Rodents

[McQueen]

It's that time of year again, to start the on going fight. On how to keep the rodents out of our equipment.
Does anyone have any ideas or things that work for you, on getting rid of these little buggers.
I biggest problem is mice! Each year I put out mice poison. I'm sure it helps but I still see where they have been in my machines and service trucks. They didn't seem to be as bad, back when I had open cabs.
I see where they sell peppermint scented pouches and electronic devices to keep them away.
Has anyone had any luck with any of this?

 

[joe--h]

I bought a bottle of peppermint extract on amazon. Mix with water & spray bottle it around. Does it work I don't know, but no rodents for awhile.

Joe H

 

[Tinkerer]

Cab Fresh is very popular in my area. Farmers especially. I have used it. No mice in my covered boat in the shop or my TLB.
It smells good to !

 

[Welder Dave]

Peppermint oil apparently does help but I don't know if anything is foolproof. Peppermint tea bags are a cheap way to get a peppermint smell. I've soaked them and Fresh Cab (Cab Fresh in Canada) with peppermint oil. Cab Fresh was banned in Canada for awhile as were other mice repellants. Now the packaging doesn't list mouse repellant on it. There is also Grampa Gus's mouse pouches that are similar and also a spray. Have no idea why Cab Fresh can't list mouse repellant but Grampa Gus can??? There are some other sprays like they use on RV's too.

Amazon.com : Grandpa Gus's Mouse Repellent; Peppermint and Cinnamon Oil, Freshen Air, Repel Mice from Nesting and Absorbs Leftover Odors in Homes/RV, Boat & Car Storage and Machinery (1.38 Oz x 4 Burlap Pouches) : Garden & Outdoor

 

[Spud_Monkey]

Cats, no clutter, put bait away from what you are trying to protect as in perimeter about 50 to 100 ft from the structure, keep a perimeter mowed no high shrubbery.
Next season... ticks

 

[Flat Thunder Channel]

I go light on the poison. I think in the past I would lure them in with all the bait. I try to put fresh dryer sheets in the cars that go in winter storage every year. I also have tried peppermint oil off of Amazon. The stuff I purchased is so strong it will give you a headache if you are around it too much. I dumped it around the perimeter of my outbuilding and the interior smelled like peppermint for several weeks after. I used old stinky cologne in my small yard barn. Which reminds me I need to apply some soon. I spray it directly on the wood. It seems to keep it smelling pretty good / strong for several weeks.

For really nasty infestations try the false floor bucket. They have several iterations online. Basic gyst is the rats are baited on top and end up failing in the bucket via a trap door or cleverly placed bait.

 

[Welder Dave]

Hard to have cats at a remote location where you're not there all the time.

 

[fastline]

Here are the factors that I live by now. I have serious rats here.

1. Tomcat poison. I put this in containers and have it outside! Once the bastards are indoors, your problems amplify. I picked up 6 of these bastards in one day. Tomcat is a neurotoxin and it works! Only takes a small amount and their brain swells. They usually come out in the open to die so they are easy to find. I also put this inside machines in key areas. If the rodent gets in, I want it to chew poison, not wires. They will die within hours.
2. Mow all areas around buildings and such. Rodents like cover. Don't provide that to them.
3. All the smellies are gimmicks. I have seen video tests. A hungry rodent will step over a snake to try to eat! Killing them or locking them out is the only play.
4. Get proactive outdoors! Setup bait areas for them to hit that are well away from structures. Why wait until they are in!
5. Consider one of those pneumatic head basher traps. Rodent puts head in it, traps hammers it, then it resets. Pick up the pile.

 

[Old Doug]

Moth balls is what i have used for years. I put them in rigs i am parting out and my storage trailers seems to work good.

 

[Bumpsteer]

The Tomcat blocks work good, they have a hole in the center, take a long screw and fasten it to something. Eliminates "take out orders", the bastages have to eat it there.

Ed

 

[Tinkerer]

Do a Youtube search for ---5 gallon bucket mouse traps
there are variations of them.
This is one of them.

 

[Truck Shop]

For indoors a Ferret, makes a good pet and rodents are dead asap.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

For indoors a Ferret, makes a good pet and rodents are dead asap.

Or a mink

 

[treemuncher]

Moth balls is what i have used for years.

"Have you ever smelled moth balls??? How ever did you get those little legs apart????"

I had a Texan lady tell me one time that she fought many rats at her home farm. The ONLY sure fire method that she relied on was fresh hamburger mixed with diesel fuel. The rats naturally ate the 'burger but could not puke it up when it started to kill them. Supposedly, a sure fire solution for rats.

I never have tried it on mice. The bucket with rolling rod system has worked well for mice in the past. I used old freon cans and stainless filler wire to build mine. Lots of ideas on that system on youtube.

 

[Truck Shop]

Mink don't really make a good pet like a Ferret, It's hard to remove the wild side. Mink farms at one time were big business in Cle Elum and Easton Wa. until the fur trade became unpopular.
A friend in high school was from Easton, his dad developed the first strain of total black mink. It takes a heavy pair of gloves to handle mink. He had mink teeth surface from bites to his hands
five years after he last handled one. Blood meal was the common mink food. Plus mink are fast as lightning, not easy to catch.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

This feller doesn't look too feisty after a bit of training. Though forewarn they get and transmit Covid-19 too...

 

[Bumpsteer]

Holy chit, can't imagine what he went thru to train that mink.

Ed

 

[old-iron-habit]

My 5th wheel camper had dryer sheets scattered about the interior when I bought it. The previous owner said it keeps the mice out. I been doing the same for 5 years now and no mice yet. Don't know if its the sheets or I have been lucky. At least they don't smell bad. I have found mice in the area so they might be doing it.

 

[suladas]

That's cool to have a mink trained so well but JFC that is gross how he has no problem handling stuff like that with bare hands. Chit like that is how diseases jump from animals to humans.

 

[McQueen]

Thanks for all of the replies and suggestions. I ordered some of the (walk the plank) style 5gal bucket traps off Amazon. Going to see how they work. And going to try the peppermint oil stuff for in the cabs.
Seems like the best thing is the tomcat poison.
I'll let you know how the bucket traps work.