OT: mouse-proofing a car

rimcanyon · Apr 18, 2011

Nothing worse than a dead mouse in the ventilation system...

So I looked for solutions online and found this one, from a place just around the hill from me, so I imagine they have the same problem. Why don't car mfrs. mouse proof cars? I like the idea in this, it looks easy and simple to try. Only thing is, some of the rats in the trees around my house can jump 2 feet or more.

Mice in Cars: Solution

AmickRacing · Apr 18, 2011

I've seen guys take a 6-8" piece of sheet metal and roll it into a diameter a bit bigger than the tires. Throw one around each tire and you're good. Just make sure there's no exhaust, wires, trap doors, mini mouse rope ladders or the like hanging down from below it for them to scurry up.

Ox · Apr 18, 2011

If you want to capture them alive, we have marked mice and found they can return in a couple of days even if released up to a mile away.

Never underestemate the ridiculousness of a bunny hugger...

--------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Ries · Apr 18, 2011

I have had this problem, when I lived in So-Cal, and came to the conclusion that its impossible to mouse proof a car.
A mouse can squeeze thru incredibly tiny spaces.
I once had a packrat build a nest in behind the air cleaner of my nissan truck.

Here in Washington State, I have found mice droppings inside most of my cars, if the kids leave food in em. The doors are locked, the windows are rolled up, the alarm is on, it makes no difference.

Have you tried mousetraps?

No BS- they actually work, especially with cheese or peanut butter as bait. The problem is, mice reproduce so fast that the pool of possible applicants will overwhelm your ability to trap em.

Luckily, where I live now, if there isnt real food in the car, the mice dont bother.

Maybe D-Con under the seats?

Miguels244 · Apr 18, 2011

Under hood is a problem, but I never had one get past the screening on the cowl intake.

Marmots will eat your radiator hoses while you are hiking.

Sea Farmer · Apr 18, 2011

I have a vague recollection of a long thread about this, maybe couple of years ago?

I have them nesting in my engine compartments, air filters, eating insulation from the firewall and under the hood. No stopping the little buggers.

Ober Gun Works · Apr 19, 2011

Had the problem of mice in truck they ate through the wirng harness, several hundred dollars later got it fixed, now I throw some moth balls on top of engine and that keeps them away. Also use the moth balls in buildings and the mice and rats and skunks will stay out.

mark thomas · Apr 19, 2011

I wonder what attracts them to one thing or another. I live on the city periphery, with plenty of wildlife and I have mice and rats around the house, including occasional battles to eradicate rats from the attic and mice from the kitchen, but no evidence they've ever shown any interest in the three cars. Maybe they only like Japanese cars? (we have Sweedish, German, and American)

Gazz · Apr 19, 2011

A few years ago, I had a 95 Chevy Silverado that the mice seemed to like. I think I was changing the air filter when I saw that they had built a nest on the intake manifold so I ripped it all out. A few days leter, it was back again. I guess they spent the day foraging in the yard and when I got home they would scurry up onto the engine for a nice warm place to sleep. I have a 1950 Chevy pickup in the garage that is waiting for something and the mice have moved into that. Mothballs do not work and as Ries pointed out, trapping them is an exercise in futility. I use decon in the house and that seems to keep the population in check.

SchneiderMachine · Apr 19, 2011

This ones for hire.

I despise mice, they crap and pee while they're on the move so their tail is always wet and slimy. When using poison, bait them away from buildings, autos, etc. Hopefully when the poison starts working you'll find them outside somewhere instead of rotting in the walls and inside dash's/under seats causing a smell that's hard as hell to get rid of and, you will notice it more on hot days

I use bait boxes outside, inside I use the Victor electronic traps and have had really good luck with them.
Only cute mouse is a dead one.

Dave

stoneaxe · Apr 19, 2011

Relentless trapping. Engine compartment, passenger compartment. use a hard cheese or a nut wired to the trip. If I ever get a new car, it will go in the garage at night- with the two cats. Mice are not a problem in there!

willbird · Apr 19, 2011

One job I worked the guy thought he was a horse farmer and a tool and cutter grinder, he had a water trough filled with sacks of horse feed, the mice would chew through the bags at night.

Well we set up some boards so they ran into the empty trough, and put some feed down in the bottom...the next morning we had HUNDREDS of mice in the trough. We had no idea exactly how many evening visitors there were.

So one could build a trap from the flashing while you were at it, if they cannot climb it they cannot get out, then just kill them with ether, this is better than a trap that is out of commission with the first mouse, the second mouse gets the cheese.

Bill

DDoug · Apr 19, 2011

Getting mice in a car isn't as bad as an airplane.....

Can't really pull off to the side of the road when it quit's.

Most airplane hangars I've been in have not been very good
at sealing up that 40' wide door, a rabbit could probably waltz right
in.

I tried setting the tires up on a cinder block with a large piece
of sheetmetal sandwiched in between the tire and the block,
making a large slippery flange. Some mice drop down from the roof
trusses though.

jim rozen · Apr 19, 2011

Electronic cat?

Seriously sombody should figure that one out. Our last cat died this winter,
inside of a week the house was full of field mice.

Got so bad we were trapping about five per week for weeks on end.

Finally gave up and obtained two new felines. Last rodent spotted was
the day they came home as the cat carriers were being brought inside.
Once they were loose on site, we have not seen trace of any rodents anywhere.
So far none captured that we know of!

Figure out a way to put that in a box, and install the box in your vehicle, and
you'd make money I guess.

Sea Farmer · Apr 19, 2011

Jim Rozen wrote: "Electronic cat?

Seriously sombody should figure that one out."

Somebody did

electronic rodent repeller - Google Search

I tried some, didn't work very well. Like the article said, they get used to it.

My Newfie eats mice, thinks she's a cat I guess.

Haven't actually seen her eat one--but I've seen her throw the skeletons up :vomit:

jkilroy · Apr 19, 2011

A cat will kill mice, lots of them, if you don't feed the cat. Lets repeat, DO NOT FEED THE CAT. Sure, they will bitch for a couple of days, then the next thing you know you starting finding little crime scenes all over the place. My cat, Jackpot, only leaves the skull behind, and well chewed at that. Otherwise I would suggest a terrier of some sort, Scotties will flat destroy rodents, in huge numbers.

Don't forget to feed that cat again, after the mice are gone.

oldbikerdude37 · Apr 19, 2011

Mose proofing a car will be a wasted effort, the mice will soon be in your house pooping on your dishes and silverware.

A real solution is to get a couple cats, the mice will move away or die.

jim rozen · Apr 19, 2011

There's a school of thought that says, yes, feed the cat.

Theory is, cats kill mice because a) it's hard-wired to do so in their brains, and b)
they get enjoyment from it.

The more they think of a space as their home (they eat there) and the more
energy they have, the more mice they get.

Now you understand I have yet to see either of these two cats get any mice.
But there seems to be about 100 dB fewer mice then there were before
the cats.

Go figure.

countryboy1966 · Apr 19, 2011

My cat would eat squirells. I was feeding him healthy too so it was more for he liked the game and the meal.

He would start on the head and eat until he got to the tail. I would then throw the tail out.

Quite weird.

Also - Irish spring soap trick doesn't work. Bought ten bars and scattered them throughout my car and during spring inspection I found some of the bars were half eaten... no wiring damage though!

USMCPOP · Apr 19, 2011

countryboy1966 said:
My cat would eat squirells.

My big cat has bagged at least a dozen squirrels, along with countless other rodents, sometimes three within an hour. Trouble is, he usually brings the "kill" inside so we can admire it and he eats much of it inside. Nothing left but a tail and a skull and maybe some less-than-tasty entrails.

One summer, one or more of our three cats brought in several chipmunks, which are good at playing dead. I hate chasing chipmunks through the house, especially when they'd get two in one day. I was always worried that a wounded one would get up under a cabinet in that free space at the bottom and die.

Then there were the two Carolina flying squirrels in the living room ... and the baby rabbit in the bedroom ... and the constant flow of blue-tail lizards...

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