Keeping your hood up to prevent rodent damage

[Jstpssng]

My wife puts our grill in the open shed for winter storage. She covers it and mice build in there every year. I can’t convince her to leave it uncovered.

As for wire made of soy or other product. Hmmm, sounds like we could change that easy enough.

^^^^^
I don't think that it matters if they are covered or not. Last summer I took my little tabletop Weber out of my shed and went camping. I started it up and it just reeked of mouse *.*. It was too dry to have a fire and I only had one disposable tank of gas. I dunked the grill in a stream, cleaned the crap out of it (literally ) fired it back up until it was good and hot and had a very late supper.

 

[Texasmark]

Update on my situation. Since I found the dead rat, none of the baits I left out have been touched. Under the hood shows no signs of any activity. So far so good.

 

[D2Cat]

I thought you guys left the hood up on vehicles as a theft deterrent. Thieves thinking the hood is up it isn't work stealing!!:laughing:

I've had critters gnaw through a 2" black hose that comes out of a 300 gallon spray tank to the pump. It's had 2-4-D, tordon, remedy, liquid fertilizer through it and they still eat it. And the hose sets out in the open 2' off the ground.

 

[crazyal]

The problem is mice adapt to almost anything. If you leave the hood up they will just find a place more out of sight. For me it was on top of the transmission. Once they start to leave the smell that a mouse has been there it seams to attract more. My best solution is a little bit of everything.

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

I discovered a mouse nest in my truck transmission bell housing behind the clutch throw-out. I noticed the clutch slipping on heavy loads and just thought the clutch went bad due to previous owner's inability to use it properly. Nope, a mouse nest was keeping the throw out from fully disengaging leaving pressure on the pressure plate fingers. I was definitely not happy about that. :irked:

 

[oosik]

Well - almost three months now and no mouse or rat evidence in any of the engine compartments. However - I have continued to catch mice and chipmunks in my big 'ol Victor rat traps. These traps are located in two of my out buildings. But no rats - no rat sign - no rat digs - nothing. I will NEVER get rid of all the mice and chipmunks - its like trying to drain the ocean by constant dipping with a tea spoon. I know the mice and munks draw straws - for every one I trap - - two more "come on down" from out there in the brush.

They are still there - out in the brush - its just that the engine compartments are no longer acceptable nesting areas.

Honestly - this short sojourn with the rats is my first experience with them in the 36 years out here. I have no idea why they "came in out of the bush" around three months ago and decided to nest in my engine compartments. To the best of my knowledge - and I've done serious thinking on this matter - I have changed nothing.

Whatever - as long as the wood rats continue to remain out in the bush - I have no problems dealing with the few mice and munks.

 

[bkrgi]

I randomly started leaving the hood up several yrs ago to discourage mice from nesting in the engine bay....will say it seems to work and I know the mice are still around.

 

[newbury]

I've 4 buildings just about joined together.

When we bought it the place was almost a disaster. Stuff strewn all around, lot's of food had been left out etc. And there were a fair amount of mice in all buildings. Poison took care of most of them.

But I still occasionally find 6' long discarded snake skins inside the building with red and white front

 

[oosik]

newbury - what brand of snake are you speaking of??? I will rarely find discarded snake skins out on the property. Since we have both bull snakes and rattle snakes - I prefer to think these skins come from bull snakes. I have seen rather large bull snakes - never a rattler.