Rodents
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Rodents
im putting my Corvette in a garage over winter and I'm very new to this and I have small cats running around so I cant lay traps or use coolant, I'm leaving it in there 3 months tops but I'm just wondering are mice something I should really worry about or will the car be fine? I will lay traps despite the cats if you all think it is an issue but I'd like to avoid putting that risk down if I don't have to. any ideas or advice?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Clifton Park, NY ............Clearwater, FL ... 85 Original Owner
im putting my Corvette in a garage over winter and I'm very new to this and I have small cats running around so I cant lay traps or use coolant, I'm leaving it in there 3 months tops but I'm just wondering are mice something I should really worry about or will the car be fine? I will lay traps despite the cats if you all think it is an issue but I'd like to avoid putting that risk down if I don't have to. any ideas or advice?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2019
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From: Carterville Il
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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From: Long Island
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Joined: Nov 2024
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where would you suggest I spray the lavender? under the car, on the car, around it or just all thee lol? sorry to be a bother this Is my first Vette
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 1,052
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From: Farmington MO
Dryer sheets haven't worked for me. Nor have mothballs. Sometimes mice have used dryer sheets for nest material in my garage/barn. I live in oak/hickory forest. Peppermint oil, Irish Spring soap (shredded), and lavender oil have all worked sort of. Cab Fresh, too But they all lose their effectiveness as the scent dissipates (IME). So if you use those, expect to refresh them periodically. I prefer cats and rodent poison.
Last edited by car addict; Dec 16, 2024 at 02:01 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 142
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From: Central NY State
So my '93 had mice in the interior and under the hood when I got the car. It was stored in a barn. Mice can get through the tiniest of openings, like wire looms in firewall etc etc. But I did find what I think was a highway for them into my car. The cowl screens for the fresh air for the HVAC on mine were torn. I pulled all the old screen material off the plastic frames. I epoxied in a much heavier screen that is pet resistant. Once I did that I noticed the next year I had little to no evidence of mice in my car. I had cleaned out everything under the hood and interior that was evidence of mice, and always use Cab Fresh cedar packs from Tractor supply in the interior and under my hood. I also spent a lot of time plugging up any spots outside my garage where I thought they were getting in. I have a detached two bay garage that is 100 years old. I also use glue traps under the car and near the perimeter of my garage inside in case one or two still get in it. But I don't let our cat out there to get them on their paws.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
I do two things to protect my C4 from mice while it's in storage:
1. Keep the hood open at all times. This seems to keep the mice from chewing on wiring in the engine compartment, the biggest mouse problem.
2. Keep a baited mouse trap (the old snap-type Victor) glued to a 18" x 18" piece of cardboard in the passenger footwell. Check it every other day. The cardboard will keep a caught mouse from carrying the trap away and from peeing on the carpet as he expires.
This has worked for me for over 15 years.
Moth *****, dryer sheets, etc. have not worked for me (plus the moth ***** stink up the car's interior)
Poison is a big no-no; I don't need a mouse dying in some inaccessible space in my Corvette, never to be found but always to be smelled.
Last edited by rocco16; Dec 16, 2024 at 07:43 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
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From: Farmington MO
Giving cats access to your Corvette is asking for trouble. When a cat jumps up on a slick hood or roof, they will leave long scratch marks in the paint. Ask me how I know....
Poison is a big no-no; I don't need a mouse dying in some inaccessible space in my Corvette, never to be found but always to be smelled.
Poison is a big no-no; I don't need a mouse dying in some inaccessible space in my Corvette, never to be found but always to be smelled.
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actually youre wrong, cats do not always have their nails out nor have they ever tried gripping my hood when they slip off, either way who cares if my cats want to lay on the hood to be warm then i let them, as long as they protect it from mice i really could care less, if ur worried about a tiny scratch instead of rodents living inside your car then you got a diff problem
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
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From: Pennsylvania
actually youre wrong, cats do not always have their nails out nor have they ever tried gripping my hood when they slip off, either way who cares if my cats want to lay on the hood to be warm then i let them, as long as they protect it from mice i really could care less, if ur worried about a tiny scratch instead of rodents living inside your car then you got a diff problem
So, when you might ever go to sell the car, explain to the new potential buyers why all the cat scratches are all over the hood. They'll surely understand and ignore them and pay you top dollar for the car, I'm sure,
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,199
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From: NJ
One time, I put dryer sheets in my car with 4 under the hood. The next day I took the cover off to check it and there were little nuts and Holly berries stock piled by mice on the air box and intake manifold as if to say “hey dude these don’t work.” I now lay copious amounts of traps. Specifically, tomcat press n set traps with a pea size amount of tomcat liquid bait. They rarely fail. If a mouse so much as breaths on the trigger pad which surrounds the bait 360 degrees, it is dead. Not so much as a wriggle of life. I have had the bait stolen a few times but it’s far more rare than with other shitty traps. If they steal the bait in one the next one gets them. Just press it back open and the critter comes out in the can or the woods. This action resets the trap as well, no need to touch the critter, and the bait is usually untouched. So it’s ready to go again. I would either let the cats live there or isolate them and set traps.