Unwelcome 'visitors in our attic?

[Carolski]

 

Not sure where to post this but here's a start!

We've now got used to living in rural France and even the mice/rats etc that seem to enjoy free reign in our attic in the winter months. However, this year it seems to be inhabited by something noisier , more destructive and bigger altogether. We have just come back from 3 weeks away in the UK. On our first night back and pratically every night now around 3 in the morning we are woken by the sound of knawing and creaking (very loud) just above and at the side of our bedroom, in the roof space and the attic. On investigation the first following morning, we discovered faeces not unlike cats or small dogs..certainly not like rats or mice. We put down rat poisen granules...they havent touched it. We are tearing our hair out as  this animal is causing damage to the velux window padding etc in the roof space. Any suggestions greatly appreciated and what to put down to get rid of it.

 

 

[Higgy]

Only a guess but they might be Fat Tailed Dormice,  they are nocturnal and very noisy, best of luck

as our friends have been trying to get rid of theirs for 3 years. 

[Cat]

Could well be a fouine (stone marten).  Have a look at this and compare the poo http://users.skynet.be/the.fly/htm/Mammalogie/fouine.htm

Then read this... http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/857690/ShowPost.aspx

 

[Carolski]

Thanks for that info..does sound likely that it could be a fouine....BUT...how do you get rid of them? any ideas???? I dont fancy them getting to cosy and stinking the place out let alone damaging the roof space!

HELP!!!

 

[Cat]

In some areas the fouine is a protected species, so best to check at the Mairie to be sure, as you may only be able to use a certified trapper (piégeur agréé) or humane trap.

Or you could try mothballs, as apparently fouines don't much like the smell of them, although success is often short-term, and once the mothballs have lost their pong the fouines may return.  

 

[Deimos]

Moth balls - the old fashioned type.  I got mine in Super U (and they are still available).  If its an open area just scatter the around.  If living between plasterboard and the roof tiles (which they can), put them in shallow trays (e.g. old margarine tubs and similar) to get then odour as much as possible into the roof space (i.e. you want the place where they live to smell of the mothballs as much as possible).

Very effective and they should depart of their own accord within a day or so.  I have used this method twice on fouines that were living between plasterboard and roof tiles and it was quick both times.  Just remember you are not harming them but making the place smell "off" to them (they are very sensitive to smell) - so they move on.

Before the moth balls I did try loads of other things.  Local hunt set traps with eggs, I tried leaving music on loud the entire time, etc. and none of that had any effect - moth balls had immediate effect.

Ian

[Deimos]

For me moth balls have been a decent long term solution (i.e. they have not returned).  I saw a fouine the other evening round the house (actually up under the eves of a roof but it has not moved back in 2 years after the last mothball was used.

Ian

[Deimos]

If you really want to trap it (less effective) then don't ask the Mairie.  Ask either the local Chasse or a local chicken farmer.  The Mairie will not catch it (even if it is not protected in your area).  As they are regarded as pests (whatever they protected status), chasse and farmers will "get rid of them".

However, moth balls are more effective, quicker, easier, humane, don't break any protected status (as far as i know), etc.

Ian

[Carolski]

Seems conclusive and advice given by many re the mothballs and will certainly go out today and get some. Interestingly enough though, I had heard somewhere that peppermint oil is a deterrant too so as I had some I liberally soaked some cotton wool with the oil and placed pieces of it around the attic last night; at 4am they arrived as usual..then suddenly they went! Perhaps the peppermint oil did the trick too! worth a mention.

 

[Cat]

I have heard that any strong smell that they are not accustomed to may do the trick, even aftershave (although that is obviously not as long lasting as the alternatives).

 

[Bugsy]

[quote user="Cat"]

.............................................................., even aftershave (although that is obviously not as long lasting as the alternatives).

[/quote]

You've obviously not smelt the stuff my mother bought me last christmas..............................[:D][:D][:D]

Rub here   (sniff & scratch)

On topic, sonic emitters work with mice and stuff, not sure about pine martins though. You can buy them from the bricos.

[Kitty]

Can someone post a photo of a fouine on this thread?  I'm intrigued what they look like and I can't get into Cat's link.  Are they birds or mammals, for example?!

 

 

[Alan Zoff]

Try this:

Fouine Photo

 

Link edited by a moderator as it was too long.

[Alan Zoff]

Thanks Moderator. I had just copied across the first link I found without checking it.

Sweet looking things, aren't they? Just a shame they choose attics for their dining rooms and loos. They are in fact aggressive predators with a penchant for eggs and birds which makes them somewhat unpopular with my hen-keeping neighbour.

I recently chopped down (mainly for other reasons) the large fir tree which was brushing the side of the house and which they were using to gain access to our roof and attic. Hopefully that has cured the problem for us - unless they can scale vertical walls of a two-storey house....

 

[Kitty]

Ahhhh, thanks for the photo. It looks quite sweet!  Was is the English translation of fouine?  The same word by any chance?

 

[Kitty]

what *

[Cat]

What, what, duplicate post?

It's a stone marten.

[Alan Zoff]

Yes, a fouine is a stone marten with a French accent. Same beast. Similar to the pine marten found in Scottish woodlands and forests.

[Alan Zoff]

[quote user="Cat"]

What, what, duplicate post?

[/quote]

She was correcting the "Was" in her previous post.

I've only recently discovered Cathy that if you hit the Edit button before someone has replied, you can correct errors within the initial post. Very useful feature for someone like me....

 

[chris pp]

Might as well put my little bit into the pot...

http://planetepassion.com/stone_marten-pine-marten-france.htm

Chris

 

[Cat]

especially as the first picture of a fouine that alan found was the one on the planet passion site.

ooh, my  right hand shift key has stopped working... nuts

[Alan Zoff]

Initially, our roof space didn't have an access hatch so it made a perfect hideaway for the martens. We knew something was going on up there as we could hear strange noises in the night but it was only when I cut a hole in the ceiling to make a hatch that we discovered what was responsible. There were the typical heaps of excrement - lots of it! - , a variety of feathers and egg shells, and the unidentifiable remains of some rodent that had probably been deposited as a food store.

The 45' tall fir tree near to the house provided the perfect cover and means of entry and enabled them to get in without being seen. We had been toying with the idea of removing the tree as the branches were scraping over the roof tiles and, more worryingly, I was warned that the tree towering over the house could one day fall through the roof. Plus the damage the roots could cause to the footings.

[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd192/Alzoff/MumspicturesJune07054.jpg[/IMG]

It had initially been considered one of those "jobs for the future" but the detection of the fouines hastened the demise of the tree.

[IMG]http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd192/Alzoff/MumspicturesJune07059.jpg[/IMG]

It was really just an excuse to play at being a lumberjack, of course.

[Carolski]

Can't say that we have a large tree or indeed a tree at all by our roof, as my most recent post said, the moth balls and the peppermint oil seem to have shortened their visit duration but it/they still arrive at about 4am thus waking us (they're sooooo noisy), scratch about a bit in the other side of the roof now (which we cant get to)..then go quiet. Can I assume that's because the moth ball smell etc has genuinely put them off and they have left the 'building' or are they lying in wait in the roof tiles?

 

[Alan Zoff]

Don't know but intrigued as to how they are getting up there, unless your house has a low roof, a lean-to or other surfaces they can get onto or get their claws into. Our house has smooth rendered walls with very little - now that tree has gone - that could be used by an animal of this type to get up to the roof (unless the beggars develop wings).

Of course, rats and mice getting up to the attic from the inside are another matter - and can also be very noisy at night. I haven't trawled back though posts to check but have you confirmed existence of fouines/stone martens by finding the excrement heaps?

[Nicos]

Higgy in the seond posting suggested it might be a doormouse- what do their droppings look like - what sort of noises at night do they make compared to a fouine??

We have something living inbetween our insulated stone walls and into our enclosed apex of roofspace in the bedroom.

Munching of wood ( presumably our roof joists??????) and  padding/scratching around in the early hours is common. Sounds like there is just one at the moment....but come spring????....

We have only found large mouse (rat??) droppings in the cellar so far and have no access to the roof space.

How could I determine if it was a doormouse instead of a fouine? ( same questionas OP really)