# Critters between ceiling and subfloor



## jeh (Mar 20, 2012)

btw, I live in Nashville in a 22 year old house. I am surrounded by 200 acres of woods - so critters are abundant. 

Plus we get all 4 seasons in Tennessee, so the mice want to come inside for the winter. 
I dont have any signs of them cohabiting with us except for my discovery this evening!


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

As you noted, rodents like to come indoors when it gets cold and will take advantage of opportunities to do so. No, it's not uncommon at all.

A few years ago, when we were doing a renovation to our prior house in suburban Maryland, some beams leading into the joist area between the first floor and the second floor were exposed during the fall. We ended up with a couple of rats in our house...in a residential area where I had never even seen a rat, ever. 

I've certainly had mice coming into the house every fall in every house I've ever lived in. I don't think in an old house that it's really possible to prevent given the face that they can enter through a hole the size of a dime.


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## Okami (Jul 18, 2011)

I had some mice intruder and they could not resist gummy bears, most died this way but In the end the cats killed the last of em.


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## jeh (Mar 20, 2012)

but is it common to have so much poo in the joist space? is that not a health risk?


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

jeh said:


> but is it common to have so much poo in the joist space? is that not a health risk?


It's common if they've had access for years and it has accumulated. I would be more focused on denying them access in future than ripping out your walls to track down rat ****. That is the kind of thing that is a slippery slope. It could be everywhere, for all you know, as once they are in house it is relatively easy for them to travel around it through plumbing and heating and cooling chases.

No, it's not a health risk. It dries out and is basically just dessicated organic matter sitting up in a sealed area. 

Of course, it might be a risk to your psychological health, knowing it is all there. That's a different matter.


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## PAbugman (Jun 29, 2010)

My first concern would be if there are live rodents. Set traps, rodenticide, etc. Otherwise, how far you go in ripping out and cleaning is your call. Ironlight gives good advice-that job could turn into something you regret starting, but it is your call. You need to be comfortable in your own house; let that be your guide. It’s not an emergency; take your time and learn and assess. 

At least get some fresh rodent bait in the garage and check/change it regularly. If nothing eats it for a long time, then you probably didn’t change it frequently enough. Rodents like fresh food, no mold/mildew. In the mess that fell out-was there any evidence of acorns, nuts, seeds, etc? If so, I would suspect squirrels, chipmunks, etc.


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