Hi everyone,
I always assumed mice stayed mostly in basements, kitchens, or lower levels of a house… until recently.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve started hearing scratching sounds near the upper floor ceiling and even inside a second-floor wall. At first I thought it had to be something else, but now I’m wondering if mice can actually climb that well.
A few things I’m curious about:
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Can mice really climb walls and reach upper floors?
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How are they usually getting up there?
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Does finding them upstairs mean the infestation is already pretty established?
Honestly didn’t expect this to become a whole-house issue, so I’d love to hear from people who’ve dealt with something similar.
Unfortunately yes, mice are much better climbers than most people think.
I learned this the hard way after hearing them in my attic.
They can climb pipes, wiring, rough walls, and even squeeze through tiny spaces between floors.
@GarageGuy77 Exactly. Mine were using utility lines behind the walls to move around.
If you’re hearing them upstairs, there’s probably an entry point somewhere lower down.
Attics and ceiling spaces are surprisingly common once temperatures drop outside.
@TrapTechTina Did the scratching start at night mostly? That’s usually when I noticed mine.
Upper-floor activity doesn’t always mean a huge infestation, but it does mean they’ve found safe travel routes.
I stopped mine by sealing gaps around pipes and vents between floors.
The biggest surprise for me was realizing how athletic mice actually are once they get inside a house.