# There's a critter in the wall. What do I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 5, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819 "2010-02-05T18:20:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819/21 "2010-02-06T00:37:09Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I’m the first one to suggest the rodenator? Should take care of things toot-sweet. There will be some cleanup afterward, though. > > [www.rodenator.com](http://www.rodenator.com) > > (warning, this is a real site selling a real product that, depending on your perspective, does some stuff that’s either disturbing or downright hilarious. crazyjoe is not responsible for fits of laughter or if you get fired for forwarding this to all your co-workers) Does the rodenator have a facebook fan page? I’m not using that on my wall, though. I can’t hear the little hellspawn masturbating anymore. He must be done for the day. ---
**Author:** ![Visual\_Purple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Visual\_Purple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visual_Purple)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819/22 "2010-02-06T01:25:52Z")
We had three squirrels get into our chimney in the space between the flue and the outer wall. It was clear that they were squirrels before we got them out from the vocalizations. We could also tell from the noises that they were trapped in a confined area. We had a pest control person out to work on it. He did end up cutting a hole, which, amazingly, turned out to have a dead squirrel directly behind it. He placed a peanut-butter baited trap over the hole. It took a couple of days to lure out the remaining two. The lesson I draw from this is that, if you can tell they are trapped, cut a hole. You don’t want them to die in the wall. Other experience says that even a dead mouse smells much worse than you want to live with. If, from the sounds they don’t seem to be trapped, place traps in likely areas–maybe the attic for roof rats? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819/23 "2010-02-06T14:57:59Z")
If you consult an exterminator, they will likely come and set bait. Poison with a particular characteristic, it will make the critter thirsty. Which will drive it from the building, seeking water. Where it will then expire, outside of your house. It’s actually quite efficient, when you see it done. Block up wherever they got in, and you’re done. Less fuss, no wrangling of wildlife involved, done in a single visit. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819/24 "2010-02-06T15:31:26Z")
This thread reminds me of [_A Bucket Of Blood_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlGDm4MK_R4&feature=related). Just jump to 8:30 for the cat-in-the-wall scene. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819/25 "2010-02-06T22:49:22Z")
Several years ago I had a bat(s) living in the wall of my house. I finally called pest control when one of them found a way into the inside of the house and started flying around in the middle of the night. Pest control guy went up on roof with me, pointed out a number of possible access points. He instructed me to seal up all of them with sealant/filler, EXCEPT for one opening that appeared to be their main portal. He covered this with some kind of screen-mesh check-valve: the bats could exit through this thing - and they do leave each night to feed/drink - but they couldn’t come back in. So that stayed in place for the next week, and the bats disappeared, then the guy took his check-valve back, and I caulked up that last opening. No bats, nothing dead in my walls. I would suggest contacting pest control for some help figuring out what animal you’ve got, how to best get rid of it, and how to prevent it from happening again. You say there’s no obvious access point, but he got in there _somehow;_ if you don’t find at least that hole and plug it up, you may be dealing with a repeat in short order. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-critter-in-the-wall-what-do-i-do/527819.md?page=1)