Mice Issues

Allan M · Feb 5, 2021

Hi guys: My excavator is my Ferrari. I try to take great care of it. I recently noticed mouse droppings on my seat (Kubota U55-4 cab model). I had the machine covered in a tarp for a week between rain storms. Since I have put glue traps and traditional traps around and in the cab. Still getting mouse droppings on the seat in the morning. I can't find any nest. Not sure how the mice get into the enclosed cab--maybe following cable channels, etc... I'm very concerned about wires chewed through, nests that I can't find that catch fire from engine heat. My sons Mustang had $1200 electrical damage from mice last year. Now we don't park the car in the same place every day and put mouse bait around it and inside the engine compartment...and still some evidence of mice.
Any great ideas on how to minimize mice issues in the country? Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Allan

NepeanGC · Feb 5, 2021

I've had mice issues with our equipment and vehicles in our yard. What seems to have worked for us is large quantities of traps with peanut butter on them. Haven't noticed any more damage since I started doing that last winter. Not a fan of glue traps, our mice seem to outsmart them.

Mice will get in to heavy equipment no problem though, they can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime, and equipment has lots of those.

PeterG · Feb 5, 2021

Make sure all vents are closed. I agree with standard traps and peanut butter.

Don.S · Feb 5, 2021

The cab is not sealed. You can see down through the floor when sitting in the cab. Pull up the rubber mat and look and see all the nice holes kubota left for us.

Midnightmoon · Feb 5, 2021

Moth balls around areas you dont want mice to chew. Mice are evil. This type of mouse trap works great. You could adapt it to a smaller version inside a machine cab. What's great is it keeps on catching them. I made one like the one at the bottom (rolling log )
https://thesurvivaljournal.com/bucket-mouse-trap/

Allan M · Feb 6, 2021

Thanks for the feedback guys. It makes me sick to think rodents are chewing on my investment during the night. I ordered the rolling log trap as suggested above. I'll also use peanut butter on traditional traps and load up with moth balls. A friend also suggested fumigating with carbon monoxide. Tent the cab and connect to car exhaust for 45 minutes to kill anything living inside. I'm not sure if that's a good idea or could cause some other mechanical issues down the line. I'll investigate further. Best, Allan

Swetz · Feb 6, 2021

Thanks guys, I just ordered 2 of the rolling mouse trap bars...Will not be very effective in the winter tho, as the water will freeze. Thinking about throwing moth balls all around my machine, but it has over 2 feet of snow around it just now. I hate that it is outside!

AllDodge · Feb 6, 2021

I like those rolling tramps, might look further
I have a few 5 gal buckets next to things with just enough diesel to cover the bottom. Mice seam to like the smell and will climb up anything its next to and drop in. They get thirsty and it does them in, and even if it doesn't they can't get out

suladas · Feb 6, 2021

Swetz said:
Thanks guys, I just ordered 2 of the rolling mouse trap bars...Will not be very effective in the winter tho, as the water will freeze. Thinking about throwing moth balls all around my machine, but it has over 2 feet of snow around it just now. I hate that it is outside!

Just put in a liquid that won't freeze and the smell won't scare mice away, maybe coolant?

Swetz · Feb 6, 2021

Suladas, Great idea!! I have antifreeze that I have removed from my vehicles. That will be just the ticket!

seville009 · Feb 7, 2021

had mice chew up the wiring in my overhead console of my skidsteer.

Started putting dryer sheets (like Bounce) stuffed into the console after it was fixed. Never had anymore issues.

Peppermint oil is supposed to keep them away too, but that evaporates and has to be reapplied; expensive too.

I think it will be impossible to keep mice out.

TomA · Feb 7, 2021

Cats are the answer.

673moto · Feb 7, 2021

Swetz said:
Suladas, Great idea!! I have antifreeze that I have removed from my vehicles. That will be just the ticket!

Make sure other animals can’t get to it!

Swetz · Feb 7, 2021

I do not have any pets, so not really a problem there.

gwhammy · Feb 7, 2021

I actually leave the doors open on my skid steer and excavator setting in the shed so the cat can sleep in the seats. I figure a little give and take. I five gallon bucket with holes drilled in the bottom and bait bars works pretty decent. They are a pain, nothing worse than heading down the road in the dump truck and one goes running around the floorboard.Not scared of them just don't want them running up my pant legs.

Allan M · Feb 8, 2021

I ordered the bucket trap. I put glue traps, traditional mouse traps with peanut butter and two additional ones with cheese. The glue trap got this first one--maybe because I had pushed it in front of a floor wiring harness "possible entrance point". I don't get why an excavator manufacturer can't design a better platform to keep rodents out. Now that I've fully examined the machine there are many ways that critters can get in. I've been doing some research on this topic and rodent damage to construction/farming equipment is a huge, expensive issue. I haven't tried moth balls or Irish Spring soap as of yet. I did try peppermint oil (sprayed the undercarriage and around in the cab) which didn't seem to affect this little guy

Allan M · Feb 23, 2021

So, my mice saga continues. I let the excavator sit for 4 to 5 days at a time and always had some evidence of mice in the cab even with regular traps (cheese and peanut butter) and peppermint oil spray. My solution: put 7 or 8 of these (see photos) 5"x10" glue sheets (mice glue traps) on the floor and seat. Two kills and now no evidence of mice in the cab since I started this thread. Yes, it is a pain to remove and store these between usage. But what's my alternative? And, we have millions of mice on the property which explains why rattle snakes are already out this year with our unseasonably warm weather. Maybe a pet rattle snake in the cab as opposed to a cat (as TomA suggested) is another alternative...but more risky. : )

HALSJCB · Feb 28, 2021

I have had poor results with the glue traps in the winter which is the time when mice are a problem for me. Machine sits all winter loaded up with a cab full of mouse traps. I have seen no sign of mice this winter. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh by the way that tilt meter is not installed properly.

Allan M · Jul 1, 2021

A final update: I did purchase the bucket rollers online and used two Home Depot buckets for traps. It seems to wipe out an entire mouse family all at once...so very good news. I have found that if I sprinkle rodent repellent granules around my excavator when parked and leave a trap of two inside the cab...no mice. Yes, it's a pain in the butt to do this but I'm trying to protect a nice piece of equipment from rodent damage just like everyone on this thread. My neighbor also uses a three standard trap system with TomCat bait in the center. The traps have peanut butter on them. He swears by this and has these placed along his garage and barn walls.

Vetech63 · Jul 1, 2021

Mice Issues

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Well-Known Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Senior Member