19 replies to this topic

[David H. Lipman]

PITA = Pain In The Attic

You have to be with PETA for this PITA

Attached Files

•  CAM 00006 .mpg   5.69MB   34 downloads

[goldhound]

I have a feline solution to that problem

[David H. Lipman]

So do I but they are in a part of the attic she can't get to.
I told my landlord six months ago about an eaves repair done a year earlier that fell apart. That's how they are getting in.

They are a noisy pair.

Attached Files

•  Roof Eaves hole 05-04-12.JPG   1.12MB   4 downloads

[David H. Lipman]

Oh no....

Now there are at least three !

I have seen four just not captured a video - Yet.



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Attached Files

•  Captured Videos 00000.mpg   9.27MB   12 downloads
•  Captured Videos 00001.mpg   5.33MB   12 downloads

[sho-dan]

Shoddy work was sure done on that eave, hopefully there wont be any small PITAs running around soon.

[David H. Lipman]

Landlord bought this Victorian as an investment for his two daughter's college fund. He's clueless. Did the repair on the super cheap. Says he wants to repair it on the cheap again. The old repair used 1/4" plywood. I think it was interior not exterior grade and totally the wrong approach and the plys separated with water contact, rotted and then fell out.


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Attached Files

•  IMG_3641.jpg   365.9KB   1 downloads

[David H. Lipman]

Here's the video showing 4. There's probably more.

Attached Files

•  4 squirrels in the attic.mpg   7.71MB   14 downloads

[Firefox]

I would help my cat get up in there.... Heck I would even get my yorkie up there or one of my chihuahua's...

[David H. Lipman]

They are still there and the landlord hasn't done a bloody thing yet.

It's funny watching my cat in the habitable area of the attic as she listens to the squirrels make the ruckus in the inaccessible areas of the attic..

Attached Files

•  Captured Videos-1.mpg   6.17MB   8 downloads

[Firefox]

Most land lords are not quick to react cause it cost them $$$. How the heck did you get a camera up there.

Can't you just run Malwarebytes and get rid of that Malware in the attic.... LOL...

[David H. Lipman]

LOL - MBAM Rodent module.

Here's how I setup what I have been calling my attic Kabuki Theatre.

I removed the nails and then removed a couple of wall panels in the habitable areas in the attic which hide the inaccessible areas of the attic.

I used the below 12vdc colour CCD camera which provides NTSC video.
{ Total height is <11 inches tall }


I put a 13watt compact fluorescent bulb in a goose-neck, clamp mounted, light socket.

I have a long length of RG6 COAX cable with male F-connectors. I connected a short length of male-to-male RCA video cable on the camera and placed the camera in the space and mounted the light to the rafters. Thus the space (stage) I setup became my little Kabuki Theatre.

I have a USB EasyCap video/audio capture device and connected it to my notebook and used VLC Player, while in the attic, to view the video feed such that I could properly setup the camera and lighting for the best "staging" of the view.

I then closed up the panel(s) with screws.

I fitted F-connector Female to RCA male adapters on both ends of the RG6 coax cable and ran the cable out of the attic down to the video/audio selector switch connected to my desktop computer (ATI, PCI, video capture card). On the camera's short length RCA cable side I used a back-to-back female RCA connector. This way I could quickly disconnect the short length of RCA cable on the camera to be connected to either the notebook (for setup) or the RG6 coax for actual monitoring.

I would hit a switch on a power strip which gave power to both the camera and light in the AM, monitor the camera periodically during the day, and capture a MPEG stream every once in a while.

[GT500]

David H. Lipman said:

You have to be with PETA...

Would anyone be offended if I said People Eating Tasty Animals?

goldhound said:

I have a feline solution to that problem

I have a .22 for problems like that. I'd need some low-velocity rounds though, because even a .22 will leave a hole in your house...

[David H. Lipman]

Sorry, Squirrel meat ain't Kosher and I'll reserve the .22 for the Groundhogs outside.

However... Mepps pays cash for squirrel tails.

[GT500]

David H. Lipman said:

Sorry, Squirrel meat ain't Kosher and I'll reserve the .22 for the Groundhogs outside.

If a rodent is causing damage to your property, then I won't worry too much about it getting shot and not used for food.

As for groundhogs, I'd probably use my Mauser for those. Not that I doubt that a .22 has the power to put down a groundhog, but I wouldn't trust my accuracy with a .22 when it comes to getting rid of a nuisance that burrows under the ground.

David H. Lipman said:

However... Mepps pays cash for squirrel tails.

Interesting. I don't have many squirrels around here though. Old farmland with most of the trees gone.

BTW: Ultrasonics might drive them away. Wouldn't fix the hole, but at least the rodents wouldn't be nesting in it anymore.

[sho-dan]

 Firefox, on 24 May 2012 - 04:55 PM, said:

Can't you just run Malwarebytes and get rid of that Malware in the attic.... LOL...

Squirrelware not seen by MBAM as of yet and Rocket J Squirrel is to fast to be caught. hehheh

daddy landlord should be getting rid of these rodents due to the bio-hazards(pee, poo, death by electric execution and/or fire- Chewing on the wires like a smurf. Could use fox urine granules or a flame thrower to protect his investment.(just shooting from the hip on this one)

btw. Nice work on the camera setup, David

[mona7865]

David, just my 0,05 cents. Aren't you, as a tenant, entitled to a reduction of the rent as long as the leased property does not meet the standards of habitability? In Belgium you can go to court (small claims court) to enforce the landlord to make the necessary repairs when he doesn't want to do so voluntarily.

[David H. Lipman]

 sho-dan, on 24 May 2012 - 09:28 PM, said:

Squirrelware not seen by MBAM as of yet and Rocket J Squirrel is to fast to be caught. hehheh

daddy landlord should be getting rid of these rodents due to the bio-hazards(pee, poo, death by electric execution and/or fire- Chewing on the wires like a smurf. Could use fox urine granules or a flame thrower to protect his investment.(just shooting from the hip on this one)

btw. Nice work on the camera setup, David

Thanx. I had fun setting it up but I had to wear a face mask to cut down breathing in the <explative>.
{ You can see the dust and lint flying in the videos }.

I have an Ace up my sleeve...

I contacted the city's Animal Control Officer. The landlord is required by city housing code to abate the rodents and seal the opening. The city Animal Control Officer is ready to take action upon my request and will enforce its Health and Safety Housing Codes. It would include inspection and fines. Since this would create tenant / landlord conflict, I will wait a bit longer. I have emails to the landlord indicating that animals had taken up residency in the attic dated May 4th.

 mona7865, on 24 May 2012 - 09:57 PM, said:

David, just my 0,05 cents. Aren't you, as a tenant, entitled to a reduction of the rent as long as the leased property does not meet the standards of habitability? In Belgium you can go to court (small claims court) to enforce the landlord to make the necessary repairs when he doesn't want to do so voluntarily.

I don't think I can reduce my rent based upon these conditions. I doubt there is anything that would allow that kind of action in New Jersey State Law. My recourse would be the Health and Safety Housing Codes and city enforcement.

[David H. Lipman]

I thought the problem was mitigated last month when repairs were made (finally) but... no.

Again there was noise in the attic and I opened up an attic panel. I removed these two newborn squirrels.

Attached Files

•  Baby Squirrels 08-07-12.jpg   898.04KB   1 downloads

[daledoc1]

Aw, shucks!
Cute little buggers!

(They'd be ROASTED & TOASTED baby squirrels if they were hanging out in attics in my 'hood!)

[sho-dan]

Squirrel Kabobs and tasty too.