Keeping mice out of equipment...best deterrent?

[Wnc3]

My particular problem is the engine compartment on my mini excavator.
The mice are chewing the insulation and building nest. All equipment is now indoors on concrete. Do those sonic plug in devices work? Don't really like poison because of dogs and kids.
Thanks

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have tried everything and the best thing I did was finally get 2 barn cats 3 years ago. I tried all kind of stuff but nothing worked.

I hated cats before but then tried one. It ran off. Tried one again and it got killed. Finally was told by a old timer to get 2 and that was the fix. They entertain each other, cost about $10 per 2 months on a bag of food, and keep my stuff nice.

I hate male cats (Toms), they pizz on everything. I only get females and get them fixed when they were 4 months old. (they can get pregnant at 5-6 months). Cost $35 at the clinic here in town to get them fixed and all shots.

Chris

 

[KennyG]

I don't think there's anything that works for everyone, but I tried the spearmint/peppermint repellants in my pole barn this winter and really haven't seen any signs of mice. I got mine from ACE and it was a pretty cheap fix for this year.

 

[s219]

I tend to think the females are better mousers, but you can avoid the male cats pissing all over the place if you get them fixed at an early age. We have two fixed males -- one is 12 -- and neither have ever marked anything. The old guy sometimes misses the box, but that's more about aim .

 

[Diamondpilot]

I tend to think the females are better mousers, but you can avoid the male cats pissing all over the place if you get them fixed at an early age. We have two fixed males -- one is 12 -- and neither have ever marked anything. The old guy sometimes misses the box, but that's more about aim .

No box for mine. $12 Kitty door in the side of the barn and they are good to go.

Chris

 

[Rustyiron]

I feed and water them little guys. Poison and antifreeze in one of the compartments. The other day I used the ex. to hold logs while bucking them up for firewood and one committed suicide jumping out onto the tracks! Sad.

 

[Deere Dude]

For me, nuttin' like the cheap old traps and a little peanut butter. With poison, all they seem to do is move it around and hide it in my shoes. With these traps, if you don't check on them very often it's not a huge deal, just throw the whole thing away. They almost give them away in certain stores.

I have a sonic box and it doesn't do anything. I set some poison right next to it and the poison was gone ant the sonic box was still using up my electricity. But I understand there are some that electrocute the mice as they walk through.

I had good luck with these rectangular boxes with wind up spring paddles inside. As mice walk in, the paddle pushes them into a different compartment where they can't get out. But unless you check them often, you have a stinky, gooey mess.

 

[powerpace]

Working cats. Take care of the mice keep the birds out of the barn The best is that the food and vet bills can be deducted off your tax. Get em fixed before you let them in the barn.

 

[The Haymaker]

My particular problem is the engine compartment on my mini excavator.
The mice are chewing the insulation and building nest. All equipment is now indoors on concrete. Do those sonic plug in devices work? Don't really like poison because of dogs and kids.
Thanks

Good luck, dealing with that in a pickup truck. Clean, clean, clean some more. Leave traps any time you aren't using it. This summer I will put an antifreeze trap under it. Don't care if I kill every rodent withing a mile radius at this point.

 

[Pixguy]

I too have had issues with mice, both in my shed with my riding mower and in my motorhome.

Cats work, but not in MH

Sonic noise makers..NG
Peppermint oil........Nope
Dryer sheets....Good nest material

Snap traps.............:thumbsup:
D-Con...................:thumbsup:

Something I did with my mower was leave the hood up and the air filter off. They like closed areas to nest, so taking that away seemed to work.

 

[jcummins]

Use this mouse trap....works really well. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SWoTwXxO1Y&feature=related]5 Gallon Bucket Mouse Trap - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Wnc3]

Thanks for the tips. I will try the 5 gallon bucket trap for now.

 

[amigauser]

Thanks for the tips. I will try the 5 gallon bucket trap for now.

I have not had good luck using them for mice but they work perfectly for Chipmonks... I was over run with them and that cleaned them out.

 

[PapaPerk]

I have tried everything and the best thing I did was finally get 2 barn cats 3 years ago. I tried all kind of stuff but nothing worked.

I hated cats before but then tried one. It ran off. Tried one again and it got killed. Finally was told by a old timer to get 2 and that was the fix. They entertain each other, cost about $10 per 2 months on a bag of food, and keep my stuff nice.

I hate male cats (Toms), they pizz on everything. I only get females and get them fixed when they were 4 months old. (they can get pregnant at 5-6 months). Cost $35 at the clinic here in town to get them fixed and all shots.

Chris

Wow you are just all heart. :laughing:

 

[JD230511]

Use this mouse trap....works really well. 5 Gallon Bucket Mouse Trap - YouTube

This worked well for me. I set one up in my barn 2 winters ago. I put water in it and of course it froze, so i was think about putting about 1.5" of anti frezze in it. Of course if you have aminals, dogs, cats that run around i would stick with water.

 

[Canada_CT230]

I have cats and old socks filled with moth balls. I tie them inside the engine compartments of stored equipment. Smells like crap but that keeps the critters from making nests.

 

[the6shooter]

Barn cats work the best, and may only cost you $10 bucks a month, but if you feed them too much they just lay around and get fat. just water and the barn for shelter. females make the best mousers, the males are looking for something else. I tend to be like the males too, always lookin' for sumthin' else
LOL
david

 

[CTMassey]

Someone here on a thread I started a while back suggested eraving the hood of my tractor open( i keep it in a cover-it shed ), I do that and have an array(4) of snap traps and glue traps on the battery and a few other popular mouse areas. I also built 2 -6' long x1' high and 1' wide plywood boxes with 6-8 mouse size holes in each with a hinged lid. I keep one on each side of the tractor and have multiple snap traps in them, and have had several kills. I also made it part of my routine to walk around the tractor every night and look for signs of nest building. It may be overkill but I couldnt afford any mouse damage at this point.........

 

[Ford tractor]

This worked well for me. I set one up in my barn 2 winters ago. I put water in it and of course it froze, so i was think about putting about 1.5" of anti frezze in it. Of course if you have aminals, dogs, cats that run around i would stick with water.

In the winter (or even year round) you can put used motor oil in the bucket about 4-5" deep. Won't freeze and they stay there. They also don't stink.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

Funny, my cat works great here in Barrington, NH.

She even brings me the half dead mouse to admire.

I take them away for disposal, she gets a kitty treat each time she brings me one.