NuBeginnings Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Now this is not what you may think. Last summer we were woken by a rustling noise in our bed room. I jumped out of bed, hit the light switch in a panic (as it was our first week in our new home), to find a rather large barn owl perched on the end of our bed !Mr Owl had flown in through a downstairs open window up the staircase and in to our bedroom.I opened the bedroom window and out it flew, sadly I did not have the foresight to take a picture.Mr Owl was a beautiful creature and utterly splendid to watch fly. We decided to adopt Greek mythology and took his visit to be a good omen.Has any one else had any odd creatures coming in to their houses ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Swallows often fly in and out at the Fr. house but that is supposed to bring good luck. Birds a few times have fallen down the chimney into unlit stove in kitchen, two escaped one met his end there [:(]Mice have occasionally tried to move in but fingers crossed I think we have solved that problem. Toad occasionally resides behind the open shutter, no idea why as we are not near water (pond, lake, river etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 A few Bats, a Swallow, 1 Woodpidgeon, 1 Snake (round radiator pipes) and a mouse or two.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Bats, a viper, swarm of bees, mice, large brown rat and loir (glis glis), crickets, shield beetles, small lizards, a fire salamander and toads, but not in the bedroom, and a stray cat but not all at the same time thank goodness!.......JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Years ago I went for several months on bachelor contract to Hong Kong where I was accommodated in quarters used by the young Hong Kong police chaps. After a night out in some of their watering holes, some of the strange things hanging round the room were much more than I dare describe on this family orientated forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Ladyboys? No need to describe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Donkey collar, and set of reins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Bats, and that's scary enough for me !!!! [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manon Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Bats and a fouine which we caught when it was stunned after falling down though the loft trap door ! Have also found a wasp's nest, a bees' nest and a hornet's nest between the shutters and the bedroom window - thankfully not all at the same time ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Hey NuBeginnings,Are you sure that Chateau you bought wasn't actually Hogworts? [:D]As well as the normal wildlife that wants to share my house, the most bizzare thing was several thousand bees all dead over the bedroom floors. I can only assume they found a way in and couldn't find their way out again poor things.I expect in a couple of months we will have the usual House Martins (the birds not the awful pop group) paying a visit and flying about inside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossy67 Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 [quote user="just john "]Donkey collar, and set of reins![/quote][:$]Don't think we need to know that John.We had a tarantula in our apartment in Cypress once. Opened the door and saw it scuttle under the bed. I went into reception and tried asking the girl there if they had any poisonous spiders there, she replied with ke? I will get man. The little Greek bloke came round with a tin of fly spray took one look and ran off without saying anything. He returned a few minutes later with two tins of fly spray. He sprayed the spider (which was not huge but it's body was bigger than a man's thumb with big hairy legs) giving it both guns. The spider dropped off the bed clothes and ran at the man, obviously by accident in blind panic trying to escape. The Greek chap started dancing trying to stop the spider climbing onto his feet. Eventually he trod on it killing the poor thing dead. He sauntered off like he meant to do it.We only wanted to know if we would be safe to remove it or if we were likely to get bitten. We felt really sorry for the spiders demise but it was very funny watching the Greek dancing to avoid the spider.We also had a nest of rats in the roof space above our bedroom in a dive we once stayed a night in in Corsica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Our cat once dragged in a furiously struggling squirrel, through the electronic cat-flap, and finally abandoned it in our bedroom, where it dashed into the open wardrobe. Came out about 36 hours later and rushed past bemused dogs and out onto terrace and away. Didn't do any damage in wardrobe or (surprisingly) leave any mess.Chrissie (81) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Several confused drunks convinced that my place was still open and serving alcohol (closed in 1990 to my knowledge).Several fishermen looking for bait (they used to sell it) one itinerant druggie that was not too happy that he could no longer use the garage as his summer squat.Finally every man and his dog pi55ing up my gable end wall but I guess that doesnt count as its outside.Oh and I currently have a bat roosting in my cellar, it had fallen to the floor so I gave it a little fluid and made a roosting perch for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Chance, I'm going to send you a PM in a mo. Could you please read it when you get a..............er ...........chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charly Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 In no particular order:Baby scorpions and millipedes and pine marten and chameleon and tiny lizards and many many cats and kittens - not all at the same time! Note to self - stop leaving french doors open. Greece.Chameleons, huge beetles, unidentifed scuttly and flying things, maybe avoiding massive python (in thatched roof over) bedroom - no windows only metal screens and door closed -Lake Kariba, Africa.Robin, blue tit, swallows, hornet. Mouse and shrew and small green frog (deceased - courtesy of cats) ,same sneaky cats (via roof) and door-opening dogs - CalvadosWorst,in Calvados, woken at 3 in morning by wing tip of bat striking nose when all windows fully open in heat wave -[:'(] Note to self again, CLOSE windows and switch on aircon..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 When in rented accommodation as a student, the sitting room (thread bare) carpet would have streaks on it every morning, which I hoovered off (occasionally). I didn't know why until one night, I crossed the room barefooted and - - - stood on a slug. My foot hasn't felt the same since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I find you all SO BRAVE !!!I'm scared of snakes, bats, mice rats, ........... Phobic, that 's what I am ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keni Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Came back after a holiday to find crispy dead bat stuck on fly paper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia.c Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Those AWFUL caterpillar things which are more like millipedes with regard to the number of legs, but which look like the end of a well used scruffy broom, and, seem to move at the speed of sound.Have to agree with the previous comment re the absolutely dreadful but fortunately now defunct (i hope) pop group The Housemartins. I would rather face several thousand creepy crawlies than listen to one of their albums.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charly Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 Ooooer, don't, I just had a flashback. I once put down my basket full of crockery and left a store because I couldn't tolerate all that wailing. I've never felt the need to run from ANY of God's little creatures - even those disguised as old brooms [:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 [quote user="virginia.c"]Those AWFUL caterpillar things which are more like millipedes with regard to the number of legs, but which look like the end of a well used scruffy broom, and, seem to move at the speed of sound.[/quote]here you go...House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata)Danny [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRoss Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 We get a number of these every year in the house and this site suggests they are good to have as they see off other insects http://www.fond-ecran-image.com/galerie-membre,scutigere-veloce,mille-pattes-20100707jpg.php so we should not kill them. I know that many bugs like these are venomous and worry that our cats might eat them as they love chasing anything that moves. Not sure how poisonous the ones we find in France are............................JR PS Forgot to mention that we do find at least one Praying Mantis either in the house or in the garden each year and that they too are apparently our little friends in that they eat other insects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virginia.c Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I've never been able to move fast enough to catch one of the bu'gers, let alone squash one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now