Mice like my Kubota

[RobA]

I keep my tractor in a barn on our acreage that I only get to once a week. The past few times I have gone there I've found a mouse nest under the hood on top of the fuel tank. I keep cleaning it out but they keep building new nests. Any ideas how to stop/discourage this? We're not moving there for 2-3 years and it's too soon for barn cats and poison would probably only make room for the next mouse.

 

[bigdad]

Rob,

Mothball or flakes. Take em out when you use the tractor. I keep them in the toe of a nylon stocking or sock.

 

[hayden]

I did the mothball trick and it worked great.

 

[garth466]

You don't want those things getting into your wiring. I had my truck under a car port last year and hadn't driven it for abaout a month. I went out to the truck to get something out and when I opened the door, the wipers started going at full speed. I didn't even have the keys with me.

Anyway, eveything was a mess and I had to have a whole new something or other put in (can't just rewire these new trucks). My firewall was trashed, but I left that alone for now. I didn't notice that my reverse lights didn't work until about 6 months later and I'm sure it is from the same rodents.

 

[machmeter62]

I keep my tractor in a barn on our acreage that I only get to once a week. The past few times I have gone there I've found a mouse nest under the hood on top of the fuel tank. I keep cleaning it out but they keep building new nests. Any ideas how to stop/discourage this? We're not moving there for 2-3 years and it's too soon for barn cats and poison would probably only make room for the next mouse.

I had the same problem with my JD; but they ate the wiring insulation off also. These were rats that built nests with the fallen persimmon leaves. I used large (the size of peas) green rat/mice bait and laid it on the engine manifold. This green bait is usually at country farming type stores.

 

[leeinmemphis]

Try putting dryer sheets in areas that they are messing with.l Boaters have put dryer sheets in storage compartments and that has helped keep mice out. hth.

 

[varmint]

We have the same mouse problems. Another solution, which will work for some folks if they have the right storage situation, is simply to leave the hood open- the rodents seem to prefer closed, dark spaces. Like under truck and car hoods. Worse case so far was a mouse that built a nest under the cooling air shroud of my Kohler engined riding mower. bummer.

 

[RobA]

Thanks. Sounds like good advice. Easy too. I'll put some mothballs in an old stocking and leave it on the fuel tank with the hood up. I'm sure the mice will be persistent with colder weather coming.

leeinmemphis: dryer sheets? Interesting. I would think that they would love to use them in their nests. I wonder why that works. The fragrance?

 

[FrogLick]

Lovely Mrs. has been putting corn out for the deer over by the stable. Wife says, "Did you see that cute mouse living in the stable?" I says, "Yes I did, I see him running out from under the tractor when I start it up." So I'm checking the fluid levels one day and decide to make sure the air filter is clean too. Nice stash of corn put away for the winter in the filter housing; evidently the air intake makes a good mouse hole. Never underestimate the resourcefulness of a mouse. Mouse "disappeared".

 

[Texas Dodge]

I keep my tractor in a barn on our acreage that I only get to once a week. The past few times I have gone there I've found a mouse nest under the hood on top of the fuel tank. I keep cleaning it out but they keep building new nests. Any ideas how to stop/discourage this? We're not moving there for 2-3 years and it's too soon for barn cats and poison would probably only make room for the next mouse.

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