# Scratching sound in wall/under floor?



## Jeni (Sep 7, 2006)

Ok, DH is out of town and I am wondering if we have a mouse.  We live in a heavily wooded area, so it would not surprise me, except we have never had a problem in the past.

Just under one of the front downstairs windows I hear a scratching sound, like it is in the wall or under the floor of the living room.  We have a brick foundation, but I noticed there are vents (covered) in the brick.  

Any ideas what the scratching may be?  We also have birds that nest in our front bushes.

Thanks for your help.

Jeni


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## Jeni (Sep 7, 2006)

Should also mention the house has been empty for a week while we were on vacation.


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## Denise L (Sep 7, 2006)

*Our scratching noise in the wall was a RAT*

Actually, a rat that was trapped. My DH had plugged up a hole in the garage and one rat was still stuck in there. Scratch, scratch, scratch, then days later, an awful smell. Dead rat. DH had to cut a big hole in the wall and get it out, then we had to hire someone to fix the wall.  Lesson learned, make sure all the critters are out before sealing up the only exit/entrance  .

Sounds like yours could definitely be a mouse or rat.


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## Kelsie (Sep 7, 2006)

*Scratching noise*

Relocating to Eastern NC from So., NJ has given us a different apprecition to "critters".  We have the Orkin man come every 6 weeks for preventative maintenance and it works.  With the ever presence of fire ants and the occasional mouse, it would actually cost us more if my dh did it himself.  When we were in So., NJ a squirrel got into our attic and a bird built a nest in our fireplace.  Orkin takes care of all critters and we don't have to, well worth it.


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## BSQ (Sep 7, 2006)

could be a critter, indeed.  I have vents at the bottom of my house and although they appear to be covered, even the tiniest of tears in the screen can let a rat through. 

Rats were a bit more obvious choice where I lived because at sunset you can see them crawling on the power wires.  (ick).


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## IngridN (Sep 7, 2006)

Our critter was a family of racoons...momma racoon decided that under our house, right under the bay window in the breakfast area, was the perfect place to give birth  !  They got noisier as they got older.  We contacted the local wildlife control and they suggested making lots of noise to drive them out and it worked :whoopie: .  Lots of damage though & it cost us a fortune to have the insulation around the heating pipes redone as well as a have the area disinfected.  We also replaced the vents with extra strength wire and check them regularly.  We live in a semi-rural area and have to deal with all kinds of critters...

Ingrid


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## Jeni (Sep 7, 2006)

Thanks...I gues DH will be checking out under the house when he returns.


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## Azjim66 (Sep 8, 2006)

I had this problem once in our bedroom wall. Plugged in one of those sonic pest controls that sounds too ridiculous to work, but it did work. Never heard  the sound again.


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## ronandjoan (Sep 8, 2006)

*Just hope that it is not insects*

Our son had a hornet's nest


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## kewanee (Sep 8, 2006)

Hopefully it finds its way out.  We had one die in my son's room - at first I thought he had rotten food in his room or dirty socks somewhere.   Finally we realized what it must be.  We got both advice - 'you have to get it out' and 'let it alone'.  Since we are the un-handiest people in the world and had no desire to tear into walls or rebuild them, we let it be.  I should also mention that I couldn't tell exactly where it was but was definitely coming from the corner of the room.   
  Well.. it was horrible for 2 weeks and took about 6 weeks total for the smell to go away.   We moved him and his clothes into the family room during that time.  During the worst of it, I had to put towels around the door and if we had to get something out of there, we opened the door, covered our nose, and ran as fast as we could!
  Luckily it was in a corner of a small room.  If it was in the middle of the house or a main room, we probably would have taken the other action.


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## Jeni (Sep 8, 2006)

Well, I know it's not a hornet's nest...we were "blessed" with one of those in the ceiling, above our bed, a few months back.  Sometimes I feel like I am living in the wild kingdom here.  DH is going under the house tomorrow...I'll let you know what he finds.


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## azsunluvr (Sep 9, 2006)

We once had a mama oppossum and babies. Flea-ridden pests! Caught the babies in a bucket and put them in the park across the street. Mama "disappeared." Should mention we were living in an old house we were remodeling. A couple of the babies were able to squeeze through a hole in the floor and come in the house! Scary when I had a 1 and a 3-year old running around.


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## Malibu Sky (Sep 9, 2006)

Ghosts


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