# How the heck would a mouse get in ceiling fan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090 "2012-02-07T17:32:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/1 "2012-02-07T17:32:44Z")
Our ceiling fan was making a strange clicking noise lately. I entered the dining room a few minutes ago and saw what initially thought was a piece of dust hanging out of the motor. Turned out it was a tail! Some mouse managed to wedge itself inside the housing. Not the first dead mouse I’ve seen here, either. There was another under a bath mat a few months back, not sure if the cat got it or if one of us did by walking on the mat while it was hiding. Either way, the mouse was flushed and the mat washed. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/2 "2012-02-07T18:03:18Z")
It probably was in the ceiling above the room and crawled into the electrical box the fan is mounted to. Maybe one of the knockout holes was left open on the box. What’s above the room with the fan? So did you take the fan apart, or just turn it on high to see how far you could fling the little beastie? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/3 "2012-02-07T18:07:02Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > What’s above the room with the fan? Another dining room. ETA: probably should call the maintenance guys and let them know. > [@](#): > > So did you take the fan apart, or just turn it on high to see how far you could fling the little beastie? Didn’t think of either. Just put on my heavy rubber gloves and tugged on the tail until beastie popped out. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/4 "2012-02-08T01:12:13Z")
I had a mouse crawl inside a table fan. He was alive though, so we stared at each other until he got the nerve to run away. I’m sure he would have run away in the amount of time it would have taken me to bag the fan up, so it was pointless to bother. Since then I’ve mouseproofed and haven’t seen or heard from him and his friends. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/5 "2012-02-08T01:25:31Z")
Your appliance is a groupie. I.e. a fan looking for a little tail. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/6 "2012-02-08T07:41:55Z")
I’m sure that one of the mouse’s last thoughts was “how the hell did I end up in HERE?” ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-heck-would-a-mouse-get-in-ceiling-fan/612090/7 "2012-02-08T11:40:37Z")
I did some grape picking a few years back, and found a dead mouse firmly wedged through a bunch of grapes. All four feet and tail sticking out. I’m not sure how bad your reflexes have to get to get trapped like that…