Disco Wombat

[Whiskers]

We haven't moved into our rural French property yet, but on the last visit we were awakened in the night by strange goings on in our attic. I can only describe the sounds as like a young lad jumping around and dragging things across the floor. FAR TOO HEAVY A SOUND FOR A BIRD OR RAT. The following day we heard it again and my partner, bravely armed with trusty broom handle, ventured up and poked about a bit - the "thing" scampered about making quite heavy thumpy sounds, and certainly moves quickly from side to side. We couldn't see a thing and eventually it went quiet. What the heck was it? No scratchy feet sounds like a dog/fox, no feathers (and no bird is THAT heavy, unless it was a stray emu), certainly not a badger or rat or something rodent-like. The property banks to a hillside and access could have been through a tiny gap in roof near chimney or by climbing tree and jumping over to roof. Either way doesn't make sense. We came to the conclusion eventually that it must have been a wombat practising its disco moves. We will investigate further on next visit, but any ideas on what creature roams the Limousin foothills....... please let me know!!! Arggh.

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

Maybe a marten?

[Mops]

Angela
Having had similar experiences on numerous occasions in the past I am pretty certain that it is a stone marten (believe they are now extinct in most part of Britain other than some parts of Scotland). They are about the size of a large cat but can be quite heavy footed. They steal eggs (do you live next door to a farm with chickens?). They are quite difficult to get rid of and they give off the most disgusting smell similar to a ferret. The locals usually feed them poisened eggs and then once rid of the animal block up any entrance to the roof from the outside. Hope this is of help.