# Mouse in wall somehow



## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Every year I seem to get a mouse in this small section of wall upstairs between my daughters room and the hallway. It's about 3' wide and I just can't figure out how they are getting in there. I cut a hole in the wall today and pulled out 3 dead mice. They seem to get stuck between the same 2 studs and scratch inside the wall until they die which of course scares my 5 year old. I put my camera in the hole and there are no visible holes or gaps. From inside her room facing the wall it goes to the left. Beside that wall is another wall that has a storage space behind it but therecommend is no hole in the stud they are getting stuck between so I don't think that's the route they are taking. Above the wall is a small attic which is the most likely point of entrance and they just fall in and get trapped but it appears to be sealed up to the ceiling inside the wall..... I'm stumped


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Attic and basement been air sealed yet?
Anyplace there's holes for plumbing and wiring need to be sealed to prevent air flow and critters from getting in.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/GREAT-ST...45967&wl11=online&wl12=23554550&wl13=&veh=sem


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I'll have to go up in the attic if I can even fit up there and see. Only plumbing and other holes are for the air handler that is up in that space and all that stuff runs toward the back wall and outside through the venting facia (think that's what it's called) under the gutters and then straight down the exterior wall. That hole is sealed and everything runs down a vinyl tubing thathe looks kinda like a downspout.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Three issues.
1. How are they getting into that space? Obviously there is a gap or hole you aren't seeing. Remove more drywall until you can caulk the entire picture frame of the studs to drywall. Then no mice will get that far.
2. The bigger issue is they are already in the house and keeping them out of that space is only to keep from scaring your daughter. They move in during the cold season and apparently have free access to come and go as needed. Bad part is they don't go outside to do their potty business, they are using a designated corner somewhere in your house and it is nasty.
3. Mice also need to chew to keep their teeth from growing too long. That chewing can include electrical wires.

You can see they don't need much space to squeeze through to get into your house and very difficult to seal the entire house. over time you will find places and close them off. The long term solution is the set baited traps in many locations, including the attic and basement. When you catch one it will tell you the direction they are coming from, but continue the baited traps everywhere for several years.

Bud


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I just went up there and it's impossible for me or any human being to get to where that wall is. It's just insulation and ductwork. Only light coming in are from the vents on either side of the house and I didn't see any mouse droppings in the area I can see so maybe that's not the entry point... I have caught a few mouse in the small space above my front porch. There is a section on both sides of the front where the 2 bedrooms are upstairs that I guess we're to low to make part of the bedroom so they just left space for a window in each room on the front of the house. I set traps up there for months and didn't catch anymore after the first 2 weeks and I only caught them on my son's room side. Never figured out how they got up there either.


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

I had the exact same scenario many years ago in my son's bedroom. He started complaining of a foul smell and I cut a hole in the drywall, finding three dead mice between the studs. His room is on the 2nd floor of a tri-level home. I climbed on the roof and found the opening they were getting in at. It was the point where the upper level roof meets the lower level, right at the center where a gutter terminates. The hole was only about 2 inches but that's plenty big for mice. I filled the hole with expanding foam, bought some aluminum flashing and bent it to fit the space, and then glued and screwed it in place. No problems since.


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