Rodent Nest

[85911]

Found 2 of these nests in my frunk. What is this material? Is it a material they're getting from the car itself?

Thanks.

[LUFTKUL]

Looks like the jute from the backside of the carpet. There is a lot of it behind the footwell blower cover panels in a Carrera. Cozy rodent spot. Pull the passenger side footboard. You may find more right there at the plastic heater resistor thing.

[bkreigsr]

Yes - from the interior of the car. Most likely from the sound pad under the rear seat bottoms. Next, they attack what's in the door pockets and carry it back to the nest, then also, any dash pads or sun shades, etc, etc.

We were away on vacation for a week in Sept and they carried a treated sunglass cleaning cloth all the way from the door pocket, into the tunnel via the wood floor boards, thru the tunnel, to the shift coupler cubby. (and proceded to gnaw the cloth into threads)

Looks like you've got bits of Klenex, paper towels, and pieces of insulation all mixed together. Black could be the welting from your floor mats.

Don't use the bait traps, the critter will probably die in the car somewhere else.

Bill K

[Mike Andrew]

Originally Posted by LUFTKUL

Looks like the jute from the backside of the carpet. There is a lot of it behind the footwell blower cover panels in a Carrera. Cozy rodent spot. Pull the passenger side footboard. You may find more right there at the plastic heater resistor thing.

I would also have a good look past the resistor assy into the smuggler's box. My last incursion by these vermin left me with a nest just behind the tunnel there on the bottom of the box. Had to shop vac from passenger side and from the box itself.

Mice are vicious, hateful creatures.

[911nut]

I'm thinking it's a good thing that my mice prefer to live under the slab of my garage floor than in my car

[bkreigsr]

Originally Posted by 911nut

I'm thinking it's a good thing that my mice prefer to live under the slab of my garage floor than in my car

That's what I thought until last week- and we've been in this house 50 years.

[Richard C2S]

Any suggestions for deterrent? I've been spreading moth balls on the floor around the car and putting scented dryer sheets inside the car - in the glove box, in the door pockets, under the seats, etc.

Any newer ideas?
Thanks in advance.

[KNS]

When I had my car in storage (there were mice in the area) I used unscented glue traps. I was told by a pest control expert not to use scented because you don't want to attract them unnecessarily.

I placed the traps around the storage unit and at the base of each tire (inside and outside). Over several years caught a few mice but never found any evidence in the car.

You have to eradicate them, whatever it takes to keep them out of the car. If you ever find mice damage ($$) you'll feel the same.

[gomezoneill]

Get a couple of cats. Or put the car in a car bag when you aren't driving it.

[Fred Winterburn]

In my travel trailer and my old cars I leave an open box of kleenex handy for any mice that do get in. They will use that in preference to anything else for bedding material. It also gives me a visual as to whether a mouse has set up shop. Of course, moth balls in some areas, and traps. Fred

Originally Posted by Richard C2S

Any suggestions for deterrent? I've been spreading moth balls on the floor around the car and putting scented dryer sheets inside the car - in the glove box, in the door pockets, under the seats, etc.

Any newer ideas?
Thanks in advance.

[Solamar]

Originally Posted by Richard C2S

Any suggestions for deterrent? I've been spreading moth balls on the floor around the car and putting scented dryer sheets inside the car - in the glove box, in the door pockets, under the seats, etc.

Any newer ideas?
Thanks in advance.

We went on a 10 day road trip and when we returned I noticed mice had been in the garage and in my Targa's trunk. Fortunately/unfortunately the mice preferred my wife's BMW which has lead to a complete driveline removal to repair all the damage.

I bought a Rat Zapper from Home Depot and baited it with dog kibble. First night I zapped two mice, which could only happen if they ran in at the same instant. Second early evening another so I reset and caught #4. #5 on day 3 and #6 on day 4. Nothing for over a week now and no sign of mice droppings.

The BMW unfortunately is still in pieces...

[p911c]

Welcome to my world, I feel the pain. Wires bare in frunk had to resolver and sleeve 3 today

[Jack Stands]

Those little guys like to nest everywhere!

[Richard C2S]

Keeping my fingers crossed. I haven't had the dreaded problem yet. But, in anticipation, I've been spreading moth balls around and under the car and putting scented dryer sheets in the armrest pockets, glove box, under the seats, in the frunk and engine compartment. I've now gotten peppermint oil spray, which has been recommended by a pest "expert", and more moth balls to spread around the garage to deter visitors.

[Mike Andrew]

My experience with dryer sheets is, save your money. Placed several in a cabinet under the sink in my trailer in N. Wisconsin. Added a couple sticky traps for good measure. Half an hour after I placed the traps, I heard the telltale flopping. Bingo, a mouse had walked over, and pooped on, the dryer sheet and got stuck. Replaced that trap and had another mouse, and more poop on the dryer sheets within 45 minutes.
Spent last Th, Fr, sat, up there trying to seal every possible point of entry with steel wool, hardware cloth and foam. Managed to step on 2 sticky traps and crapped a couple of ragg wool sox.
Garage at home gets mothballs around and under car, snap traps and brass wool packed into A/C drain hole. Muffler is plugged with a soft rubber ball.
Like the idea of leaving Kleenex or TP handy for easy tracking.

Damn, I hate mice. We need more cats, raptors, weasels and wolves.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

My experience with dryer sheets is, save your money. Placed several in a cabinet under the sink in my trailer in N. Wisconsin. Added a couple sticky traps for good measure. Half an hour after I placed the traps, I heard the telltale flopping. Bingo, a mouse had walked over, and pooped on, the dryer sheet and got stuck. Replaced that trap and had another mouse, and more poop on the dryer sheets within 45 minutes.
Spent last Th, Fr, sat, up there trying to seal every possible point of entry with steel wool, hardware cloth and foam. Managed to step on 2 sticky traps and crapped a couple of ragg wool sox.
Garage at home gets mothballs around and under car, snap traps and brass wool packed into A/C drain hole. Muffler is plugged with a soft rubber ball.
Like the idea of leaving Kleenex or TP handy for easy tracking.

Damn, I hate mice. We need more cats, raptors, weasels and wolves.

Snakes are the best for mice hunting.

I let our two dachshunds out into the garage and let them sniff around. If they start trailing I know it is time to update the mouse traps. I keep two mouse traps set next to the door to the back yard into the garage. It seems to be a great place to catch and eliminate the population.

[Mike Andrew]

My neighbor up north was showing me his spinning beer can over a pail with 3" of antifreeze in the bottom. 16 oz Heiny can on a rod with peanut butter to entice the miserable, filthy vermin up the plank to the bait. He claims the Prestone keeps them from stinking, prevents them from jumping to escape and hastens their demise.
Have seen these "walk the plank" set ups previously but not with Prestone.

He was elated that he had dispatched 4 in a couple of days next to his AMX.

[tone40]

I am fortunate enough that they never got into the engine or smuggler's box. But, I regularly found droppings under the engine area.

Here is what I did then to keep them away:
Keep the engine lid open to eliminate privacy. Put up several spotlights on a timer. One under the front of the car, one over the engine and one under the rear of the car. They don't like to be seen, so keep the area lit up. It works.

[GH85Carrera]

Biological disposal is easy and fast. He thinks they are tasty fun treats. When he starts to circle my storage building in the back yard, I know mice are in the yard, and I go to full combat mode and the traps are checked.