Nightmare Creatures That Invaded People’s Homes

Home Animals Nightmare Creatures That Invaded People’s Homes

Animals

By Jillian King - April 15, 2023

From creepy crawlies to fearsome fliers to behemoth bothers, these animals have found their way into people’s homes and into our nightmares. Incredibly dangerous animals sometimes come looking for food, or simply make a wrong turn, and come face-to-face with unsuspecting humans. Many of these animals have advanced intelligence and can even use tools, making them even more threatening to the human race.

Nightmare Creatures That Invaded People’s Homes — Photo credit: Neil Cave

Baboon Breakfast

It is the age-old horror trope–a family goes on vacation and awakes to a nightmare happening in their luxury rental. A group of seven baboons found their way into an AirBnB rental apartment in South Africa and proceeded to trash the place, poop on everything, and scavenge through all the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen to help themselves to breakfast. It took 3 police officers with mace to eventually drive away the determined primates. They continued to hang around the place for days after, though the family was wise enough not to leave any windows or doors ajar anymore. Imagine waking in an unfamiliar place to the sounds of monkeys destroying your rental and the smell of feces surrounding you. I’d call that a nightmare.

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Mountain Lion Restroom Break

Mountain lion encounters are not uncommon in parts of California, but most people don’t have to worry about them indoors. One couple had a surprise visit from a mountain lion that was chasing the neighbors cat and accidentally ended up directly in the living room. The husband touched the lion’s tail and spooked it enough to send it running. In another accidental situation, the cat locked itself in the bathroom. Luckily, the bathroom had a window, so the Sheriff’s Department was able to break that and coax the feline to jump through it and leave. While mountain lion sightings are not usually considered a public safety concern, this couple probably didn’t feel too safe at the time.

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Scorpion Neighbors

Scorpions are usually solitary creatures, which offers little comfort to anyone who might see one in their home. A real nightmare is the rare occasion where the creatures nest together in large groups. A Portuguese man found an enormous scorpion nest in an abandoned house. Thousands of these stinging terrors are shown climbing the walls and covering every inch in the room. Perhaps the house was abandoned when the human occupants discovered the creepy pests. In any case, no one will be choosing to move into this house of horrors anytime soon.

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Locusts at Biblical Levels

Much like in the days of Moses, locusts swarmed several countries in Africa and the Middle East. These ravenous insects devour crops and devastate the land area. They invade homes, farms, and the very air around you. Nowhere is safe from the flying, buzzing cloud of locusts. Cyclones in the area bring enough rainfall for the desert locusts to breed and increase their numbers 8,000-fold. The countries affected are considering the invasion a “crisis” and have programs to battle the bugs, but the usual methods are no longer proving effective. Also like Moses, I would be leading an exodus straight out of the country if one of the creepy locusts flew into my face.

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A Bat Just Hanging Around

For those that aren’t bat fans, the grey headed flying fox would haunt their dreams. Like most horrifying fauna, these megabats are native to Australia. They are about a foot long with a 3-foot, leathery wingspan. A Reddit user captured the image of the winged mammal hanging from the gutters, just staring at him with those huge, black eyes. Even if you like bats, coming out onto the deck to see this would be startling to say the least.

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Arachnid Roommate

Another fearless Australian shared his home with a gargantuan spider for more than a year. Jake Gray found the huntsman spider in his house and continued to allow it to live rent-free while it grew to the size of a dinner plate. Jake named the spider Charlotte and seems to respect her role in the home. She goes from room to room eating bugs. Even though I don’t have arachnophobia, let’s just say I wouldn’t be accepting any invitations to Jake’s house, or should I say Charlotte’s house?

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Alligator Arrest

Stories of alligator scares seem to always be popping up in Florida and this nightmare invasion is no exception. A woman awoke to an 11-foot alligator acting aggressively in her kitchen. It had been trying to access the apartment buildings and eventually broke a low window in her kitchen with its thrashing. The woman came out to her kitchen at 3:30am to investigate the glass breaking and found the gator. She locked herself in her bedroom and called the police. They arrived with a trapper and were able to pull the animal out through the window whence it came. In its fight to resist arrest, it knocked over a wine shelf and broke several bottles, obviously adding to the nightmare of the entire situation.

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Brown Recluse Real Estate

Imagine–you just bought your new half-million-dollar home and suddenly you begin seeing venomous spiders falling from the ceiling and crawling across every wall. A family in Missouri lived this hellish experience as Brown Recluse spiders began appearing everywhere inside their new home. Two separate extermination services were unable to eradicate the infestation, due to its size and severity. One of the nation’s leading brown recluse researchers estimated around 6,000 spiders to be in the home, but that number was in the winter, the spider’s least active season, so the true number is likely higher. A brown recluses bite causes excruciating pain and kills off cells near the bite. Eventually, the family was forced to move out of the house because of these dangerous critters.

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Termite Trouble

Another home made unlivable by tiny terrors is this termite-infested property. The new owners discovered the problem when they began renovations. Their insurance company deemed the home unlivable because the termites had eaten so much of the house. The structural integrity was compromised and 75% of the home was affected. Termites live in the walls and eat wood, borrowing holes through the house frame and decaying the wood at alarming rates. Older colonies of termites can have 2 million insects crawling through the walls at any given time. These fiends can completely destroy a home in a year or two. Remember folks, always get a thorough home inspection before purchasing.

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Joe’s Apartment

The 1996 cringe-worthy move, Joe’s Apartment, features a man in New York City who shares his apartment with thousands of singing, dancing cockroaches. The real-life Joe’s apartment belongs to Joe Nipitella in Ontario, Canada and his cockroaches don’t sing and dance. They do, however, scatter to the walls when he turns on the lights each morning. Hundreds of them would be creeping about in the dark and scurry out of sight when Joe came in. He says the roaches were there when he moved in, but the problem kept getting worse, despite the attempts to eradicate them. The building owners actively sprayed for about 6 months, before giving up. Joe and his wife left all of their belongings behind and moved out to escape the little devils.

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A Wall of Bees

A quiet Pennsylvania farmhouse was literally buzzing with activity, even when no one was home. Inside the wall of this home lived 450,000 bees. That’s right–nearly half a million bees living inside the walls! The beekeeper that removed them estimated that they had been there for 35 years, growing their numbers. For those whose nightmares involving bees are more about the bees dying, don’t fret. They were all safely relocated to hives at the beekeepers apiary. As for the family who owns the home, they’re out $12,000 to replace an entire wall, but otherwise free of the swarming nuisances.

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Toilet Snake

If you ever had the irrational fear that a snake would come up to bite you from inside your toilet, it is no longer so irrational. This is exactly what happened to a family in Texas. A diamondback rattlesnake was slithering up out of their toilet one morning. Luckily, the boy saw the snake before he sat down! Diamondback rattlesnakes have venomous bites that can make you numb, dizzy, and nauseous. The nightmare did not end there. The snake removal expert checked the rest of the house to find a total of 24 snakes in 2 dens under the home. A general rule of thumb with toilets is to always look before sitting down.

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Unpatriotic Raccoons

While some people think that raccoons are loveable little trash pandas, they are one of the most destructive scamps that could get inside your home. An Albany county legislator in New York had his apartment ransacked by the masked miscreants. They raided the pantry for food, and more surprisingly went into the bedroom and pooped on the flag he had lying on the bed. If you think it is just the United States that raccoons are protesting, think again. Germany has found itself overrun by a million invasive raccoons. The animals are devastating the native wildlife there. No matter where raccoons live, they are determined to remain ungovernable.

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Polar Bear Panic

A shared nightmare is happening in the small village of Belushya Guba on an island in Northern Russia. Polar bears are losing their sea ice habitats and moving into town with the terrified humans. At least 52 polar bears were spotted near the settlement. They have been breaking into buildings and literally chasing people in the streets. The residents are afraid to go outside and go about their daily lives. They are having to bear-proof their homes to avoid being invaded. Climate change and melting sea ice have driven the bears to take over town in search of food. The species is endangered and illegal to harm, but scare tactics have been unsuccessful. The hardships for people and animals are only going to get worse if nothing is done to prevent climate change.

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Unwanted Bug Kisses

One of the worst places to get bit by a bug is right on the face. “Kissing bugs” are so named because they bite and suck the blood from their victims’ faces. One found its way into a Delaware home and bit a little girl. These bugs can be deadly because they often carry Chagas disease. Chagas disease has a 30% chance of becoming deadly. Kissing bugs are more common in Latin America, but have been found in 28 states of the US so far. They spread Chagas by biting someone, then pooping near the bite. If the poop gets rubbed into the wound or into the eyes, nose, or mouth of the victim, then the disease can be contracted. Don’t go smooching any bugs.

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Mouse Trapped

No internet–a nightmare all its own! But the reason Laura Clout has no internet is even more revolting. Mice chewed through the cables. Mice have plagued her home for seven years, coming in through large holes in the walls due to the property not being finished correctly by the company that owns the place. The mice have affected her family so much that she is too scared to get out of bed at night, giving herself a UTI from having to pee and holding it. The rodents chew through her furniture, eat food in the kitchen, and poop all over the house. Besides hearing creepy scuttling around you at night, the big issue is sanitation. Mice touch food and kitchen utensils and defecate on everything. For germaphobes, mice are one of the worst creatures that could move in.

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Ant Annexation

There are roughly 2.5 million ants per every 1 human on Earth. It’s bone-chilling to think what a large mass of ants is capable of. One French town has been dealing with an overwhelming ant takeover. The ants are so bad in Saumur, France that residents are unable to stand in their yards without being bitten. Ants infiltrate their homes through electrical outlets, windows, joints, or any other miniscule hole that can be found. These ants are a Mediterranean species that are notoriously hard to get rid of. People have been spending loads of money attempting to kill the menaces, but ant experts have said that the only useful thing they can do is avoid letting the ants spread further. Basically, that particular neighborhood has no hope left and will likely live with this curse forever.

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Moose in the Basement

Ask Alaskan natives which creature might be the most nightmarish to find in their homes, and many would answer “moose.” These animals are enormous, dense, and aggressive when trapped. A 1-year-old bull moose fell through the window of the basement in an Alaskan home and was unable to find a way back out. Firefighters were called to retrieve the 500-pound animal. The only way to have a chance of getting it out was to heavily tranquilize it, so it didn’t move while they figured a way to remove it. The behemoth had to be put on a large tarp and carried by 6 men to get it back outside.

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Kangaroo Sparring Match

An Aussie man fighting a kangaroo while wearing only underpants is just about the most Australian thing that could ever happen. The ‘roo jumped through a bedroom window and was hopping on beds and knocking over furniture, leaving a blood trail from its window-glass injuries. Initially, the family hid in their rooms, waiting for the animal to leave, but when their 10-year-old son screamed that the kangaroo had come into his room, the dad leapt into action. The man wrestled the 6-foot tall beast and got it into a headlock. Then, he dragged it through the front door and it was able to run off. He came away with scratch marks on his legs and rear-end and his undies shredded.

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Elephant Midnight Snack

Even animals sometimes get a hankering for cake in the middle of the night. One elephant in India sniffed out some oil cakes meant for cows that the homeowner left in the kitchen. He decided to bust through the wall and help himself. The elephant first breaks the wall with his trunk and roots around for whatever he can smell. Then, he decided to get a better look and smashed his whole head into the room. After he is satisfied with his stolen snacks, he wanders away. All the while, the family is upstairs. They were awoken by the sound of the wall breaking, but knew better than to disturb or scare a hungry elephant.

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Break Time for Wild Boar

A German woman comes home and, upon opening the front door, finds a 130-pound wild boar lounging on her sofa, not more than 10 yards from her. The very wise woman backed away slowly and closed the door. Even officers responding to the scene decided the best course of action was to open the doors, stand way back, and let the boar decide when to leave. Altercations with wild boars can be deadly. These creatures are very aggressive and much stronger than your average human. They also spread diseases, like tuberculosis, hepatitis, and swine flu. So, if a wild boar decides to rest on your sofa, it’s his sofa now.

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Hungry Hungry Hippo

A 2-year-old Ugandan boy was playing in his yard when a hippo swallowed him. The hippo attacked and swallowed half the boy’s body before spitting him back out. Another boy nearby threw rocks at the hippo to scare it, causing it to release the toddler and head back toward the lake. The young boy had to be treated extensively for injuries, but made a full recovery. Hippos are known to be one of the most dangerous animals on Earth, with jaws strong enough to snap a canoe in half. In that context, the little boy is extremely lucky to be alive. For his parents, this is one nightmare they might not make a full recovery from.

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Monitor Lizard Visitor

A nightmare encounter for some might just be another day for others. A man in Thailand has grown so accustomed to seeing a monitor lizard the size of a grown man around his home that he named the beast Selena. Attanai Thaiyuanwong believes that humans have invaded animal homes, not the other way around, so he feels only compassion for the giant lizard coming to visit. It’s unclear why the reptile is trying to break into his home, though one theory is that it is after his pet dog. Monitor lizards this size have been known to eat small mammals, like cats, so it wouldn’t be the craziest theory. Even though Attanai doesn’t mind the leviathan hanging around, these lizards can inflict some nasty bites and scratches when threatened. When it comes to these monitor lizards, if you invade their space, they will invade yours.

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Toxic Toads in Town

Another biblical plague event, much like the locusts, happened in modern day. This time it was frogs in Florida. Poisonous cane toads surged across the Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood in droves. Cane toads shoot toxins from their back when they feel threatened. The neighborhood saw mostly babies, as the breeding season was in full swing, and the little ones don’t carry enough toxin to be dangerous to pets or humans yet. The adults can kill a dog or cat if the poison gets in their mouths. Hundreds of the young toads infiltrated pools, yards, and even homes. Toad Busters, a toad removal company, had several people spending hours picking up as many of the invasive vermin as they could.

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Cassowary Crossing

The world’s most dangerous bird casually strolled through a couple’s home in Australia. Cassowaries have 4-inch long sharp claws on each foot, can run over 30 miles an hour, and can jump 7 ft. straight in the air. No human is a match for them. The couple was cooking dinner when the 6-ft. tall interloper entered. The husband hid behind the dining room table, while the wife took off running out the door. This particular feathered fright peacefully walked right out the front door, but an encounter like this where the bird is trapped inside the home could have ended deadly for the Aussie couple.

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Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds

Over 800 birds commandeered a family’s home in California. Like a scene from a horror movie, the Vaux’s Swifts swooped down by the hundreds into the chimney and began flying all over the house. The birds stormed every room, leaving their droppings on every surface in the residence. The county animal control officials told the family to leave their doors and windows open and just let the birds fly out, but the winged beasts had no interest in leaving. The family had to stay in a hotel overnight while a relative came over to attempt to shoo the birds away. Eventually the birds got the flock out of there.

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Millipedes en Masse

When you can’t walk barefoot inside your own home without crunching little millipedes beneath your feet, then you know the problem is at nightmare levels. Jacqueline Jones spends much of her time every single day cleaning up millipedes in every room of her home and still can’t keep up with the infestation.The whole family is suffering mental health issues from the stress of dealing with these pests. They are also harming their physical health using caustic cleaning products daily that are drying out their skin and are probably not great for their respiratory system. No matter what the family does, the millipedes march on over the walls and floors of their home.

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Seniors Evicted by Bedbugs

For 200 Kansas City seniors, the nightmare shares their beds. A senior living apartment community in Kansas City was condemned due to a bed bug infestation so severe that residents say the biting bedfellows would be seen in the halls and elevators. Most of the chairs and furniture were removed. The dining room was shut down. All social activities were canceled. The senior residents were left bug-bitten and isolated in their infested apartments. Some residents worry that they can’t move out because nowhere will want them with the possibility that all their belongings could be teeming with the bothersome bugs.

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