mice in the engine compartment

[poppytoymaker]

When out to the storage yard today to check things out and I found two nice size holes in my Adco cover right over the hood where there's nothing sharp to cause it the holes looked like they were chewed. and there it was, soon as I opend the hood a nest made with shredded cover and a baby mouse. Then I saw mom pop up to see what was going on and all I had was roach spray which I did my best with. A quick run over to Ace and I got a couple of D-Con traps and a box of Fresh Cab then over to Publix to get some peanut butter. Two traps in the engine compartment and four packs of Fresh Cab inside and I hope I get that sucker before he or she or them decide to chew on some wires.

[MNtraveler]

Good luck. I currently have about a dozen traps with peanut butter bait (just a small bit) placed around all 4 wheel positions since that's where they climb up. They have been very effective.


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R
Nights camped 2016: 32; RV to date: 35

[poppytoymaker]

Good idea, a friend of mine told me the same thing this morning. I just started to use the cover, i wonder if it's an attraction for the mice.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by poppytoymaker

Good idea, a friend of mine told me the same thing this morning. I just started to use the cover, i wonder if it's an attraction for the mice.

Probably only in the sense that it makes the engine compartment more cozy. But they can nest almost anywhere, such as inside your exhaust pipe, and use most anything as nesting materials including tissues, toilet paper, clothing material, leaves, etc. They are clever and they are survivors.


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R
Nights camped 2016: 32; RV to date: 35

[Wandering]

I tried the dryer sheet idea for both my camper and a car I store for the winter. Put them everywhere. Worked great, no mice at all and they smell great in the spring. Allot easier that clearing traps all winter.


Forester 2451s

[poppytoymaker]

Right now I have moth balls inside the house and I bought a box of Fresh Cab and placed the 4 bags around the inside. I'll go out this afternoon and see if I have anything in the traps and if I do I'll put a bag of Fresh Cab under the hood.

[another_newfie]

DO NOT rely on dryer sheets. That will do nothing whatsoever. Has about the same effect as the trusty tinfoil hat. Mice will make nests out of it.

Get good ole fashioned snap traps. Bait them with peanut butter and some type of a seed (sunflower work great). I had an issue this year with the little buggers and I've wiped them out. Trapped about 12 of them over a few months with minimal damage.

After they are gone clean up the scent trails they leave. If you are in a storage yard they will hopefully move on to someone else's rig and leave yours alone (well of course you wish they won't enter any rig, but they likely will).

[hankpac]

We get mice, and Pack Rats which are huge, but to fight them, I put mouse and rat bait, at each wheel, and every touch point for the trailer. That has kept them out so far.
I also spread Amdro at each contact point to keep ants out.
Rodents love the engine compartment, ad will tear stuffing off the firewall, or hood batting, and make the next on the battery.

[randygk]

I've had poor luck with Fresh Cab, the mice made a nest in the seat of my military vehicle right over the Fresh Cab box. Traps work ok, I've had best luck with the sticky pads. I don't use them in warmer weather to avoid trapping lizards.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by hankpac

Rodents love the engine compartment, ad will tear stuffing off the firewall, or hood batting, and make the next on the battery.

LOL "make the next" - yes, make the next generation, for sure! Good typo! ROFL


Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R
Nights camped 2016: 32; RV to date: 35

[mdstudey]

You are lucky you only have them in your RV. I live in S. Texas and as soon as a cold spell happens they try to get into the attics and walls. Have had one in the bathroom. I went to brush my teeth one morning and had water cascading out of the sink cabinet. Sucker gnawed right through the PVC.

[SidecarFlip]

My unit stays inside my equipment barn and there are 2 resident cats as well. No rodent issues at all.

I do find an ocassional present on the floor...a mouse head....

[conceptumator]

Best thing I've found is moth balls. Get
One of those snap shut metal tea strainers and fill it with moth balls then place it in the engine compartment. They'll leave quickly and it's easy to refill as needed.

[rhamilton]

We have had pack rat problems. Not so much in the RV itselft, but in the engine compartment of our Ford FR MH. About a $1,000 worth of repairs over two times this has happened. Look on the Internet for "Rat Zappers". They are 4 "D" battery powered and work great. This will only work if your rig is at home, and you can check them out on a daily or so basis. We have 3 of them...one for the RV, one for the garage and one for the horse barn. THEY WORK GREAT!!!

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by conceptumator

Best thing I've found is moth balls. Get
One of those snap shut metal tea strainers and fill it with moth balls then place it in the engine compartment. They'll leave quickly and it's easy to refill as needed.

I have had mice build a nest,,, right next to a pile of Moth Balls !!!
And give birth to a batch of young ones !!!

[5picker]

Short of trapping, I don't believe there is a sure fire method of keeping them out.
Over the last 40 years I tried moth balls. (built a nest right next to them)
I tried Fresh Cab. (chewed through the bag and made a nest out of it and scattered the contents everywhere) Dryer sheets, peppermint oil and sprinkle on rodent repellent did nothing.

But once dead, they didn't cause any additional harm.

[bareftn]

My truck , roo and good car are in storage under my new car port and I have a 4 ft tube of 4 in pipe under each with all weather mouse bait and I replace as needed

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by bareftn

My truck , roo and good car are in storage under my new car port and I have a 4 ft tube of 4 in pipe under each with all weather mouse bait and I replace as needed

I understand that bate like Decon only work if the mice have a water source ?
To go along with the Bate ???

[wmtire]

The site team did a little housekeeping on this thread, and removed a few posts, that although extremely humorous, the terminology didn't really fit in with the subject matter at hand and could easily be misconstrued.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.

[bareftn]

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

I understand that bate like Decon only work if the mice have a water source ?
To go along with the Bate ???

I don't use decon I am not sure if they have a all weather bait I use tom cat just 1 bite from tsc and another that's corn base