Appalachian woman hears scratching in basement, thinks it’s rats. Then the doorknob starts turning

A woman’s scary basement video has gone viral on TikTok. The clip from user @appalachiadecay has gotten more than 16.6 million views. People cannot stop talking about the strange noises and movements she caught on camera.

The woman made the TikTok video to send to her husband at work. She heard sounds in the basement and thought rats were down there. In the video, she walks down the stairs toward a wooden door. Loud banging and scratching noises come from behind it. Then something really creepy happens. The doorknob slowly turns by itself. She runs back up the stairs right away.

She posted another TikTok video later to show more of the basement. The door goes to steps that lead outside. But those outside doors are locked tight from both sides. She walks around showing the rest of the basement, which looks pretty normal. She says they think it might be raccoons, mice, or rats causing the problem. But she does not seem to notice something odd. The door she closed earlier is now standing wide open in the video.

So what could actually be making those sounds?

People in the comments had lots of ideas about what was making those sounds. One person said it could be porcupines. They wrote that porcupine spines make terrible sounds. They also said porcupines make sounds like a crying baby when they mate. Other people said it was probably just a raccoon getting into the basement.

Raccoons really can open doors and turn doorknobs. Their front paws work almost like human hands. They have thumbs that help them grab and twist things. City raccoons have figured out how to reach doorknobs by climbing on stuff. Then they work at the knob until it opens. 

tiktok.com/@appalachiadecay/video/7564097513771388191 

These animals are pretty smart and can solve problems. They know how to open latches and handles too. Raccoons sneak into basements looking for food or a warm place to stay. Just like a musician had to fight back when strangers smashed through his glass door, people sometimes deal with unwanted guests at home.

Porcupines make scratching sounds too. Their sharp quills scrape against things and make noise. They grunt, squeal, and click their teeth when they feel scared. Their quills shake and rattle when they move around. But porcupines probably cannot turn doorknobs like raccoons can.

Some people think the videos might be fake. The woman’s whole TikTok page is about ghosts and haunted stuff. Someone could easily hide behind the door and make those noises. They could also turn the handle at the right time. In the second video, another person could have opened the door when the camera was not looking. Similar to how people test if their partners really listen to them, small details can tell you a lot. Either way, millions of people online got seriously creeped out by these basement videos.