Can Mice Climb Stairs? The Fascinating Answer!

Nothing disturbs a homeowner more than the thought of mice co-living in their spaces. These little rodents can be a huge menace in your house as they chew on clothes, food, furniture, books, and everything they can get their teeth on!

But can mice climb stairs?

Well, nothing can stop them from getting to the upper levels of your house. Mice can climb stairs (especially if they have a grip), scale walls, and climb over windows to get to their destination.

How Do Mice Climb Stairs?

Mice move around through jumping motions, especially when rising to higher ground. They can jump from one step to the next pretty easily.

Some mice can jump up to a foot high, meaning that most stairs do not deter them. And, of course, it’s also more convenient for them to move along areas with a grip on the surface than slippery ones.

So, if your stairs have a runner, mice are also likely to use them. They may also use the handrails as a ramp to get to higher levels easily.

Can Mice Climb Walls?

In addition to being relatively good jumpers, mice have excellent climbing skills. They can climb smooth vertical walls up to 13 inches high.

They can go even higher if the wall has a rugged surface. They can climb a rough brick wall relatively quickly and get to the upper levels of your house or building.

Other Ways Mice Get Upstairs

It’s an open secret that mice will not hesitate to go upstairs, but the stairs are not their only route. The following are some other ways these pests can access your upper floors.

Open Windows

Mice will easily climb up to your bedroom when they get the chance. This includes using trees adjacent to your house, especially if they grow very close to the windows. Open windows give these rodents a very easy time.

They can also navigate through small openings along windows that don’t shut properly. All they need to do is to squeeze their head in, and then wiggle the rest of their bodies into the room.

The AC System

It’s common to find small spaces left around the cabling and piping for your AC system. Mice can navigate these spaces and follow along the piping to access various areas inside your home.

They might even build their nests inside these systems and use them to go up and down various floors within a building. The piping of the AC system also allows them to hide from you for longer, making it the perfect hiding spot for them.

Gaps in the Foundation and Roof

Spaces in the roof or foundation may seem too small to bother about. But for mice, these are perfect travel routes into your house or building. And don’t be tempted to seal these spaces with materials such as plastic or rubber. Mice can chew on these materials with ease.

Plumbing Lines

Like the AC unit, mice do not mind crawling through your building’s plumbing in search of a nesting place and food. They can pass through gaps under the plumbing lines or through poorly sealed drainage holes.

How to Get Rid of Mice

Once competition grows downstairs, mice will start looking for additional food sources in other parts of your home, including the upper levels. This only means more nuisance and damage. Here are some ways you can keep them out.

1. Block Any Entry Points

Mice can squeeze themselves through the smallest of places. Therefore, identifying potential entry points, they may use to access your home is crucial.

Start by sealing any obvious holes around the plumbing or windows using mice-proof materials. You might also want to hire an expert to perform a full-house inspection and sealing.

2. Remove Food Sources

Mice may get to your house, but if they can’t find anything to eat, they won’t hang around for long. Therefore, you should keep your food preparation areas clean.

Also, keep food stored in airtight food storage containers to prevent access to the stored food. If you have pets, keep their surplus food in containers that rodents can’t get to.

Use a mice-proof trash can or a metal one with a heavy lid to keep mice and other rodents from camping in your trash.

3. Set Traps

The market is awash with various traps you can use to catch mice. The most popular ones include snap traps, electric traps, and live-catch traps.

Snap traps use a trigger system that traps mice when they walk over them. They can kill rats instantly, depending on the model and how well you use them.

Electric traps use a special chamber that uses electric current to kill mice. They are designed to be safe for humans and pets. Live catch traps are great for those who want to remove mice from their houses without killing them.

4. Keep a Cat

While mice control should not be the primary reason you get a cat, it is a great deterrent to them. Mice are naturally conditioned to identify their predators through their pheromones. Therefore, they can smell when your cat is around your house and will make every effort to avoid being near them.

5. Call an Exterminator

Traps, sanitation, and sealing entry points might not effectively remove mice from your house or building. If you can’t seem to shake these rodents off, it’s time to call in a professional.

Exterminators will evaluate the nature of the infestation and use the most effective method to eliminate the mice population from your home. Once they have cleared the infestation, take the necessary steps to keep new populations from infesting your home.

Before you hire the exterminator, check their credentials and previous results.

Final Thoughts

Mice are adaptive animals. They can get into your house through minute crevices, through windows, and even go up the stairs if the conditions are right. If you don’t deal with them as soon as you notice them, you could be dealing with an infestation in a few weeks. To prevent this, take the necessary steps to curb their growth and discourage them from getting into your house in the first place.

Featured Image Credit: David Hablützel, Pixabay