Mice question

[scalebowler]

We live near a really large field owned by a construction company and during the winter a mouse or two gets into the garage and I don't want them in my machine. Is there anything I can do to keep them out? I'm really tempted to take it appart and bring it inside the basement when no one is home but I know that would not be a good idea. (was all ready told the machine stays in the garage) Any ideas?

[CoolCat]

A couple of winters ago we had a problem with roof rats due the weather conditions in our area.  Apparently, people all over the area were having similar problems.  They made a complete mess of my garage by leaving droppings EVERYWHERE.  The garage floor was literally covered in it.  I would no sooner get it cleaned up before another load was left overnight.  There's no telling how many of the critters were making there way into my garage to eat the grass seed I hadn't gotten put into the yard that fall.  Unfortunately, I was never able to catch a single one of them, even with the big rat traps, sticky baits, etc.  So, I had to call in my exterminator.  He put down nearly 100 bait packs (the professional stuff) around the garage, crawl space, in the attic, etc.  The only evidence that remained of the rats after he put the baits out was a couple of torn open bait wrappers.  They ate some of the stuff and never made it back into my garage again.  I think that may have been some of the best money I've ever spent.

[collecture]

Yep - any kind of food (seed, etc.), get it sealed and off the floor. We had some mice many years ago in a shed out back that had grass seed in it. I got rid of the seed and put out mouse traps with peanut butter on them - no more mice in about two weeks.

[mznb1u]

I have the same problem with mice.  They squeeze under the door at an expansion joint that runs under the door.  The best way to get them is the mouse trap with peanut butter.  I was getting at least one per night for a while now they seem to be gone.  The problem is always worse in the winter.  The poison baits will work as well.  Placing a box of moth balls under the machine will also help but your garage will stink.

A friend of mine swears by this mouse trap:

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Mouse-Trap

He puts one in his boat before he shrinkwraps it for the winter and says he usually has a couple dozen dead ones by spring.  Makes for an interesting soup! 

The other option would be to go to a shelter and adopt a barn cat to keep in the garage--make sure you don't get Sylvester!

  Tim

[Kilroy]

I've had friends whp claim the sonic rodent repellers do work, though only for a few minths. You plug it in, and it's supposed to emit an inaudible to humans noise that keeps away the vermin.  Seen them im hardware stores, Target, Wallmart, etc, never tried it  so can't say yea or nay

[Cokemachinesandmore]

I had a friend who had grass seed in her garage, she used about 2 boxes of moth balls.  She was told that would keep mice away.  WRONG!  I counted 19 mice and I swear they were having bacci ball tournaments with those moth balls.  My trusty pellet rifle did not fail me. score moth balls 0 pellet rifle + 19

[Chris]

Get a real pissed off cat and put it in the garage!

[CoolCat]

With mice, I've had success using a trap with peanut butter, but with the roof rats we had the peanut butter didn't seem to attract them at all.

[collecture]

With mice, I've had success using a trap with peanut butter, but with the roof rats we had the peanut butter didn't seem to attract them at all.

Did you try 'roofies'? *** joke from the movie "The Hangover" ***    

[CoolCat]

   Maybe I should have thought of that before I called the exterminator!