<omplaints about “noises in the walls” of Burton began at the end of last term.
“It has bothered my residents…noises of creatures in the wall. When they reported it to facilities they…said that contrary to popular belief it is not rats but pigeons and squirrels,” said Emily Fritz-Endres, a 4th Burton RA.
Reportedly, the problem was not as bad in the fall and has gotten worse because of the cold weather, causing the creatures to seek shelter. An anonymous resident of Burton said, “I think most of the creatures are those that failed to migrate.”
It is now affecting at least four rooms, according to Fritz-Endres, on fourth Burton. Of the 4th Burton residence, Fritz Endres says, “About half know about it and…are affected in that they hear it occasionally at night, sometimes more than occasionally, but it is not causing them to loose sleep.”
Fritz-Endres said, “I don’t think there is much facilities can do about it because… Burton [is] central [to campus] and being used for winter housing…I think it is one of the biproducts of living in an older dorm.” Which is why an exterminator was called in.
Those involved in dealing with the situation have included Burton RAs, Sarita Winterrowd-Lundin, the Hall Director for Burton, Davis, and Severence, and Facilities.
An anonymous resident of Burton said, “I put in a work request and it was fulfilled. The first exterminator came and said it was not rats, which was his specialty. The second [exterminator] came… [and] concluded there were squirrels in the walls…[and] there might have been pigeons too…”
“To my knowledge, they patched up the roof..[and] I know they put traps in the walls. I know they started getting [the squirrels and rats] out because I…hear less scrabbling.”
The anonymous resident said, “I don’t know of any other residence that have this problem- it is an exclusive corner…Burton problem.”
Part of the problem stems from the fact that Burton used to be an attic. Furthermore, students report having holes in their closets, which could, hypothetically, allow rodents living in he walls to enter into student’s rooms, although no animals or traces have been sighted, except the noise of scratching.
Isolation of the problem to Burton is confirmed by others, although historically, there have been bats in Burton, including two seen this year, as well as in Evans, and wasp nets near Davis, as recent as this fall.
According to the anonymous resident, the exterminator is to follow up in the upcoming weeks. The resident says of the experience. “It used to bother me in the beginning, but now that it is being taken care of I don’t worry about it. My hall director dealt with it really well.”