Carport and Mice

[SJay]

I leave my truck parked outside on the driveway and I want to move it off the driveway into a carport.

I don't drive it everyday so it may sit 3, 4, 5 days at a time am I going to have a mice issue because it's in the woods a little bit

I do plan on clearing a trees out of there and putting down gravel for a stone mix product on the ground

 

[oosik]

Good Morning - SJay. I'm VERY rural - most who visit call it remote. I have chipmunks & mice. First - you must decide what your goal will be. Control the critters OR keep them out of your truck. Your pictures would indicate that you probably will never be able to control the critters. Too much woods and wild growth beyond your house/driveway for them to live in. Like at my place - for every mouse/chipmunk I trap - there are two more, out there in the "wings". Waiting their turn to "come on down".

So... now we come down to - - keep them out of your truck. Recognize - first - there is NO SUCH THING - as a permanent cure. Most everything will work for a while.

I've used these "methods" and had temporary success. So... I rotate these deterrents monthly. The one thing that does seem to help on an ongoing basis -

Keep the hood of your truck open when parked in the carport. Mice/chipmunk do not like the "open environment".

Then - a small bottle - I use a pill bottle - small holes drilled around the perimeter. Cotton balls/pads - soaked in Peppermint Essential Oil - packed into the pill bottle. One in the glove box - one located in the engine compartment, nylon tied down. I'm using this deterrent right now.

Clothes dryer aromatic sheets - under the seats - in the door pockets. I have a dozen inside my pickup right now.

Aromatic bars of soap - in perforated Ziplock bags - located where I put the dryer sheets.

Human hair - in perforated Ziplock bags - located where I put the dryer sheets. I've tried this method with the human hair soaked in human urine. I quit this - didn't like the smell.

Moth balls - perforated Ziplock bags - mainly in the engine compartment - too darn strong to be in the passenger compartment.

I think you are getting the general idea here. The important thing - rotate the methods on a routine basis. Don't let the "critters" become accustom to any one deterrent method.

 

[Roadworthy]

It sounds as though oosik has an ongoing struggle. I experienced mice (or something) doing damage under the hoods of two cars in my carport. I put a partial box od D-Con under the hood of each - no more trouble. Unfortunately due to federal regulations you can no longer buy it. Strangely I've had no issues with pickup or tractor and they park away from the house. I guess my mice are "homebodies". My neighbor swears he's seen rabbits climbing under his hood. I've never seen my culprits so I can't say for sure. Good luck with your truck.

 

[oosik]

For sure - mice/chipmunk will alway be an ongoing battle out here. I've tried poisons. One downside - the dying critter will crawl into an "unaccessible" area on your truck and die. The odor of "rotting critter" can be overpowering.

Trapping is a viable option - if you are willing to run/maintain a trap line. Also - recognize - you will reduce their numbers but never totally eliminate them.

My Taco Wagon( 2018 Ram Power Wagon ) has remote start/emergency horn. I will randomly - night/day - point the remote control out at the truck and activate remote start or "Emergency horn blast". This appears to be very upsetting to the critters. Occasionally - I will hear one of the critters exit thru the fan blades. Garden hose & nozzle cleans that right up.

 

[BrkMstr]

Had no issues with my GMC HD2500, guess they didn't like GM, bought the RAM, within a month the little guys did $1,600 in damage - destroying most of the wires, we were using bounce and moth balls - both vehicles were parked on crushed stone - what we found out from the dealer; it seems Chrysler's foam is actually made / mixed with some recycled edible products that the mice like to eat / enjoy. I thought was nice of them they readily advised I was not the first one that appreciated it :thumbdown: Thankfully the insurance took care of the bill - we then set a live trap - increased the bounce / moth balls (be more diligent during fall) and I installed a electronic critter detractor under the hood (you can get them at any auto parts / amazon etc) - within a day wife had caught a few of the culprits - drove them a few miles away and let them go - we've not had another problem - I believe the electronic gadget does a decent job it's wired direct to the battery always on - no power drain issues, even during -25 weather - I put a larger electronic gadget in the garage - and have one plugged in the outside receptacle as well. My Ram dealer had already repaired nine trucks that season so it's a on going battle, have to stay diligent.......

 

[oldballs]

What do you all think of the Bait Stations that have the various formulations in chunks?

In my situation, I use several old fashion mouse traps using peanut butter for bait. The down side to this (in warm weather) is resetting the traps with fresh bait, because the ants ultimately eat it off. Then, I also use a couple different formulations of the bait station chunks. Having done this year after year, I trap a deer mouse just now and then.
I set traps in the attached garage, in my shed and in the Shelter Logic building.....also leave the hoods up on all three tractors. The truck sits outside for a week or two (on gravel) or in the attached garage. I don't prep it at all. So far...so good.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[SJay]

All good thoughts - thanks

 

[oosik]

I would certainly use any/all acceptable forms of rodent poison. But I have a very young Cocker Spaniel that likes to "taste" everything.

What's this "thing" with a vehicle sitting on gravel? Is this supposed to deter chipmunks & mice?

 

[oldballs]

Nah-h-h i.e. it ain't sitting in the weeds.

 

[Mat4644]

Muli-catch traps and poison in pet proof bait stations. Deterrents work somewhat but not with a large population.

Jack Russel or Rat Terriers will rid the place of them. They will persue the rodents with extreme passion. Cats are lazy and somewhat effective.

 

[oosik]

Well - wonders will never cease. Eleven days ago a young tiger stripe cat showed up. Not some feral cat - no. He is friendly and looking for a home. So, immediately, I set out cat food and water. He has stayed and become a consummate barn cat. Generally, sleeping in the sun on the porch and out "working" all night. He's not picky either. Some times it's a mouse - other times a chipmunk.

His mere presence has been a significant deterrent. The word has spread - this yard is no loner a safe haven for rodents. No more munks out bouncing thru the yard. The mice have made a rapid move, back out into the Buck brush. I'm now figuring on a winter shelter for him.

A good barn cat is a real asset out here in the country.

 

[tallyho8]

In my semi-rural area there are hundreds of acres of pasture, swamp and woods and lots of mice and squirrels. I have always kept my 95 F250 diesel and my Kubota tractor under the shed. My barn cats love to sleep under these vehicles for some reason and I have never had any kind of rodent problem with them. Only ants getting in my truck sometimes as it usually sits up for weeks at a time.

I have my tack room in my barn sealed where the cats can't get in and mess up my saddles. but alas, the mice have found out that they are safe from the cats in there and gotten in and chewed holes in them. You can't win.......

 

[Peter 315]

My cats sleep in my tack room or on the seats of the tractors.......

 

[mikester]

Had no issues with my GMC HD2500, guess they didn't like GM, bought the RAM, within a month the little guys did $1,600 in damage - destroying most of the wires, we were using bounce and moth balls - both vehicles were parked on crushed stone - what we found out from the dealer; it seems Chrysler's foam is actually made / mixed with some recycled edible products that the mice like to eat / enjoy. I thought was nice of them they readily advised I was not the first one that appreciated it :thumbdown: Thankfully the insurance took care of the bill - we then set a live trap - increased the bounce / moth balls (be more diligent during fall) and I installed a electronic critter detractor under the hood (you can get them at any auto parts / amazon etc) - within a day wife had caught a few of the culprits - drove them a few miles away and let them go - we've not had another problem - I believe the electronic gadget does a decent job it's wired direct to the battery always on - no power drain issues, even during -25 weather - I put a larger electronic gadget in the garage - and have one plugged in the outside receptacle as well. My Ram dealer had already repaired nine trucks that season so it's a on going battle, have to stay diligent.......

can you post a link to the device you use?

 

[oosik]

For sure - a link to the electronic device used under the hood.

 

[oosik]

About these electronic rodent repellers/detractors. I just checked the Owners Manual for the Taco Wagon and it has a very serious CAUTION. It's regarding devices that transmit electronic signals and how they might interfere with certain vehicle operations.

I'll have to do more checking before I get too excited. For now, the cat is doing just fine.

 

[cdaigle430]

Here all the fancy traps are useless, cats are useless. All cats do is scare off or eat the bids and play with mice and chipmunks. Cat pee smells up the place too. You have to get rid of all the food for them, your garbage, stuff growing like acorns, and berries. Then discourage them from your house with crushed rock and concrete.

I used to catch them with a have a heart trap and release them 10 miles away but...I gave up after the first year because theres so many. Every year now I catch and dispatch 30 plus chipmunks in three have a heart traps. I dont use bait, just strategically place them where they hang out. Sometimes I get lucky and catch voles and mice like yesterday I caught a vole.

As for mice I use large glue traps, sometimes they get squirrels and chipmunks too. Very effective and I check on them once a week. Gave up on poisons because they die in your walls or under something and you end up with foul oder and flies. At the beginning of the year - one glue trap caught 6 mice.

They destroyed my hood liner, shed wiring, destroyed insulation in the walls, 1,000 of dollars in foundation damage, made nests in my tools, in the furniture....and on and on. So the bottom line is I needs to practice critter management on a daily basis for as long as I live here.

 

[oosik]

I would guess that our different locations and circumstances weigh heavily on how the rodent population is handled. I'm what you would call remote - even very remote. I have 80 acres and am surrounded on all sides by multi-thousand acre cattle ranches.

It would be very difficult to smell a little cat pee over the smell of thousands of cattle. Besides - the cat has unlimited areas to pee.

I've learned long ago - it's a fools errand to attempt to trap the mice & chipmunks. My management program is to deter them.

My barn cat is a wonderful deterrent. I've not seen evidence of mice or chipmunks since the cat arrived.

 

[mikester]

Here all the fancy traps are useless, cats are useless. All cats do is scare off or eat the bids and play with mice and chipmunks. Cat pee smells up the place too. You have to get rid of all the food for them, your garbage, stuff growing like acorns, and berries. Then discourage them from your house with crushed rock and concrete.

I used to catch them with a have a heart trap and release them 10 miles away but...I gave up after the first year because theres so many. Every year now I catch and dispatch 30 plus chipmunks in three have a heart traps. I dont use bait, just strategically place them where they hang out. Sometimes I get lucky and catch voles and mice like yesterday I caught a vole.

As for mice I use large glue traps, sometimes they get squirrels and chipmunks too. Very effective and I check on them once a week. Gave up on poisons because they die in your walls or under something and you end up with foul oder and flies. At the beginning of the year - one glue trap caught 6 mice.

They destroyed my hood liner, shed wiring, destroyed insulation in the walls, 1,000 of dollars in foundation damage, made nests in my tools, in the furniture....and on and on. So the bottom line is I needs to practice critter management on a daily basis for as long as I live here.

I've got a clean shop, no food, no garbage, concrete floors etc. yet I still found a mouse nest in my new motorcycle air box. WTF. Nature always wins. So does my wife, she won't let me lock the cat in the barn and keeps letting it in the house.

 

[cdaigle430]

Just saying for me, if you see one mouse, or one chipmunk or even one squirrel you've got at least 20 plus of each Im hoping over the years of dispatching 20 or more I will eventually get rid of the neighborhood of them. My problem is I live next to a golf course, state park, camp ground and mulch plant. All breeding grounds for them. a few of my neighbor's (two in mobile homes) have very unkempt yards which also are breeding grounds for them.

it will be a never ending battle for me-along with the fact I have raspberries, apples, blackberries, acorns, hazelnuts, choke cherries, blueberries and strawberries. I have also tried cats and dogs but all they did was become tic magnets and kill the grass with their pee. Cats will eventually attract other cats and your yard will smell like cat pee. Plus they kill birds....all I saw them do with the chipmunks and mice is play with them. Cats are not a deterrent around here-owls, birds of prey, fox, weasels, fishers etc is what you need or chickens. The Chickens I had did a number on the mice until I gave them away-my chickens also attracted the other predators which was both a blessing and a bad thing at the same time When they found they couldn't get to my chickens they went after the other rodents.

This is just my experience-and I have just focused with prevention and dispatching them just around the house.