Mouse eradication in stored boat?

[Nelson Delaney]

Any ideas to get rid of & prevent mice from entering boat? 

[Jig Man]

Bar bait to kill them.

[TnRiver46]

Preventing mice from entering anything larger than a mason jar is an exercise in futility. Keep traps set around the wheels or poison in the boat if there are no pets around (or both)

[FryDog62]

I have 3 different ultrasonic buzzers in my boat over the winter storage months. Have been told mice could still get in but are much less likely to nest, reproduce. I put out a couple traps and check from time to time too.
 

Friend of mine had a great family dog that got into the next door neighbor’s garage and ate some poison a few years ago... so I avoid that route even though it works. 

[BigAngus752]

I realize that this falls under the "old wives tale" category, but last year was the first time my boat has been stored in my new-to-me heated garage.  For all winters prior it was stored in a barn full of other people's boats.  Mice were a significant problem.  I never had a single issue with mice because I did two things:

 

1.  Make sure nothing is touching (or close to touching) the floor other than your trailer tires and jack wheel.  If you put a cover on and your cover strap is hanging six inches above the floor the mice will use it to climb into your boat.  

 

2.  Buy a new box of dryer sheets and put 30 of them all over your boat.  In the bins, on the floor, under the seats, stuffed in the cracks of the seats, etc.  

 

Many will say the dryer sheets don't work.  I had zero mice over three winters while other's boats were eaten to pieces.  I never saw a single mouse turd.  That's all I can say about it.  

[J Francho]

Dryer sheets, moth balls, and barn cats work well against most everything other than red squirrels. Red squirrels require other ordinance. 

[Glenn]

Fresh Cab  https://amzn.to/3ct267a

 

You're welcome. 

 

[desmobob]

Dryer sheets never worked for me but it could be that using large numbers of them, like BigAngus, is the key.  

 

I have had fair luck with peppermint oil, but my go-to is still TomCat bait blocks in all the compartments, nooks and crannies.  Especially the crannies.  Don't forget the darn crannies...

(I didn't even think it was a real word.  It is... I just looked it up!)  

 

These bait blocks are in a boat that has its cover tightly in place and is also wrapped in a tarp, so I believe it's pet-safe.

 

 

 

[Deephaven]

I use fresh cab, dryer sheets and moth balls and it has been fine stored in a barn.

[Nelson Delaney]

Any brand of dryer sheets work better than others? 

[PourMyOwn]

9 hours ago, Glenn said:

Fresh Cab  https://amzn.to/3ct267a

 

You're welcome. 

 

This x 1000. 

 

I have used these for the last few years in boats, cars, even my pantry. They've made a huge difference. 

[Bolar]

My experience deterrents don't deter, in my barn and house.  Traps are the only way I've found to eliminate mice.  Spring and glue traps.  I start out with peanut butter, but after a few mice, I change it up to something different.  Once they have seen what happened to Mickey over there, they will start to avoid peanut butter.  YMMV

[Bird]

Living in the mountains, I've tried everything under the sun with limited success. 

What does work is traps and poisons. 

The way to secure poison from other critters and pets is to use a container that only mice can access and place the poison inside. 

 

[volzfan59]

I use mothballs, they've always worked great for me.

[FryDog62]

21 hours ago, Glenn said:

Fresh Cab  https://amzn.to/3ct267a

 

You're welcome. 

 

I used this a couple years, then heard it was toxic in some way. Hard to believe but does anyone know if that’s true? 

[Bankc]

Used cat litter boxes.  But not the kind that clumps and reduces the smell.  You want it to stink.  If the barn or garage smells like a cat den, they'll avoid it.  Of course, then you've got a boat that smells like a used cat box.  So there are tradeoffs to be had.  But you won't kill the neighbors dog with it.  

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

I used this a couple years, then heard it was toxic in some way. Hard to believe but does anyone know if that’s true? 

I went over the SDS for it - skin and eye irritant, but it's all plant derived so not truly 'toxic' like old-fashioned rat-poison.

[Bird]

1 hour ago, FryDog62 said:

I used this a couple years, then heard it was toxic in some way. Hard to believe but does anyone know if that’s true? 

Not sure about it's toxicity but did try it.

It was like an aphrodisiac and sent the the mice into a romantic frenzy, little ones everywhere. 

[WRB]

Poisons din’t Kill the rodent instantly, so the leave and die outside where birds of prey hawks, owls and cats eat the rodent and die.

If you kill them use traps. Try Glenn’s suggested Fresh Cab.

The Teppy Slip N Slide bucket lid trap works good inside your boat. I made this type of trap as a kid, catches several mice over night.

Tom

[TnRiver46]

The mice are the ones laughing all the way to the bank. A victor wooden snap trap is and always has been the best trap on the market, I would imagine for over a century now. This trap can’t hurt a pet, unless of course you have a pet mouse. Also, they are ninety cents, I dare you to beat that price. It’s comical how much stuff is out there for sale. Please everyone for your sanity and mine, don’t overthink mouse problems. Got mice? Set a mouse trap. (Insert mind blown meme/GIF here) If they steal the bait, you’ve got them right where you want them. Rebait and try again. If you can’t outsmart a mouse…….. well……… 

[Darth-Baiter]

Victor wood snap traps with the gooey insides of a snickers-bar for bait. I squish a gob of nougat pranuty goodness under the bait tab.   Only downside is you need run the trap line all storage season. That could suck. 

[Chris Catignani]

@TnRiver46 Im could not agree more about the original spring trap with cheese. The only thing I would improve on is to have TWO. You almost always have more than one mouse.

[desmobob]

Nothing beats the good ol' Victor snap trap, except maybe the old timers' gravity trap (old time milk can or similar with some birdseed at the bottom and a yardstick ramp leading to the top from the outside.  Mice fall in and can't get out.)

 

My boat is stored in my yard, next to acres and acres of woods.  I'd be uncovering it to reset traps every couple of days!  A half-dozen bait blocks wrapped up inside the boat's cocoon are effective for the winter.

[Bolar]

1 hour ago, desmobob said:

Nothing beats the good ol' Victor snap trap, except maybe the old timers' gravity trap (old time milk can or similar with some birdseed at the bottom and a yardstick ramp leading to the top from the outside.  Mice fall in and can't get out.)

 

My boat is stored in my yard, next to acres and acres of woods.  I'd be uncovering it to reset traps every couple of days!  A half-dozen bait blocks wrapped up inside the boat's cocoon are effective for the winter.

 

Like this:

 

 

[desmobob]

Similar but simpler...  with an old metal milk can, they can't climb out so you don't need the elaborate rotating bait wheel to get them to fall into water.  They jump down into the seeds in the bottom of the can and eat a very filling last meal if you plan on doing them in, or a hearty farewell meal if you decide to relocate them.  ?