Mice anyone?

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 4:12 am

I took my motorcycles off the road right after the lock downs started. It's been a ongoing battle between me and the mice looking for a good home. I've been using moth balls and it seems to work better than nothing but every now and then I get a surprise during a CBF Bedcheck.

This week I found they are taking the green poison bait and eating it on my engine crankcase..... right next to the moth balls!!! Sigh Confused

In Sept I saw holes in my bike cover. Upon removing the seat for inspection I found a ton of shop wall insulation and a family of 6.

I'm sure I'm not the only one so speak up, how are you dealing with critters wanting your bike for a condo?

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 5:09 am

Irish Spring soap. They supposedly dislike the smell? Ah hell, nevermind, Myth Busted.

How about, get a cat, don't over feed it so it will hunt, and let it hang out in the garage a bit.

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 12:35 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SIlYiiCGLI

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:00 pm

Use the bucket method and RV antifreeze in the winter. Use Google to view videos on how to construct. Never store any food of any kind in the same building as your bikes.

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:28 pm

I place those ultrasonic thingies everywhere, garage, barn, basement, attic spaces etc. and have little to no mice problems. They really do work. Then I put an odd trap out here and there just as a double check.

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 5:51 pm

Ugh. When I bought my ST1100 a few years ago, it had been sitting for a while in a heated garage. Started periodically. I rode it home from the sellers house. It didn’t have quite the grunt I expected but figured it was because it wasn’t ridden.
Once I got it home and did a closer inspection, I could see fibres of insulation sitting under the air box at the front of the engine. I can’t believe how much of the stuff I pulled out. It was totally blocking the air intake to the air filter. The good news was that bike sprang to life after the next start!

I’ve got mouse bait boxes all over the garage, and mothballs at the base of my bikes. Only thing I can suggest is to get the good bait from a licensed pest control service. It works. I don’t think the Home Depot stuff is as effective.
The pipe into the bucket filled with coolant works too.

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 6:45 pm

swiftnick wrote:

I place those ultrasonic thingies everywhere, garage, barn, basement, attic spaces etc. and have little to no mice problems. They really do work. Then I put an odd trap out here and there just as a double check.

The problem with those things are that I hear them! Drives me nuts!

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:06 pm

Do you live out in the country? We’re on some land out in the boonies where I live and it’s always a battle with the mice. My girl has a Prius and I guess the Prius has a few wires that have a soy based covering ( go figure ) and the mice would have a field day if the car sat for more than a few days. Had to go back and block all the vents and passage ways with hardware cloth.

Only I can think of that worked trapping them was the sticky traps and the ones that electrocute them. Arbe there’s something you can surround your bike with to deter them as well.

Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 7:15 pm

BlueThunder wrote:

swiftnick wrote:

I place those ultrasonic thingies everywhere, garage, barn, basement, attic spaces etc. and have little to no mice problems. They really do work. Then I put an odd trap out here and there just as a double check.

The problem with those things are that I hear them! Drives me nuts!

Blue - Nothing an aluminum foil head wrap won't fix! LOL

I use the bucket/roller/peanut butter. Got 7 of the pesky buggars so far this season.

Steve

Hawk Joined: Jan 15, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: Plymouth

Old fashion mothballs work for me purchase at the hardwear store

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:01 am

SteveG wrote:

BlueThunder wrote:

swiftnick wrote:

I place those ultrasonic thingies everywhere, garage, barn, basement, attic spaces etc. and have little to no mice problems. They really do work. Then I put an odd trap out here and there just as a double check.

The problem with those things are that I hear them! Drives me nuts!

Blue - Nothing an aluminum foil head wrap won't fix! LOL

I use the bucket/roller/peanut butter. Got 7 of the pesky buggars so far this season.

Steve

?

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2021 5:02 am

BlueThunder wrote:

swiftnick wrote:

I place those ultrasonic thingies everywhere, garage, barn, basement, attic spaces etc. and have little to no mice problems. They really do work. Then I put an odd trap out here and there just as a double check.

The problem with those things are that I hear them! Drives me nuts!

Wife bought some. I thought I was developing Tinnitus. Shocked

However she did
say something about me becoming a packrat Confused

Red CB1100F Joined: Jul 19, 2010 Posts: 6036 Location: Ct

I had mice packing my yoshi with nuts at the old house. None at the new house. The simplest solution I’ve had for mice is just set out a bunch of traps. Every day fewer and fewer are full until none. Less than a week. And then just keep em set out Cool

Oh, and use peanut butter. Works great Very Happy

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2021 3:20 pm

We have a 67 Impala SS and a motorhome. Forget Irish Spring the mice actually eat the soap .... hope they get the trotts .... at least the clothes smell nice in the spring. Bucket and diving board great as well as mousetraps with P.B.

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2021 3:50 pm

Mice?

Watch this maniacs channel........

https://youtu.be/6SIlYiiCGLI

It’s Fascinating ......he does tests on all kinds of crazy traps for effectiveness

Sometimes he actually keeps the mice for pets...

I guess you can tell I’m retired...lol...

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2021 6:19 pm

After watching a few of those Shawn Woods videos I made one of his traps and it worked great first night out.

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2021 9:31 pm

Fitter wrote:

After watching a few of those Shawn Woods videos I made one of his traps and it worked great first night out.

I'd seen other videos from him with the buckets and such but after seeing your post went looking, found and watched that video, good one!

https://youtu.be/LrgiTI3pC7M

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 3:16 pm

What about a really simple solution.
Get a M.A.R.C. (Mobile Autonomous Rodent Catcher).

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:33 pm

thx113 wrote:

What about a really simple solution.
Get a M.A.R.C. (Mobile Autonomous Rodent Catcher).

I hear good things about them and not good as well. My understanding is that while they are efficient they do require hazmat waste receptacles that need daily attention and when their efficiency slows down or becomes nil they need to be shipped off site for costly examination and repair.

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:38 pm

Fitter wrote:

thx113 wrote:

What about a really simple solution.
Get a M.A.R.C. (Mobile Autonomous Rodent Catcher).

I hear good things about them and not good as well. My understanding is that while they are efficient they do require hazmat waste receptacles that need daily attention and when their efficiency slows down or becomes nil they need to be shipped off site for costly examination and repair.

That's a fairly accurate summary of a MARC. However nothing is as efficient at hunting down rodents.

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:07 pm

thx113 wrote:

Fitter wrote:

thx113 wrote:

What about a really simple solution.
Get a M.A.R.C. (Mobile Autonomous Rodent Catcher).

I hear good things about them and not good as well. My understanding is that while they are efficient they do require hazmat waste receptacles that need daily attention and when their efficiency slows down or becomes nil they need to be shipped off site for costly examination and repair.

That's a fairly accurate summary of a MARC. However nothing is as efficient at hunting down rodents.

As the "owner" of a MARC, you'll run the risk of becoming STAFF (Support To Another Fussy Feline...)

Nice job, 3 victories in one night is an excellent result!

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:50 pm

thx113 wrote:

Fitter wrote:

thx113 wrote:

What about a really simple solution.
Get a M.A.R.C. (Mobile Autonomous Rodent Catcher).

I hear good things about them and not good as well. My understanding is that while they are efficient they do require hazmat waste receptacles that need daily attention and when their efficiency slows down or becomes nil they need to be shipped off site for costly examination and repair.

That's a fairly accurate summary of a MARC. However nothing is as efficient at hunting down rodents.

My MARC catches all sort of critters, usually for catch, play, and release.....