mouse deterrant.....winters coming

[yankeerider]

My excavator has spent almost 2 years inside a ShelterLogic shelter. Prior to that my JD 755 spent two winters in it. I have a barn cat for rodent control, and I leave the hoods open on the machines to make them less inviting to the mice. So far, no problems. I think I'll up the ante this winter by addind dryer sheets to the excavator.

My newest cat leaves me about 5 mouse corpses a week in my shop, so they are definitely around. in fact, my leaf vacuum lives outside, and this is the 3rd year I've had to remove the flywheel housing from the 8 hp Briggs engine to remove the remains of a mouse and nest from around the ignition coil. Two years ago mice ate all the insulation from the spark plug wire on a brand new coil! Being a cheap Yankee I reinsulated it with fuel line and electrical tape instead of replacing the part. I'll have to remember to stuff some dryer sheets in that engine when I'm done with it this fall.

 

[5030]

The ptoblem with using commercial killers, D-con and such, is that if you have cats and they eat a mouse or rat that ate D-con, the cat dies along with the rodent.

Dead and decaying cats make a lot bigger stink than a mouse or rat.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Cats...


Chris

 

[jonyyuma]

The ptoblem with using commercial killers, D-con and such, is that if you have cats and they eat a mouse or rat that ate D-con, the cat dies along with the rodent.

Dead and decaying cats make a lot bigger stink than a mouse or rat.

Okay, and I had to give up shop for over a month to a possum, who found some mouse bait? I could not find it, because I could not breathe. Now I have a Gas mask, that does wonders?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Problem with barn cats (we have about 30 or so), is they wee on everything in addition to keeping rodents in check, a very undesireable side effect. A good mouser is also a good wee'r I've found.

What we do here when we put tractors up for the winter is put a couple dryer sheets in the cabs or on the floorboards if it's an open station.

That keeps the rodents from building a home in places that you deem undesireable in the spring, air cleaners, under seat cushions, in the dash, under the hood and everywhere else you would presume they would never build a nest.

I would not have 30. I have 2 that are fixed and both are female. Would not have a male for that reason.

Chris

 

[Nissan197]

I need to do something with the mice also. They got into my heat pump last winter and cost me $480. I put wire mesh around all the openings hoping that will stop them. Have lots of mouse poison around house along with traps in the garage. The traps have not been tripped.

 

[RickB]

The ptoblem with using commercial killers, D-con and such, is that if you have cats and they eat a mouse or rat that ate D-con, the cat dies along with the rodent.

Dead and decaying cats make a lot bigger stink than a mouse or rat.

I never saw a cat eat anything that it hadn't killed for itself. In other words, they aren't scavengers. And I've been around barn & house cats all my life.
Anything else that comes along and eats a mouse or rat I have poisoned can die right along with it.

 

[CharlieS]

I never saw a cat eat anything that it hadn't killed for itself. In other words, they aren't scavengers. And I've been around barn & house cats all my life.
Anything else that comes along and eats a mouse or rat I have poisoned can die right along with it.

The only thing is, DCon as well as other rodent baits, don't have an immediate effect so if the cat happens to catch, kill and eat a poisoned mouse it still gets poisoned.
Both solutions (cats, or poison) work but it's best not to mix the two.

 

[jonyyuma]

I found a computer that would open the video on the mouse bucket? i wonder what they are using for bait over it?

 

[sawduster98]

I found a computer that would open the video on the mouse bucket? i wonder what they are using for bait over it?

Usually peanut butter because it'll stick to the can as it rotates. I'm sure other gooey stuff would work as well.

 

[MF1652]

Cats work but we have fisher cats in our woods that kill all our cats. Mice built a nest in my motorcycle and tractor doing more than $2000.00 in damage. Now I use,

Enclosed bait stations(protects the dogs)
Dryer sheets inside the cab

I've been told to not use mothballs. Beside being toxic to dogs I was told the chemical in the mothballs eats away at plastic and rubber.

Another poster suggested minimizing enclosed areas such as engine covers and that works very well.

 

[Combustix]

I'm almost afraid to ask... Other than building nests, whoat do the mice do?

I have guineas, chickens and ducks, Barn cats are not likely right now.

At the moment, my tractor is outside, but I'm going to store it an a big metal shed once I make the door opening large enough.

I did not know I needed to fear mice...

David

David just don't turn the birds loose until they are big enough. My cats leave the chickens and ducks alone and run from the geese.

 

[Combustix]

Thanks everyone, we have 2 indoor/outdoor cats that leave me "gifts" regularly, but the shed is 250 feet from the house, I've heard of the dryer sheets, and also peppermint sprigs, but not the oil. I will probaly use both and maybe some enclosed traps as well as the kids/dogs/cats may get into them......any more input is appreciated..!!

Get the barn cat then leave him crated in the shed for a few days, feed him there and leave a door cracked or make a cat door. If the hunting is good the cat won't leave, or after he's cleaned up the shed he start working the outside. Occasionally you catch them on the hunt, amazing animals to watch

 

[creekbend]

I'm almost afraid to ask... Other than building nests, whoat do the mice do?

I have guineas, chickens and ducks, Barn cats are not likely right now.

At the moment, my tractor is outside, but I'm going to store it an a big metal shed once I make the door opening large enough.

I did not know I needed to fear mice...

David

Usually the same conditions and environment that mice favor, will result in rats becoming a possibility. I remember as a young boy shoveling corn from the corn crib to feed the hogs. Nearing the end of the pile, there were hundreds of mice in the bottom corner of the pile. My Father instructed me and my Brothers to kill them. I choose not to describe the carnage that resulted. The bottom line is that mice and rats will eat anything if they are hungry. When agriculture products are no longer available as a food source, they will feast on wiring insulation, seat covers and various other things to build their nests. Plus these vermin spread disease. Another bit of advice in regards to keeping them out of your home, mice and rats can squirm through the smallest opening. Somehow they contort their bodies to do this. I have seen huge wharf rats go through an opening that was so tiny that, in my opinion was not possible. In a lot of situations a person isn't aware of the mice and rat infestation until the damage is visible. Good Luck. Everyone have a Happy Day. Another thing to remember: they breed like crazy= they put rabbits to shame.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm almost afraid to ask... Other than building nests, whoat do the mice do?

I have guineas, chickens and ducks, Barn cats are not likely right now.

At the moment, my tractor is outside, but I'm going to store it an a big metal shed once I make the door opening large enough.

I did not know I needed to fear mice...

David

On my D3... mice have gnawed the wire harness, got into the seat cushion and chewed through the oil pressure line...

 

[jonyyuma]

My hunting truck a 73 chevy v-8 has lost nearly all the front wiring harness from the firewall up. I believe it was a pack rat as the engine compartment looks like a giant leafy nest.Pretty goods sized from what i saw as i opened the hood.

 

[JD230511]

Im going to have to try some of these suggestions myself. I had to kittens one time, but my English Mastiff didnt like them and killed one so I got rid of the other one.

 

[5030]

Cats work but we have fisher cats in our woods that kill all our cats. Mice built a nest in my motorcycle and tractor doing more than $2000.00 in damage. Now I use,

Enclosed bait stations(protects the dogs)
Dryer sheets inside the cab

I've been told to not use mothballs. Beside being toxic to dogs I was told the chemical in the mothballs eats away at plastic and rubber.

Another poster suggested minimizing enclosed areas such as engine covers and that works very well.

Our County Extension told us about the dryer sheet method and it works just fine for us. He also told us that mothballs are great for skunks...and they are.

While I don't mind skunks at all (I'd actually like to trap a baby for a pet), their constant farting is annoying and it stinks.:laughing:

 

[CTMassey]

I used mothballs in the past . I just bought a box, opened the top, and left it near the exhaust on my walk-behind mower that I kept out in an OLD barn, and never had mice,although the neighbors cats were often lingering......I didnt know mothballs were toxic to dogs, but could probaly make a container with holes that the dog couldnt get into.......There are Rats in the neighbors barn around 150 feet away.....never had any over here yet and want it to stay that way.....

 

[glc24]

Mothballs,D Con and dryer sheets for sure,and leaving the hood raised really works.
I haven't had them in my engine compartment since doing that!:thumbsup:


Greg