They have endured a leadership spill, poison and months of uncertainty.

And on Monday, Upper House President Bruce Atkinson denounced the mice and rats of Melbourne's Parliament House as a growing problem that needed to be fixed.

"There are rats and mice (everywhere). In our own homes I'm sure we've all got little colonies somewhere," he told a parliamentary hearing.

Mr Atkinson said recent renovations to the sweeping front steps of Parliament House had disturbed the vermin, sending them scurrying through the grand old building.

"The steps work in particular has disturbed the rodent population."