Pesky Rodents

[Lionhead]

Had a load of warnings come up on my Raptor and it turns out that some rodents have had some fun with the wiring, not the end of the world and a relatively affordable fix, but I also have a 3-series Touring, M2 and a Vantage to worry about, and they would all be far more expensive to fix I suspect!

I’m surprised I’ve not had this problem before as I live in the countryside and don’t have any garaging (fighting with planning officers currently), but there do seem to be a lot more mice around this year.

My wife and I use all the cars throughout the year depending on what we’re doing, but as Inwork from home and my wife tends to favour the M2 the others can go several days without being used. Any tips on rodent damage prevention?

I’ve put some rodent repellent spray on the tyres but not sure how long that is effective for, and whether or not there might be a better option?

[dudleybloke]

Grandpa Gus mouse repellent seems to work.

https://youtu.be/IamADzLoE6I?feature=shared

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grandpa-Guss-Mouse-Repell...

The bloke in the video has tried most repellants and found this one works.

[Lionhead]

dudleybloke said:

Grandpa Gus mouse repellent seems to work.

https://youtu.be/IamADzLoE6I?feature=shared

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grandpa-Guss-Mouse-Repell...

The bloke in the video has tried most repellants and found this one works.

Thanks, will give it a go. Fingers crossed!

[Simpo Two]

Failing to find an Aston Martin Raptor using google; do you mean a Rapide?

[Lionhead]

Simpo Two said:

Failing to find an Aston Martin Raptor using google; do you mean a Rapide?

Nope, it’s my Ford Raptor that has been chewed. But the car I’m most worried about getting chewed and want to protect is my Aston Vantage which is parked next to the Raptor!

[Bournemouthboy]

The sheets used in tumble driers, inexpensive and easy to tuck into areas.

[Jon39]

Simpo Two said:

Failing to find an Aston Martin Raptor using google; do you mean a Rapide?

Hugely popular in America, John.

I can understand why they are useful if you are a builder, cowboy, forest worker etc., but what would you load in the back if you worked in an office?
Perhaps you would just put your briefcase in the back, then drive off pretending you would rather have a job as a builder, cowboy, forest worker etc..

It is too small for me. Do they do a scaled up version ? -

Edited by Jon39 on Monday 11th December 11:35

[Lionhead]

Jon39 said:

Hugely popular in America, John.

I can understand why they are useful if you are a builder, cowboy, forest worker etc., but what would you load in the back if you worked in an office?
Perhaps you would just put your briefcase in the back, then drive off pretending you would rather have a job as a builder, cowboy, forest worker etc..

It is too small for me. Do they do a scaled up version ? -

Edited by Jon39 on Monday 11th December 11:35

I’m an office worker but I have a few acres and the truck is useful for the never-ending maintenance jobs that need doing. That’s my man-maths justification at least, in reality it’s a toy!

[Lionhead]

Bournemouthboy said:

The sheets used in tumble driers, inexpensive and easy to tuck into areas.

I have some of those kicking around so will give them a try as well.

[Jon39]

Lionhead said:

I’m an office worker but I have a few acres and the truck is useful for the never-ending maintenance jobs that need doing. That’s my man-maths justification at least, in reality it’s a toy!

Well that was a coincidence. Just an attempt on my part at some light heartedness. Glad you joined with the humour (humor).

I don't think your profile reveals whether you are UK, or US based.
In the UK the overwhelming fashion now is for SUVs (estate cars which have been jacked up and sometimes have less luggage capacity than an estate car).
I believe in the US, pick-up trucks are the fashion.
Is there perhaps any nostalgia involved in the US pick-up craze ?




Best of luck keeping those rodents away. I recently found a dead mouse curled up in my garage, actually in the dish of 'treatment'.

Edited by Jon39 on Monday 11th December 13:58

[Lionhead]

Jon39 said:

Well that was a coincidence. Just an attempt on my part at some light heartedness. Glad you joined with the humour (humor).

I don't think your profile reveals whether you are UK, or US based.
In the UK the overwhelming fashion now is for SUVs (estate cars which have been jacked up and sometimes have less luggage capacity than an estate car).
I believe in the US, pick-up trucks are the fashion.
Is there perhaps any nostalgia involved in the US pick-up craze ?




Best of luck keeping those rodents away. I recently found a dead mouse curled up in my garage, actually in the dish of 'treatment'.

Edited by Jon39 on Monday 11th December 13:58

I’m in the UK and have noticed within my friends group a big increase in Pick-Up ownership, not sure why other than maybe too many of us have watched Yellowstone!!

I used to have Range Rovers as an all-purpose vehicle, but instead now have a combination of a 3-series touring, a Ranger, and a Vantage for the same cash as a newish RR! Far more fun.

Thanks for the good wishes re the rodents, hopefully the tips above will help.

[bridggar1]

Easiest solution is to use the car. I had a "friend" one winter who used my 911 as a food repository. (dog biscuits) I tried everything to put him off - but nothing worked. So I had to sadly terminate him & spent 6 months finding bakers treats everywhere. Summer came, I couldn't get the smell out of the car so traded the problem on. Fortunately he didn't cause any chew damage but I do often wonder if the new owner ever wondered why dogs followed the car when hot.

[Jon39]

Lionhead said:

I’m in the UK and have noticed within my friends group, a big increase in Pick-Up ownership, ...

Ah, hopefully this might be the start of a new fashion in the UK. At least it would make a change, from so many almost identical looking SUVs.

Just had an idea.
On the rear part, think it might be called deck, that might be an ideal place for mother-in-laws. Goggles and a leather flying helmet are probably on the options list.
When motor cycles with sidecars were popular, some bought those so their mother-in-law could ride in the fully enclosed sidecar. -

Are we still allowed to make mother-in-law jokes ?

[Mercdriver]

I had a mouse problem in garage and found Screwfix sells plastic mouse traps they are very effective. Metal ones rust and wooden ones don’t last.

I put milk chocolate in the small receptacle and eventually wiped out the whole family, not keen on poison because they can crawl away and die somewhere difficult to access, they can then smell as they decompose. Make sure you pack the chocolate down hard so they have to bite down to get it annd set the trap off. Every so often I reload the trap to check for new mice.

Do not use outside in the garden the slugs and snails like chocolate too and they can slide under the trigger, eat the chocolate and scarper without setting it off, took me ages to work this out.

I put the bodies out for the magpies, they are most efficient at disposing of them. Even sit on garage roof in morning looking for me!

Only problem is the plastic is too soft, you catch a lot of mice and eventually the trigger wears and will not engage but they are not expensive.


More info added

[LooneyTunes]

Mercdriver said:

I had a mouse problem in garage and found Screwfix sells plastic mouse traps they are very effective. Metal ones rust and wooden ones don’t last.

I put milk chocolate in the small receptacle and eventually wiped out the whole family, not keen on poison because they can crawl away and die somewhere difficult to access, they can then smell as they decompose. Make sure you pack the chocolate down hard so they have to bite down to get it annd set the trap off. Every so often I reload the trap to check for new mice.

Nutella is what you really want for those traps. But for a garage, bait boxes and poison seems to keep them away.

[Mercdriver]

LooneyTunes said:

Nutella is what you really want for those traps. But for a garage, bait boxes and poison seems to keep them away.

Cannot stand Nutella, although I am a chocoholic! Don’t mind stocking up on chocolate but stop at buying Nutella just for the mice (and slugs)

[Simpo Two]

Lionhead said:

Nope, it’s my Ford Raptor that has been chewed. But the car I’m most worried about getting chewed and want to protect is my Aston Vantage which is parked next to the Raptor!

Aha all becomes clear...! For all things mouse maybe try 'All Creatures Great and Small' (the PH forum not the TV series)?

[AstonV]

Beautiful truck. I have a Raptor as well, the previous generation, 6.2 L V8. Not fuel efficient, but I love it, rides like a range rover.

I just found out that the best way to get rid of rodents is to use a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and corn bread mix or anything that the rodents would enjoy eating. Rodents do not have the ability to expel gas. The baking soda fills them with gas when it mixes with their stomach acid and kills them in hours. This way if the dead rodent is eaten by another animal, it will do them no harm. Also if a dog or cat were to eat the mixture it will not harm unlike a poison.

[Mercdriver]

That sounds like a slow lingering death? That is why I prefer a trap , instant and the body is there to dispose of, with your friendly birds, although tie the trap down cos the crows will take the mouse and the trap

[AstonV]

I hear is works fast. I had rats short out a computer on one of my cars before. Dealer replaced under the emissions warranty to save me $, otherwise it would have been around $2000 I was told. Rats are very intelligent and will avoid traps.