Avoiding mice, not enough snakes up here!

Farwell · Aug 22, 2005

Tractor damage if left in the rain: If the tractor is covered with a canopy you are probably ok. If the tractor was left out in the rain with out being covered it may not hurt the usability of the tractor for a while but would do a bunch of cosmetic damage. I keep my tractor inside unless I am using it, but I have the room. I cover my brush hog with a tarp and park my disc and drag under evergreen trees during the Winter and that helps slow down the rust. I do leave my rear blade out year round but I smear lots of grease on all the critical parts.
I have tried the mothball thing on Chipmunks with out any luck. I keep 5 or 6 boxes of the rat and mice poison in various areas around the inside of my buildings where other critters can't get to it. I have found the green pellets stored by critters in very weird places, like gloves, PVC pipe fittings and opened tool boxes. The pellets make the critters thirsty so they seek out water. A neighbor found a bunch of the green pellets in the salt container of his water softener so I keep any drinking water things critter proof.
Farwell

53gravely · Aug 22, 2005

get 12 pack and a BB pistol and sit real quiet-like.....

.....you know you're a redneck when.... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

normde2001 · Aug 23, 2005

"Forgive my tractor ignorance here, but what damage could be done to the tractor by being left out in the rain? Keeping in mind that it got a canopy that over hangs the hood and rear pretty well. "

The canopy should make a big difference, but you would be amazed at how many posters complain about "mysteriously" finding water in the transmission and front end differential, only to find out, after questioning, that they store their tractor outdoors.

jjcc246 · Aug 23, 2005

i use the mothball treatment with good results. I had a mice problem making nests on the engine. I started putting mothballs (old fashion type, not scented ) right on the injector lines and in the little pockets around the starter, battery, radiator, etc. I've been using them about five years now and other that the smell of mothballs i've no problem with the machine as far as corrision. I also use them in my atv's where the mice chewed through the battery terminals. Again no mice and no problems. Good luck

hayden · Sep 2, 2005

I took an old sock and filled it part way with mothballs, tied the end, and put it under to hood. Never saw any mice after that.

RobT · Apr 12, 2006

This is an old post, but since I'm recently new member, I thought I would add my 2 cents worth.

One thing we do in our basement is to put hedge apples out to ward off the mice. Seems to work and I've heard several other people doing this. We put the hedge apples on aluminum or other hard container so when they rot, they don't make too much of a mess. It seems mice don't like hedge apples.

Rob T.

KubotaSteve · Apr 12, 2006

The hedge apples also work with crickets too. I put them all over by the house during the fall and winter. It has worked quite well so far.

wushaw · Apr 12, 2006

"Hedge Apples"??
Are these the green apples from Osage orange/Bodark trees?

cisunix · Apr 12, 2006

Yes they are the things that look like "brains" lots of thorns on the trees

RobT · Apr 12, 2006

I've never used them for crickets. Good idea.

h2opdler · Apr 14, 2006

sometimes just the cat fur will chase them away. collect some of the fur as the cat is shedding and place it around where you want to keep the mice away from.

bota7800 · Apr 15, 2006

( Someone suggested getting some Red Fox Urine cover scent from a hunting store and spray it under the hood. I got some and spray a little under the hood on the inside of each fender well and behind each front tire every month or so. )

Some garden centers and nurseries also carry various preditor urines. I don't really want to know how they collect it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

A fellow I knew placed 18 inch high pieces of sheetmetal surrounding the 3 wheels of his airplane. Claimed the mice could not climb or jump it. Don't know how to do that with a tractor but you might be more imaginative than me.

txdon · Apr 15, 2006

"sometimes just the cat fur will chase them away" 

Sometimes not. I just "relocated" a mouse that used cat fur from the porch to make a nest. I now have two unemployed porch cats. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

LBrown59 · Apr 15, 2006

The most effective method us sealing up all the places they can get in.

countrybob1 · Apr 17, 2006

Our cat has lived in the feed shed most of her life and has done a great job with getting rid of mice and the odd rat.
I might have to replace her soon, at 18 she is deaf and getting forgetful, my wife thinks we have a bit in common! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

KJO · Apr 18, 2006

I have always wondered whether the electronic pest repellant devices worked or not. I see a local company has several of them for keeping out mice, squirrels (the red ones will eat right through the soffits) and hopefully gophers. We have gophers digging holes in our levee. Not a good thing where we live in a flood plain.

Fishguy · Apr 18, 2006

( The most effective method us sealing up all the places they can get in. )

That's kinda tough to do on a tractor parked outside or under a lean-to. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I tried the mothball trick on a ground mole once. Never could tell if it worked cause the dang dog did more damage digging the mothballs up. Yard looked like the moon when he was done. Sure do miss that dog. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Captinjack · Apr 20, 2006

I have always had a mouse problem at my deer camp and poison and traps had limited effect.

What has been very effective is the use of powered Habaero peppers! Sprinkle it around the periphery of a room or building and you have seen the last of your mice or rates. They are acturally clean animals and when they lick their paws.......eeeeeeoooooow! They have incredible sense of smell and absolutely will not go where the hot dust is.

I have two riding mowers that mice have always made a winter nest in the air cowling. Each spring the first thing I have to do is remove the cowling and remove the nests or else the engine will overheat. Now when I put them up for the winter, i use a shaker and put the hot stuff all over the engine. Presto..........mice be gone!

I know it sounds unusual, but it really works and is not toxic to other critters or the environment. This even works on ground hogs under sheds. Sprinkle it down the holes and the G-hogs will leave for greener pastures.

I doesn't take much to grow a bunch of these peppers. Drying them is a pain. Grind them up in a blender after drying. Make sure you use a respirator and rubber gloves. Whatever you do..............make sure your hands are clean before taking a leak or your day will change for sure!

slowrev · Apr 20, 2006

KJO.
Electronic rodent repellers have worked wonderfully for me. I just bought the cheap ones at sams or big lots. No mice in home or workshop/sheds now.
Ben
Not many seem to believe me and I just smile and sit in my mouse free home /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif