RATS!!

[bikerdib]

I went out to the weekend place in the woods with the intention to do some tractor work with the B3300 today. First chance I致e had in 5 weeks; work keeps getting in the way. There have been a couple of heavy rain showers since I had the pond dug and some of the fresh dirt eroded; so, I was going to level that back smooth and also cut a ditch to catch and divert the watershed flow into the inlet.

Had the tractor covered with a tarp while it was parked and after removing that, I saw where a rat or two had been homesteading on the tractor. Not good! I turned the key to glowplug for about 5 seconds then tried cranking it. No start after about 5 seconds. Unusual, it usually fires right up. I shut off the key and checked the PTO shifter, yes it was in neutral. Checked the seat safety switches, yes they seem to be working. Tried cranking again. It spun over good but didn稚 even try to fire and no smoke at all from the exhaust. Then I realized I wasn稚 hearing the fuel solenoid clunk into position. Pulled the fuel stop selenoid fuse; it was OK. Ran a wire directly from the battery terminals and touched the wire connections on the solenoid and she clunked like normal. I assume the rats have chewed a wire or two somewhere and power is not being sent to the solenoid. I didn稚 see anywhere under the hood where they had done any damage so I assume they did something inside the dash consol. I came home and made some jumper wires with mini spade connectors so I can hotwire the solenoid directly from the battery to get it going long enough to load it on the trailer and bring it home. It痴 pretty close to time for the first service anyway so I値l probably just take it to the dealer and let them sort it out while they do the service.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

If a barn cat is not in the picture, the local farm store has some nice "candy bars" that taste really good to rats.

 

[bikerdib]

If a barn cat is not in the picture, the local farm store has some nice "candy bars" that taste really good to rats.

That's the plan for the future. This is out in the deep woods so a cat probably wouldn't survive more than a few days. Coyote make snacks out of domesticated cats. I'll just have to find a place to hide the candy bars so the raccoons and squirrels don稚 find it.

 

[missingstexas]

I have some friends that are into air guns and may be interested in "helping" you with your problem....

A little 2Cool help please - 2CoolFishing

Good luck!

 

[Little_Grizzly]

Rats/mice did over $1500 damage to my dad's truck in one weekend! I guess it occurs so often Chevy even has a specific package to handle the repair. They had to yank out the whole dash to replace the harness. Only solution around here is build mouse-proof buildings for things you want to keep. :thumbsup: They love those nice warm engines.

 

[Combustix]

Try a cat rescue shelter and tell them you want barn cats. Keep them in your barn or garage for a week and feed them there, They may get used to you or they won't but the trick is to keep them around. Have had a few run off as Well as lose an occasional cat to predators, and I believe it is only due to the cat fearing nothing. My chesapeakes fear these cats. Have had the last two for about two years now, and they are worth their weight in gold.

 

[Verdemont]

Here in Colorado I've had issues with Marmots in the winter. Same thing, they get hungry enough to eat the wires and hoses under the hood of my old truck.

Tom

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Many Kubotas only ENERGIZE the solenoid to KILL the engine (KEY STOP), some do have 2 circuits for run and kill. Be sure to doulbe check to see if yours is this way. The solenoids only replaced pulling the fuel lever to shut down. If it is not starting, check to see if glow plugs are getting power.

David Kb7uns

 

[big bubba]

unfortunately been there too. rodents do not like to nest in daylight, so keep your hood open if you can under a semi translucent tarp. they also don't like mothball products....i get one of those larger types for urinals and zip tie it somewhere under the hood away from heat, etc. good luck

 

[ultrarunner]

A mouse disabled my 16,000 lb Cat D3 Dozer... TWICE!

Gnawed through an oil line.

 

[big bubba]

ultra: strap in mothball type material, it works!

 

[hill]

My wife has to keep traps loaded in her trunk, glovebox, and air cleaner because of the seemingly continual mouse/rat homesteading in the car. For some reason they don't get into our Subaru wagon or my Dodge truck, but in her Ford there's almost always a surprise waiting. The traps have killed at least 20 of the suckers so far.

They've left the two tractors alone and I leave one of them out hooked up to a chipper like a stationary engine. I had been thinking that maybe they didn't like the smells of diesel, but now I guess I'll need to rethink that one.

Anyway, cats are best if you can figure a way, otherwise traps and poison with poison the last choice because it'd be a lousy thing to poison your dog or some other good guy.

 

[Little_Grizzly]

I wish cats would be an answer. I could keep them well fed. Unfortunately it would only serve to feed the bigger cats (read as: mountain lions) and dogs (read as coyotes) and possibly the birds (read as: eagles and hawks)

 

[jakell2010]

I own a pest control company,,,,,,if you keep it in a barn, put the "candy bars" in tamper proof rat boxes around the entire interior of the barn,,,,if it's outside,,,I would leave it uncovered, and take the rodent bait ( cubes not pellets) which has a small hole In the center , put a 8-12" piece of bailing wire thru the hole and make a ring out of it with 3-6 pieces per ring, you can use that ring to attach it to area inside the tractor where the rodens are active,hang it from fuel lines, or wires,,,,the bait is formulated with grain seconds , so they are apt to take that as opposed to your wires and hoses, just remember to secure it it where it is not going to interfere with something that is moving

Personally I would fet one of those instant sheds or carports from TSC,,,,the above poster is correct in that the rodents don't like being sxpos to predators, so leaving it with the hood open in a well lit area will help. I deal with people classic cars all the time and if you don't use it at least every couple days then your at risk.


If you have a brn then an old milk room is the best rodent resistant area in a barn

Mothballs ( naphthalene ) really doesn't work unless you can keep it in an enclosed environment, it works in the someway that it works on humans , it irritates your nose,,mice are born and die within 15-30 ft of the someplace and survive by knowing their surroundings intimately,,,.

KILL THEM YOU'LL BE BETTER OFF',,,,,,,,TRUST ME





Joe

 

[bikerdib]

Well, I heard from the dealer/shop. $170 worth of damage by the miserable rodents.

It was all inside the steering/gauge console as I suspected; I didn't see anything under the hood. If the tractor hadn't still been under warranty I'd have done the checking myself and saved some money. I just didn't want to have them claim I did the damage if it had turned out to be a warranty issue.

I HAVE to find a way to eliminate them (the rodents, not the dealership LOL). I really hope they are going to like the candy I'm going to buy for them.