clean up..

They entered through a whole in the mortar at ground level.

Have you tried putting up a sign?

Wasps nibbling the paper off of the back of polystyrene coving make a surprisingly loud noise too…

You can here the wee beasties eating my garden fence during the summer I love them.

I’m not sure what books you all have been reading, but there are countless documentaries on this subject. All of them agree that there is a perfect arch in the skirting board. The mice families live behind this and have tiny televisions, which they watch from tiny sofa, and eat at tables with a knife and fork. They are clearly much more intelligent than you imagine. Despite their diminutive stature they are skilled in handling weapons as large as a frying pan. Incredible creatures.

I know all this. I wasn't born yesterday. Which is why I'm loathe to hurt them. If they could just clear off ten feet in any direction I'd be happy. Or at least limit their scratching and knocking to within the hours of 12pm - 12am.

We had a mouse which kept getting into the cupboard under the sink in the kitchen.
Set up the Good Nature trap and whilst watching TV in the lounge last night we heard the "Kerpow".
We no longer have a mouse problem but I do need to look at the gaps..
Luckily no obvious damage has been done.

If you didn’t plug the holes they are coming straight back without impunity.

Not when the weather outside was like this from before Christmas to mid-February:

We've had a few visitors now that it's milder, but nothing like on the scale we had before. We're out of here the end of next month anyway...