[LoyaltyCIO]

Usually I leave one mouse trap on the shelf that goes across the hood of my Spider and I catch two, maybe three mice a year. A couple of months ago my son-in-law asked me some questions about the engine in his 2019 WRX-STI, which had been parked outside in his driveway for about a month as he has been working from home and using my daughters car from time to time. We opened the hood and there was a mouse house in the nooks and crannies that took some time to take out. So as my Spider is sleeping under a car cover inside my garage for the winter I went into a little panic and installed three mouse traps instead of one. The first is once again on the back shelf. The second is on the floor against the wall in front of the car and the third is against the wall near the garage door. Long story but my question is - Is it better to install traps away from the car and hope to get them as they scurry against the wall, as I have done it, or is it better to put the traps near or even under the car to get any rodent before they move in? Thanks, Mike

Mouse traps are good assuming you check the traps often and don't let the dead victims stink up the place. I've always used these Rodent Repellent (balsam fir oil infused sawdust pouches) in my vehicles stored in the barn over winter with good results. They don't leave an offensive odor to humans, but fortunately mice think it stinks to them. https://amzn.to/2WO3PvZ

 

[AAlfa]

What about a non-lethal trap, such as Victor® TIN CAT® Mouse Trap | A Non-Lethal Mouse Trap Solution
and releasing the mice into a similarly warm, safe environment, like a neighbor's garage?

 

[330.gtc]

What about a non-lethal trap, such as Victor® TIN CAT® Mouse Trap | A Non-Lethal Mouse Trap Solution
and releasing the mice into a similarly warm, safe environment, like a neighbor's garage?

AAlfa, you are wicked!

 

[felixvg]

NPR radio had a contest a few years back for the best mouse repellent and the winner was fox urine, very cheap on the internet, and a few drops on tires or by the garage doors, has worked great for me. Fox is natural enemy of mice and one wiff and they split. Always look to nature first!

 

[pantera928]

What about a non-lethal trap, such as Victor® TIN CAT® Mouse Trap | A Non-Lethal Mouse Trap Solution
and releasing the mice into a similarly warm, safe environment, like a neighbor's garage?

I love it!

 

[pantera928]

NPR radio had a contest a few years back for the best mouse repellent and the winner was fox urine, very cheap on the internet, and a few drops on tires or by the garage doors, has worked great for me. Fox is natural enemy of mice and one wiff and they split. Always look to nature first!

So how do you catch the fox and get him to pee in a cup?

 

[AAlfa]

So how do you catch the fox and get him to pee in a cup?

I imagine said urine comes from foxes on fox farms, that are probably catheterized. That can't be a fun job -- fox urine collector. Fundamentally, though, mice, like all warm-blooded creatures, need shelter during the winter months, at least in areas that have seasonal temperature swings. Those who are opposed to traps that kill or maim can, I think, quite easily create a habitat for garage mice that is preferable to the air ducts of a car. A woodpile, for one, is full of attractive, mouse-sized nooks and crannies.

 

[AAlfa]

NPR radio had a contest a few years back for the best mouse repellent and the winner was fox urine, very cheap on the internet, and a few drops on tires or by the garage doors, has worked great for me. Fox is natural enemy of mice and one wiff and they split. Always look to nature first!

How often to you have to re-urine your garage?

 

[pantera928]

I imagine said urine comes from foxes on fox farms, that are probably catheterized. That can't be a fun job -- fox urine collector. Fundamentally, though, mice, like all warm-blooded creatures, need shelter during the winter months, at least in areas that have seasonal temperature swings. Those who are opposed to traps that kill or maim can, I think, quite easily create a habitat for garage mice that is preferable to the air ducts of a car. A woodpile, for one, is full of attractive, mouse-sized nooks and crannies.

Totally said in jest. Mice seem to like to build nests in the valleys of DOHC 4 cylinder cars like Fiats and Alfas

 

[factotum]

A few years ago, I opened the hood on my 89 QV to find that a mouse had built a nest in between the valve covers, and had chewed through my very expensive spark plug wires. After cleaning up the mess and buying new plug wires, I set up a mouse trap that works flawlessly and take little maintenance. It takes a 5-gallon bucket, empty plastic drink bottle with cap, and a straightened coat hanger wire. You can see how to easily build one on YouTube. I put about 3 inches of water into the bucket and baited the drink bottle with peanut butter. So that the mice could get to the drink bottle easily, I place a nice plank for them to scurry up to the bucket rim. The next day, there were 4 dead mice floating in the bucket. I dumped them out, refilled the bucket with some fresh water, and set it back near the garage wall. I caught a few more and finally exterminated the mice completely. The beauty of this trap is that it is self-tending, safe for pets, and can be ignored for weeks at a time. No dead mice smell either.

 

[spiderserie4]

The next day, there were 4 dead mice floating in the bucket .....The beauty of this trap is that it is.....safe for pets.....

Uhhm
as a young boy I had several pet mice...

 

[pantera928]

Uhhm
as a young boy I had several pet mice...

Me too!

 

[factotum]

The ones that I caught were field mice because we lived in the country. The water is optional. Once inside, the mice cannot get back out. I turned the dry ones lose back out in the field. In the country, there are an abundance of predators.

 

[pantera928]

I checked and this year see no sign of mice. Not sure why.

 

[msiert]

Conner bait stations with the hard square bait. I put two bait stations in my 500 sf shop. If you get lucky they die out in the open, otherwise the smell causes a search and disposal.

Key is to really look for their entry points and plug them.

 

[bianchi2]

Usually I leave one mouse trap on the shelf that goes across the hood of my Spider and I catch two, maybe three mice a year. A couple of months ago my son-in-law asked me some questions about the engine in his 2019 WRX-STI, which had been parked outside in his driveway for about a month as he has been working from home and using my daughters car from time to time. We opened the hood and there was a mouse house in the nooks and crannies that took some time to take out. So as my Spider is sleeping under a car cover inside my garage for the winter I went into a little panic and installed three mouse traps instead of one. The first is once again on the back shelf. The second is on the floor against the wall in front of the car and the third is against the wall near the garage door. Long story but my question is - Is it better to install traps away from the car and hope to get them as they scurry against the wall, as I have done it, or is it better to put the traps near or even under the car to get any rodent before they move in? Thanks, Mike

5 gallon bucket,,2 gallons of water.. a ramp to the top of the bucket,, heat up the bucket lid, to form a cone( cone points into the bucket) put lid on bucket hang something they like above the bucket, thet will wak up the ramp to get to the taseties, sip into the cone, then into the water, no escape ( add small sharks for extra points )

 

[factotum]

I love the bit about the sharks. I think that the pet store sells them.

 

[AAlfa]

I checked and this year see no sign of mice. Not sure why.
View attachment 1666009

Brilliant...

 

[AAlfa]

5 gallon bucket,,2 gallons of water.. a ramp to the top of the bucket,, heat up the bucket lid, to form a cone( cone points into the bucket) put lid on bucket hang something they like above the bucket, thet will wak up the ramp to get to the taseties, sip into the cone, then into the water, no escape ( add small sharks for extra points )

Me too!

I second (third) that thought. For rodent lovers, this is a difficult conversation to read.

 

[Riverman]

I have more cars than garage space too. My mgb gt has existed under a cover in the driveway for several years. When I first found mouse turds in the engine bay, I bought a compact LED strobe light called Rid-a-Rat (available on Amazon.) It's the size of a pack cigarettes and runs on AA batterie. It attaches to the firewall with a built in magnet and the continuous flashing seems to spook the mice and they stay out. Make sure you clean out the poop or nesting material anywhere you find it using Clorox wipes or better yet with a steamer to wash away the mouse urine / pheromones that attracts them back "home." Cut up bars if Irish Spring deodorant soap can also make your car highly unattractive to them. 3/4 inch size bits of this soap are very pungent and longer lasting than dryer sheets. Put them into potpourri mesh pouches (ask your wife!) and stash them under seats, dash, engine compartment, etc. Also don't neglect your classic car and drive it as often as you can.
I live in a wooded area and exterminating all the rodents in the neighborhood was just not pheasible. I have had luck with this so far.