Heard any scritching, squealing, or thumping noises up on your roof or in the attic?

Today, get out your binoculars if necessary and walk around your house. Look up at the eaves and the edge of the roof overhang and the roof itself. See any holes?

You might have a furry little family in your attic. Even if you haven't heard any noises, they may have entered on the other side of the house from your bedroom and you can't hear them. There are two reasons you don't want critters dancing on your ceiling: they might be the kind that chew on wiring (rats and squirrels), and they might start stinking up the place with their droppings (raccoons).

You see, I have a client whose house I'm trying to lease. The former tenants have moved out, but have left a very smelly upstairs, and my handyman has to go seal up their front door in the eaves and trim away the branches. I don't want to show it to any prospective human tenants until I get rid of the odor.

And just last night, our own personal raccoon was discovered noisily clawing away at a small hole in the eaves above our bedroom window, trying to enlarge it so she could move in and raise her family. So my handyman will have another project this week.

I love animals (except crocodiles, big spiders, and sharks, which is why I have elected not to live in Australia), and I am a firm believer in humanely rehoming them or encouraging them to move on, rather than trapping or exterminating them. With all the development in San Antonio and outlying cities like ours, many animals' habitats are being cut down or covered with concrete. However, others have adapted pretty well to living with humans, and in fact, are useful for keeping the bug and fire-ant population down. According to the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, raccoons, possums, and squirrels eat roaches, and armadillos (see my previous post) can even handle fire ants. Some animals carry rabies, such as skunks and bats, but as long as you avoid them and keep your pets indoors at night (which you should be doing anyway), the risk is small.

So if you see a hole in your house or roof, or have heard suspicious noises, follow the recommendations of the TWRC and kindly rehome the family. Please be aware that if it's the time of the year they are having babies, the mother may need time to remove them. If they die in your attic, not only will they make an even worse smell, but you will have Very Bad Karma.

Plus, I will come after you with a crocodile.

Photo: what you do NOT want to see (from gobsmackedagain.blogspot.com)