Keep mice out of equipment

[ding2520]

I've found that leaving the hood open on my 2520 has kept them from nesting in there. The previous winter I tried keeping it closed and would pull a nest off of the top of the fuel tank almost every time I used the tractor. "Bounce" dryer sheets seem to work for me. One spring I fired up the JD 175 Hydro for the first time in the shed and heard something bouncing off of my boat. After looking I found what the noise was, dog food was flying out of the exhaust. I took the tractor outside and started mowing, I had "smoking dog food" coming out for about the first 10 minutes I mowed.

 

[sparc]

Found this old thread while looking for answers to the mouse problem I'm having with my TC-25. It sits outside under a canopy but I guess that offers enough protection from the elements to attract them. I'll try the moth ball trick, I've used that before under the deck at the house when a ground hog tried to take up residence there and it drove him away.

Thanks everyone.

 

[kmassing]

Found this old thread while looking for answers to the mouse problem I'm having with my TC-25. It sits outside under a canopy but I guess that offers enough protection from the elements to attract them. I'll try the moth ball trick, I've used that before under the deck at the house when a ground hog tried to take up residence there and it drove him away.

Thanks everyone.

Original Bounce scented dryer sheets work great. Just tie a few around wires and other stuff under the hood. Only the original Bounce seem to repel mice.

Mothballs do work but dogs love them, then no more dog!

 

[sparc]

Thanks for the feedback about dogs and mothballs. didn't know that.

How long do the Bounce dryer sheets work...weeks, months ?

The area I need to protect is behind the instrument cluster as can be seen below.
The only way back there appears to be to remove the instrument cluster which is only a couple screws but still if a couple dryer sheets will get me through until Spring that would be good to know. This tractor is not likely to see any action for the next couple months.

 

[Dave M7040]

I almost had a serious fire when a nest was built against my turbocharger.
It took a little while to realize the burning smell on my new Kubota was about to get serious.
Here is what happened to my boat interior.
It was stored in an open sided building with a cover on and a racoon decided it would make a good home for her family.

My lesson is to not create an enclosure that offers shelter to the animals.
This year the boat has no cover on it although it is in the same building. All seats and loose items are removed so there is little to get under to hide and also i can check frequently.
It will be dirty in the spring but that is better than the shock of pulling the cover back and seeing the destruction.

In the nesting season I either park my tractor outside on a gravel or paved surface far from any building meaning the rodents have to traverse lots of open space to get to it or I park it in a closed shop.
My thought is that they are vulnerable to predators when crossing the open space and thus less likely to head for my tractor.
Dave M7040

 

[caver]

I use about every kind of trap out there along with Ramik. Leave hoods open in the barn. I've thinned my population down quite a bit. I did keep seeing one mouse the past few weeks so I set some of the traps again and hopefully caught that one. Like others, be diligent especially when the weather starts to cool off.

 

[forestcreature1]

i have had the best success with 'fresh cab' which is pine tree strong odored chips in a cheese cloth looking pouch.
the mice here loved the original bounce dryer sheets - for their nest anyway.

 

[Lawnranger]

Bounce has worked well with New England mice. Almost as good as a cat in the barn.