Dealing with tractor wire chewing critters

[beowulf]

I recently posted - in a Kubota forum - a question about a fuel guage that stopped working. It was recommended I check my ground wire. Did so. Found that critters had chewed that wire and about 6 or 7 " of the wire run was completely missing along with chewed up casing and also found the beginning of a nest in the engine compartment. Later found some other wire casings had been chewed on. I have patched the wire gap and now the guage works. Anyway, I have moved our three cats to the barn loft and will house and feed them there and that may help keep critters away from the tractor which I keep in the barn. They seem to have readily adopted the barn as their new home base. Has anyone had a similar problem and if so, how have you addressed it? Anything to put in there - moth balls in a net bag, or spraying the wires with something they wont' like and which won't harm the wires? Other ideas?

 

[Slamfire]

If you know of something a rodent won't like, I'd sure like to put it on the plug wires of my work truck. Somethin' chewed up my ignition wires, and then built a nest in the bell housing. Once I got the truck runnin' again. I depressed the clutch pedal and the nest flew under the fingers, necessitating a new clutch plate, disc and flywheel. The three wolf dogs, eatin for free, watched this critter, a vole, workin' on a daily basis. After the damage was done they killed it. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[beenthere]

My experience has been the mice 'hang out' and pee a lot on the area that they continue to go back too (or nest in), and I have used a bleach/water mix to clean and spray on the area. This has worked for me to keep them from coming back.
Also, has worked when racoons want to dump on a spot like on the deck or on my firewood. Once started, they often come back to dump on the same spot or close by. I wash it down and spray the area with the bleach. Has worked well for me.

 

[curt1]

A little D-CON or other type of bait is very good for mice/rats. Get some and put it around your tractor, they won't eat anything else. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif It will be their last meal!

Curt

 

[Soundguy]

I had a rat /mouse problem this summer near my tractors. Took about 3 months, and a bunch o fthe green poison block bates.. a few glue traps, and a few 'standard' traps.. and after about 10 dead 'ones'.. my chewed wires magically stopped.

I broke the green bars up and tucke dthem in crevices and places I saw droppings.. behing cowling.. under hood... lot of places a mouse may want to set and talk and eat...

Soundguy

 

[ronjhall]

Here is a good thread on the subject. Click Here

 

[ccsial]

Before I sealed my pole barn I had that trouble. I left a glue trap next to each tire. Caught about 6 of them in a year. I still leave the glue traps around just in case.

 

[BigDogues]

It's my understanding that mice don't like mothballs and fabric softener sheets. Not sure how much truth there is to it.
You could get one of those hanging mothball things that you put in your closet and hang it somewhere under your hood. Maybe a little tape to hold it in place.

 

[jdgreg]

Havent had the mice problem with the tractor, but have with the boat. I put 2-3 of the haning moth ball type in the boat and leave it covered, no mice problems since.

 

[Shawk]

I use moth balls in my boat each year which is kept in our garage... has always worked well. I also keep a few traps set in the garage that will catch an occassional visitor trying to sneak into our heated garage...

Don't bother with the fabric softner sheets. I put them in a travel trailer a couple winters ago. That spring I found signs that mice spent a nice warm winter in my trailer... included on and around the softner sheets. Maybe I bought the wrong brand /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif but I won't try that again. Should of stuck with the moth balls.