The Ford Barn

flatcreeker · 08-26-2021, 05:45 PM

A cat is the best prevention. When my neighbor had horses and barn cats, I never had a mouse. They got rid of the horses and the cats and now I have mice. I bait and trap year round. I have heard that placing fresh mint inside the car, under the seats, etc. will keep them away. I'm gonna try that soon. Oh, and I'll keep trapping. I live in the woods. You live in the woods you'll have field mice. Period. Just gotta keep them out of the '39 Merc.

Wayne Schuenke · 08-26-2021, 06:57 PM

I use cinnamon stented pine cone that you can get near Christmas . Don't have any mouse problems and it makes the car smell good.

richard crow · 08-27-2021, 06:09 AM

walk the plank trap

flatmotor40 · 08-27-2021, 06:32 AM

They is never any food in my garage where my cars are but they get in out off winter.Poison bcause the yard cats come and go for a while

richard crow · 08-27-2021, 08:27 AM

cats are good if your area has open space .my shop has part storage where the cats can,t get them they can run around all night . walk the plank brings them out . you find the body,s . so there is no stink . who wants to smell cat piss.

V8COOPMAN · 08-27-2021, 09:39 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by richard crow

walk the plank trap

This "Roll the Peanut Butter" rig works flawlessly, too. DD

tubman · 08-27-2021, 10:06 AM

My neighbor put one of these in the crawl space of his summer residence last year. About July 15, he finally figured out where the foul odor was coming from.

RalphG · 08-27-2021, 10:22 AM

I've never seen much success with mothballs, dryer sheets, soap, etc. Cats do help a little. I have a version of the peanut butter roller bucket trap which catches a few. Plus I keep poison bait blocks in all the buildings in the farm yard. This keeps the population down. Also works on squirrels and rats. I have very little problems with mice in vehicles or machinery.

corvette8n · 08-27-2021, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

Up here in Minnesota, where the winters are cold and long, the mice make nests out of dryer sheets and eat the Irish Spring soap for lunch.

+1 from me they made nests of dryer sheets that I put around my Ford 8n.

Tinker · 08-27-2021, 09:30 PM

It's that time of year isn't it.

highbeams · 08-27-2021, 10:01 PM

Thank you all for your help.

highbeams · 08-27-2021, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

This "Roll the Peanut Butter" rig works flawlessly, too. DD

I can't spare the peanut butter . . .

highbeams · 08-27-2021, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphG

I've never seen much success with mothballs, dryer sheets, soap, etc. Cats do help a little. I have a version of the peanut butter roller bucket trap which catches a few. Plus I keep poison bait blocks in all the buildings in the farm yard. This keeps the population down. Also works on squirrels and rats. I have very little problems with mice in vehicles or machinery.

I've had no luck w/mothballs either. The moth usually lands on the mouse.

cas3 · 08-28-2021, 01:05 AM

After they eat the mothballs, they can make a house in the empty box

aussie merc · 08-28-2021, 02:18 AM

simple dont give them a reason to be there [no food no point] and back it up with one of those plug in repelers if youve got mains power in your shed and bait stations out side protected from the weather but it requires vigilance get slack and they win

Jacques1960 · 08-28-2021, 08:04 AM

Cab Fresh botanical rodent repellent 👍🏻

FHFD · 08-28-2021, 08:31 AM

Food in the garage/shop is NOT a requirement for mice to be present..they eat items we would never consider food.

RalphG · 08-28-2021, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FHFD

Food in the garage/shop is NOT a requirement for mice to be present..they eat items we would never consider food.

Very true. In my experience mice are just explorers and will squeeze their way into the smallest and most unlikely places. (Inside the exhaust system of a snowmobile for example). Constant vigilance with bait stations and cats as a backup will help but there will always be replacements for the ones you remove from the population.

5851a · 08-28-2021, 10:37 AM

A friend who farms has a large inventory of modern equipment and even more collectible equipment and autos. One bitten wire on combine or tractor will stop it dead and require dealer service and diagnostics the parts and repair. Can't afford that in modern farming. He relies on cats, just enough food to keep them around but keep them looking. He has never had a problem since the cats came. I live in old house and every year would get 1 or 2 but 4 years ago invaded by baby mice that wouldn't set off any traps. Got a cat and have not seen a trace of a mouse since.

CHuDWah · 08-28-2021, 02:54 PM

I'm not a cat guy, don't hate them but don't love them either. They work pretty well for mouse control, but even outside/barn cats require at least minimal care. Seems to be trading one animal problem for another.

I put moth balls in passenger compartment, trunk, and under hood, and bait blocks/trays under car. I also plug the exhaust (don't forget to unplug before starting car

). I've never had a poisoned mouse die in the garage and stink it up. The moth balls smell but that fades over time. I figure it's better than replacing wiring, upholstery, etc.

I also don't keep food in the garage. Yes, mice will eat non-food items but no sense adding to the menu. And I plug any openings in the garage that might give them access. I've heard a mouse can go through any hole its skull will fit, and I believe it. When our house was being built, they got in the HVAC ducts. I finally trapped/poisoned them all but I once saw a mouse go through a 4x10 register like this:

08-26-2021, 05:45 PM	#21
flatcreeker Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: Lakemont, Ga. (N.E. Ga) Posts: 5	Re: mice prevention? A cat is the best prevention. When my neighbor had horses and barn cats, I never had a mouse. They got rid of the horses and the cats and now I have mice. I bait and trap year round. I have heard that placing fresh mint inside the car, under the seats, etc. will keep them away. I'm gonna try that soon. Oh, and I'll keep trapping. I live in the woods. You live in the woods you'll have field mice. Period. Just gotta keep them out of the '39 Merc.

08-26-2021, 06:57 PM	#22
Wayne Schuenke Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Darien wi Posts: 45	Re: mice prevention? I use cinnamon stented pine cone that you can get near Christmas . Don't have any mouse problems and it makes the car smell good.

08-27-2021, 06:09 AM	#23
richard crow Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,769	Re: mice prevention? walk the plank trap

08-27-2021, 06:32 AM	#24
flatmotor40 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Georgia Posts: 611	Re: mice prevention? They is never any food in my garage where my cars are but they get in out off winter.Poison bcause the yard cats come and go for a while

08-27-2021, 08:27 AM	#25
richard crow Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,769	Re: mice prevention? cats are good if your area has open space .my shop has part storage where the cats can,t get them they can run around all night . walk the plank brings them out . you find the body,s . so there is no stink . who wants to smell cat piss.

08-27-2021, 10:06 AM	#27
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,303	Re: mice prevention? My neighbor put one of these in the crawl space of his summer residence last year. About July 15, he finally figured out where the foul odor was coming from.

08-27-2021, 10:22 AM	#28
RalphG Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Sask. Canada Posts: 2,424	Re: mice prevention? I've never seen much success with mothballs, dryer sheets, soap, etc. Cats do help a little. I have a version of the peanut butter roller bucket trap which catches a few. Plus I keep poison bait blocks in all the buildings in the farm yard. This keeps the population down. Also works on squirrels and rats. I have very little problems with mice in vehicles or machinery. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/roosty6/videos

08-27-2021, 09:30 PM	#30
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: mice prevention? It's that time of year isn't it.

08-27-2021, 10:01 PM	#31
highbeams Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: California Posts: 802	Re: mice prevention? Thank you all for your help. Last edited by highbeams; 08-29-2021 at 01:12 AM.

08-28-2021, 01:05 AM	#34
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,567	Re: mice prevention? After they eat the mothballs, they can make a house in the empty box

08-28-2021, 02:18 AM	#35
aussie merc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: sydney australia Posts: 1,030	Re: mice prevention? simple dont give them a reason to be there [no food no point] and back it up with one of those plug in repelers if youve got mains power in your shed and bait stations out side protected from the weather but it requires vigilance get slack and they win

08-28-2021, 08:04 AM	#36
Jacques1960 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Mount Desert, Maine Posts: 504	Re: mice prevention? Cab Fresh botanical rodent repellent 👍🏻 __________________ No job’s done ‘til it’s all done

08-28-2021, 08:31 AM	#37
FHFD Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Grays Harbor County, Wa Posts: 223	Re: mice prevention? Food in the garage/shop is NOT a requirement for mice to be present..they eat items we would never consider food. __________________ "Get your facts first..then you can distort them as you please"

08-28-2021, 10:37 AM	#39
5851a Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: NE Iowa Posts: 1,664	Re: mice prevention? A friend who farms has a large inventory of modern equipment and even more collectible equipment and autos. One bitten wire on combine or tractor will stop it dead and require dealer service and diagnostics the parts and repair. Can't afford that in modern farming. He relies on cats, just enough food to keep them around but keep them looking. He has never had a problem since the cats came. I live in old house and every year would get 1 or 2 but 4 years ago invaded by baby mice that wouldn't set off any traps. Got a cat and have not seen a trace of a mouse since.

08-28-2021, 02:54 PM	#40
CHuDWah Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Kritter Krick, Flaw-duh Posts: 1,158	Re: mice prevention? I'm not a cat guy, don't hate them but don't love them either. They work pretty well for mouse control, but even outside/barn cats require at least minimal care. Seems to be trading one animal problem for another. I put moth balls in passenger compartment, trunk, and under hood, and bait blocks/trays under car. I also plug the exhaust (don't forget to unplug before starting car ). I've never had a poisoned mouse die in the garage and stink it up. The moth balls smell but that fades over time. I figure it's better than replacing wiring, upholstery, etc. I also don't keep food in the garage. Yes, mice will eat non-food items but no sense adding to the menu. And I plug any openings in the garage that might give them access. I've heard a mouse can go through any hole its skull will fit, and I believe it. When our house was being built, they got in the HVAC ducts. I finally trapped/poisoned them all but I once saw a mouse go through a 4x10 register like this: