T
Junior Member
Posts: 94 
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Post by T on Nov 22, 2015 23:55:12 GMT
For the past 2 nights, something has been scratching at the back door of my house. When I open the door, there is nothing there. My garden is sort of enclosed so would be a bit awkward for a fox or dog to get in but it's not impossible. A fox would have been my first guess but a rat or even a cat is possible. My garden is one of four in the block, not on the end though. There's no real way of catching it in the act either since I can't access my garden any other way than by opening the door. I do have one of those wifi cameras that I used to use to watch hedgehogs. It's a bit crap and hard to setup but it might be my only way of catching the culprit.
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Post by alf1951 on Nov 23, 2015 8:10:59 GMT
How frustrating! Are there scratch marks on the door? Could the sound be coming from the floor, ceiling or a cupboard? I'm just thinking about when we had mice and they got under the kitchen units and in the ceiling/floor spaces.
Alf
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Post by faith on Nov 23, 2015 8:52:13 GMT
Or, if you're not lucky enough to have snow on the ground as we currently have (!), why not lay out something that will be impressed with its footprints? As we will be when you post a picture of them here.
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Post by rowanberry on Nov 23, 2015 9:40:04 GMT
Or, if you're not lucky enough to have snow on the ground as we currently have (!), why not lay out something that will be impressed with its footprints? As we will be when you post a picture of them here. A dusting of flour or fine sand might work, provided it doesn't rain! |
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Post by Tringa on Nov 23, 2015 9:53:17 GMT
Looks like you are going to have to get the camera out, T.
Is there any way you can see the back door from a window? Or put some food out far enough from the door so you can see it, though there is a risk you would attract something other than what is doing the scratching.
Dave
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T
Junior Member
Posts: 94
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Post by T on Nov 23, 2015 11:13:25 GMT
No scratch marks. It really sounds like it's coming from the door corners and what did make me think it was a fox or dog was that it seemed to be coming from both corners at different times. Though thinking about it, a fox or dog would probably make sniffing noises. Someone on WAB Castaways FB did say mice could be in the door frame or something. Which is a possibility. No snow (thankfully  ) but I could put flour or something as rowanberry says, chances are it WILL rain though. Nah I can't see the door from the window, which is very annoying. Even something large like a fox would be hidden. I could put food out where I could get a good view and there's always spilled bird food around. I do quite fancy rigging up the camera, it was pretty fascinating watching the hogs with it. It's not weatherproof and kinda awkward to setup (confusing software and really short cable) but I'd like to give it a go  |
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Post by accipiter on Nov 23, 2015 13:44:18 GMT
I know this may “sound really rather silly” but many years ago unbeknown to my wife and I our youngest son had upset one of his friends who would insist on paying “very late calls to our door and window” in the form of scratching and then running away. I do not know if you have any children or if there are any likely pranksters in your neighbourhood T but this was just one more thought that crossed my mind.
Alan
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Post by Tringa on Nov 23, 2015 15:26:47 GMT
It would have to be a sizeable fence to stop a fox. I reckon they can cope with almost six feet fairly well, and if they can't jump on to or over it, they dig well. I also think if a fox visited your garden, you would know about it - they scent quite a lot and the smell is very characteristic.
Dave
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T
Junior Member
Posts: 94
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Post by T on Nov 23, 2015 16:56:50 GMT
No pranksters as far as I can tell and although an animal could bolt as soon as the door was opened without me seeing. Even the fastest prankster would have a hard time making it over fences and whatnot. Yeah a fox could easily get in, it's just I've never seen one in the back garden but regularly see them out front. My neighbour puts out food often and I do now and again. There are at least 4 around just now. I saw a vixen and her 3 large cubs just a last week. Another thing that makes me think they don't visit my back garden is that I put some meat scraps, including bones, on the bird table for the crows and they chucked some off. A bone with a chunk of fat sat there for days until a rook eventually carried it off, I would think if a fox was visiting then it would have taken it right away. Anyhoo, I'll try and rig the cam up and see how it goes. Fingers crossed the weather stays dry |
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Post by accipiter on Nov 23, 2015 17:16:48 GMT
Ah well you may have a poltergeist then, whooooo
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio
than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Hamlet
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Post by rowanberry on Nov 23, 2015 21:14:53 GMT
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T
Junior Member
Posts: 94
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Post by T on Nov 24, 2015 0:49:35 GMT
Well the weather was too wet to rig the cam up so I put a small piece of corned beef and a small pile of sunflower seeds on the back step. So far there has been no scratching and the food is untouched  Maybe it was a poltergeist/weresheep  |
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Post by shirl100 on Nov 27, 2015 20:29:22 GMT
I am intrigued - has it returned? I remember renting a cottage for a few months and had a similar experience - turned out it was a cat who thought I might adopt it!
Shirl
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T
Junior Member
Posts: 94
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Post by T on Dec 15, 2015 16:54:26 GMT
I am intrigued - has it returned? I remember renting a cottage for a few months and had a similar experience - turned out it was a cat who thought I might adopt it! Shirl Nope, it was just for a few nights then nothing. I guess we'll never know. What happened with the cat? |
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Post by shirl100 on Dec 15, 2015 18:03:05 GMT
I am intrigued - has it returned? I remember renting a cottage for a few months and had a similar experience - turned out it was a cat who thought I might adopt it! Shirl Nope, it was just for a few nights then nothing. I guess we'll never know. What happened with the cat? It adopted the owners of the cottage when I left, apparently it ate rather a lot but was more than happy with it's new owners. Shirl |
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) but I could put flour or something as rowanberry says, chances are it WILL rain though.
