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I just discovered I have small holes behind my water tank in a tight closet inside my 2nd floor condo. I was vacuuming around the water tank and something like a thin rope was sticking out of the corner, so I thought it was just piece of something but then it disappeared inside the corner. I checked today, 3 days later and there appears small holes that weren't there before. Is it a lizard? A mouse? A Snake? Son't see any droppings though. It got unusually cold outside, may be "something" found it way inside attracted by the water tank warmth? But it is on the 2nd floor! The problem is I don't know what to do. I am extremely terrified of fast moving creatures. Secondly it is almost impossible to reach the spot to seal it. Lastly, I found my extra pillows that were sitting on the shelf in a closet in a different room on a floor. Could rodents, if it is rodents run around and climb the shelves on that (different) closet. There is no way they would just fall down on its own. So I am terrified now. holes behind water tank

isherwood
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Anníe Smith
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    Sealing holes inside usually won't stop them. Will need to find where they are coming in from outside. Condo management probably has pest control company contacts. Placing some rodent poison around where pets and children cannot get to it might do some good. – crip659 Jan 28 '22 at 17:43
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    Whatever moved those pillows out of the closet to another room didn't come in through those holes.... – gnicko Jan 28 '22 at 17:45
  • @gnicko LOL, I really hope so. There is an attic entry in that closet, though tightly shut. – Anníe Smith Jan 28 '22 at 17:47
  • I think the "thin rope" was caulking or something similar that someone before you tried to patch the holes with. Maybe the drywall guy busted up the bottom corner and tried to fix it up. I see what looks like additional caulk in the very corner, on the right-hand wall, and on the floor tiles. I don't think it's a "critter" coming in, I think you just disturbed the patch job someone did a long time ago. – gnicko Jan 28 '22 at 17:48
  • I would tend to agree with @gnicko that the "thin rope" was likely some old caulk. Are you 100% sure it disappeared into the _wall_ not into the _vacuum_? OTOH, we once saw a thin black rope under the door to our upstairs. Turned out to be a part of a folded bat's wing. Opened the front door and contained him to the living room (waving a pillow at him when he approached a different door) until he finally flew out the front door. Found & patched up a hole in the roof where he'd gotten in. – FreeMan Jan 28 '22 at 17:55
  • @gnicko I think the OP meant the closet was in a different room, and the pillows just fell to the floor. – crip659 Jan 28 '22 at 18:04
  • @gnico I am not 100% sure, but the rope is not inside the vacuum.In 2018 A/c guys replaced a/c or waterer the piece goes inside and the water tank. I can't reach behind at all to do any kind inspection or repair. – Anníe Smith Jan 28 '22 at 18:14
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    Are either of the walls in the picture outside walls? – FreeMan Jan 28 '22 at 18:37
  • @FreeMan No, the utility closet is inside the unit sharing walls with a bathroom, hallway and a living room. – Anníe Smith Jan 28 '22 at 19:24
  • At this point you don't truly know if you have a pest problem or not. One option is to place a trap. Another option is to pack that gap with fiberglass insulation or backer rod. To do that you might be able to reach that opening with a 4 foot long 1.25" x .25" lath that you can pick up at any home store. You just need a stick that is smaller in width than the gap you're trying to fill. Drop a strip of insulation back there and stuff it into the gap with the lath. Check in a few days. If the insulation is pushed back out you may have a rodent in residence. – HoneyDo Jan 28 '22 at 20:50
  • @HoneyDo Thank you. This is a good advice, will do and report later! – Anníe Smith Jan 29 '22 at 22:41

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