Mice can climb pretty much any surface. Mice cause serious damage when they get the opportunity of invading homes, buildings and other storage facilities in that they are very notorious
for contaminating and consuming stored food and grains. To prevent mice from damaging property it is very important to understand their capabilities.
Mice can climb brick walls, stucco walls, vinyl siding walls, and concrete walls. They can also climb:
• Climb electrical wires, cables, vines, ropes, trees and also shrubs so that they can gain entry into buildings
• Climb vertical surfaces that are rough such as wood, bricks and weathered sheet
• Crawl and climb horizontally along augers, pipes, conveyers and conduit
Apart from the above capabilities, mice can also:
• Travel for very long distances in small openings
• Jump up to 18 inches vertically
• Capable of hanging upside down while travelling
• Survive in very harsh conditions for a very long time.
You have to be cautious when dealing with these rodents because of their ability to jump across and over buildings. In most cases, their amazing climbing ability makes it easier for them to enter your home through openings that are way above the ground level.
They can also ascend brick walls that are vertical to access the roof areas where they end up building their nests especially if they are mothers looking for shelter for their young ones. In spite of homes being different, there are common entry points that these rodents use in order to access a building.
Weep vents
Weep vents are usually located between bricks and they are designed to allow water to escape through the bricks and air to flow into the wall to keep it dry. In spite of their significance, they are large enough which makes it easier for mice to climb through and get into the house.
Gaps between building materials
Theses gaps give mice the opportunity of climbing and getting into the house. These gaps are very worrisome because in most cases they cover the whole perimeter of the house. It is therefore important to ensure that any sliding foundation gap, roof gap and other gaps are completely sealed.
Door and window frames
Poorly sealed window and door frames also act as entry points into the homes. Mice can also climb onto doors that hang unevenly.
Vents in the roof
Mice that climb to the roof top will always find entry points, vents made of plastic or aluminum are not very secure because mice chew through them. With mice there are very many potential areas of entry which is why it is always important to ensure that a full inspection is carried out and any possible entry holes are permanently sealed off. You can also contact professional workers because they are always in a better position to deal with the above situations.
Go back to the
How To Get Rid of Mice in the Attic home page.
Or you can read more mouse control information, on these topics:
How to kill mice
Does mouse repellent work?
Get mice out of the wall
Mouse poison analysis
Do mice live in urban or wild areas?
Do mice make good pets?
Do mice come through the plumbing?
Are glueboards good to catch mice?
Can you catch a mouse in a cage?
Mice are quite the little athletes. They can climb walls, run along wires and ropes and can jump up
over a foot in the air, looking for entry points to your home. Once inside, mice can build a comfortable
haven where they can reproduce, eat your food, chew up your house, and spread disease.
Using their tails for balance, they are able to scale any rough vertical surface. This is because of their claws.
Mice have very sharp claws at the end of each of their “fingers”. These twenty tiny claws allow mice to grip rough
spots or small openings on virtually any non-sheer surface (such as glass). For example, a concrete wall may appear
smooth, but in the drying process, tiny bubbles create surface openings that can be gripped by a mouse’s claws.
These tiny grippers allow mice to scale vertical surfaces made from wood, drywall, siding, brick, PVC pipes, concrete, stucco,
downspouts, drywall and wallpaper. Mice can also climb trees, vines, and vegetation. This allows them to gain access to areas that
could allow entry into your home.
The ability to climb is what allows mice to gain access to attic spaces. If they are denied entry at the foundation level, they can
take advantage of small defects in roof construction, by climbing exterior walls and exploring the roofline and various roof vents to
seek an opening. Once inside, they can climb down walls to gain access to areas where food is stored. Mice can also climb down chimneys
and gain access to your house through imperfect seals or an open damper.
Another place mice can climb is a vinyl siding corner cap. If the bottom of the corner cap is not sealed, the rough surface inside provides
easy access to roof eaves. Slight imprecisions in eave construction provide opportunities for small openings that are accessible by mice.
Mice like to explore their environment in search of food and are unafraid of any new objects they may discover. Mice have a keen sense of smell.
If they detect a food odor they are perfectly capable of climbing up a wall or cabinet to reach the source. Evidence of this activity can be
detected by their pellet-shaped droppings. Mouse droppings can be a carrier of disease, so if you see mouse droppings, take action.
Mice can also grip electrical cords with their claws, allowing them to get to higher vantage points within a room. They can use this technique
to access cabinets where food is stored.
The bottom line is that although diligence in sealing foundation openings is essential, because of the climbing ability of mice, attention is also
needed along the roofline and chimney, downspouts and around any objects piercing the roof. This effort can prevent or at least minimize any rodent
incursions.
If you experience mouse activity in your home, inspect the house for access points and seal them off. Then deal with any mice inside using traps or
by employing an exterminator.
Go back to the
How to get rid of mice in the attic home page. You might also want to read about
how to kill mice and why the use
of snap traps is better than
mouse poison. Read an analysis of the different types of traps and how to use them on the
how to trap mice page.
Learn why
bait is not as important as trap type, placement and location. Also read a full analysis of
mouse repellent to understand why it
never works. If you see droppings and want to identify them, read the
mouse poop page. If you need to hire professional help, read about
how much does mouse removal cost?
or you can read this site to learn how to do it yourself. Feel free to email me about What Can Mice Climb?
