Can mice climb walls vertically or horizontally? Here is all you should know.

When mice invade a home, they create all sorts of problems. These range from the transmission of diseases through their droppings such as hantavirus, bubonic plague, and salmonellosis among others.

In terms of damage caused, mice are known to wreak havoc on properties through structural damages. Mice will readily chew on wire insulation which could result in home fires.

Among the many damages caused are gnawing of furniture, nesting building, and defecation.

Because it looks like there’s no damage these rodents can’t cause, we’ll be discussing the extent of their reach. In other words, can mice climb walls?

If you’ve not seen mice on walls or wonder if they can move on them, you’ll need to read on to find the answers you seek.

Do Mice Climb Wall?

When it comes to their climbing abilities, mice are known to be excellent climbers as they can reach almost anywhere as long as there are favorable conditions.

Now, the answer to the question asked at the beginning of the article largely depends on the type of wall.

So, what difference does a wall type have to do with the ability of mice to climb? A lot! Walls are built with different materials. While some walls have a porous finish, others have a smooth finish.

Between the two (walls with a porous finish and those with smooth finish), walls having porous finish tend to be much easier for mice to climb.

Wall Surface Matters

First off, it’s important to understand the capabilities of mice when it comes to moving on surfaces. These rodents are known to have tiny claws that tend to be highly efficient in gripping and moving.

As such, when these rodents find uneven or rough surfaces, they excel better at climbing.

Speaking of wall surface, the material used on a wall will determine its finish. There are walls made of concrete, as well as those made of glass. In terms of smoothness, there’s a clear difference between them.

  • Concrete Walls

It’s natural for concrete and brick walls to have lots of small air bubbles in them.

What results is a rough exterior surface that provides mice with the perfect climbing opportunity. Mice will grip on such spaces and climb up with little less difficulty.

The rougher the wall, the easier it is for mice to climb. The smoother it is, the more challenging it becomes.

Apart from concrete walls, wood finishing, stucco, shingles and siding also provide these rodents with ample gripping surfaces to move around.

  • Glass Walls

If your home has glass walls, chances are that will have a tough time climbing. The only exception will be when such glass is designed with a rough surface.

Even at that, there are chances of mice slipping off when they attempt to climb such walls.

Also difficult to climb are walls having smooth-painted surfaces. These will reduce the chances of mice climbing up. However, the ability of mice to climb up a wall isn’t determined by the surface texture alone.

Additional Factors that Could Aid Mice Climbing Up a Wall

Apart from the scenarios outlined above, there’s no guarantee that mice won’t be able to climb a wall based on its surface texture alone. Additional factors could aid these rodents to climb up your walls.

Consider walls with climbing props or the interior of such walls.

  • Walls With Climbing Props

Most people have one thing or the other hanging from their walls. Such items include frame loosely fitted wires.

Cords are also part of the mix of things found hanging on walls. Even when such a wall is slippery like glass walls, mice can grip and walk their way across hanging cables.

As long as such cables lead them to a target, these rodents will readily brave their way through such obstacles.

This helps them avoid the wall altogether. To keep balance while moving, their tails serve to provide the much-needed stability they need to keep from falling.

  • Wall Interiors

Wall interiors have all sorts of internal support structures which allow for easy movement for rodents.

Most times, mice find their way into such walls by burrowing through them. Such areas become their nesting ground from where they move out in search of food.

Walls that are closest to a food source are mostly targeted.

These rodents need to be close to food sources. The insulation, pipes, wires, and other support structures found within walls are further damaged by these rodents.

Treating a mice problem should be handled with dispatch. Any delay only serves to worsen the situation as these rodents are prolific breeders.

  • Jumping Mice

Did you know that mice could easily jump onto areas considered out of reach?

These rodents are extremely clever and have devised ways of going around obstacles. So, if your walls are so slippery that they can’t climb, mice will turn their focus to any clutter or structure close enough to the wall.

Not all mice have the ability of jumping.

Certain species do, and those invading your property may belong to such species. As a matter of fact, mice have been found to jump as much as 13 feet when agitated. This is phenomenal!

It’s best to act fast to save your property.  So, what do you do?

Finding A Solution To Mouse Climbing

Having one mouse or more mice crisscrossing your walls isn’t a pretty sight at all. Rather than dwelling on the fact that they can move up walls, it’s best to shift your focus to ways of excluding them altogether.

One of the easiest ways will be to call a pro such as a mice exterminator.

There are lots of comprehensive treatment plans that will be provided to take back control of your property. We recommend you avoid fighting a losing battle by carrying our DIY treatments. It’s best to allow the pros to handle the job.

If you must perform DIY mice control, then it should tend more towards preventive treatment.

Here, mice attractions such as food sources and pathways or cracks are eliminated and blocked. These and several others should push out mice from your home.

So far, we’ve seen that mice can climb certain walls but have difficulty in accessing others. It mostly depends on wall texture. Effecting treatment of your mice problem is recommended.

This is the most reliable method of solving the problem.

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