BajaNomad - Household remedy for mice eating truck wiring?

Household remedy for mice eating truck wiring?

CP - 9-25-2010 at 12:10 PM

Cats and traps aside, do you know of any common Baja household ingredients to get rid of the mice that have done a number on our Tundra's delicious wiring? I would rather repel than kill (for the moment). I know we can get something effective next time we go to a big town, but I'd like multiple deterrents until then. I don't have mothballs or peppermint oil...

Found an amazing assortment of items stashed in the air filter box.

Russ - 9-25-2010 at 12:37 PM

I've had / have them too

DanO - 9-25-2010 at 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CP
I would rather repel than kill (for the moment).

Just let us know when you have a change of heart. One particularly intriguing way to dispatch the little bastards has been written about here, involving a paint bucket, a coat hanger, a beer can, and peanut butter.

monoloco - 9-25-2010 at 01:38 PM

The best thing I have found is leaving the hood open, pack rats like enclosed places to make their nests, if you leave the hood up it is less inviting to them.

Adopt a Cat or Cats

Gypsy Jan - 9-25-2010 at 01:43 PM

They will pay you back, many times over.

We have a 10-year old Baja cat living in our garage. No rats, no mice, no problems.

Edited to add a PS--

Before we hired our monthly fumigadora service, our house cats regularly killed and ate the scorpions that ventured inside.

They would deposit the stingers as a prize (proof of service?) in our bed.

[Edited on 9-25-2010 by Gypsy Jan]

Cypress - 9-25-2010 at 01:57 PM

The cat or the bucket? :?:

Decision? Both! :light:

Bob and Susan - 9-25-2010 at 02:03 PM

simple...

move the truck to another location

CP - 9-25-2010 at 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DanO

El husband wants to know about the bucket.....please tell.

wessongroup - 9-25-2010 at 04:50 PM

"El asesino de rata", was what my Scout was called .. was a true killer

A Jack Russell was bred for this.. they are very effective .... even with insects

Bob and Susan - 9-25-2010 at 04:53 PM

build a better mouse trap...

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/building-a-mouse-trap-with-...
Tools and Materials:

Metal hanger
Pliers
Plastic bucket
Water (optional)
Bleach; 1 tablespoon (optional)
Peanut butter
Empty pill bottle with lid
Drill with bits
Stirring stick for paint
Duct tape

Step 1: Preparing the Bucket

Gather up a 5-gallon plastic bucket and fill it 1/3 with water.
The temperature of the water does not matter.
The idea here is that when the mouse enters the water it'll eventually tire from swimming and drown.

Step 2: Preparing the Bait for the Mouse

Take the wire hanger and unravel it.
Use your pair of pliers to make the hanger as straight as possible.
The hanger will become the proverbial pole that dangles the carrot.
Grab your drill and pill bottle.
Select a drill bit that is slightly larger than the thickness of the hanger.
Now, make sure that the cap of the pill bottle is sealed tightly.
Next, drill a hole through the center of the cap and thread the wire hanger through the hole.
Finally, open up the jar of peanut butter and generously coat the outside of the pill bottle. Try to cover the entire bottle.

Step 3: Setting the Trap

Place the trap where a mouse is likely to come across it.
Keep in mind that mice, on natural instinct and because they have poor eyesight, stay along the walls.
Once you have located the perfect spot place your bucket.
Use the duct tape and affix the wire hanger halfway down the bucket.
Now, bend the wire hanger so that the pill bottle that is covered in peanut butter dangles over the center of the bucket.
The last thing to do is to prop the paint stirrer on the side of the bucket so that the mouse can run up it.
They will smell the peanut butter and race up the stirrer.
In their need for the peanut butter they will take a leap at the bottle but will wind up in the water.

Pompano - 9-25-2010 at 05:02 PM

Here's an old rancher's remedy for mice eating wiring.

Simply fill a bowl with Pinesol and put a rag in it. Put it into the problem area. The pungent smell keeps the mice away.

It works for my duk truck... :yes:

CP - 9-25-2010 at 05:05 PM

OK, my husband really appreciated that detailed explanation.

I'd like to share that we not so long ago rescued a mouse from hypothermia after it had fallen into a damp cubeta on a chilly night. We nursed it back to health and sent it off with lots of good mouse foods to enjoy a good mouse life... at the expense of our truck wiring it seems. We even named the darned mouse.

That said, I think I'll let El Husband take it from here. I LIKE THE PINESOL IDEA - that we can do!

Thank you all super mucho for the comments and advice.

Fix that worked

Stickers - 9-25-2010 at 05:25 PM

Pack rats once ate my wires and vacuum lines on my Bronco after leaving it for 6 months in my carport.

Local repair shop guy told me to buy habanero peppers, chop them up and boil in small pot. Once boiled down put solution in small spray bottle and spay under the hood.

Worked like a charm and never had the problem again :tumble:

WARNING: WHEN BOILING THE PEPERS WE EVIDENTLY CREATED TEAR GAS AND HAD TO EVACUATE THE HOUSE FOR A FEW HOURS! Not kidding

DanO - 9-25-2010 at 05:34 PM

The version I'm thinking of is different.

1. Put about four inches of water in the bucket. Add bleach for a faster kill, antifreeze if you have no small children or pets.

2. Drill holes through centers of top and bottom of beer can that are slightly larger than the diameter of the coat hanger. Instead of a coat hanger you can use a dowel, cut to just slightly less than the diameter of the bucket. The holes in the can will need to be slightly bigger than the diameter of the dowel.

3. Straighten coat hanger and cut off excess length beyond what is need to span the top of the bucket with an inch to spare on both sides.

4. Spread a ribbon of peanut butter all the way around the middle of the can.

5. Thread the can on the hanger and place across top of bucket. If using a dowel, wedge the dowel crosswise into the bucket until it is snug and make sure it's level.

6. Crimp ends of hanger down onto lip of bucket (little duct tape to keep the ends in place wouldn't hurt and it gets duct tape into the mix, always a good thing).

7. Prop a paint stick, piece of cardboard, 2x4, etc. up from the floor to the lip of the bucket by one hanger/dowel end to give the mice a ramp to reach mouse heaven.

8. Place this assembly along the wall, in corners or anywhere there's an accumulation of droppings.

9. Mouse runs up the ramp and out on the wire/dowel to the can, jumps on to get the peanut butter and is spun off into the water. The trap is reloaded and ready for more.

10. Rinse bucket and repeat. If you are squeamish about killing them, don't put any water in the bucket.

woody with a view - 9-25-2010 at 05:42 PM

or substitute wire for string (who has wire coat hangers in the new millenium?, plus the string gives better traction for the hungry fellas....). poke holes in the ends of a beer can and fish the string thru. tie knots against each end of the can so it won't move. tie the string to where the wire bucket handle attaches to the bucket, or just drill holes in the bucket.

within 2-3 nights the entire population will be in remission......

bajaumpaw - 9-25-2010 at 09:26 PM

It might be too expensive there but we leave a floresent drop light (what mechanics use when they work on cars) turned on under the hood of our hunting vehicles here in Texas to keep the little guys from eating the wiring in the engine area. Works very well.

Hav-a-Hart mouse trap

Santiago - 9-26-2010 at 06:26 AM

[img]

[/img]

I keep one of these in my BOLA cabin and routinely trap mice and then release them under the trailers of whichever neighbor has recently dissed me.
Back in my college days we used to mark the little critters by removing one of the back toes (I kid you not) but current sensibilities require the use of a permanent marker. You can then keep track of multiple captures.
Dano's idea of using the bucket without water is a good one although I think a mouse could easily jump out of a 5 gallon bucket. World record for mus musculus (house mouse) is 37" as a response to a startle. I suspect your generic field mice would be similar.
I applaud your attempts to remove them alive, after all, coyotes gotta eat too.
You can buy these traps here.

Here's some "Old Household Remedies"

Pompano - 9-26-2010 at 07:12 AM

Peppermint Oil

•Mice are not fond of mint aromas, such as peppermint. To help keep mice away, soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them in areas of mice infestation. You'll need to refresh or replace the cotton balls when they dry out to ensure maximum effectiveness and to prevent the mice from using the dried-out cotton balls as nesting material.

(I've done the mint oil in a spray bottle...worked for mice and also ANTS...the little pests once invaded us by the thousands at a state park in Californa.)

Peanut Butter

•If you're having trouble trapping a mouse, bait the trap by spreading peanut butter on it. Mice are strongly attracted to the peanut butter scent and it should draw the mouse out of its hiding place. The peanut butter's sticky consistency also makes it more difficult for the mouse to escape from the trap. Be sure to remove the trap as soon as the mouse is caught to prevent attracting additional mice.

Ammonia

•Mice may also be repelled by the strong scent of ammonia. Fill small bowls with ammonia and set them in places where you may have spotted signs of mice. This method is not recommended, however, if you have pets or small children roaming your household as ammonia can be harmful if accidentally ingested.

Used Cat Litter

•If you own a cat, take even greater advantage of having this instinctive mouse hunter around the house by placing a small amount of used cat litter where mice tend to frequent. The scent makes the mice aware that a cat may be lurking nearby and can drive them out of your house.

Chopped Cork - (lethal)

•Chop a wine bottle cork into small pieces and saturate them in bacon or steak grease. Place the bits in areas where the mice hang out. The scent of the grease will attract the mice, and the ingested cork will clog their digestive systems, resulting in death.

durrelllrobert - 9-26-2010 at 09:32 AM

Quote:

.....and the ingested cork will clog their digestive systems, resulting in death.

works well on winos also :lol:

Pescador - 9-26-2010 at 09:32 AM

They are not available in Baja that I know of, but the sound repellent devices sold by the major mouse trap companies like Victor really do work well, I had the same problem with my Tracker, and put a unit on an extension cord and have never seen another mouse come anywhere close to the vehicle.

http://www.victorpest.com/advice/all-about/victor-repellents...

Osprey - 9-26-2010 at 09:47 AM

That's what I use. They say it's Perry Como and Vaughn Monroe songs at mouse frequencies.

maspacifico - 9-26-2010 at 04:15 PM

:lol:

From our experance owning a farm....

mcfez - 9-26-2010 at 07:18 PM

Family cats do not do a good job of keeping mice/mole/rats in check.

What will work is this: A barn cat. This is a cat that you put only water out for it. You do not give it a name. Don't pet it. No beds. So forth. It's a expert killer....mostly at night. Barn Cats can be adopted.....

If she/he starts to look a little skinny...just throw a fish or (?) out in the field.

Our mole issue is 90% gone.

Repellents...I spent too much time and money for zero results.
Traps? Where r u going to release the critter? The neighbors house that you dont like? :lol:

[Edited on 9-27-2010 by mcfez]

Coincidence of this subject

mcfez - 10-1-2010 at 12:36 PM

Believe it or not.

After engaging in this post with all my experienced remedies for mice.....

Went out to my brand new 90 day old freezer in the garage yesterday....and it's shut down. Dead. Zero. Rest in Piece. :fire:

Call Home Depot. They call G.E. They just left.

Rats!!!! Yes rats. Lunched four wires.

Cat in that barn......having a long talk with him.

This is a true story. So...do whatever to rid the mice and rats.

sanquintinsince73 - 10-1-2010 at 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stickers

WARNING: WHEN BOILING THE PEPERS WE EVIDENTLY CREATED TEAR GAS AND HAD TO EVACUATE THE HOUSE FOR A FEW HOURS! Not kidding

In the '70's I was bussed from E.L.A. to the San Fernando Valley for junior High. On rainy days I would burn dried chili peppers inside the bus and it had the same effect as tear gas. Had alot of fun doing it till I got suspended from the school bus and had to take the R.T.D. 35 miles to school.

Cypress - 10-1-2010 at 01:33 PM

Throw black pepper on the top of a hot wood-burning stove and see how fast it'll clear out the riff raff. :lol:

Martyman - 10-1-2010 at 02:47 PM

My wires on my Honda Odyssey got chewed after parking for one week at Bahia de Los Angeles. My friend parks his wheels on piles of mothballs

wilderone - 11-28-2010 at 09:40 AM

Try this (a remedy for ground squirrels):

Take a 5 gallon bucket, fill it 2/3 with water. Cover with the surface of the water with sunflower seeds (in the shell), which will float. Using a piece of wood, place a ramp up to the bucket, which will allow the mouse or rat access to the sunflower seeds. They'll go after them and drown because they can't get out of the bucket.
This did work for ground squirrels.

durrelllrobert - 11-28-2010 at 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez

What will work is this: A barn cat. This is a cat that you put only water out for it. You do not give it a name. Don't pet it. No beds. So forth. It's a expert killer....mostly at night. Barn Cats can be adopted.....

[Edited on 9-27-2010 by mcfez]

When I was growing up on a dairy farm in MT, I took a home study course in taxidermy. After shooting and mounting about 50 barn pigeons I decided to move up to a barn cat. The one I shot and stuffed was nice and plump and came out so perfect that my mother let me put it on a table in the entry hall. Sure enough, shortly after that she invited the neighbors over for dinner and as soon as they saw the mounted cat the wife flew into a rage because I had shot their house cat. MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A REAL SKINNY BARN CAT. :lol:

desertcpl - 11-28-2010 at 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Quote:

thats hilarious

rocmoc - 11-29-2010 at 09:12 AM

Throw some moth balls in the area and a little under the vehicle. Personally I use d-CON mouse & rat poison. Have never had a cat or dog get in the stuff and suppose to be single kill. Single kill is where the poison kills the mouse but does not transfer should the mouse be eaten by a cat. Read on the net that one of the reasons mice & rats eat auto wires is the wire coating is made from corn oil.

rocmoc n AZ

[Edited on 11-29-2010 by rocmoc]

woody with a view - 1-16-2011 at 03:33 PM

i came across the foto of the implement.

rsz_2mar_2006__(1).jpg - 50kB

Skipjack Joe - 1-16-2011 at 05:12 PM

Did you know that mice were partly responsible for Hitler's failed Operation Barbarossa?

They put 1/3 of the tanks out of comission during the assault for weeks as the Wehrmacht spent valuable time rewiring the tanks.

With the onset of winter, you can't blame the little rodents.

mcfez - 2-3-2011 at 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Quote:

OMG

Another great campfire story to tell!

Cypress - 2-4-2011 at 03:48 PM

Have a weasel/ermine or two to keep the rodents at bay, hyper little dudes. Feed 'em chicken skin to keep 'em hanging around. Fun to watch. :biggrin:

Cypress - 2-4-2011 at 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
i came across the foto of the implement.

You can substitute a paper plate for the can. It works!