Pest problem in loft with no floorboards - help!

[Deleted User]

Hi everyone. So I've heard scratching noises a couple of times from my kitchen ceiling in the last couple of weeks - today it's been going on for most of the day. Possibly bird but sounds more like a rodent.


Now my loft has floorboards only in one area, which is at the other end of the house to where the noise is coming from. The area where the noise comes from I can't even really see from where the floorboards are - it's very dark, involves leaning round a corner and looking quite far, and in any case there is fibreglass everywhere so not a lot to see. I rang the pest control company that my local council uses but, understandably for health and safety reasons, they can't send someone into an area with no floorboards. I'm at a loss as to what to do. I can't afford to have floorboards put in across the entire loft and in any case I need this dealt with quickly before whatever it is chews through cables, etc.!


Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? Any advice?

ed110220

[Deleted User] wrote:

Hi everyone. So I've heard scratching noises a couple of times from my kitchen ceiling in the last couple of weeks - today it's been going on for most of the day. Possibly bird but sounds more like a rodent.


Now my loft has floorboards only in one area, which is at the other end of the house to where the noise is coming from. The area where the noise comes from I can't even really see from where the floorboards are - it's very dark, involves leaning round a corner and looking quite far, and in any case there is fibreglass everywhere so not a lot to see. I rang the pest control company that my local council uses but, understandably for health and safety reasons, they can't send someone into an area with no floorboards. I'm at a loss as to what to do. I can't afford to have floorboards put in across the entire loft and in any case I need this dealt with quickly before whatever it is chews through cables, etc.!


Has anyone dealt with a similar situation? Any advice?

Most lofts aren't boarded. You just have to make sure you only step on the joists and don't put your foot through the ceiling. If necessary use some short boards, offcuts etc, to just place down between the joists to step on. At a minimum you can use two, one to step on while you move the other.

I'm surprised a pest control company is unable to deal with a normal problem like this.

If you really can't get access, just put the bait or traps down within reach of the loft hatch and if there are any rodents up there they should find them.

EssexExile

I'd contact other pest control companies, you'd think they were used to working in lofts.

another_casualty

In my previous home , my loft sounds similar to o p.
What I had were squirrels . They came in through a gap in the eaves .
With the help of my brother ( or rather I was helping him), I kept the lights on all of the time . Ammonia was put up there also.
They seemed to have run out of the hole when they heard us coming .
I hired a long ladder from a local diy place and my brother sealed the hole up . Thankfully that was the end of the matter. No casualties .

I hope this helps . Initially , I thought it was a bird that was stuck in the cavity wall in the kitchen . I could see a large silhouette through the air vent in the kitchen and heard the scratching etc and felt sorry that it may not have got out . My brother took off the grating and it managed to free it . Very brave . Unlike me .

It may be an idea to have a look outside and see if there is a hole the animal is coming into. Also banging on the ceiling randomly should unsettle them also .Best of luck ...

[Deleted User]

ed110220 wrote: »

Most lofts aren't boarded. You just have to make sure you only step on the joists and don't put your foot through the ceiling. If necessary use some short boards, offcuts etc, to just place down between the joists to step on. At a minimum you can use two, one to step on while you move the other.

I'm surprised a pest control company is unable to deal with a normal problem like this.

If you really can't get access, just put the bait or traps down within reach of the loft hatch and if there are any rodents up there they should find them.

Yes it is a bit surprising! This is the company that my local council uses so I contacted them because it's cheaper (or free if it turns out to be a rat) but I may have to turn to another company.


Good point about just putting a food out though. I'm a little apprehensive about luring them towards the part of the loft where all my stuff is stored but I guess it might be necessary!

[Deleted User]

another_casualty wrote: »

In my previous home , my loft sounds similar to o p.
What I had were squirrels . They came in through a gap in the eaves .
With the help of my brother ( or rather I was helping him), I kept the lights on all of the time . Ammonia was put up there also.
They seemed to have run out of the hole when they heard us coming .
I hired a long ladder from a local diy place and my brother sealed the hole up . Thankfully that was the end of the matter. No casualties .

I hope this helps . Initially , I thought it was a bird that was stuck in the cavity wall in the kitchen . I could see a large silhouette through the air vent in the kitchen and heard the scratching etc and felt sorry that it may not have got out . My brother took off the grating and it managed to free it . Very brave . Unlike me .

It may be an idea to have a look outside and see if there is a hole the animal is coming into. Also banging on the ceiling randomly should unsettle them also .Best of luck ...

Thanks! Yeah I suspect it's either a rat or squirrel (hopefully not plural...). I recently had repointing work done which involved scaffolding and I suspect whatever it is has climbed up the scaffolding and found a way in.

another_casualty

Forgot to mention. If you do put stuff in loft like ammonia . Get some mothballs as well.:)