Electric wires cut by vermin?

[Shadoman]

Hi,
we have a single storey extension to the side of our house with a pitched roof. The other day I switched the lights on and 2 out 7 spotlights didnt come on.
I pulled them out to inspect and the cables looked to have been cut by some sort of vermin. Looking at the pictures can someone tell me what the most likely culprit is here?

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They dont seem to have chewed at the mains cable at all (from what I can see). I obviously cant get into the cavity as its a single storey. They just seem to have gone for the cables directly attached to the spotlights themselves.

Thanks

 

[SUNRAY]

Rats /squirrels normally.
There is usually more damage than that and they tend to aim for the PVC T&E in my experience. If it's a recent extension the T&E maybe a less inviting or palattable to them.

It could be mice looking for bedding.

 

[Stuart981]

In my experience mice don't normally set out to eat cables. What happens is that they establish runs through the inter floor space and if they find an obstruction then they chew through it to clear the way. Best to set snap traps where you can plus find out where they are entering and seal that up.

 

[opps]

In my experience mice don't normally set out to eat cables. What happens is that they establish runs through the inter floor space and if they find an obstruction then they chew through it to clear the way. Best to set snap traps where you can plus find out where they are entering and seal that up.

Rats however will chew through cables. They need to chew through stuff because their teeth never stop growing. If the teeth grow too long, they can't close their mouths.

 

[Shadoman]

Thanks for the replies everyone. So the extension is joined to our garage which has a flat roof. The flat roof over the garage meets the pitched roof. The only thing I can think is whatever it is, has entered up the garage wall and into the roof or it has come along the flat roof and found a way in to the eves.
Will talk a better look tomorrow.
The extension has a been there a few decades, so not new.
I was quite surprised at how neat the cuts are hence I think it’s mice. The T&E is all untouched as far as I can see. Hope I don’t jinx it now
I’ve laid some traps by the spotlight holes and in the garage too, to see what that brings. But not ruling out rats either.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Rats however will chew through cables. They need to chew through stuff because their teeth never stop growing. If the teeth grow too long, they can't close their mouths.

That also happened to Janet Street-Porter!

 

[Collectors]

Don't forget the mice, lol. We found out a long time ago that they go for cables as its a bi product of oil & all oil has protein in it. Sorry to say, they love it can decimate wiring & even worse if its a flat roof. You need to have a good look around & block every hole & wire mesh if air needs to get through.

 

[Shadoman]

Don't forget the mice, lol. We found out a long time ago that they go for cables as its a bi product of oil & all oil has protein in it. Sorry to say, they love it can decimate wiring & even worse if its a flat roof. You need to have a good look around & block every hole & wire mesh if air needs to get through.

Thanks, yes, I’ve laid some traps for now so let’s see if the nice bite. If not, will get someone in.

 

[EFLImpudence]

If it is mice there will be lots of droppings.

 

[Shadoman]

If it is mice there will be lots of droppings.

I can’t get into the cavity to see unfortunately. The only access I have is the small spotlight holes in the ceiling.

 

[Collectors]

Thanks, yes, I’ve laid some traps for now so let’s see if the nice bite. If not, will get someone in.

Had them at my place a couple of year back & it was my fault in that we left half a brick out for a temp sink & they climb in & up the insulation in the cavity wall in my bungalow into the loft & got a taste for my pipe lagging. "Strange" So we got about half a dozon traps & found they liked peanut butter. we caught 7 of the little sods & not seen one since.

 

[opps]

I can’t get into the cavity to see unfortunately. The only access I have is the small spotlight holes in the ceiling.

Mouse poo will be ragged droppings, very short, 2mm plus.

Rat poo will be smooth and have an end that tapers down to nothing.

 

[mattylad]

Try putting your phone through the holes to take photo's, that may help see the dropings etc.

 

[JohnW2]

In my experience mice don't normally set out to eat cables.

A few years back, we had a significant rat problem, but I have to say that our experience was different from yours. They attached T+E in only a very small number of places, but did extensive damage to smaller telephone, intercom, alarm, ethernet etc. cables. In the case of those smaller cables, they generally chop through the conductors, but with T+E usually only the PVC, as in ...

What happens is that they establish runs through the inter floor space and if they find an obstruction then they chew through it to clear the way.

Indeed so. A high proportion of damage we experienced occured where the cable went through some hole(in joist or whatever).

 

[SUNRAY]

A few years back, we had a significant rat problem, but I have to say that our experience was different from yours. They attached T+E in only a very small number of places, but did extensive damage to smaller telephone, intercom, alarm, ethernet etc. cables. In the case of those smaller cables, they generally chop through the conductors, but with T+E usually only the PVC, as in ...

View attachment 365718

Indeed so. A high proportion of damage we experienced occured where the cable went through some hole(in joist or whatever).

I suspect mine was squirrel(s) and it/they chewed the top of a T&E over a 4ft length clipped along a joist, I discovered it on the last work day before Christmas pre 2018 when I switched a bedroom light on, the wires had eventually popped out of the remains of the PVC. Mrs Sunray arrived home from work and asked what I'd done all day and thoight I was taking the micky (sorry for the pun) when I said rewiring the house. Sadly I failed to take pictures but imagine 4ft of that in the yellow of 3/0.029" T&E