| Author |
Message |
    
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 60
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 7:48 am: | 
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So, for the last couple of days, my husband and I have heard some sort of animal scratching behind a wall in our finished basement. What should we do, anything?
We were thinking of doing nothing and hope that whatever it is goes away. The problem with that is that our basement is our family room and a play area for our 14-month old. What if this "thing" comes out and bites her?!?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
bklyngirl |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11605
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 7:59 am: |
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Having critters in your basement isn't a good idea. Call a local pest control company. There are recs in another thread. |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1639
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 8:03 am: |
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I agree. If they're in the wall, they probably aren't going to give up their 'new home' independently.
I've seen great reviews of Jerry Buckingham's pest control service. It won't be a big deal - but he'll get rid of whoever's bumping around in there and close up the access so it won't happen again. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 378
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 8:23 am: |
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Second reco for Jerry. 973 762 6760
Good luck
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Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 61
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 8:38 am: |
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Thanks for your suggestions and recommendations. I'll give Jerry a call and have him check it out.
I hope he can find the thing, because we've only heard it in the evening.
bklyngirl |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7465
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 10:58 am: |
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Do you hear the thing scratching behind an interior wall or an exterior wall? If an exterior wall, how thick is the wall, what is the wall made of and how much of the portion of the wall where you hear the scratching is above ground? You could be hearing some exterior noise, with no animal in the house at all. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 64
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 11:57 am: |
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Joan: I'm not sure that I know the difference between the interior and exterior walls in my basement.
The noise seems to be coming from directly behind the wall near our sump pump close to the floor. No portion of that wall is above ground. When I open the door to where the sump pump is (which we've been afraid to do since hearing the scratching noises), there is a space between the wall put up when finishing the basement and the old basement wall, if you will. I'm guessing the critter is somewhere in there. I hope that makes sense?
bklyngirl |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7467
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 12:43 pm: |
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The exterior walls are the outside walls, those which separate the inside of your house from the outside. Interior walls separate inside spaces (laundry room from the boiler room for example).
It makes sense that something may have gotten into the space you describe through the opening through which the sump pump releases water from your basement. You could try opening the door and using a flashlight to identify what if anything is in there. Since this is nesting season, your visitors, if you have any, may not be staying long. The big problem as I understand it is when critters look for a place to spend the cold winter months. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 65
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
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Also, I don't want whatever is in there to die in there! I don't think it's a rat or anything small like that, so if it were to die behind the wall, the stench will be unbearable for a long time.
Thanks for your thoughts.
bklyngirl |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 7469
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 12:57 pm: |
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Good luck. Let us know what the exterminator finds. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 66
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 1:01 pm: |
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I sure will.
bklyngirl |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1643
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 3:34 pm: |
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Jerry will tell you, but raccoon and possum are nocturnal - it makes sense that you'd hear them in the evening (on their way out for the night) and in the very early morning (after a long night hitting the garbage cans).
It really will be an easy fix. |
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 887
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 11:55 pm: |
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Have the walls been bleeding?
J.B. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 67
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 8:06 am: |
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"Bleeding?" What do you mean?
bklyngirl |
TomR
Citizen
Username: Tomr
Post Number: 1110
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 11:24 am: |
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Bklyngirl,
If you can locate the critter's means of entry, put some moth balls in the space. If you can't get the moth balls into the space via the entry point, cut a hole in the drywall, insert the moth balls and secure it with heavy wire screening. Its easy to patch later.
Most critters won't want to be near the moth balls.
After a couple of days during which you hear no noise, seal the means of entry.
It worked for my squirrel problem.
Good luck.
TomR |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 70
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 11:41 am: |
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Thanks, Tom!
bklyngirl |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 72
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 25, 2006 - 9:51 am: |
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Thank you for recommending Jerry Buckingham Pest Control! Jerry's a very nice and honest man. He stopped by this morning to look for the pest making the scratching noises in my basement and couldn't find any sign of it or a possible entry way.
Maybe the noise was, in fact, coming from outside.
Thanks, again, for all the advice and recommendations.
bklyngirl |
justmelaura
Citizen
Username: Justmelaura
Post Number: 552
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 12:49 am: |
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Jerry is the best. We love him. He just did a great job on our house for termites and external verments 'aka rats'. He was recommended to us from MOL and has been very reliable, effecient and reasonable.
On a different note, don't ignore the noise you are hearing. Unfortunately, we had a (eh hem) rat family living in our basement a few years ago (they chewed through the screens on the basement window). Very similiar to what you have described. We kept on hearing a scurring behind the walls and one night I hit the wall/drop ceiling where it was coming from and the dang thing fell onto the floor. I screamed and ran and the next day had an exterminator come to the house. Glue traps and rat bait and soon they were all deceased (a family of five, I think). Ask Jerry for some of the bait traps if you don't have small pets.
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Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 77
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 7:58 am: |
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Jerry didn't see droppings anywhere, though. He looked all through the house, including our crawl space and there was no sign of even an entryway.
I'll ask Jerry about the bait traps. Thanks.
bklyngirl
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