Dead animal in ceiling. Now what?

HardDrive · 03-10-2011, 10:50 AM

Terrible smell in kitchen in sink/dishwasher area. I was SO hoping it was coming from the drain or the dishwasher. Ran bleach in dishwasher twice, cleaned out drains, ran bleach through pipes.....no dice. I am 99% sure that a rat/mouse has died in the ceiling.

The area in question is not accessible from the attic, the drywall will need to be cut out from below in the kitchen. I'm not looking forward to cutting out Mr. Rat, but the drywall repair doesn't really bother me.

Should I even bother? The smell is pretty bad, but we are leaving for a week. Its warm enough here that we can keep a window cracked open, and that takes care of the smell somewhat. Should I just let nature take its course and let the rat dry out? Or should I hack into the ceiling and get him out of there?

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Happened to me a few times. The smell does go away after a while. I might be worried about that smell attracting other critters with a window left open for a while.

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

If it is just a mouse the smell goes away fairly soon. If it is a rat or squirrel it will be a lot longer.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Vulture?

notmytarga · notmytarga's Garage

Send the cat after it perhaps.
Otherwise wait it out.
Ripping out the soffit etc. is avoidable.

look 171 · 03-10-2011, 11:58 AM

GEt a fan of some sort in the attic and pull from one end to draw the smell out. That may help.

HardDrive · 03-10-2011, 12:36 PM

I'm going in. Isolated area with plastic, covered everything up. Shall I post a photo when I find the critter?

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Pic or it did not happen!

widgeon13 · 03-10-2011, 12:41 PM

Please post pics, try to do it around dinner time. Close ups would be good.

We have this happen in our house in the Adirondacks, smell goes away after a brief time. We have plaster walls so I don't like to crack the walls.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

wear a mask & gloves

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I seriously doubt a cat would eat it if decaying... Also if it died from getting stuck in an impossible-to-get-out-of place do you really want a cat going in there to maybe suffer the same fate?

I have never seen a cat eat a dead/decaying mouse or critter, only those freshly killed. I think nature does a pretty good job of telling animals to "stay away" from decaying things by making them repulsive smelling except to those few specific creatures that help break down the organic matter (flies, worms, carrion-eaters, etc). All other animals will tend to go away from the smell of death.

HardDrive · 03-10-2011, 01:03 PM

Sorry, no photos, he's double bagged and in the trash bin outside. Big rat. I guess my sniffer is pretty good, because I cut into the ceiling only about 3 inches from where he was. I'm glad I did, because he was getting that bloated "I'm going to pop" look.

Getting him out took all of 10 minutes. Of course the clean up and sheetrock repair is going to take me a day....ah, the joys of home ownership.

Targa Me · Targa Me's Garage

Pictures ! where are the pictures !! LOL

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

What no BBQ?

drcoastline · 03-10-2011, 01:22 PM

That's disgusting. I would cut the ceiling out and remove it. Do you really want a decaying carcass in your attic?

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

I have a good recipe for possum if yo need it.

onewhippedpuppy · 03-10-2011, 07:54 PM

Napalm?

sammyg2 · 03-11-2011, 06:01 AM

So now you have a hole in your ceiling?

VINMAN · 03-11-2011, 06:25 AM

^^^

I dont know why I still crack up like a liitle kid whenever I see that pic.

steve911 · steve911's Garage

If you've not done so already, you should do a thorough inspection to try and determine how it got into the attic in the first place. My experience is that if there's one there WILL be others if you don't seal off their entry to your house.