Alright folks, let me tell you about the ridiculous mouse circus I dealt with last month. Thought I had a handle on it. Boy, was I wrong.
First Signs & My Stubborn Ignorance
Noticed mouse droppings near the pantry last week. Little black specks. Figured, “Eh, probably just one visitor.” Did the classic thing: shoved steel wool into a hole under the sink cabinet. Felt pretty smug. Problem solved, right? Wrong.
The Shocking Truth Hits Me… Literally
Two nights later, I hear scratching. Not from the floor. From the wall behind my bed. Like tiny claws on drywall. I freeze. Grab a flashlight. Shine it up the corner where the wall meets the ceiling.
And I see it. A damn mouse. Not running along the wall. Running up the wall. Smooth, vertical surface. Like it was Spider-Man. My jaw dropped. How the hell was it doing that?
- Rubbery Paw Pads: Did some digging later. Turns out mice have slightly soft, grippy pads on their feet. Like tiny suction cups.
- Claws are Hooks: Plus, sharp little claws dig into any tiny crack or roughness. They hook on. It’s physics! Sneaky little buggers.
- They Bridge Gaps: That hole under my sink? Mouse giggled at my wool. They just squeezed between pipes and came up elsewhere.
My DIY Failures Pile Up
Panic set in. Tried everything in my garage:
- Traps: Snap traps baited with peanut butter near the wall? Nothing.
- Sprays & Powders: “Natural repellents” I bought online? Smelled awful. Mice didn’t care. Still heard them.
- Blocking Higher Holes: Found a tiny gap near a roof vent pipe. Stuffed it with copper mesh. Next morning? Mesh was shredded. Evidence everywhere. They just chewed through it like paper.
Woke up every night to that scratching. Started feeling paranoid. Found droppings inside a dresser drawer. That was it. I broke.
Swallowing My Pride & Calling the Pros
Yeah, I’m stubborn. Hate admitting defeat. But this was war. Found a local pest control company. Guy showed up, calm and knew his stuff.
- Not Just Plugging Holes: First, he laughed (politely) at my copper mesh attempt. “Needs cement,” he said. Mice jaws are strong.
- Scouting Routes: Didn’t just look low. Scanned every inch – utility lines entering the house, vents, loose siding, even where bricks were chipped near the roof.
- Trapping Smarter: Used special traps inside wall voids, bait stations outside targeted away from pets. No mess, no smell.
Cost me more than peanut butter and copper mesh, obviously. But silence is priceless. Haven’t heard a scratch in 10 days.
Reality Check
So yeah. Can mice climb walls? Absolutely. Smooth, vertical, plaster, brick – doesn’t matter much to them. They will find a way. Those rubbery paws and needle claws give them superpowers. Trying to outsmart them solo? Unless you know every inch of your house and how to seal it like Fort Knox, forget it.
My tip? Don’t be like me. Don’t wait for mice to redecorate your dresser. See one dropping? Hear one scratch? Just call a pro. Save your sanity. Trust me.