A little over a week ago, Albie and I were sat in the sitting room one evening when there was a gnawing sound around one of the spot lights above us.
It moved to the other spot light, and then went back to the first - obviously the favourite light to chew.
Albie has been making up for lost time with his miaow recently, so this, which made him stop and be quiet for once, as well as his goofy face and huge ears which had doubled in size at the sound, was highly amusing.
It moved to the other spot light, and then went back to the first - obviously the favourite light to chew.
Albie has been making up for lost time with his miaow recently, so this, which made him stop and be quiet for once, as well as his goofy face and huge ears which had doubled in size at the sound, was highly amusing.
Although great for Albie entertaining, this chewing of wires was not good, so I contacted our agent.
Of course, this was on a Friday afternoon, so we had to wait over the weekend whilst they contacted Strata (the management company for our apartment block), who then contacted pest control, and so it was Tuesday when the pest control guy came out. In the meantime, from that Friday night, we experienced more than chewing...
Friday night, we were awoken sporadically throughout the night with something running up and down in the loft, above the bedroom.
Same on Saturday night.
And Sunday...
We had wondered how the pest control guy would get up to the loft as there appeared to be no access from our apartment, but on Monday we met our neighbour who said the agency had got in contact with her as she had the loft hatch in her apartment.
We were lucky - she was going away that night. For three and a half weeks!
She gave us the key so we could let the guy have access to the loft.
We were lucky - she was going away that night. For three and a half weeks!
She gave us the key so we could let the guy have access to the loft.
Tuesday afternoon the pest guy came and put a cage containing an apple up in the loft, assuming the noisy critter was a possum. Apparently possums regard apples as highly as children like sweets. On initial sight of the cage I was a little alarmed, but apparently they trap the possum, seal any holes it might be getting into the premises through, and then release it back to play. Outdoors.
Tuesday night, the 'thing' did it's normal running around - there was no sign of it being trapped in a cage.
Wednesday, the guy came, and looked flummoxed. Why hadn't the possum taken the apple?
He put another apple in the cage, had a look around for signs of anything up there, and said he'd be back Thursday. He warned us that he'd had to place the cage above our bedroom, and said if we had a spare room to sleep in there, as if the possum became trapped in the cage, it would go manic.
We do have a spare room, but it houses T's work desk; not a bed. Besides, it is right next to the main bedroom, and the walls are so thin we wouldn't be protected from the noise in the slightest.
We waited, ready for a noisy night.
There was no sound of a cross possum trying to get out of a cage, but it was far from quiet. In fact, it sounded as if the 'thing' was playing on the cage, rather than in it.
He put another apple in the cage, had a look around for signs of anything up there, and said he'd be back Thursday. He warned us that he'd had to place the cage above our bedroom, and said if we had a spare room to sleep in there, as if the possum became trapped in the cage, it would go manic.
We do have a spare room, but it houses T's work desk; not a bed. Besides, it is right next to the main bedroom, and the walls are so thin we wouldn't be protected from the noise in the slightest.
We waited, ready for a noisy night.
There was no sound of a cross possum trying to get out of a cage, but it was far from quiet. In fact, it sounded as if the 'thing' was playing on the cage, rather than in it.
The pest control guy returned Thursday, still looking baffled when he saw the apple, untouched. Were we sure it wasn't a bird we were hearing?
We are not accustomed to the birds out here yet, but it was definitely not a bird.
He suggested we gave it another night to take the bait.
That night, the 'thing' had a party.
All night.
We hardly slept. It was pretty loud, banging, scratching, jumping and running around.
Why had it become worse?!
We are not accustomed to the birds out here yet, but it was definitely not a bird.
He suggested we gave it another night to take the bait.
That night, the 'thing' had a party.
All night.
We hardly slept. It was pretty loud, banging, scratching, jumping and running around.
Why had it become worse?!
I rang the guy on Friday morning - even though he was due to come that afternoon, it had dawned on us that it was a Bank Holiday weekend coming up, and there was no way we could endure another four nights like that one! I hadn't realized, but after his visit on Thursday he had then plugged up some holes under the eaves - so maybe that was why the noise was so bad, maybe the poor, noisy, possum 'thing' was trapped.
He came Friday afternoon and found a recently dead baby possum in the insulation near to the cage. Maybe the poor thing had been trapped, and it had been that causing the noise. Hoping that was the end of it, he promised to return every day - Bank Holiday or no Bank Holiday - until it had been resolved.
That night we were hopeful...
...until 9pm, when the sounds started...
...and continued all night.
Again.
Another night of less than two hours sleep for us.
...until 9pm, when the sounds started...
...and continued all night.
Again.
Another night of less than two hours sleep for us.
Saturday the pest control guy came and had another search around the loft space but couldn't find anything. Another shiny apple was placed in the cage to entice the possum in. By this stage, looking at paw prints on a solid area of loft floor, he was sure it was an adult possum. But why wasn't it taking the apples?!! And they weren't just any apples either - these were my premium range super duper shiny apples!
Saturday evening, and we waited for the noise to start.
It didn't.
We went to bed, and thought we heard something on the roof and then under the eves, scrabbling around trying to get in. We listened for the sound to continue on in to the loft, but it never came.
Sleep...
It didn't.
We went to bed, and thought we heard something on the roof and then under the eves, scrabbling around trying to get in. We listened for the sound to continue on in to the loft, but it never came.
Sleep...
We have had two more nights of silence!
I hope I'm not tempting fate typing this, but so far so good...
I hope I'm not tempting fate typing this, but so far so good...