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Rats in Engine Bay, Mice in Cab

7K views 45 replies 22 participants last post by  Loud Pedal 
#1 ·
The Truck has been parked for a bit needing repairs, but also sees little use.

Rats like the engine bay, and i can kill them in there but any proven ideas as to what would keep them from wanting to move in in the first place?

Also, smaller mice have found their way into the dash vents. i pulled out the blower fan so that perhaps no mice would die in the ducts and cause a real hard to reach problem, and i can kill them with traps inside the truck, but my question in this area is similar to the question above...

Where are the mice getting into the ductwork system and does anyone have experience / solutions with this problem?

95 dodge 2500 extra cab longbed, pretty much stock.

Picture Most Definitely Related

Thanks in advance.
 

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#4 ·
#6 ·
Inside the cab or in the bay? Research indicates mothballs are very flammable (not good under the hood) and toxic if the mouse inside the cab eats them, thus dead mouse scented air stinkener. has this worked for you?

I appreciate the answer, just trying to fix a problem without makin another...
 
#7 ·
I have an owl around that eats some mice and maybe a rat or two. Neighbors tell me a cat lasts a few weeks around here and then.... here kittyy kittyy, here kittykitty, where is kitty...?


I Appreciate your answer. Looking for a good long term answer that maybe doesn't involve sacrificing cats to the Cummins god by way of Owl.
 
#12 ·
Buy rodent bait in 5 gallon buckets - blocks are easiest to work with.

Put it in the center of a pvc pipe (to keep it from your dogs, etc), Pipe size depends upon the rodents you are after, make it cozy for them. Put these around the inside and outside walls of your structure.

The mothballs can be strewn under the truck. No need to put them in the truck. They do help a lot.

The rodents eat wiring like it was candy. Good luck.
 
#14 ·
I had mice get into one of my stored cars over winter. I made a mouse motel...I got a larger cardboard box that fit under the car and I made a divider in the box so there were 2 chambers, with a 2" hole connecting them and filled one side with newspaper. I then put a bowl of antifreeze in the side with no newspaper. I sealed the box up except for a 2" hole i cut going into the side with the antifreeze and then covered it all with an old blanket. I threw a handful of cat food into the opening. After a couple months i started working on that car again..no mice inside it..10 dead in the box.

It's not the most humane way, but it works. I usually keep a deep pan of it in the corner of the garage..pull the dead ones out when i see them
 
#15 ·
When out hunting we put Coyote urine around the fender wells and engine compartment. Can get it at any Sporting goods/hunting store. It is not really that offensive but I would not put it in the cab. Our experience is that they get in from the engine well/compartment.
Eating the wiring is a real concern. It seems, some time ago, that they started making the insulating cover out of a wheat/grain by-product so the varm's are attracted to the wiring. They have about eaten all of the red/positive battery terminal rubber covering on both of my batteries in my Excursion. One of my hunting partners had to have his rig towed out because of a short caused by them eating the insulating wiring cover.
This would be my main concern.
However since the Coyote urine is in use we don't see any more problems. I use it around the place too.
Just a thought.
 
#16 ·
Keep some cats around. Cats are a dime a dozen, they usually last a month or two here then go thru the engine fan(no more cats) Don't get to attached to the cats, we don't even names ours anymore. Do not overfeed the cats either, they will eat the mice and rats. Leave your hoods open, and start the engine every couple days, Good Luck
 
#19 ·
It's sad to think that some people are bored enough to turn to cummins forum for entertainment...but then I read threads like this. I don't want to sound insensitive, but this is hilarious. Can always count on the cummins community for a good laugh.
 
#22 ·
Hunting camp. We take a 5 gallon bucket, or large can. Put a ramp up to the rim - a stick - with a little PB on it just for smell, a little peanut butter around the rim of the bucket, then go down about 3-5" and put a skim of PB in a band all the way around the bucket. The mice reach down for the PB and fall into the water (without water they can jump back out). Some years we catch more than a dozen a night. Often 50 or 60 in the cook tent over a 7 to 10 day hunt.

So you really do not need any moving parts at all.
 
#25 ·
Thank you. The Sawzall blade just happened to be in the picture because I used it to flip the rat carcass over. However, I sent the same picture to a friend. He suggested that I shoot the carcass from 100 yards with one of my Mosin Nagant 7.62x54r rifles. I did. I might post the pic if I can find it, but it's probably a little gory for a truck thread....
 
#31 ·
I watched the video. Tight.

Things could get very bad for the rodents around here soon. Poisoned Bait tunnels. All-You-Can-Drink Antifreeze bars open all night, peanut butter scented bucket swimming pools without stairs, and night vision equipped pellet gun snipers. Damn.

Mothballs under the truck and mothballs in the tire treads too. Dryer sheets in the cab.

Been saving up to add this to the pellet gun / any rifle:

http://www.opticsplanet.com/armasight-vampire-3x-night-vision-rifle-scope-3x-core-iit-60-70-lp-mm.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=PLA&utm_term={keyword}&utm_campaign={OrderItemID}
 
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