Mouse/rat in my loft room roof? I have no idea how!

delmonta

Hi, just in the last week there has been a scratching noise in the roof above my head. I have a converted loft and my bed is tucked in close to the eves. normally the scratching wakes me up around 7 or 8 and then goes quiet! It sounds quite light, so I imagine a mouse. But its incredibly annoying

I have put my ear right up to the eves, and it's definitely very close in there. 

But what I can't understand is how! The room is sealed from the inside, there are no holes a mouse could get through that I can see! But I guess it's possible it could have found its way up from below somehow? Could it have got in from the outside, would a mouse be able to get on the roof of my house? It would have to scale vertical walls with nothing to hold on to!

And finally, how would I get rid of it? 

Any help would be great

justwhat

You sure its a mouse and not a bird??? 7-8 is late for a mouse lol 

Doozergirl

I was going to say that it might be a bird too.  They do have habits.  We lived in a house where a wood pigeon would stand on the chimney and coo every morning.  It would echo through the walls.  

If there is a mouse, they can very, very easily get into the cavity at ground level and up to the loft that way. 

delmonta

justwhat said:

You sure its a mouse and not a bird??? 7-8 is late for a mouse lol 

Well I guess it could be a bird, just the scratching made me think of a mouse! Also it really sounds like it's in the loft cavity, not just under the roof tiles. It sounds like its directly behind the plasterboard where I put my ear. Not sure how a bird could get there from outside?

delmonta

Doozergirl said:

I was going to say that it might be a bird too.  They do have habits.  We lived in a house where a wood pigeon would stand on the chimney and coo every morning.  It would echo through the walls.  

If there is a mouse, they can very, very easily get into the cavity at ground level and up to the loft that way. 

I just don't hear any bird noises, just scratching! I have also found a place under the stairs where a mouse could have got up into the loft cavity

Are there humane traps that work?

Sandtree

Is it a detached property? Mice and rats can get in through much smaller holes than you would think they need , if they can get into the walls then with cavity wall insulation its easy for them to climb up to higher levels. In a previous new build house we were in on an old derelict site we had mice or rats that were running about in the ceilings... you could just hear their scratchings in the evenings. Never saw any evidence of them actually in the living areas of the property.

After much inspection we found there was a small gap where the gas pipe came in through the external wall and the pest controller said it was plenty big enough for a decent sized rat to squeeze in let alone small mice. 

Our landlord was calling the shots so we didnt get any choices, they plugged the hole with wirewool and expanding sealant (they said they dont like gnawing through the wire wool) and laid down poison near the former hole, in the attic and behind the kickboard in the kitchen. The food in the loft and outside was partially consumed, that in the kitchen wasnt touched (thankflly) and the scratching stopped.

delmonta

Sandtree said:

Is it a detached property? Mice and rats can get in through much smaller holes than you would think they need , if they can get into the walls then with cavity wall insulation its easy for them to climb up to higher levels. In a previous new build house we were in on an old derelict site we had mice or rats that were running about in the ceilings... you could just hear their scratchings in the evenings. Never saw any evidence of them actually in the living areas of the property.

After much inspection we found there was a small gap where the gas pipe came in through the external wall and the pest controller said it was plenty big enough for a decent sized rat to squeeze in let alone small mice. 

Our landlord was calling the shots so we didnt get any choices, they plugged the hole with wirewool and expanding sealant (they said they dont like gnawing through the wire wool) and laid down poison near the former hole, in the attic and behind the kickboard in the kitchen. The food in the loft and outside was partially consumed, that in the kitchen wasnt touched (thankflly) and the scratching stopped.

Its terraced. But I can see possible ways they could have got up there now. 

Does anyone know of humane ways to coax them out and trap them? or is it worth calling some pest control company

George_Michael

If you have reasonable access to the loft, I would recommend getting one or two of these:
https://www.toolstation.com/pest-stop-trip-trap-mouse-trap/p60863
They are available from many places and I've used them in the past and have always managed to catch mice.
If you go this way, make sure that you check them regularly and if you do catch anything, release them a fair distance away from your house.

unforeseen

Mice are quite capable of creating tunnels through your cavity wall insulation to give them routes to the loft area. They are also capable of climbing vertical brick walls. 

delmonta

George_Michael said:

If you have reasonable access to the loft, I would recommend getting one or two of these:
https://www.toolstation.com/pest-stop-trip-trap-mouse-trap/p60863
They are available from many places and I've used them in the past and have always managed to catch mice.
If you go this way, make sure that you check them regularly and if you do catch anything, release them a fair distance away from your house.

Thanks, I don't have any access to where they seem to be. I could possibly place one under the stairs where I imagine they must have entered, but its a good few metres away and I wonder if they'd go that far for food?

I may be able to remove a plug socket and put one in there, but again its a few metres away, and there will be studs and things in the way. 

Will the mouse go to almost any length to get some food? Any recommended food to tempt them

goldfinches

When my parents had mice my mother was recommended slicing a M*rs bar (work, rest and play) into small sections and duly caught several of the little pests.
A near neighbour bent my ear a couple of weeks ago and recommended the "Nipper" from R*bert Dy*s as being a very effective trap but I managed to head him off onto another subject so did not have to suffer his bait recommendations thankfully.
Best of luck with being a mouse charmer, goldfinches.