Mice inside trailer....

[Bob G.]

Well, I'm on my third season with my 2000 Nitro 185 Sport and finally have a problem that needs immediate attention. Mice had taken up residence inside the trailer - probably during the winter months. They managed to chew the wiring in several places on both sides. The only circuit that is affected is the running lights since it is on the outside of the harness. The ground wire is on the other side. The fuse (under the hood of truck) for this circuit has blown a few times and I finally got around to troubleshooting the problem. Also found a few places where the wires rubbed the trailer holes (no grommets).



Anyways, I replaced the harness on the left side today. I plan on replacing the right side tomorrow when I get back from fishing - turn signals and brake lights work. I think I will rewire the trailer during the offseason with the harnesses on the outside of the trailer. It will also make it easier to make a visual inspection.



Oh yea, I HATE MICE!!!



Bob G.

 

[Bob G.]

I read about the spearmint oil a while back. I started using it in my compartments. I didn't know the mice were getting inside of the boxed frame and setting up shop!!



Bob G.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Bob,



I used to own a pest control business and can't vouch for the spearmint oil cure (seems to me that if they were persistant you would just have mice with fresh breath)but I have a couple of options that have worked for me.



1. Mothballs. Throw some around the base of the trailer when it goes into storage and drop some in the channels of your trailer. They REALLY don't like the smell and taste of them. Of course if you drop the trailer in the water, you'll have to re-treat. Also, I wouldn't suggest doing either of these treatments on the interior or boxes.



2. Crunched up urnal blocks. Same deal, same application. Just don't go around to all of your local restaurants fishin the big breath mints out of the urnals. Find the co. that provides the service, buy some, put them in a towel and bust them up with a hammer. Also works great for snakes and moles. With either one of these you can also put it around your house and no more bugs (ants, spiders, etc.)



Best way is to get them out of your storage area before you put your boat in (poison bait etc.). It's easy if you know what you're doing. I've cleaned out some feeder pig confinements that had rats as big as cats.



TOXIC (another reason that if the name fits use it)

 

[Staci Matheis]

Bob -



The wiring was just one of many of many beefs I had about the trailer for my old 180. That square tube design may be strong but it's a lousy place to run wires.....



I went to Home Depot and bought some platic wire channeling that you use to run wires up the outside of the interior walls of your house - the kind with adhesive on the side so it can be stuck to the walls. I ran this on the outside of the frame rails, on the side that faced in, and ran all the wiring through it.



Cured all my lighting problems!



me!

 

[Barry Loos]

The humane way to handle the mice is ask them not to come back. If they do, then catch one and eat it while the others watch. That will scare all of them away (...hhhhmmmm or is that for roaches). Oh well fear is a good motivator.



Bear

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Use 'em as bait! A good way to eliminate mice is to take a 5 gallon pail, fill it half way with water, just above the water line put a rim of peanut butter. Then put the bucket somewhere high traffic for mice, like near your trailer, and then run a stick from the trailer onto the the rim of the pail. They will jump in for the PB and drown. We have caught up to 15 mice in one set in a few days at our camp. You do have to tend to it regularly in the summer due to the smell. But just go dump the buggers in the ditch or woods, and reset it. You will reduce your mouse population fast. It evenm works on red squirrels but for some reason not chipmunks. Good luck Bob, also watch your engine. They have been known to get up under the cowling and make nests. Be sure to look under the hood of your truck as well. Last year I had a PILE of dog food in around my air filter. That's right, the truck I drive EVERY day. They would wait until it cooled down at night and carry the dog food, one kibble at a time from my back porch up into the breathing plentum. Go figure. There had to be 4 cups of food packed in there. Lucky I didn't catch the block on fire.

 

[Tom Mann]

Hmmmmmmm.........Good Idea Bear!

I'll try that come November.

T

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Yeah, but you keep getting the fur stuck in your teeth, and they leave you feeling not so full, like Chinese food!

 

[Marke Cicero]

My buddy Mike stored his boat at my house last winter and got to see first hand what mice can do under the cowling of a motor. The built nests in his carbs and chewed every wire in there. He had to have the whole motor rewired. After that I just crossed my fingers and pulled my cowling... WHEW!!! My motor was fine. This year I plan on using some moth balls.



Marke

 

[Tom Mann]

I've seen where some guys have made cylinders out of roof flashing sheet metal and placed it around the wheels and jack to keep them out when they put up for the winter. Seems to work and it's pretty easy to work with.

T

 

[Bob G.]

I have been using mothballs by the pound in the boat and on the ground on the inside perimeter of the portable garage. This year is the first time a mouse got in the boat and had little ones. I got rid of the babies, but the mother kept coming back, even with mothballs all over the place - this happened after the boating season started. I finally had to catch her with a trap in the boat. I think the ones in the trailer come in during winter and chew away.



Bob G.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

When they are that determined, there's nothing you can do but kill em' or catch em', I've seen determined rats chew through concrete. Treating a grain elevator one time I had a rat run up my pantsleg----not fun. My pants came off faster than a chiffon party dress on prom night. Gave the gys working at the elevator a good laugh.



TOXIC

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Ask my wife about my battle against the rats in my wood pile. It was me, my two dogs, a BIG stick against about 14 or 15 sewer rats that came up from the city when they ran the sewer line into our neighborhood! This ole farmboy don't let nobody stay for free, especially not no stinkin rats! Neighbors thought I had gone round the bend! I was grabbing them by the tails (had leather work gloves on) and well.....it wurnt purty! They was recycled! Even got a couple with the lawn mower/mulcher LOL. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it PETA!

 

[Tom Mann]

so would that be considered e-RAT-tication?

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I've tried to smoke rats when I ran out of cigars. I couldn't decide which end to light. We did the same thing on the farm when we emptied the corn cribs. Rats would jump as the grain came out. Great batting practice. You know they EAT them in Asia---



TOXIC

 

[Mike Levesque]

Learned a bit today, looks like I'll be getting some mothballs for storage this winter, along with some traps... haven't had a rodent problem with the trailer or motor yet but this is our first season, however, more so in winter months, I'm constantly finding half eaten apples, pieces of bread, pieces of fruit, etc, on top of my battery under the hood on our Chev. Van..... (I'm thinking squirrels? pieces are too big I think for mice to carry? We're talking half of an apple, or dinner rolls, etc. LOL)

 

[Robert Spradley]

WAIT!!!!! You need to check with PETA to find out 1) if it is ok to kill them, and 2) If it is, which is the correct way so they won't suffer. Robert