Mice are not nice

[marrt]

I shared this on the Kubota Forum, but I thought it would be beneficial to repost the picture here. This is from my Kubota ZD1211 mower. The engine would not turn over and I couldn't figure out why, since it ran perfectly when parked for the season.

For a while now, I've been concerned about the possibility of mice infiltrating the air filter of my 1845. It seems like the perfect haven for them, one they'd likely not resist. I've been planning to 3D print a cap to cover the opening when the tractor is stored during the winter months. Additionally, I'd print a ring to place over the steering wheel as a visual reminder to remove the cap before use. Although it might be challenging for a mouse to gnaw through the air filter, it wouldn't surprise me. Especially if they realized how much damage this could do to the engine.

I've experienced a mouse infestation in the area beneath the oil radiator before, and the damage was significant; the urine alone was enough to corrode and rust through the high-pressure fuel injection lines. Nowadays, I opt to leave the cover off during the winter. It seems almost every piece of equipment I own has suffered from mouse-related damage at some point. Despite my efforts, I've yet to find an effective method to deter them.

 

[oldnslo]

Little rascals filled the exhaust tract on our combine engine with soybeans many years ago. Fortunately they filled it to overflowing so we spotted problem before trying to start it up.

 

[m5040]

This worked for me, spend some $$ and get a bunch of these rotary traps. I have caught half dozen at one time.

 

[marrt]

This worked for me, spend some $$ and get a bunch of these rotary traps. I have caught half dozen at one time. View attachment 858675

Do you bait it? I notice they say you don't have to use bait.

I have two miniature dachshunds who have their nose in everything. The sticky traps work pretty good but I don't use them in the garage due to the dogs. This trap looks safer and more humane.

 

[5030]

Used to but not lately. I give barn access to our outside cats and they take care of any impending issues. Only issue I have with that is, they like to sleep on the tractor hoods plus I have a couple bucket traps to get any stragglers.

 

[ultrarunner]

Several here with late model cars suffered extensive rodent damage...

Mostly chewed through wire harness.

Sever times my dozer was down... The nylon oil pressure gauge line gnawed through.

I substituted copper and no reoccurrence.

My thought is rodents are becoming more of a problem... not sure why.

 

[5030]

My thought is rodents are becoming more of a problem... not sure why.

Lets try Global Warming.... That seems to be the repository for all that isn't right. Just ask the current climate czar who jets around in his private jet spewing tons of carbon dioxide and other stuff everywhere.

Been said that the 'Meek shall inherit the earth' Mice fall into that category along with cockroaches.

 

[ponytug]

I have had one of those rotary traps here for going on decades. Mouse tally = 0, no matter where I place it. If I put a Black Cat trap down where I had the rotary, mice. I guess the mice are different out here...

@marrt Sorry to here about your problem. "Welcome to the club! We have jackets..."

If it were me, I would go for screening. I did that after some enterprising mice filled our CAT 3126 air filter and intake housing full of acorns. Luckily, I was doing a pre ignition check, happened to bump the air intake, and a couple of acorns fell to the ground. My thoughts were along the lines of "WTH?!?". Even so, I could not believe how well packed the acorns were, close to four gallons worth. Thankfully, they stopped at the filter. I have had other episodes where the chewed through the filter and kept going which is far worse.

I just got done with cleaning out the cabin air intake on my pickup; the mice had moved in to the cowling below the windshield and absolutely stuffed it with nesting material that got wet/damp when I drove the truck in some rain. It literally took days to disassemble the engine side cowling, vacuum up material, then switch to an extra long under refrigerator vacuum, then wash it down, rinse it, blow it, and then clean the fan in the cabin, along with the AC and heater cores. For some reason, on this truck, three feet of the air intake below the windshield is integral to the body in this truck, and the only access is behind/through the windshield wiper mechanism. To get to the other side requires removing most of the dash. Not readily repairable compared to some vehicles that I have owned.

Did I mention that we were in between having barn cats? (Old age/covid) We never had any of these issues when we had cats.

My real fear with mice is wiring. It is so easy for them to nest on an engine and take a liking to a wiring harness that costs thousands just for the part.

All the best,

Peter

 

[5030]

I do know my cats find them delicious....lol Candidly, I despise cats in general but they do perform a service for me in the barn.

 

[ponytug]

Several here with late model cars suffered extensive rodent damage...

Mostly chewed through wire harness.

Sever times my dozer was down... The nylon oil pressure gauge line gnawed through.

I substituted copper and no reoccurrence.

My thought is rodents are becoming more of a problem... not sure why.

Warm winters are said to favor increased rodent populations, as does wet winters, both which we have had recently...

 

[5030]

Mice find the insulation they use today on wiring to be quite tasty.

Think I posted somewhere on here about my buddy burning his almost new Ford King Ranch diesel to the ground because because the mice built a mouse-house on his turbo and he was going to pick up his grandkids at school and the hot turbo ignited the mouse house and that was all she wrote for the truck. By the time he got stopped, it was a goner.

 

[5030]

I did have a 'mouse-house' under the hood of one of my M9's 2 years ago, built it right next to the firewall but since I invited the cats in and also use stinky dryer sheets, I've had no issues to date and the barn cats appear to be well fed too.

Little basaturds also ate the center out of the seat on my wife's ZTR as well. Had to replace the seat but I made it so I can tip it forward now so they cannot munch it.

...and people want them for pets. Wacky.

 

[m5040]

Do you bait it? I notice they say you don't have to use bait.

I have two miniature dachshunds who have their nose in everything. The sticky traps work pretty good but I don't use them in the garage due to the dogs. This trap looks safer and more humane.

No bait used, dont want to attract them into your place. Once the first mouse goes in (to Cristen it), it leaves a trail the others follow. And it is not humane, only the strongest survive. A cage match.
Mice are very inquisitive and look through all the small passages, that is how they get into your machines and vehicle heater ducting.

I have a stone house, no place for mice to get in, except for the dormers on the roof. We used to get a few a year in the attic and get woken up at night. I have one of these set up at the foundation and haven't had one inside the house for a couple of years now.

 

[5030]

In our case with the farmhouse, it's bats, not mice.

 

[scootr]

Mice and rabbits used to do wire harness damage and nest in the mower muffler...one even got in the fresh air filter of the Honda and died yrs ago... definitely not fresh air soon after that . Free spayed and vetted feral cats where added to the ranch 4 yrs ago. The cats were savage hunters. Soon after I couldn't find a mouse dropping or footprint and the car/equipment damage stopped. One cat has moved to the neighbors barn mostly.
I called and ordered 2 more cats from our local PAWS organization last week. 2 wet winters have increased the rodent and consequent snake population. Cats will take care of all critter problems for the cost of a little dry food in the barn. And it saves them from euthanasia.
Nothing makes me happier than seeing cat prints on my car and tractor hood.

 

[5030]

I keep our RV in the big barn with all the equipment as well and interestingly, all the access points on the RV have screens on them to keep the 'rodents' out. Came that way from the factory. Mice have a thing for wiring today, I believe it's the vegetable based insulation they like to eat.

 

[scootr]

I keep our RV in the big barn with all the equipment as well and interestingly, all the access points on the RV have screens on them to keep the 'rodents' out. Came that way from the factory. Mice have a thing for wiring today, I believe it's the vegetable based insulation they like to eat.

Somewhere around 2005 EPA ruled vehicles had to be made with more biodegradable. Wire harness jacket was changed from a petroleum base to vegetable base composite. And seat stuffing and headliners went to mostly organic material to expedite natural breakdown after their useful life. It was a win for the mice.

 

[DarkBlack]

vehicles had to be made with more biodegradable. Wire harness jacket was changed from a petroleum base to vegetable base composite.

This

 

[ponytug]

Somewhere around 2005 EPA ruled vehicles had to be made with more biodegradable. Wire harness jacket was changed from a petroleum base to vegetable base composite. And seat stuffing and headliners went to mostly organic material to expedite natural breakdown after their useful life. It was a win for the mice.

I'm curious, do you have a link for that? I know that many, but not all auto makers shifted to soy based insulation when it became less expensive, but I never heard of an EPA rule for automotive wiring, so far. I know that around 2008 they released a life cycle analysis of the impact of PVC, and other chemicals in general wiring, not specifically cars, and I don't know of a rule that passed.

FWIW: Car Talk Helps Bust the Myth That Soy Is Why Rodents Are Eating Your Car’s Wires

All the best,

Peter

 

[plowhog]

no place for mice to get in, except for the dormers on the roof.

A little off topic but I had a small owl come down the chimney once. Was quite an ordeal especially since we had glass doors on the fireplace so it could not get out into the room nor was able to fly back up the chimney.

After much research, I closed off all room entrances and waited until night. Then opened a door to the outside, and placed a light outside to attract it. I hoped it would find its way out ... but no go. It did come out of the fireplace (including some ash) but ran behind the big screen TV. We could see it back there, but it would not come out. And although it was small, its talons were impressive. Trying to catch it was NOT an option. Did not want to tangle with those.

We wound up throwing a blanket over it and twisted it up in the blanket. The talons were sticking out and flexing-- and could have been quite hazardous if anyone got hear them. Fortunately no one did.

We took it outside, gently opened the towel, and it flew into the nearby oak tree.