Raccoons in the wall?

[Madeline]

I haven't gotten much rest last night because of the constant noise coming from inside the walls of my apartment. It sounds like something is clawing inside the walls and it's quite loud at times. It happens all throughout the day and the Landlord isn't doing anything about it because he says that he doesn't know for certain what it is. But what else could it be but some sort of critter or animal living within the interior of the walls? Does anyone know what this could be? It began just yesterday and today is the first day the rain started to pour. If it is a rodent of some sort, will it eventually go away? Very unnerving!!!

Love,
Madeline

[John81]

Yes, it could be a coon or some other critter like a squirrel, mouse, rat or something else.

No, typically they won't go away on their own.

You pretty much need to figure out how it's getting in there and block the entrance or kill the critter to keep it out.

[CJP56]

We used to live in a house that had raccoons living in the attic. No matter how many times we put the cedar shakes back on the outside wall above the lower roof line they would pull the shakes off and go back in. One time they were in the attic when my DH nailed the shakes back on and nailed something else over the place. They then went to the other side of the house and ripped a big metal ventilation grid out of the wall to get out. We promptly replaced the grid and they didn't get back in again. We lived in a house one time that had rats that would run across the area between the lower level ceiling and the upper level floor. When we were on the lower level they sounded like a herd of horses running over our heads. We never actually saw them but one time I watched a 6 ft long black snake go down the outside basement steps into the basement. Evidently he could smell them. I told him, Go get them buddy!
Anyway, be careful! Dealing with wild animals can get out of hand very quickly, and if they die in the wall, it can get very stinky!

[JerryNumbers]

Years ago, the 2nd house Linda and I lived in had squirrels and rats in the ceiling, they were very annoying at night time, we quickly found us another place.

Just a thought, could it have anything to do with the heating system?

[Madeline]

I don't have the heater on when I hear the noises, and the pattern of the noises are consistent with a critter scurrying around in the walls. If I put my ear against a certain area of the wall...the sound becomes more distinct. I wish I could drill a hole right though that area and drill that annoying critter. There's an electrical outlet near the area where I hear the noise. I wonder if I can unscrew it and put some rat poison in there to kill it off.

Love,
Madeline

[trc123]

Whatever you do, you may want to consider the kind of smell you will have if the critter(s) die within the wall........Somethings are worth paying the professionals to handle!

[holster]

Sound like a mouse to me. They can be surprising loud as the wallboard is basically a "sounding board" helping to amplify the sound.

I hate to say it but if you hear them in the wall they are most likely in the house to. You just don't happen to see them. Check around the house for droppings. Under the sink, in pantry, etc. They have incredible smell and will find food. If you find droppings put some traps out. Peanut butter works better than cheese. If you have a crawl space under the house you can also put baited traps under the house.

Just remember. They are more afraid of you than you are of them.

[Pastor Matt]

Just remember. They are more afraid of you than you are of them.

I'm pretty sure my wife is more afraid of them than they are of her.

[trc123]

Sound like a mouse to me. They can be surprising loud as the wallboard is basically a "sounding board" helping to amplify the sound.

I hate to say it but if you hear them in the wall they are most likely in the house to. You just don't happen to see them. Check around the house for droppings. Under the sink, in pantry, etc. They have incredible smell and will find food. If you find droppings put some traps out. Peanut butter works better than cheese. If you have a crawl space under the house you can also put baited traps under the house.

Just remember. They are more afraid of you than you are of them.

Holster is right on the money.....

[HappyChristian]

If you can find "Rokill" that would work for any rodent (like a squirrel, mouse or rat). It also has the advantage of drying up the animal so it does not stink. Other rodent pellets don't dry them up - they cause them to be thirsty so they seek water and drink themselves to death (with an overdose of Vitamin D) (really!!). That's what makes them stink.

We lived on a farm when I was younger. The house was built sometime around the Civil War. Very old. It had two bedrooms on the upper floor. My sister and I were in one, my brothers in the other. At night, we would listen to the critters in the attic. No joke, it sounded like they had relay races. They would pitter across one way, then patter across the other way. Sometimes we would hear something (prOBably a nut) roll across the floor, and then it would sound like the animals were chasing it. It really was funny!!!!

[JerryNumbers]

You can always set a mouse trap, if you catch them flush them or throw them in the trash.

[holster]

You can always set a mouse trap, if you catch them flush them or throw them in the trash.

Jerry, once again we dis-agree! Don't flush them! If you do you will have nightmares of them coming back from whence you flushed them. Ever go to the bathroom in the night without turning the light on? That's when you will remember the dream....
nuff said....

Throw them out back for someones cat! (Then smile when you see the owner "kissing" the cat!)

[JerryNumbers]

When in the Air Force, my roommate and I would set up late at night in the dark catching mice in our room, for excitement. We used a shoe box bottom, a pencil, a string, with some cheese or what ever we could find to place under the shoe box bottom.

Yes, we caught mice, what did we do with them, flushed them, never had a nightmare over it. Some nights he won, some nights I won.

Of course if we had of had any money we would prOBably have sought our excitement some where else, prOBably getting in trouble.

[nikkim74]

Mice also like chocolate. My mom lived in an apartment and she'd get them occassionally. It really made her made because they would always eat her candy bars. If it turns up to be a coon, they like honey buns.

[holster]

Want me to send my buddy to help?