Mice and mep002a

[dstang97]

Some mice had an orgy in my lower control box. I put out some bait and one o them died inside the control box under the wire lugs. I was able to remove the nest (dog hair) and dead mouse. It stinks and there are little sprinkles everywhere. How can I clean this up? I'm gonna hook up a rubber hose to a shop back but I would love to hose it down with bleach and water. How bad will that be or is everything designed to get wet?

 

[gimpyrobb]

A buddy of mine refurbs old machinery. When he does the motors he washes them with Dawn and water then once they are put back together he puts them in the oven on a low temp to bake any trapped water out of the windings etc. Might work for you too.

 

[firefox]

Plan ahead and recruit this little fellow.....

 

[dstang97]

Plan ahead and recruit this little fellow.....View attachment 546959

i tried one of them. He only lasted a few days. A coyote or fisher cat got him.

 

[FloridaAKM]

A biddy refurbs machinery, that's a good one first thing in the morning.



I hate mice & use live traps to catch them...when they die a horrible death, they are then thrown in the swamp to finish rotting.

A biddy of mine refurbs old machinery. When he does the motors he washes them with Dawn and water then once they are put back together he puts them in the oven on a low temp to bake any trapped water out of the windings etc. Might work for you too.

 

[Bill W]

Just found another nest inside the door of the cyl heads airbox which is a p.i.t.a. to get to with a ASK. I filled a container with mothballs and laid it in the bottom of the frame to see if that helps discourage future nests.

 

[dstang97]

Just found another nest inside the door of the cyl heads airbox which is a p.i.t.a. to get to with a ASK. I filled a container with mothballs and laid it in the bottom of the frame to see if that helps discourage future nests.

I have an ask kit to. I'm gonna have to open that one too.

 

[DieselAddict]

I would recommend against bleach being anywhere near electrical stuff. If you are wanting to get a sanitizing effect use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol after doing a rough cleaning.

If you want to get serious use a peracetic acid with hydrogen peroxide (spray bottle, don't flood it, that isn't necessary to get it sanitized). Follow that with an alcohol/DI water rinse. Finish it all off with a warm blow dry.

 

[dangier]

Just found another nest inside the door of the cyl heads airbox which is a p.i.t.a. to get to with a ASK. I filled a container with mothballs and laid it in the bottom of the frame to see if that helps discourage future nests.

Tried the mothball route on the boat. Mice chewed up the mothball box and built a nest with it. Haven't found anything yet that would discourage mice (other than the stray cats)!
David

 

[Triple Jim]

The only trick I'm aware of is to plug all the openings they can get through with steel wool. Apparently they don't like to chew that. They can get though some pretty small openings, too. A hole the size of a dime is no problem. I imagine for outdoor use, stainless steel wool would be the thing to use, but I haven't tried that.

 

[DieselAddict]

I wonder if regular running of the machine plays a part in whether mice find refuge there. I run mine once a month and I've never found any sign of an invasion. Being on a trailer could also be a deterrent I guess.

How long does something have to sit before the mice decide to move in?

 

[Triple Jim]

How long does something have to sit before the mice decide to move in?

About 3 minutes, if they decide they want to move in. They'll sit and watch me, not even bothering to run away. I've had them run across me in bed while I'm sleeping. Being on a trailer might help, but not much. They get into parked motor homes very easily. We trap them in live traps using dog food for bait, and release them a mile or so away. It seems like they're attacking us when they nest somewhere and cause damage, but they're just trying to survive. They're really pretty cute. My wife and daughter have some wild mice as pets, and they're quite docile. You should see them on the exercise wheel, they're like a miniature Cirque du Soleil. Out here in the woods where I live, the only way we know of to control them is to always have traps around. If you find a roll of paper towels or toilet paper with evidence of chewing, you need traps.

 

[jamawieb]

I've had great success with peppermint oil to keep mice away. This is a trick a lot of car collectors use to keep them out. I usually take a cork and soak it in the peppermint oil, then place them all over the generator. In my deuce, I just open the bottle of peppermint oil and leave it in the cab, never had a problem. I'm in a rural area where we are surrounded by field mice.

 

[Bill W]

Tried the mothball route on the boat. Mice chewed up the mothball box and built a nest with it. Haven't found anything yet that would discourage mice (other than the stray cats)!
David

Crap!
I put some under my outboard cowl this past November being chipmonks found they're way into it ( still haven't figured how ) last season and chewed up part of the wire harness, now I'm afraid to go out and look.

 

[steelandcanvas]

i tried one of them. He only lasted a few days. A coyote or fisher cat got him.

Get another Cat and don't feed him very much, he'll mouse out of necessity. I feed my Cat and he still brings me 3 or 4 "offerings" a week, best mouser I've ever had.

 

[rustystud]

I have fought the rat and mice battle for years out here. The only time I had them under control was when a "bobcat" moved in under the front porch. He stayed for 3 years, built himself a real nice den under there. The only problem was the smell. I told my wife I would rather have the smell under the porch then all those rats and mice everywhere. It's been four years since he left and I really miss him !

 

[Neophyte]

Ditto on the steel wool. In Wi we had a mice explosion.....got into everything. I had to rewire a portion of the 925's battery box ...and used steel wool in the breather holes to keep them out (in the cab and the one on the back of the cab). I'm afraid to pop the hoods on my mustang and Chevy II ....will wait till spring to see if I got lucky.

 

[Forester]

I've had great success with peppermint oil to keep mice away. This is a trick a lot of car collectors use to keep them out. I usually take a cork and soak it in the peppermint oil, then place them all over the generator. In my deuce, I just open the bottle of peppermint oil and leave it in the cab, never had a problem. I'm in a rural area where we are surrounded by field mice.

Hmmm never herd of the peppermint oil before. Have to remember that one. Rustystud's Bobcat takes the cake though.

I had a extremely lazy garage cat once. I would be working at the bench, cat in its "bed" at my feet, and we would both watch mice come to its food dish and steal a mouthful. Not to long after seeing that I had two ermine move into the garage. Hazed, poked, prodded, teased that cat so much it refused to enter the garage anymore. Told the wife she could find it a new home or I would. Since then I've off and on had the ermine, or descendants thereof, living in my garage. Curious creatures that are outstanding killers. They seem to rid me of mice and chipmunks and then move one. Come back when the critters do...

Oh and steel wool works great as long as you plug all the holes. I had a log cabin once that had no shortage of holes for critters to get through. I would "mix" spray foam with the steel wool and plug any and all holes I found. I could see where they started to chew, then gave up when they hit the steel wool. In larger had to reach spots I would take hardware cloth, cut it to the rough size of the opening, jam it in there, then secure with the spray foam.

 

[rustystud]

Hmmm never herd of the peppermint oil before. Have to remember that one. Rustystud's Bobcat takes the cake though.

I had a extremely lazy garage cat once. I would be working at the bench, cat in its "bed" at my feet, and we would both watch mice come to its food dish and steal a mouthful. Not to long after seeing that I had two ermine move into the garage. Hazed, poked, prodded, teased that cat so much it refused to enter the garage anymore. Told the wife she could find it a new home or I would. Since then I've off and on had the ermine, or descendants thereof, living in my garage. Curious creatures that are outstanding killers. They seem to rid me of mice and chipmunks and then move one. Come back when the critters do...

Oh and steel wool works great as long as you plug all the holes. I had a log cabin once that had no shortage of holes for critters to get through. I would "mix" spray foam with the steel wool and plug any and all holes I found. I could see where they started to chew, then gave up when they hit the steel wool. In larger had to reach spots I would take hardware cloth, cut it to the rough size of the opening, jam it in there, then secure with the spray foam.

I like the idea of spray foam and steel wool ! Guess I'll have to try that as the bobcat has not returned !

 

[Forester]

I like the idea of spray foam and steel wool ! Guess I'll have to try that as the bobcat has not returned !

Just wear rubber gloves!