Has Death Himself Come To Take Me Home?

Dustoff · November 11, 2008

Okay, I have to admit, what with the noises going on in this house I was about ready to begin examining my Karma or start believing in ghosts. But, being very reluctant to believe in supernatural beings, much to the dismay of my Christian/Jewish/Muslim (et al.) friends, I am prepared to consider alternatives.

The noises I heard in our attic above my head today as I was doing dishes (yes, I am a thoughtful husband) had to be from either a small but frantic dog or a wharf rat of the size I would expect to see on the docks of a major port city.

I have seen one of our larger hedge-snakes disappearing into the corner of the roof and wondered what would attract him other than simple shelter but some rogue animal may be the answer. Hard to fathom since there are covers under the arches of the roof tiles and I cannot see anything other than very small spaces but..

If any of you know of some brave Thai fellow who is willing to climb up there and not only identify the invading critters (the snake is more than welcome to stay) but examine/repair the edges of the roof to block access, I would be glad to hear of him. If he doesn't come back down, I will just assume that the rats/snakes/whatever will take care of his remains cuz I ain't going up there. I have balls but I would like to keep them...

Not to mention, if my wife heard what I heard today, she could likely be packing up and insisting that we sell this haunted house as soon as possible...

(Hmm, come to think of it I have a couple of friends I may be willing to sacrifice - ThaiPauly and Bunta come to mind.)

PeaceBlondie · November 11, 2008

A Lanna lizard? A Thai tiger-rat? A Northern Naga?

Swanky · November 11, 2008

The mia noi?

Daffy D · November 11, 2008

Occasionally we get some strange noises on our ceilings. The scratchy patter of tiny rat feet are recognizable (being in the country we don't get the big city rats) but occasionally there is such a clatter up there it sounds like a goat or sheep crashing around.

The only thing I can think of, as nothing else could get up there, is a snake striking at a rat and thrashing about as it is eating it.

Fortunately after putting some poison out for the rats the noises have stopped, though I would imagine with the onset of more rains the rats and their followers will come back

dingdongrb · November 11, 2008

A 12 pack of Shingha?

Cobalt60 · November 11, 2008

I too have had a similar experience in the middle of the night, it sounded as if the four horsemen of the apocalypse were trying to get in the bedroom via the ceiling.

I tried to get her beautiful self to go look, but in the end I got up

As you have said, there is no way I could see anywhere a horse could get in, geckos would have had a squeeze, so I stayed half awake all night imagining all sorts of monsters in the roof.

Daylight and a good search bought nothing. Local opinion started at some sort of squirrel through the whole animal kingdom to gorillas or did they mean me ?

sbk · November 11, 2008

Rats....

Large rats

Very large rats

(speaking from experience here--we have a coconut tree right next to our house, giant buggers come over from the tree. We've caught a few in our live trap, things were huge. Not your usual house mouse by a long shot. Except for the wharf rats in Surat, I'd never seen such big ones before )

designersing · November 11, 2008

Squirrels for sure! I have the same problem at home, eveymorning 6.30 they are running riot! Time for a wee drop of poison pellets!

Cobalt60 · November 11, 2008

Do they wear divers boots ?

sylviex · November 11, 2008

You have offended the Thai Kitchen Goddess by doing the dishes. Greater wrath hath no goddess...

You must try to appease her through a daily lounging ritual, in front of the tellie with a tinnie or two, and perfumed garlands heaped upon all your kitchen appliances. Call in the monks.

The mia noi?

.

.. very likely it's rats. Perhaps they are making love . My first thought was squirrels. At least it can't be giant cockroaches ... can it ?

I have never known a place like Thailand for strange noises.

Sorry, don't know anyone who could help you. Let us all know if you do.

realthaideal · November 11, 2008

Saw a squirrel ducking up under the curved end-tiles of a neighbors roof just this week. Never thought of them as seeking shelter in a house, but it was definitely a daytime run for cover by a squirrel, not a rat.

sylviex · November 11, 2008

Mr Thaksin come home to roost ?

You'd better at least hoist a bowl of kuay teow up there.

miltonbentley · November 11, 2008

We had a major problem with rats in the ceiling. Having now made it accessible to our cat army the problem has ceased.

Sledge71 · November 11, 2008

We had a major problem with rats in the ceiling. Having now made it accessible to our cat army the problem has ceased.

Feed the kitties! Oer sorry...

Dustoff · November 11, 2008

The mia noi?

Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. She did disappear rather suddenly when da wife came home early a few days ago and haven't seen her since.

A lucky snake - she was a real cutie...

Sathip2008 · November 11, 2008

If any of you know of some brave Thai fellow who is willing to climb up there and not only identify the invading critters (the snake is more than welcome to stay) but examine/repair the edges of the roof to block access, I would be glad to hear of him. If he doesn't come back down, I will just assume that the rats/snakes/whatever will take care of his remains cuz I ain't going up there. I have balls but I would like to keep them...

I was just eating a mouthful of delicious penne rigate with tuna sauce, when I read your thread... half of it got stuck in my throat and the other half ended on my keyboard ... I turned blue 'cause I was suffocating plus now I've got to clean the mess... Many thanks But it was a good laugh...

peekint · November 11, 2008

Haven't heard about squirrels, though I've seen some around. They tend to be rather skittish and don't like to set up house in an attic - for the two reasons below:

1. Rats. Yep, could be them. They are rather recognizable though because they have sort of a "shuffle" to them and don't make any other noises. At our farm, where we get them in assorted sizes from little cute ones to ones that eat cats for lunch, we've had lots of luck with a rat poison that we call "luuk chin nu" (rat meatballs). Frankly, I don't remember the name, but they are these purplish blue chunks the size of meatballs (luuk chin). The rats seem to find them irresistible, whereas the poisoned-rice sorts of baits just seem to ATTRACT them. The bigger rats eat squirrels for a snack.

2. Tu-kae. These are like giant geckos. The run around eating small mice, squirrels, and other geckos. They knock their heads on wood to attract mates. They wail a "Tu-kae" sound over and over again, then end with an exasperated "awwwwwwwwwwwww..." when no one answers. When they run, they are heavy-footed and clumsy, despite the fact that they are nimble enough to run up and down walls and ceilings (but not glass, like the gecko).

If you have Tu-kae, live with them. They are good because they keep down the bugs, mice, geckos and, yes, squirrels...

Edited November 11, 2008 by peekint

phaethon · November 11, 2008

Wufters...

Cobalt60 · November 11, 2008

I did try to go look, but the missus wouldnt let go of me.....honest

I would never have mentioned it of course until the OP reminded me

Edited November 11, 2008 by Cobalt60

Mapguy · November 11, 2008

How are your "shakes" these days?!

Mapguy · November 11, 2008

Haven't heard about squirrels, though I've seen some around. They tend to be rather skittish and don't like to set up house in an attic - for the two reasons below:
1. Rats. Yep, could be them. They are rather recognizable though because they have sort of a "shuffle" to them and don't make any other noises. At our farm, where we get them in assorted sizes from little cute ones to ones that eat cats for lunch, we've had lots of luck with a rat poison that we call "luuk chin nu" (rat meatballs). Frankly, I don't remember the name, but they are these purplish blue chunks the size of meatballs (luuk chin). The rats seem to find them irresistible, whereas the poisoned-rice sorts of baits just seem to ATTRACT them. The bigger rats eat squirrels for a snack.

2. Tu-kae. These are like giant geckos. The run around eating small mice, squirrels, and other geckos. They knock their heads on wood to attract mates. They wail a "Tu-kae" sound over and over again, then end with an exasperated "awwwwwwwwwwwww..." when no one answers. When they run, they are heavy-footed and clumsy, despite the fact that they are nimble enough to run up and down walls and ceilings (but not glass, like the gecko).

If you have Tu-kae, live with them. They are good because they keep down the bugs, mice, geckos and, yes, squirrels...

Yeah, Tu-kae are fine, but don't let one near your weenie!

eek · November 12, 2008

2. Tu-kae. These are like giant geckos. The run around eating small mice, squirrels, and other geckos. They knock their heads on wood to attract mates. They wail a "Tu-kae" sound over and over again, then end with an exasperated "awwwwwwwwwwwww..." when no one answers. When they run, they are heavy-footed and clumsy, despite the fact that they are nimble enough to run up and down walls and ceilings (but not glass, like the gecko).
If you have Tu-kae, live with them. They are good because they keep down the bugs, mice, geckos and, yes, squirrels...

Bf has Tu-kae in the attic, well at least one (and pretty big), because he comes out at night and scuttles about the room sometimes...and yes, can make quite a noise moving about sometimes when up there. He wants to get someone to take a look around up there too as his son doesnt like them. But, if rats can be a problem in peoples attics then the Tu-kae is probably a blessing..I dont know though. Its my first experience of them.

(Was about to write Tuky. But no, bf doesnt have Tuky (TV member) in his attic. That would be a tad weird.)

Nienke · November 12, 2008

Yeah, Tu-kae are fine, but don't let one near your weenie!

Auch! Had a bad encounter, Mapguy?

elektrified · November 12, 2008

I hear noises in attic quite often as well and I'm reasonably certain it is the tookaey as we have a rather large tookaey population that comes out of the roof tiles when the sun goes down. Some are quite large.

Dustoff, if you find someone who will come and examine/repair the edges of the roof to block access, please pass on the contact info for that person. Recently we have been seeing snakes (some very large) come and go from the corner of the roof and we don't feel comfortable with them. In Bangkok there is a governmental agency that you contact and a guy will come and remove the snakes and then plug up any places that they can get in. They only ask for a donation. I have not been able to find anything like that up here.

Thanks.

bunta71 · November 12, 2008

There ghost stories that you are afraid to listen to Huey Dude were actually flushing upstairs toilets,speaking very loudly,etc. If your attic friends (maybe the only friends left after Thai Pauly and I lose your address) start screaming or flushing toilets that don't exist I will come help...Oh yeah another thing in the scary house was something grabbing large paper grocery bags off the kitchen counter, then moving them to the middle of the giant kitchen floor holding them about chest high then dashing them to the floor...TWICE...in front of my eyes! That was when I made my exit stage left

dingdongrb · November 12, 2008

If I recall some of my days in the Issan village of my in-laws I saw many houses where there were scarecrows being placed out front. I asked my wife about this and she told me the women of the village were placing scarecrows to ward off the ghost of a recently deceased single woman. The thought was to keep this woman's ghost from coming to their house and take their husband away from them.

Dustoff, perhaps you need some scarecrows???? Hmmmmmm

tomahawk · November 12, 2008

People here with similar situation sometimes pay the local Burmese laborers to root out the animals as they do not fear them and are happy to get the money. Just don't mention anything about ghosts, because then they won't go near it, no matter how much you pay.

toybits · November 12, 2008

If you have a wooden house, rats, gecko, or birds. If the materials used for your roof/attic is metal and cement tiles, the noice could be made by geckos or birds.

Start worrying when you hear gnawing sounds in the dead of night. That means the ratties are sharpening their teeth careof the precious timber used to build your home.

Termites also produce a less audible gnawing sound. You would have to put your ear against the wall to hear them.