143H Mouse in cab

Mouse in the cab. SN 1AL 01163 Thought we had all the holes stuffed full of steel wool. Seems they come in from the front of the cab, through the heater into the area under the switches and shifter. Last spring we fought it, and had it, until now we don't. When we looked at it last spring I couldn't figure out how the floor plate came up. Seems like it would be simple enough, but I did not succeed. My service manual did not have this in it, and didn't figure out anything from the parts book either. Will give it another try in the future, take out the seat, clean things up, see if I can find the hole. Maybe it will be something simple the helper missed, like the mouse chewed through a boot around a lever, although think he would of seen that.

Maybe it's Time for a different approach. Have you seen these pine smelling tea bag devices. I tried one in my skid loader, and no more mice that i can see.

Open this link in a new tab. The local John Deere Dealer sells it. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/fresh-cab-1-botanical-rodent-repellant-10-oz

My wife tried peppermint oil in cotton balls, in TP tubes. The mice loved it, made good nests.

HarleyHappy said: My wife tried peppermint oil in cotton balls, in TP tubes. The mice loved it, made good nests. Click to expand... peppermint oil..... not sticks......

My favorite are glue traps I found out the hard way that I gotta attach the trap to a small wooden board with a drywall screw. The little bastards can walk away, if a couple of there feet aren't in the glue.

Mice....a real scourge alright. I have had some success with FreshCab. Some cures I think are just 'urban legend'. For example: somewhere I have a photo of a basketball sized mouse nest in the trunk of my wife's old Honda Pilot; the nest is on top of multiple Bounce sheets lol! I used to think mothballs worked but have given up on that. I have used two people & strong led lights at night to find out where they are getting in. (kind of works) Then block holes. Once they are in and leave scent a real nightmare going forward... Our machines sit at a remote location all winter, so I feel your pain (stink!)

I have used bar Irish spring in the past, My aunt tried the steel wool in the holes at her house after a mouse chews through the pex water line, the next week I had to fix the line again where all the steel wool was.

We tried cinnamon with cayenne pepper last time, didn't keep them out. There was still some of that in a baggie in the cab and he spread it around after this guy got in. Had a mud hole on last job, left that grader there till it dries up. So I'm not by it right now. Should get it moved this week up to where we are working. Like the idea of looking for the holes in the dark with a good light. See if my DeWalt flashlight will throw enough light. Will try the FreshCab if no luck finding the hole.

^^^We found a surprising number of entry points by use of a powerful light, get right up under 'firewall' dash, floor area under seats etc. I have been successful with this approach in the past. I have thought about some kind of trail cam/camera also to see at night the path they are taking in... I once watched a mouse (at full speed) pass its body through one of those 1/4" metal floor heating registers...it was like its body just turned to liquid. Good luck, I really hate those nasty little critters...

I was once told that if their head can fit, then they can fit. I watched one walked up a cinder block wall like spider man, had no idea they could do that!

smifwal said: I was once told that if their head can fit, then they can fit. I watched one walked up a cinder block wall like spider man, had no idea they could do that! Click to expand... Did you talk to it ? What did it say ?

Tried the Irish Spring, didn’t do nuffin!

Caught yesterday --This is an example of one of my glue traps anchored to a board. It wasn't going anywhere.

Years ago, when I had my first excavator, and it had been sitting unused in the winter for a while, I noticed that a rag that I left in it had been chewed by mice. So I set a trap and when I checked it the next day, it was sprung, but just had a little bit of mouse fur in it. So I reset it, and the next day it was sprung and all that was in it was the head of a mouse. The following day there was 3/4 of a mouse in it, and the fourth day a whole mouse. I figure there was a family of 4 cannibal mice living in it and each day the remaining mice ate their trapped relative

Being on a farm we have a real mouse problem. I have had decent luck with taking black gorilla tape and covering every nook and cranny from the inside. And as added precaution I open every storage compartment and slide the seat forward try and make every dark space bright so they don’t want to be there. Close every vent so they can’t get into your vents. And then set up 4 mouse traps in areas you think might be travel zones. And then I put Cab’N Fresh scent pouches in every piece of equipment. If the machines are stored inside in a sealed building I leave all the doors open and the hood again, try make everything less inviting for mice. I’d rather do a little dust clean up in the spring versus a wiring harness and a deep clean in places you can’t get to. And then never be able to get the smell out.

My neighbor runs a radio 24/7 in his barn/garage and claims it works for mice.

HarleyHappy said: My neighbor runs a radio 24/7 in his barn/garage and claims it works for mice. Click to expand... What station ?

I have tried that radio trick also, probably heavy metal works best! I do think the sound of a radio playing tends to keep the mice away. I wonder though if they get used to it? Our small rv is my living quarters when up at the claims. We specifically avoided any slide outs as have heard horror stories of mice getting in. Way too difficult to get unit out so it sits in bush for 5 months...So far very simple design (no basement heating, etc) has kept mice from getting in. We do have a small Kamperette (1974 model) for storage, tools etc. The squirrels chewed through 1/2" plywood on the side overhangs. Found a 8" hole last spring! Covered with more plywood and signs of chewing again. No big deal as just for storage (thankfully) Some machines are well sealed....in 9 years of overwintering our Hyundai 210 excavator has never had a mouse into cab. Our Deere 50d on the other hand has had mice into the area underneath the seat (where the metal panel lowers for fuses etc). I put FreshCab in the Deere and no more mice...could just be luck or coincidence though... The battle is ongoing (lol!)

I need a younger cat, both of ours are over 12 years old.