Mouse prevention

[Swampcollie]

owner of a new MX5800 and keep it in a shed on property 65 miles from home. New to the forum and really appreciate the info I have gotten from you guys.
I go up to the property once or twice a week and pretty much stay up there during duck season. Yesterday when i went up and went to fire up the tractor a mouse ran out. I dont need them chewing on my wiring or building nests under the hood. Any ideas on how to keep mice out of my tractor?

 

[jnldr]

Shed cats


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[Grouse Feathers]

Do a search on "mouse wiring" for more ideas then you could ever use.

 

[85Hokie]

simple - cheap - effective!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF6xwUSkT1k

 

[Swampcollie]

Slick. Gonna set that up this week. Thanks

 

[jcy110]

Get a shipping container and use it as the garage for the tractor. Not pretty but the doors seal very well.

 

[Swampcollie]

Hmmmm. Are they big enough for tractor with loader and mower?

 

[skeets]

I use the bucket traps all year long, set em and forget em the barn had tons of mice and really mucked up the old tractor. Set them up and well I dumped out a lot of dead mice,, set up in the garage too, I dont need them chewing on the HD
Caught a bunch, but then so does the OLs cat,, and the 6 foot black snake I found in there doesnt seem to be getting any skinnier either.

 

[In Utopia]

I use bucket traps also, had good luck with them. The record was 11 mice over a 2 week period when I wasn't here.
But about six months ago a cat showed up and I noticed very few mouse droppings around the place. Woke up this morning and here's what she gave me.

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[kckndrgn]

Having a remote hunting cabin we get to only a few times a year, we have the same issue, mice.

Haven't had any mice in the cabin (and shed on the property) when we started using "Fresh Cab"
https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Natura...UTF8&qid=1472642800&sr=8-1&keywords=fresh+cab

It's sold in Tractor Supply stores as well. It's an all natural repellent that works, at least it does for us. We've been using it for almost 2 years now and have not had a single mouse in the cabin. If we don't smell it when we open the door to the cabin it's time for a new bag to be opened. The old, weaker bags go into the shed (smaller area).

 

[Tx Jim]

I use cotton balls with a small amount of peppermint oil on them. Place CB's under hood & cab.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I second the fresh cab product. Very effective, has been around for a long time. And it doesent smell like moth balls.
I have been wanting to try the ultrasonic devices but its on my list for fall indoor storage.

 

[Swampcollie]

Thanks a lot guys. Im going to make bucket traps today and go to tractor supply and see if they have fresh cab

 

[D2Cat]

I think I've seen the Fresh Cab at various tractor dealerships, setting on the counter in a visible position.

 

[scdeerslayer]

If your shed is near woods it's going to be a problem. If there's a buffer between the shed and the woods keep the grass and weeds mowed down.

 

[kckndrgn]

Thanks a lot guys. Im going to make bucket traps today and go to tractor supply and see if they have fresh cab

Just as an FYI, in the 3 stores i frequent the fresh cab is located with the rat/mouse traps and poison, usually on an end cap by the livestock feed.

 

[Swampcollie]

Well, I went north today and spent the day with the tractor. When I left there were 2 packets of fresh cab under the hood, a bucket trap next to a front tire, and a bait station of mouse poison out. We shall see.
Thank you so much for the ideas. This is a great site.

 

[lugbolt]

I have heard of this issue when I was dealing with SxS UTV's and ATV's. Very common, units that sit for a length of time even in a shed or barn, they'd still eat the wires.

Lot of guys gave me good feedback on bucket traps. Also sticky traps. But the most favorable feedback was from guys using dryer sheets. Apparently mice don't like them. So I stuck a few around the shop where I've been seeing brown recluse and widow spiders. Since, I've not seen a single spider anywhere in the shop. Outside I've been seeing a few tarantula's but that's not uncommon this time of year.

I was quizzed out by a guy who has a hobby farm and has two smaller tractors. One is a JD 4310 the other a Kubota L3800. The L3800's wiring was gnawed pretty severely, but we were able to fix it with lots of patience. What was odd was that the JD wiring was not touched that we could see. I asked the JD rep about it and he said that some manufacturers use wiring insulation that has some kind of substance in it that is like peanut butter and mice love to chew on it. He went on to say that JD uses a different kind of wire/insulation. I don't know--just passing that on hoping that maybe someone here smarter than myself might be able to shed some light on it.

 

[Daren Todd]

Lugbolt, I disagree on the JD wiring Half my fleet is JD. In certain states, the rats love them. Just depends on what's around for food. Was working in North Dakota last summer. They weren't having issues with mice and rats chewing the wiring. It was bunny rabbits I asked two of the techs if they had been drinking when they told me that. Thought they were full of it, till I seen one up on it's hind legs, front paws resting on a skid eating a connector for the ecm

 

[In Utopia]

Mice are a pain, but you haven't seen anything until you've dealt with one of these. Some people think pack rats don't exist but I can tell you they do. Had one trying to set up residence in my shop. This is some of the junk he drug under my compressor. Two nights with a peanut butter baited trap got him.

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