[graciegirl]

Early this morning, about five, I was about half asleep and heard a bonking noise in the attic. Not a scuffling but as if a large box was picked up and moved and set down again...two or three times in succession.

Now I have some major hearing issues so to hear anything means the noise was significant. Sweetie was sleeping peacefully and I hated to wake him.

Than later, about 7:30, All three of us were awake and watching Television in the Master bedroom and the sound came again. Helene got up and stuck her head out the Lanai door looking for something and Henry turned down the TV. I said, "Was that Thunder?" He said "no". We all listened again.We heard it three more times. When I had heard it earlier I thought maybe one of the cats had been closed in the closet, it sounded like a loud rattling of the pocket door.

We mulled over what kind of creature in the attic could be making such a sound. Certainly not a bird or a conventional mouse.

Does anyone have any ideas?

(P.S. I don't believe in ghosts.)

[villages07]

Bats in your Belfry???

I don't recall your landscaping....but, we have queen palms in front and sometimes the fronds will "scrape" the roof in the wind. Are any tree branches touching the roof?

[graciegirl]

Well, 07, bats in my belfry,that I am sure of. But Sweetie and Helene are pretty well adjusted and stable. We have NO large trees close to the house.

[sandybill2]

Had friends in the Villages who had Raccoons in their attic---they had pried their way in. They had to hire professional help to trap them and then repair their entryway. Think there were others in their neighborhood who had the same problem. Raccoons sound pretty scary to me now after reading about their attack on a lady here in Florida. Please be careful.

[BarryB]

Happy Halloween

[homeball]

I don't think rats are the issue unless they're on steroids.

-Dave-

Originally Posted by sandybill2

Had friends in the Villages who had Raccoons in their attic---they had pried their way in. They had to hire professional help to trap them and then repair their entryway. Think there were others in their neighborhood who had the same problem. Raccoons sound pretty scary to me now after reading about their attack on a lady here in Florida. Please be careful.

Yes, raccoons get my vote as well. Do you have any way of safely accessing your attic to confirm what may be up there? Have you looked around your house for possible evidence of something entering your attic?

Such a mystery, make sure to let us know what you find up there.

[PR1234]

Julia

[Bettiboop]

Other than a "critter" of some sort, the other thing that comes to my mind when you describe the noise is something to do with the water pipes. The reason I say that is...once I lived in a house where noises like this started occuring, and it was finally traced to the water lines. (loud thumps, short bursts of vibratory sounds similar to a jack hammer, etc.) I think they called it "water hammer" or something like that. It just happened occasionally. Was especially unnerving when it happened in middle of night! Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Keep us posted!

[KathieI]

Originally Posted by PR1234

Julia

I wouldn't be surprised because Donna's in town and Julia is searching for her

I had a similar experience a few weeks ago, GG, I heard someone walking on my roof in the middle of the night. First I thought, EARTHQUAKE!!.... then I realized I'm in Central FL now, so that's not an issue. But I have seen some evidence of possum poop around my house and I wouldn't be surprised is they can access the rooftops....

I like the Julia story better though as I could use some company sometimes.... better than nothing!

GG, I remembered a story from the news which occurred a year or so ago regarding some people hearing noises in their attic. When they went to investigate they found a man living in their attic wearing their clothes.

Let's just hope he hasn't relocated to TV.

Here's a link to an online article about the incident: http://www.wjactv.com/news/18374571/detail.html

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by homeball

I don't think rats are the issue unless they're on steroids.

-Dave-

If you look into it, there are 2 kinds of rats in the US, the Norwegian rat, which is the predominant one. It's fat and typically lives in sewers and eats garbage and and is your stereotypical rat. There is another breed, which lives in the southern parts of the country near the coasts. They are all thru FLorida. One of its names is Roof Rat. They are slight built, and basically have the eating and nesting habits of squirrels. They also have the agility of a squirrell.
If I were you Gracie, and you suspect something is in your attic, I'd get a pro in to see if anything is there.

[graciegirl]

I just talked on the phone with a very helpful man who coincidentally lives in the same model we do, The Gardenia. He told us the point of entry for his visitor.

He said that he too had heard similar noises especially in the early morning hours and it was an opossum. I turned the phone over to Sweetie then, just as he was telling me that he used strobe lights and a boom box to send this creature packing.

I am going to look up the habits of the opossum and the roof rat. Yikes.

[bestmickey]

Originally Posted by Julie

GG, I remembered a story from the news which occurred a year or so ago regarding some people hearing noises in their attic. When they went to investigate they found a man living in their attic wearing their clothes.

Let's just hope he hasn't relocated to TV.

Here's a link to an online article about the incident: http://www.wjactv.com/news/18374571/detail.html

This kid is way too young for The Villages. Gracie, if it is a man in your attic and he's single, let KathieI know so he can join the singles crew.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I just talked on the phone with a very helpful man who coincidentally lives in the same model we do, The Gardenia. He told us the point of entry for his visitor.

He said that he too had heard similar noises especially in the early morning hours and it was an opossum. I turned the phone over to Sweetie then, just as he was telling me that he used strobe lights and a boom box to send this creature packing.

I am going to look up the habits of the opossum and the roof rat. Yikes.

Looks like Kathie wins the prize!