There is something in our loft...

[Niknod]

Having moved into a new house recently, we have become aware of something in the loft, usually on a night.

Our first clue was one night when my wife got up and switched on the bathroom light using the pull chord. There was an immediate scurry across the loft and into a corner. I went up to have a look and saw nothing. A few days later the same thing happened in the middle of the night. all quiet, pull chord gets pulled, and scurry away to the corner and seemingly down the boxed in soil stack.

I put up rat poison and rat traps all over the loft. The only poison that gets eaten is the one near to the bathroom light switch, none of the others get touched. The rat trap near the light switch also gets activated almost nightly. but catches nothing. One night, we heard the rat trap go off about 9pm, and that was followed by the critter doing sevearl laps of the loft at high speed then finally, down the soil stack boxing.

I have been up and taken a look near the soil stack entry. It is covered in wire meshing so I assumed it was a constant problem for the previous tenants. Having spoken to them they said they did have problems with what they said were rats in the loft on a few occasions, but they never saw them, just heard them and poisoned them, and they always went away.

Also near the soil stack meshing was a pile of droppings, quite a few, as if the critter only goes to toilet in the same place. The bottom droppings were about the size of a koi pellet, coloured brown with rounded ends. the top of the pile, the droppings were green I assume through the poison.

I am now unsure as to whether it is rats or not, my alternative thoughts is now Squirrels. Any ideas anyone?

I had assumed initially it was rats getting up the boxed in soil stack from the ground (assuming the soil pipe is not sealed to the concrete floor
in the kitchen.) But if its squirrels I have no idea at all how they are getting in in that corner!

[Ann2]

Firstly, welcome to WAB.

Now I'm no expert but there are plenty of people here that are, so would it be possible for you to post a photo of the droppings?

It may also help if you could give us a rough idea of where you live (so we can rule out glis glis).

Ann

[Niknod]

I will see what I can do about a photo! I usually just vacuum all them up that I can find. I live in North East Lincolnshire.

[ChrisJB]

An intiguing (and slightly spooky!) thread. I shall follow this with interest. My first thought was grey squirrels.

Regards, Chris

[eeyore]

I tend to agree that its probably grey squirels - and given my experiences in the last year i can safely say that traps may be your only solution. - it may be worth contacting a pest controller as they (squirels) can do a shed load of damage - in the worst case scenario even chewing through your electrics and starting a fire

[good_egg]

sounds like a rat to me, tho if your finding green poo, then it should be taking effect pretty soon. I really have no idea, but would squirrels touch rat bait?

[Wild-Woman]

A photo would be useful, as mentioned, and if possible a ruler laid by them, to help us guage the all important size.

[fish]

squirells?

[walkdontshuffle]

My mate had a squirrel in his loft that managed to drown itself in the hot water header tank. He was washing and rinsing his tooth brush for a couple of weeks before they figured out what the smell was.
It would be a shame to poison the little fella though, if you can find the entry/exit hole block him out. He'll go mad for a few hours but soon give up and move on. Good luck.

[liz103]

I think you have squirrels too, unless you can get a picture of the droppings which would probably solve the problem! We have had them in our loft and a high pitched noise played into the loft (a piece of kit I'm guessing you won't have access to) seemed to deter them.
Good luck!