What’s making that noise in the ceiling ?

How do you recognise what is making that noise in the ceiling? Take notice of when you hear the noise.

Feral rats and mice are active at all times of the day and night, especially at night, when you may hear them fight, running back and forth. It is quite amazing just how much noise such fairly small creatures can make.

Native rats and mice are nocturnal and leave the ceiling space at dusk or just after. They spend the night foraging for food outside at night, returning at dawn.

We all know the smell of mice. Native rats and mice have no smell. If you can smell that mouse smell it is feral critters, all you need to do is hope for a python to move in and do the job they do best, pest control…..

Possums will only be heard at dusk and dawn, if they are living in your roof or ceiling, you will hear them when leaving at dusk, and then again when they return at dawn.

Possums will take up residence in ceilings only because their habitat is being lost at an alarming rate. New housing estates spring up fast, where one moment possums had their homes, now stands houses, where are they to go?

There may be trees left standing in the new estate, but possums are territorial, and another possum is likely already in residence, and they DO NOT share accommodation.

You may not be living in a new estate, but you suddenly have a possum living in your ceiling. This may occur as someone close by may have cut down an old tree, the home of the particular possum; it had no choice but to move.

What can you do to discourage the possum. First provide a home for the animal. This can be easily done by making or purchasing a possum box. Locate the new home close by in a suitable tree, remember they will need shade, as a box heats up fast in the sun. In the old days possums were relocated, this has however proved extremely unsuccessful, as possums are territorial and do not tolerate competition for shelter or food.

In most instances a relocated possum will not survive. As we encroach on the habitat of native Australian animals such as possums, it must also be our responsibility to make sure these animals have a place amongst us, let them live their lives as undisturbed as possible, by providing them with a new home close by.

Possums do not chew electrical wiring; they are simply looking for a place to call home.

Native animals in ceiling spaces are a matter of building maintenance rather than removal.

There are good reasons why wildlife volunteers will not go into ceiling spaces for such situations, whether snakes, possums or other, if the animal is removed, what is to stop another returning/setting up residence?

It is essential to determine how the animal is accessing the ceiling space and then make a one way catflap type arrangement so the animal can exit but not re-enter.

This might mean installing a sturdy strip screen, of for example aviary wire (1cm sq) around the periphery of the roof line apart from a meter or two where the temporary animal flap is installed. The flap can be as simple as a strip of shade cloth taped at the top with gaffe/masking tape, preferably at known point of access.

Then, once the animal has departed, and you know for sure there are no young left behind, close the gap with aviary wire.

For residents in older style dwellings with many access points and irregular roofing & gutter edges, may have to resign themselves to co-exist with their resident native animal.

Pythons will often take up residence in the ceiling and are a free non -toxic rodent control. You will likely not hear a Python in your ceiling , apart from when it moves into a different position as it sleeps.

Python snakes  are non-venomous. You will, of course, need to house your chooks, aviary birds, rabbits and guinea pigs in python proof enclosures (aviary wire).

Co-existing with wildlife is part of the pleasure of living in areas where wildlife is present.