Help - Creature in the attic.

[Chardie]

Help! We have just got back from our very first short stay in our second home in Charente. On the first night there was the most awful thumping and banging coming from the narrow  loft space above our bathroom.  Thought it was probably some rat like animal or squirrels however when I lifted a few of the roof tiles to have a look  there was a large pile of excrement  which was made by a much bigger creature than a rat or squirrel. Also there were bits of dead animals - rabbit, a whole hedgehog etc - not a pretty sight. - Can someone tell me what this animal could be as I don't know what animals are indigenous to Charente. (Polecat, pine martin?) - and how  do I best get rid of this animal?. -  I couldn't see the creature when I took the tiles off -  I did put some  poison down (the stuff they sell that is meant for small creatures such as rats) and there was no noise heard on the 3rd night of our stay  - so it might have been scared off temporarily. -   Didn't like putting poison down but couldn't find any source for a trap to trap it live and take it out of the area - (plus we don't know what we are dealing with so wouldn't know what size trap to get).

Any help would be much appreciated. - My wife is not too pleased about the pooh stain which has appeared on the bathroom ceiling! 

Dave

 

 

[Punch]

Dave,

What you describe is characteristic of, and most certainly a "fouine". In the course of my business and especially when re-roofing,  I come across these piles of excrement and urine stains in lofts quite often, accompagnied by rotting carcases as you describe. There is a very distinctive smell that goes with them as well. The only real method I have found is to stop their methods of entry. If we are re-roofing then this is usually simply taken care of by the new roofing timbers , but an easy alternative way is to scrunch up chicken wire or galvanised mesh and place it at the edges of the roof (between the rafters) which is where they usually get in. They can scale walls quite easily! This also stop birds and other small mammals from entering, but still allows ventilation into the roofspace.

 

Here's a piccy of a dead one  http://images.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://www.freinet.org/creactif/valence/rkk99/FOUINE1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.freinet.org/creactif/valence/rkk99/fouine.htm&h=313&w=592&sz=18&tbnid=EU53jjVySRAJ:&tbnh=70&tbnw=132&hl=fr&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfouine%26hl%3Dfr%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

regards,

Paul

[Chardie]

Thanks for this - definitely sounds like a stone marten from all the evidence. - I've read that mothballs as a deterent work -so maybe this in conjunction  with chicken wiring where feasible will be work. - Just need to clear all the  debris up first which will mean removing a lot of the roof tiles and replacing insulation material. C'est la vie!