# rat got into ceiling



## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

So I have a rat, she's energetic, playful, and all that good stuff. But she has been a nuisance lately, she chewed a hole in our wall, so we patched it up. But apparently she's found another way into the wall because now she is nowhere in site, and I can hear her in the walls. We have wild mice that are in the walls and I can hear the difference, firstly the wild mice don't come out this time of day, and she's bumbling and making lots of noise, for instance I heard her fall inside the wall and...she's in the walls. 

I have several questions. 1.) How do I get her out of the wall. 2.) And what to do afterwards.

I was trying to give her an hour or so of space to roam outside of her cage, but after this event, and the wall I feel like I will have to keep her inside her cage for a very long time.

Should I adopt her to another person who has a safer environment, and is willing to care for her?

Or Should I keep her inside her cage forever, if she's not allowed to roam she won't want to be held for too long (she's a free spirit)

I don't think she would be happy being in a cage forever, of all my rats I've never kept them inside the cage, but I feel like my options with her are limited. I can a.) keep her and have her inside the cage since she has found ways to get outside of the room or b.) Find someone else to care for her, I live in a basement type of house so maybe she needs a better environment.

The problem is I know she really loves us so I would feel bad for adopting her, but...idk, I just need some help, first how to get her out of the ceiling?


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## Ratnoob523 (May 8, 2009)

Find a way to ratproof and be sure that she can't escape from the space you are letting her out to play in. She will be miserable if she is kept in the cage all the time plus it would make having her kind of pointless. I had the same problem with mine constantly disappearing so I moved them into my bedroom. I've enjoyed them a lot more sense doing that because I can let them out and then relax without having to worry about them getting away. I can watch a movie and they can run around and explore or come hang out with me, it works well for both of us.


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

I thought we were rat proofed, I ceiled up all possible holes only to find her missing and hear her roaming inside the walls. I am actually working on rehoming her for now, worst case scenario is she would be in an enclosed space with a baby lock on it.

Are there any suggestions to get her out of the wall?


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

(enclosed space like a big closet with the gap closed) that is if we can't rehome her, just a safer place for her, cause we live in an underground type of place, which isn't ideal for free spirited rats


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## js6stone (Aug 7, 2009)

Your answer to getting her out of the wall? Knock a hole in the wall in two spots about 5 feet apart at the same time. Because once you punch through she's going to run. That way you'll have two hands to catch her. 
No idea if this will work but that's what I'd do.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

She isn't being a nuisance, she's being a rat. Do you not supervise her when she's out? Can you not let her out in one room with the door shut, such as a bathroom? They tend to be easy to ratproof. Or supervise her for free range time on a bed or sofa? 

You can't keep her locked in her cage all the time, that wouldn't be fair on her. Also you have only mentioned one rat... is she a lone girl? 

There's no reason you can't make a safer environment for her, but rehoming her it may be in her best interests if you won't be getting any rattie friends for her. Make sure she goes to a home with other rats (females only/neutered males/mixture of both) if you take that route. 

Have you read this sticky? http://www.ratforum.com/index.php/topic,12702.0.html


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

How do I get her out of the wall?


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

Stace87 said:


> She isn't being a nuisance, she's being a rat. Do you not supervise her when she's out? Can you not let her out in one room with the door shut, such as a bathroom? They tend to be easy to ratproof. Or supervise her for free range time on a bed or sofa?
> 
> You can't keep her locked in her cage all the time, that wouldn't be fair on her. Also you have only mentioned one rat... is she a lone girl?
> 
> ...


-No it wouldn't be kind for her to be in a cage forever...but I already said that. 

-There are reasons why I can't further rat proof the home. 1.) It's already rat proofed minus the texture of the walls 2.) The walls themselves are chewable. 3.) I don't have my own bathroom, this house is occupied by several people, and I'm not the owner, and they would kill me if they saw her in there. They just don't understand, but I wish I did have that option 4.) I actually tried locking her in the closet, I ceiled the door, and she chewed a hole through the board and got out. She's a really crafty, lovely free spirit. And I do love her, and yes to me she is a nuisance, but that doesn't mean I love her any less.

-She used to free roam the bed all night and day without problems, but recently she has taken to jumping off the bed and running around. We boarded up doors, walls, holes, and yet I look away very briefly and turn and well... I then hear her in the walls. I have never ever had a rat stuck in my walls and I've had so many.


-I already feel that she needs to be rehomed once I get her out, I have to do what's best for her not what's best for me, and what's best for her is someone else who can give her things that I can't. It's not safe for so many reasons, and I feel she needs to be with someone who can offer her more than I have right now. It was a difficult decision but after this...

-I need to get her out of the wall, banging holes isn't an option, because it's not my walls. So is there anyway to lure her out? Or to find her if she's in another section, for all I know at this point she's gotten outside. I can't hear her anymore  (but sometimes I think I do hear her and other times...I don't know).

-The sticky hasn't told me anything I'm not already aware of -sighs- any seroius suggestions would help. (By that I mean not telling me to cut two holes in the wall without even being sure it will work...)


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## js6stone (Aug 7, 2009)

YOU obviously didn't have any ideas. I was just trying to help.
And how does a rat chew through a wall that fast? You must not be watching while she's out. Play with her.


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## Ratnoob523 (May 8, 2009)

She will have to come out eventually for food/water. If you are patient enough you can try what I use to do before I moved them to my room, and still have to do sometimes with one of them. I tie a string to the cage door and then get comfortable and just wait. When she goes in to eat pull the string and shut the door. You could also buy a humane rat trap, or build your own rat trap. You can't really force her to come out, the harder you try the more her instincts kick in and the more she will run and hide. You have to be kind of passive in your method. Let her come to you. It's kind of up to you to figure out the best way to do that.


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## Ratnoob523 (May 8, 2009)

js6stone said:


> YOU obviously didn't have any ideas. I was just trying to help.
> And how does a rat chew through a wall that fast? You must not be watching while she's out. Play with her.


I don't think your suggestion was terribly helpful.. unless this is the hulk were talking to I doubt this person is fond of putting their fists through walls.. especially in their home. Placing blame doesn't really help either, besides rats are sneaky mine have found plenty of ways to get around my ratproofing.. even right in front of me. That's why I had to move them to my room.


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

You're right , the best thing I can do is just to sit back and wait. I am just horrified. How do I know if she escaped to outside? The wall leads to another side of the area which isn't my side, and on that side doors are frequently let open, and if I tell them to keep the door closed well... the wall leads to a side of the house that is escapable.

How do I know if she died in the wall? (I read that at that point the only way to get her out is to cut a hole.)

I'm horrified that she got stuck somewhere or fell, or is even chewing wires on the other side and died.

I am waiting for tonight and tomorrow to pass to see what is going to happen. Because if she is alive she will get hungry and come out and then I can hug her with relief, put her into the cage and start arranging adoptions if possible. I know this may seem like a horrible thing to do and I do believe in animal commitment, I just...don't feel like she will be happy here with the methods we would go to, to keep her from getting into any more things.

But I guess I'm just afraid that she's not alive or that she's escaped, and I don't know how to know .


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

How long have you had her? If you haven't had her long, that may make her more wary.


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

I hear her moving! 

Oh me and her aren't that close emotionally, not like two peas and a pods so she'll def. be wary and she is pretty particular about what she likes and doesn't like when it comes to picking her up for example I have to allow her to walk to me, even if I know she's coming she'll do it at her own pace and time, and 'then' I can pick her up. (I swear she's chewing something back there...either a wire or the wall.). Well she trusts me, but we have the kind of relationship where she loves/tolerates me because of the parent thing, but she's got her own spirit.

I've had her since she was a baby, she is now about 3ish months old give or take. She reminds me a little bit of a very special rat that I had when I raised all their siblings, she lived to a ripe old age with me, but I didn't have walls that were practically a joke T_T. 

(She's stopped moving) I just hope that the mice didn't bring any food in there that she can live off so she can come out and that she can find her way out safely.


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## Jest (Dec 29, 2008)

Place her cage by the hole. You can always try putting some strong-smelling food inside her cage so that may help lure her out. Does she come to you when you crinkle paper or anything? Mine go absolutely bonkers when I crinkle any sort of paper or cellophane wrappers. You could always just sit there and try that.


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## ChloeLouise (Apr 5, 2009)

I had hamsters who did this ALL the time. I learned firstly that Havahart Traps (http://www.havahart.com/) work wonders. They can be slightly pricey but its well worth it and they can be used over and over. 

Leaving food in the cage might not solve anything. just like wild mice, your rodent will probably sneak around the house at night, and sneak into the cage to eat and then leave. If you aren't already sleeping in the room where the cage is, its time to camp out. Maybe even brew some coffee and pull an all nighter.

I know it is the summer time, so this probably doesn't matter, assuming you live somewhere warm, but NEVER run the heat. Air ducts are incredibly easy for little animals to end up in. We accidently burnt up a little mouse one time and I cried even though it was wild! 

Good Luck!


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

Wow thank you this actually cheered me up (and gave me lots of hope), and now I don't feel like the only person out there that's ever had it happen >.>. (None of them ever came out on their own?). If she comes out I will def. spot her, but if she never comes out I won't. I think she's stuck in there because occassionally she claws at the wall, I am in shock that she can't go back the way she got in, I should def. cut a hole but...it's not my house . And if she chews a hole...I've got some thinking to do but this def. cheered me up.

And whew I will def. keep that in the mind for winter time! (about the ducts)


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## ChloeLouise (Apr 5, 2009)

they come out, they are just sneaky, you have to have eagle eyes and be willing to spend long nights waiting


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Get yourself a Havahart humane trap. I managed to catch my little half-wild boy in it twice (he escaped the 2nd time because I put him in a plastic based cage and he chewed through it :

Do you have carpeting or bare floor by the wall that you hear her in most often?
If its bare floor, put down flour so you can look for footprints to see if and where she is OUTSIDE of the walls. Then place your trap there, with something strong smelling and yummy...Peanut butter smeared thinly on bread is good, and put a dish of water inside as well....


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## js6stone (Aug 7, 2009)

I only mentioned putting a whole in the wall because I had to do this once to get a cat out!  It cost about $10 to fix the wall. I'm sorry for not having a better idea.


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## Ratnoob523 (May 8, 2009)

Like I said your best bet is to either set a trap, or be EXTREMELY patient and sit and wait for her to come out. I would use my method of tieing a string to the cage door and pulling it shut when she enters because any movement will probably send her running instantly and once she disappears back into the wall you have to start all over.

If you don't have work or school early in the morning just get comfortable and wait for her to come out at night. She's nocturnal and will feel more safe at night when the house is quiet so she will probably come out to explore and look for food/water. Just sit and wait patiently and try not to move.. maybe put a movie on with the volume low or read a book but try to make as little noise/movement as possible. When she comes out stay frozen and wait for her to go to her cage.. then when she's inside pull the string quickly and secure her in the cage. Don't take her out for at least an hour because she will be frightened and need time to settle down or else she will probably just try to escape again.


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

We got her out , drilled a little hole, and she came straight out and ran into my arms, and remained there for a good few minutes. All is well now, and it'll only cost 10 dollars to fix the wall, at least that's what my grandfather who drilled the hole said to cough up (lol). A little duct tape etc, and the hole is fixed. Right now we're heading off to a family discussion to discuss where to go next.

Thank you all


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## Ratnoob523 (May 8, 2009)

That's great! She must have been stuck if she came right out like that. Congrats. Guess the punching holes in the wall suggestion wasn't so far off afterall.


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## js6stone (Aug 7, 2009)

: ... your welcome.


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## shinzo-chan (Apr 2, 2008)

Aww, I missed the discussion! D:

Uh, I know I may not be of any help now, but I would suggest rat-proofing your BED. This may seem strange, but if you could build 'walls' of plastic up from the sides of your bed (Secured with tape or something), that were too high for her to jump, then you could still let her roam on your bed and she wouldnt be able to get down. Also, you'd be able to hear any attempts she made as she wouldnt be able to get out without touching the plastic, so you'd always know to be ready.

I hope this helps.


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

LOL js6stone, your idea has been vindicated! ;D


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

I think the ratproofing the bed is a great idea, in this case I ended up giving her the closet to roam putting a giant board of wood. Occasionally she climbs the walls, and tries to make a flying leap, and when I go to grab her she runs along my arm, but after being put in time after time she's started to stay put a little. With time I will end up putting some toys.

We are still discussing whether we should adopt her or not, or try. Commitment is very important to us, and as much as I love her and I know she loves me (since that incident), I wonder if rehoming her would be better, because there are several issues. She's a girl, my boy is a boy, I can't and won't neuter my boy (the risks for him are even riskier in his condition), she's too small to be spayed, it would be about a year or so before we even considered another rat because of circumstances, and we'd still be in the same situation. 

Even if she were spayed, she's really energetic and bothers her brother....she is more like the annoying little sister than the comforting one, which is what happens in regular families, so we could deal I'm sure. I really love her with all my heart but I imagine her happier someplace else, and that's not even because I believe rats need multiple friends, etc. it goes much deeper than that for me. It takes more than one thing for me to go ah, maybe this isn't the right place for her. The event with the wall made me think more deeply on this.


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## js6stone (Aug 7, 2009)

Lea said:


> LOL js6stone, your idea has been vindicated! ;D


And you all thought I was an idiot.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

js6stone said:


> And you all thought I was an idiot.


Who said we still don't?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Glad she's now out of the wall and not too much destruction was caused. 

The closet should be okay to let her free range. Do you sit in there with her to play? Toys would definitely be a good idea, especially as she has no rattie friends to play with. You may want to invest in a cat teaser (?)... like this. Mine seem to like it, especially my youngest boy. He chases it around like crazy lol. I went for one without catnip, as I wasn't sure if it was safe for rats. 

You have a lone boy too? . What problems is he having? Is there any reason he's alone? I'm just had a quick browse on google and it seems females can be spayed from 3 months old (someone correct me if what I've found is incorrect!). How old is she now? I don't see why she couldn't be spayed if she's otherwise in good health. You'd also have the added bonus that the chance of her developing mammary tumours would be reduced with being spayed; and of course the huge bonus neither rats would be alone


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

No I don't sit in with her to play but she climbs up the walls of the closet, she makes flying leaps at me, and she has learned to tight rope across a cane to get to the bed, and whenever I walk passed she makes a flying leap into my arms to get out. There used to be a giant bed in there but it was my boys bed and he was resting in it, so I took it out.

Do you really think she would be okay alone? Or that if she had to be alone making life entertaining for her as possible could do? Or maybe she needs to be rehomed? I really believe that every rat is an individual, and in her case, I really think she's just bored out of her mind, esp. having so much energy, she def. needs some things to be entertained, and would do better with a friend (I evaluate these things case by case, and she's def. needs some things I don't have yet or right now).

I really like the cat teaser idea, I think I will actually pull out my sewing needle and look for some scraps and get out some tools and start making her things. 

Oh yeah I definitely know that she would be better off spayed, its her I want to spay the most because I've had many many girl rats (2 accidental litters when I was a newbie lol, those rats are the rats that taught me a lot about rats, and I raised them all---I learned the definition of rat proof from my original family of girls) but out of those girl rats quite a few ended up with tumors, the mother who outlived her kids almost nearing 5 years but really still in her 4th year finally died from a tumor and I imagine would have lived longer if I had known any knowledgable vets and wasn't so young then. She was my bestest friend and I cried about her for years, and so thats another reason why I want to spay her.

It's not so much her age as it is her size the vet I talked to said, but the difference in then and now is that then I could financially afford it then, but just recently I was slapped with a bunch of unexpected bills and financial crisises.

My lone boy has special needs (he's retarded), and he's similar to a ragdoll cat, which is really cute. He is overly relaxed and very trusting with me, and my spouse. I love him to pieces, but a long time ago something happened where he fell and his spine has never been the same (bone wise, mentally wise he's always been a bit woo hoo in the head -chuckles-). He can still run and jump, but he's delicate/fragile (we have to be careful with his spine no rough housing) but he likes to play, a day or two ago he fell or we don't know what happened but he came into the bed, huddled up next to me and was shaking, I thought he had a broken leg, but we figured out it was his spine, points T9 to T11 (Thoracic), which was where we pinpointed his pain originated but we also figured that the pain he was having issues with from his fall or whatever happened was also around his sacral and lumbar area. We gave him some ibruprofen, tried to get him to bed rest, but he wouldn't listen, he slept a lot o yesterday, and now he's actually better than I normally seen him (which could be because my female rat is in heat lol, but he's still a big lug.) 

But we have decided that as soon as we figure out this financial mess we're going to spay her a.s.a.p. and I should have my license renewed by then, so I can drive the few hours etc. (I just have an anxiety/phobia of driving).


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## maddy (Jul 27, 2009)

she really should have a friend to run off her energy with
its not fair to keep her on her own 
u wouldn't expect humans to live on there own so why should u with a rat?


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

I know plenty of humans who live on their own, and a lot of hermits too . I don't need any lectures  as you can see from previous replies I've written that we're working on whats in her best interest.


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

This whole thread shows that we have to think before we adopt. I would have taken care of the wild mice problem first to make it safer for the rats. They carry mites and everything. Make sure you'll keep an eye out for that as she might have been exposed to these.
How do you free range your male rats?


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

Good news. We're building a shed in the backyard which will be specifically designed for rats, soon after we will adopt another girl rat, and another boy rat, the shed will be insulated and rat proofed. I got permission from the owners this morning. We have already drawn out the plans, got some family memberes who are good construction workers, and have discussed designs. *thumbs up* we're all excited.


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

That is what I would love to have too. Is it climate controlled?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Will the two females and two males be living in pairs, or will neutering/spaying be happening?


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## Caenis (Aug 30, 2009)

Females with Females, Males with Males....

(I have to note in case people think this is an instant thing that I don't just adopt rats for my other rats or my entertainment/separate rats from their families just for entertainment. All this means is that the next rat that comes into our care will have to come to us in need, because I am not selecting or treating them like commodities, rats who I am taking in just because someone needs a friend. So the time on when this happens is varied so I am not saying I am going to build a shed and buy her a sister and him a brother a.s.a.p/instantly. BUT I am saying that at this point we have permission to build a rat shed which opens a door of possibilities and nips that limit in the bud)


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