Mice - A simple and yet embarrasing question.

stevegreen · 10-08-2005, 3:11 PM

Now this might be an old wives tale, or it may be fact.

Is it possible to have mice in your loft?

There has been acertain amount of 'scratching about' in the loft of our new house, which is noticable at night. Is it possible that this could be a mouse or is that just an old wives tale.

Personally, I don't actually see how a mouse could get up the loft. I have not been up yet simly because I don't have any ladders.

If it were a mouse, what would be the best way to get rid? BTW, the house is only 25 years old.

Ethics Gradient · 10-08-2005, 3:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevegreen

Now this might be an old wives tale, or it may be fact.

Is it possible to have mice in your loft?

There has been acertain amount of 'scratching about' in the loft of our new house, which is noticable at night. Is it possible that this could be a mouse or is that just an old wives tale.

Personally, I don't actually see how a mouse could get up the loft. I have not been up yet simly because I don't have any ladders.

If it were a mouse, what would be the best way to get rid? BTW, the house is only 25 years old.

mice, rats , bats , birds ..... amongst others inhabit lofts

have a shuffy for droppings .... mice tend to urinate and poo themselves on an almost permanent basis as they wander about.
Best places to look are along the inside of beams, edges of the joists etc ( where they run along the floor ) ... as they don't tend to walk out in the open but prefer to hug the walls.

poison / traps ... but if its bats, you have to be careful as I think they are a protected species and you can be prosecuted for harming them.

Mr Cat · 10-08-2005, 3:21 PM

yeah, could be anything - even squirrels!

you'll have to take a look...don't forget your camera..!!

stevegreen · 10-08-2005, 3:30 PM

How the hell do mice get into your loft?????

Drd · 10-08-2005, 3:31 PM

If you're anywhere near the countryside like myself this is the usual time for squatters,as the farmers are harvesting and the buggers are running for their lives.Happens every year in our cottage.I leave bait up there permanently now.Damn things have clogs on their feet and practice tap dancing all night!

They are amazing climbers,ivy,pipes,cables,I've even seen them climbing brick walls!

Mr Cat · 10-08-2005, 3:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevegreen

How the hell do mice get into your loft?????

I think he must have a basement flat...

10-08-2005, 3:34 PM

if it smells like custard upstairs - bats. very protected

unless structual damage is being cuased, best leave whatever it is alone -

Afterall, they have just as much right as we do

Mr.D · 10-08-2005, 3:39 PM

Get a cat.

overkill · 10-08-2005, 3:42 PM

Steve, they can get inside the cavity walls if you have them, or they use old chimney breasts. The can climb pretty much vertical slopes with enough rough brickwork. In our old house they managed to get in from next door thru tiny cracks in the brickwork. They don't need Tom and Jerry style holes to get in and out. I think it's the size of a 1p bit is all they need! Hence getting into the loft is easy for them.

If it's mice then there will be tiny rice sized droppings everywhere. If it's rats then you have more of a problem. They use one area to leave waste in and usually well hidden (they're not daft!). Bat droppings are larger than mice and again will be everywhere. If it's birds then the messy buggers again leave droppings all over. From bitter experience they are the worst of the lot.......

One thing about rodents is though, is that they prefer to be near an easy obtainable food source. So check if the kitchen chimney has droppings in or around it. Or, if in a new house there are droppings around wall vents etc.

Kopite4Ever · 10-08-2005, 3:45 PM

i remember i found mice in the loft. lets just say my Tarantula ate handsomely for a few months and it saved me some dosh

stevegreen · 10-08-2005, 3:48 PM

Though I saw a few bats around the other night whilst I was outside having a

I can't see that it would be bats. Hopefully it's just mice, maybe only one as there does not seem to be an inordinate amount of scratching. I'll have to borrow a ladder and get up there with some small explosive devices I think

Can't get a cat as i'm allergic to the things!

Ian J · 10-08-2005, 3:50 PM

Next door neighbour had squirrels in their loft and they can be very dangerous as they will chew through the mains cables.

We have had starlings nesting in our loft space until I renewed the air grille thingies in the roof that had perished and allowed them in

Gee · 10-08-2005, 3:53 PM

I had a squirrel in my loft not long ago. It was a nightmare to get rid of! Fingers crossed that its just a mouse.

Ethics Gradient · 10-08-2005, 4:01 PM

Maybe its Tufty squatting up there .... times have been hard since he lost his job.... they always say child actors have it the worst

Mr.D · 10-08-2005, 4:06 PM

If you have to dispatch a mouse yourself don't stamp on them. You will spend ages trying to find where the eyeballs flew and if you don't find them they will stink.

We had a rat once ( after we had a fitted kitchen put in ...cowboy plumber didn't seal the gap in the wall for the wastepipe properly... I cemented it up a few weeks later ...trapping mr ratty inside

)

Got the bugger with a broom and my large sized maglite a few days later. Thing is though the bugger would wait until he heard the front door bang before venturing out ....scary how smart it was...but not smart enough

MacReady · 10-08-2005, 4:47 PM

We got rid of mice in our loft a few months ago after building work in the winter. It took us ages though and they continuously spread through the house

We eventually laid poison traps all over the place and sent the kids and pets away for the week.

My Wife got the job of picking all the bodies up from in the loft whilst I had to dispose of the ones I almost stepped on every morning as I went from bedroom to bathroom to kitchen

**Garrett** · 10-08-2005, 6:53 PM

If you leave a trap put chocolate in it they prefer it to cheese, But non of the stuff from over seas they only eat Cadbury’s

phillfyspoon · 10-08-2005, 7:25 PM

trust me mice are quite common in a loft get a cat up there or put some traps down and dont use cheese that is a wifes tall they love peperoni though

Steve.EX · 10-08-2005, 7:38 PM

Some points of note.

Rats/mice droppings/urine contain some extremely nasty nasties and bats DO carry rabies. Do not leave to chance or luck as you may end up with a herd. As stated elsewhere rodents will eat your mains cable insulation and water pipe insulation. Squirrels are capable of incredible amounts of damage - seriously!
Not what you want to hear but i would do something about it.

Steven

Nobber22 · 10-08-2005, 7:54 PM

Have you tried fire?

MacReady · 10-08-2005, 8:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nobber22

Have you tried fire?

Can just imagine it...stood in front a burning house with the family saying 'well that's those mice sorted out'

**Garrett** · 10-08-2005, 8:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillfyspoon

trust me mice are quite common in a loft get a cat up there or put some traps down and dont use cheese that is a wifes tall they love peperoni though

And bacon, I don t know which sort though,

smokey or streaky back.

shodan · 10-08-2005, 8:59 PM

I am reminded of the Jasper Carrott sketch where he has moles in his garden so he decides (after trying lots of things) to shoot them with a 12 bore shotgun. At night. From an upstairs window with a torch taped to the barrell. And sitting on a wheely chair... Hee hee hee!

BadAss · 11-08-2005, 12:23 AM

You never know there could be a rational explanation for all this scratching. The place might just be haunted. Ever watched the exorcist lately?

stevegreen · 11-08-2005, 9:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nobber22

Have you tried fire?

Coffee everywhere, strange looks in the office and a messy shirt!................cheers

Synchronicity · 11-08-2005, 10:52 AM

Didnt know bats were protected and more woryingly forgot the carried rabies

My mate's cat is constantly bringing him "gifts" of birds/bats,more often than not still alive

Just had last week he had to recruit about 4 neighbours to help him eject a rather feisty bat!lol,quite a sight,4 big blokes with tea towels on their heads screaming like little girls

Hes even got a bell round the cats neck but that has just seemed to slightly dampen its success rate

**Garrett** · 11-08-2005, 2:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Jason B

Didnt know bats were protected and more woryingly forgot the carried rabies

Now you tell me I was out in the garden last night and the were flying round and got very close to the dog and me.

Drd · 11-08-2005, 2:22 PM

You're ok unless you're living in Surrey,Sussex,Scotland or Lancs.Even then the risks appear to be tiny!

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/dise.../rabiesq&a.htm

stevegreen · 11-08-2005, 2:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett

Now you tell me I was out in the garden last night and the were flying round and got very close to the dog and me.

You should be ok unless they were vampire bats

**Garrett** · 11-08-2005, 4:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevegreen

You should be ok unless they were vampire bats

I'm the vampire

10-08-2005, 3:34 PM	#7
roversd1 Guest Posts: n/a	if it smells like custard upstairs - bats. very protected unless structual damage is being cuased, best leave whatever it is alone - Afterall, they have just as much right as we do
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