LVSteve
Member
I buy the smelly dryer sheets and trap them in various ways in the underhood area. Keeps the little sods out of my truck.
Rats and mice in car wiring?
- Thread starter Reddog
- Start date
I buy the smelly dryer sheets and trap them in various ways in the underhood area. Keeps the little sods out of my truck.
Well.. it's not just mice a cars
I bought a used tumble dryer, asked the owner if it work's?
"Yea.. sure.. i just tumbled a down pillow, worked just fine"
Took it home and installed it, started it up just to check that the wireing was correct.
Filled the room with down
What the ****, did the pillow explode?
Opend the channel's under the machine
and found a birdsnest with 5 dead Great tit and nesting material.
Sure wish i had kept the phone number to the former owner
I bought a used tumble dryer, asked the owner if it work's?
"Yea.. sure.. i just tumbled a down pillow, worked just fine"
Took it home and installed it, started it up just to check that the wireing was correct.
Filled the room with down
What the ****, did the pillow explode?
Opend the channel's under the machine
and found a birdsnest with 5 dead Great tit and nesting material.
Sure wish i had kept the phone number to the former owner
RobertJ.
Member
I don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a funny story.
While I was moving once, a rat took up residence inside the dashboard of my Subaru Legacy. I even saw his long, skinny tail hanging down from behind the glove box.
I got a rat trap, smeared peanut butter on the trigger, and left it on the floor of the car. When I checked it a couple hours later, the trap was still set, but the peanut butter had been licked off the trigger! I couldn't believe it!
It's not my most amazing story, but it's right up there.
I got him with fly paper, long kitchen tongs, and a short 2X4!
While I was moving once, a rat took up residence inside the dashboard of my Subaru Legacy. I even saw his long, skinny tail hanging down from behind the glove box.
I got a rat trap, smeared peanut butter on the trigger, and left it on the floor of the car. When I checked it a couple hours later, the trap was still set, but the peanut butter had been licked off the trigger! I couldn't believe it!
It's not my most amazing story, but it's right up there.
I got him with fly paper, long kitchen tongs, and a short 2X4!
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My old Tbird goes up on jackstands for the winter, which helps, the ones that do manage to get into the garage look for easier places to hole up. The Audi TT stays on the ground, I throw mothballs under it and all around it and put dryer sheets under the hood, inside, and on top of all the tires. I also keep several trays of Decon around the garage. The last few years this combo has worked well. My gauge is the sacks of chicken feed and cracked corn, if nothings getting into them, nothings around to get into the cars.
EQGuy
US Veteran
Instead of decon try this formula. It kills rodents but is non toxic to other critters that eat the dead rodents. Take one cup of plaster of paris and thoroughly mix in 3 cups of rolled oats. I keep a bowl of this in my shed at all times to keep the rodent population down.
M E Morrison
Member
How about an old fashioned trap? Or another cat, or two? 
We have pack rat issues constantly. The best solution I've found is the same on all the farmers in my area use, namely open the hood on your vehicle when not in use. Apparently the rats don't like the wide open feeling and thus avoid it.
Funny thing this fall the mice were getting into my wife's 14 Toyota Rav4. We have lived up here 12 years and this is our first incident.
My Vette is stored all winter and it does not appear critters get into the garage which is under the house. We put dryer sheets inside, deacon down outside the car and nothing is ever touched.
As stated her car and my truck are outside and her car got miced and the truck did not. What we did was put in those glue rodent traps in strategic places inside her car and under the hood. They go for them do to the food type smell before that have a chance to chew wires. Once the weather turned real cold the problem stopped for us as we killed/captured a bunch of mice and the colder weather keeps them from traveling looking for a new home. Hopefully when spring hits (if it ever does) the mice will not return to her car.
My Vette is stored all winter and it does not appear critters get into the garage which is under the house. We put dryer sheets inside, deacon down outside the car and nothing is ever touched.
As stated her car and my truck are outside and her car got miced and the truck did not. What we did was put in those glue rodent traps in strategic places inside her car and under the hood. They go for them do to the food type smell before that have a chance to chew wires. Once the weather turned real cold the problem stopped for us as we killed/captured a bunch of mice and the colder weather keeps them from traveling looking for a new home. Hopefully when spring hits (if it ever does) the mice will not return to her car.
If the vehicle is parked in a garage or out building that has electricity, they sell an electronic device that puts out a high frequency sound that keeps vermin away. I have a friend that uses several in his garage and hasn't had mice since he started using them. My gun glub also installed them in the remote trap and skeet buildings with the same results.
Another friend doesn't like the mice and chipmunks that dig holes in his yard. He took a five gallon bucket and filled it up about half to three quarters full of water. He then floats the top with sunflower seeds. Places a wood board from the ground to the top of the bucket. The critters walk the board, see the seed and jump in to eat. Since the walls are vertical and plastic, the critters can't climb out and they eventually drown. Uses an old set of grill tongs to retrieve the bodies and discards them in the woods. No poison and safe for cats and dogs.
Another friend doesn't like the mice and chipmunks that dig holes in his yard. He took a five gallon bucket and filled it up about half to three quarters full of water. He then floats the top with sunflower seeds. Places a wood board from the ground to the top of the bucket. The critters walk the board, see the seed and jump in to eat. Since the walls are vertical and plastic, the critters can't climb out and they eventually drown. Uses an old set of grill tongs to retrieve the bodies and discards them in the woods. No poison and safe for cats and dogs.
Friends leave a old Suzuki Samurai under my cabin's car port in interior BC. So far no vermin issues but we should try some of these as preventative measures. Bears are our issue. We're on a large, wild, lake. Hunters will go up the lake beach their boat and hunt for a few days. While they're gone bears are known to get in and tear up the seats and fuel lines. Everyone carries spare hose.
15 years ago two of us were leaving our ATV's overnight at a remote trailhead. Walked in the next morning to find our seats shredded. Apparently they also like butt sweat:roll eyes:
15 years ago two of us were leaving our ATV's overnight at a remote trailhead. Walked in the next morning to find our seats shredded. Apparently they also like butt sweat:roll eyes:
Attachments
Rats and mice in wiring have been a problem for a long time, BUT, are you aware that some wiring manufacturers are using soy based plastics for insulation now? One of the car manufacturers is using a soy based foam for seats too.......sounds like rat food to me!
I like the oats/plaster of paris idea......have little statues of mouse stomachs all over the yard.....
I like the oats/plaster of paris idea......have little statues of mouse stomachs all over the yard.....
gmiller0737
Member
If you have Rat problems there is a food source close by eliminate the food source & rats will be gone,Most likely source is dog or cat food outside garbage that they can get into is another likely source it may be a neighbors house that is the source look around a bit & you will find it
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Very interesting reading here. I've got a good one to add to the mix. Found out squirrels were getting in my stand alone garage a couple of years ago. I was able to use a Single Six and rat shot on a few, closed up the holes and moth balled everything. Later found about six of those small flying squirrels were inhabiting my cabinets. Poison and rat shot again solved the problem. Then it was mice!
I bought a couple of those new plastic traps with the wide trigger and sharp plastic teeth. Nailed two the first night, baiting with small pieces of peanuts (they have pockets for the bait) soon afterward I started removing the mice and setting the trap with nothing in it for bait.
I've taken 5-6 mice without bait! Those things are mice magnets I tell ya! My building is next to a wooded lot and they are apparently coming in from miles away to get to these empty traps. I'm now torn, do I get rid of the traps (are they attracting mice) or just keep killing the suckers?
Oh, by the way, I used to have an old Dodge Power Wagon that mice loved to get into. It was nothing to open the glove box and see a nest once a week. Have had a Chevy and now a Ford occupying the same space and no mice. hmmmm, is it just Chrysler products???? Makes me wonder........
I bought a couple of those new plastic traps with the wide trigger and sharp plastic teeth. Nailed two the first night, baiting with small pieces of peanuts (they have pockets for the bait) soon afterward I started removing the mice and setting the trap with nothing in it for bait.
I've taken 5-6 mice without bait! Those things are mice magnets I tell ya! My building is next to a wooded lot and they are apparently coming in from miles away to get to these empty traps. I'm now torn, do I get rid of the traps (are they attracting mice) or just keep killing the suckers?
Oh, by the way, I used to have an old Dodge Power Wagon that mice loved to get into. It was nothing to open the glove box and see a nest once a week. Have had a Chevy and now a Ford occupying the same space and no mice. hmmmm, is it just Chrysler products???? Makes me wonder........
GatorFarmer
Member
There are various commercial models of trap where the critter goes in and does not come out. If you look closely you will see them at Walmarts by where they push the carts in, in the back of Home Depot, self storage places etc. Some models the rat goes in and dies, other the rat can go in, eat the poison and leave to die. But they are sturdily built so that pets and kids cannot get into one. Thus Walmart kills vermin and doesn't get sued when two year old Johnny or Mitch the Helper Dog get into the poison.
Or you could get a cat again. But that is kind of boring. What about buying a large carnivorous African toad and naming him Mr. Snuggles....
Or you could get a cat again. But that is kind of boring. What about buying a large carnivorous African toad and naming him Mr. Snuggles....
EQGuy
US Veteran
I got this trick by listening to a garden show. The fellow that told about it said that he knew it worked when one day there was a vulture eating something on his property. It was a rat and all that was left was a plaster cast of its intestinal tract. He gets a lot of hate mail from the animal rights folk every time he recommends it. I feel kind of bad but I did not invite them into my shed to ruin my stuff and I do not want to poison other critters that might eat the dead rat.
Brian41
Member
Good information here. Squirrels or something got the wiring on my truck and cost me a few bucks. Started using the commercial ritter critter sprays around it and they quit bothering it. Since it's been in the garage and Buick in it's place in the drive yet they leave it alone..........so far.
I've used D-Con and moth balls in my sheds but still have had rodents chew cushions and market umbrellas. Had mice build a nest in power washer motor and what a fire it caused too. Quick spray and it was out but what a mess.
I've used D-Con and moth balls in my sheds but still have had rodents chew cushions and market umbrellas. Had mice build a nest in power washer motor and what a fire it caused too. Quick spray and it was out but what a mess.
model70hunter
Member
Out of gas.
model70hunter
Member
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