So my poor vette had to sit under it's cover for a bit over a month due to local fires, had to evacuate for a bit, then wait for all the ash laden smoke to dissipate before uncovering it. Anyways, as I was moving some junk around in the interior, just behind the passenger seat, I noticed a bit of insulation pulled out from the corner. I then see a few small mouse droppings in the hatch area, and some along the top sides along the hatch. Terrific.

Does anyone know how the heck the little bastards could even get inside?! I really don't want to rip put the whole interior, I'd rather start with some more pinpoint checks first.

 

You'll probably drive yourself batty before you find their "in" spot. Them fkers can squeeze through a hole small as a mosquito's rectum. Start by checking all your weather stripping.

 

Weatherstriping is all pretty new, not quite a year old now. I'll double check to be sure they aren't squeezing in though. Don't know why they would, there's nothing to attract them in there. Luckily it looks like just one hung around briefly then split, not enough to indicate any moved in, unless they're somewhere I can't see. Normally they stick to under the hood, and even airboxes on my other cars.

 

Tip: Next time put a some dryer sheets inside and around the outside before the cover. They don't like those.

 

Old wives tale that has never been effective. A search here will reveal several posts where the claimed "put this or that" has been ineffective. I can't comment on the electronic deterrents but if a mouse has no problem sleeping and eating while smelling its own **** and ****, all the magic smells are a waste of time. Only exception may be if they smell cat.

 

Dryer sheets = lore.

The cat works. Decon works too.

 

They seem to get in through hvac systems, amd bed in the cabin filter, ducts etc. Recently had to have my entire HVAC system in my truck taken apart and cleaned, comprehensive insurance saved that bill.

Left the 88 outside one night, next morning there were chunks taken out of the air dam where they chewed on it.

Yeah I bought a box of bounce sheets, who knows..lol. I hear those electronic things do work...plus cats.
Been trying to lure one of the neighborhood ferals to camp out, no luck yet.

Cars that sit around are prone to it.

 

Get a couple of those sticky mats and put one on the engine and another in the hatch. They work great.

 

Years ago I had a 280Z and found every piece of paper in the glovebox shredded for bedding. Couldn't figure out how they got in. Then on day a found a crack in the lower (rubber) shift boot. Figured they went through the console to the glove box.

As to mice sleeping where they **** I learned that they really don't. I was working with a piano repairman to motorize an old player and he showed me how mice will actually compartmentalize their space. Under a keyboard there are three sections. They gnaw through one end and that becomes the bathroom, next section you'll find skeletons, last section they sleep. He had been in the business for decades and said it's always the same when he gets one that's been stored.

Just bringing this up as there may be another place that needs cleaning.

As far as deterring them, peppermint oil has worked for me. We have owned numerous RVs over the years. Since we keep the pantry stocked, mice are a concern. Once we had them in the RV and used snap traps to get them. After that someone suggested peppermint oil and we have put small dishes of it out during storage, never had another mouse.

 

Animals smell and react to things differently, including humans. Cats can't stand cinnamon, for example.
*shrug*

 

Do these pads glue their cheeks together first so that they can't chew anything before they are caught? I think everyone's goal is to STOP them from even entering.

 

I guess I'll have to get busy this weekend and find the entry point.

I'll have to set traps around the cars again, but even that is not 100% effective. I just need to find their entry point and seal it before it turns into an unwinnable battle to keep them out. I do like the sticky traps idea though, I forgot about those. Also, I think peppermint oils and the like is one of the few things that actually works. Look up Shawn Woods on youtube, he's tested nearly every trap and repellent out there.

 

Correct, but they'll work to trap any that are still hiding around in the car somewhere.

 

Couldnt figure out how they got in the HVAC system with those screens on there.

Get a cat, leave it outide or let it roam in the garage that will do it. Cover the car so the dont scratch it.

 

No garage at my place, car lives outside.

I looked around the car a bit at break time at work, and didn't see anything obvious. I did see where a mouse climbed and/or slid down the accelerator pedal arm, so maybe it got in through the firewall on that side. The pedal and arm are dirty, so the paw prints and other marks stand out. Didn't feel like contorting to get all the way under there to see above the pedal, so I'll take a closer look once I'm home.

 

Only entry point I can think of might be the antenna cable feed-through hole.

 

They'll chew through grommets, bushings, plugs, ducts, cowl plenum drain tubes, and anything else they can get their teeth around that isn't harder than their teeth. Point of entry is largely irrelevant.

The goal is to eliminate them immediately, and in the future to eliminate them before they get near the vehicle. Sticky traps work great. Snap traps are also effective if used wisely.

If bait is required, they can't resist peanut butter.

Live well,

SJW

 

Just to add:

Tomcat and One Bite (Walmart or Farm supply stores is where I get mine in gallon buckets). Spread it along the periphery of the storage area. And, in winter, I put a cube or two under the seats....AND right about NOW is the time to start spreading the stuff around too!

 

Any part or their body that touches the pad gets stuck. There is also a poison on it as well. I don't think you can ever stop them climbing under the hood.

 

That's nearly impossible. Again, I live in forest mountains, there is no getting rid of them for good, there is an unlimited supply. I've deployed nearly all means of rodent control, and there's always mice and rats that avoid everything from poison to every type of trap out there. I still trap, but it's really just to keep the buggers to a minimum. Having them chew through something to get into a vehicle is not common, it's a first for me, and even people that have spent their whole lives there have never had it happen. Thankfully, there is no further evidence of intrusion, I think a young mouse just got in, had a romp around, then split.

If I find the spot and seal it, that should keep them out for good. By leaving the entry point open, I can say with 100% certainty, more will enter the vehicle that otherwise wouldn't have.

Paul : I prefer to avoid poison, for a few reasons. One, the dead rodents likely will be eaten by other animals, and then they will die. If that happens to be a raccoon, or other rodents, I'm a-ok with that, but not the other animals that could end up eating the buggers. Second, some of them will inevitably die under the house, or in the walls, and stink for quite some time. I'd very much like to avoid that, lmao!