Another mouse story.....not Mickey

[JoeM 9,040]

Got a call concerning a JD tractor not starting and needing a new starter. I was in the area and took a quick look see. 

The mice nest was so tight it bound up the starter! This is new. 

I took the pic after I cleaned a while. I went oh man need a pic. 

The guy used mice pellets and a Mice sound wave thingie and they still came for dinner and nesting.

 

[squonk 44,740]

On a semi-related note, I saw a starter motor laying in the road on the highway this morning!  

[SylvanLakeWH 29,499]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

JD tractor

Obviously, them mice need to dine at better establishments... 

[Beap52 1,692]

I don't use the small mouse pellets any more.  I purchase the blocks.  My mice liked to carry the small pellets and hide them were I didn't want them.  They too dad gum lazy to pack the larger cubes,  I personally like the finger snapping  mouse traps.  That way I deal with bodies while fresh and not after decomposition has set in-usually under a heavy piece of machinery. 

 

Mom's pickup is parked at her assisted living facility.  The squirrels like making their nest under her intake manifold.  Last year they packed that area tight.  Yesterday,  we dug out a couple cups of nesting material.  I'm going to use some wire mesh and block each end of the intake  manifold hoping to keep them out.  Now, they'll likely find a bundle of soybean flavored wires to chew on.

[wallfish 18,668]

Snake skins

[c-series don 10,683]

When I bought my 418-C it was so packed with a mouse nest nothing would move. 

[WHX?? 53,079]

4 hours ago, squonk said:

saw a starter motor laying in the road on the highway

And  you didn't stop to pick it up?? 

 

5 hours ago, JoeM said:

sound wave thingie

Them things don't work at all. Ask me how I know ... 

You guys just keep showing those pics to remind me how I hate those buggers ... 

[kpinnc 15,931]

6 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Obviously, them mice need to dine at better establishments... 

 

Careful what you wish for... 

 

I think of you poured concrete over a tractor, placed it in an air tight vault, and set it on the moon- you'd find a mouse nest in it come spring! 

[953 nut 62,566]

I have developed a routine to be done with anything new coming into my shop. While it is still on the trailer I throw a tarp over it and set off a bug bomb to kill any critters so they don't take up residence in the shop. 

[JoeM 9,040]

@WHX??

Looks like a pic from hunting camp. Bigger in the upper mid west? 

 

10 hours ago, c-series don said:

When I bought my 418-C it was so packed with a mouse nest nothing would move. 

that was bad! 

 

[WHX?? 53,079]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

Looks like a pic from hunting camp. Bigger in the upper mid west? 

Indeed it is Joe.

During covid I couldn't get there so they feasted on corn & bird seed. Took two years to get them in check. I didn't mind the JD sno blower so much but when they got in the C-145 that was the last straw. Two buckets of poison later... I usually don't like to use poison 'cause of the dog and when they crawl inside a wall and croak they stink to high heaven. 

Yesterday I had the forks on the FEL and was moving a pallet of decks. Picked it up and six come flying out. One had babies on her back like a oppsum. Cat stood there looking at me... 

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

don't take up residence in the shop.

Good Idea Richard ... Best bet is to get them outside yet. 

[Handy Don 14,870]

My spouse thought the squirrels were quaint until one chewed through into the screen porch and ran amok. Population reduced by ten and none coming near the house now. Chipmunks will be next, I suspect. 

[rick 258]

I hate squirrels!  And mice!

[953 nut 62,566]

21 hours ago, WHX?? said:

moving a pallet of decks. Picked it up and six come flying out.

In early spring we would pull the combine out to service it. It seems like every cat and dog from miles around knew what was about to happen. The first time we started the engine on the combine dozens of mice would be running in every direction and the dogs and cats were on them.      

[WHX?? 53,079]

21 hours ago, rick said:

I hate squirrels!

Oh them little red ones ...  don't get even me started on them ... 

Edited September 21 by WHX??
speeling

[JoeM 9,040]

Wonder if this has any merit?

 

[tunahead72 2,581]

On 9/19/2025 at 8:13 PM, Beap52 said:

... Now, they'll likely find a bundle of soybean flavored wires to chew on.

 

I'm shopping for tires for my Mazda 3.  One of my top choices is was the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady2, until I read that they "feature a soybean oil derived compound".  Mice, rats, groundhogs, squirrels, chipmunks, ... have all dined on my vehicles' and tractors' wiring and hoses at one time or another over the years, the last thing I need is something else to attract them.  Still shopping.

 

[Handy Don 14,870]

Back in the days of road salt (vs. newer “melt” chemicals) Dad had his brake lines chewed by porcupines while parked overnight at the camp. Dual diagonal system completely compromised. Fortunately he discovered the problem where downshifting and the parking brake were able to stop the car and the mess was fairly easily repaired. He build an “anti-porc” parking area at the camp the next weekend!

[Treepep 881]

On 9/20/2025 at 11:57 AM, rick said:

I hate squirrels!  And mice!

 

 

Tree rats will chew up anything plastic here.  In South Carolina they chewed through the 220 feed to the house.  Fried just about every appliance that was plugged in.  competition pellet gun=less rats.

[rick 258]

I keep a Browning A5 Magnum Twenty handy for rats, 2¾ #6 shells do the job.

[kpinnc 15,931]

1 hour ago, rick said:

2¾ #6 shells do the job.

 

And very little left to clean up I'd imagine...  Maybe with a mop anyway. 

 

You must have them big rats! 

 

 

[WHX?? 53,079]

Problem with the pine sol thing is it will just keep them away ... I wanna see them DEAD! Same with  moles ...