Mice above headliner?

[sajohnson]

Unless you are growing crops in the Bronco Sport the cats will pick up the rodents scent and the cats keen hearing and eyesight will make quick work of the rodents exiting or entering your vehicles - just want to make sure the vehicle is rodent free before covering over entry points with screens.

Not even sure you could screen over all entry points in a vehicle

I have the same concern -- I'm not sure all entry points can be screened over. Even if they can, there's a good chance that most of them were designed to be left open. Obstructing them with screen might cause problems (if they were intended to have a certain max airflow). Just a thought.

What I'm thinking is that the Badlands (and the RV, and other vehicles) are in the garage. Needless to say, we would not leave the cats in the garage (although I guess we *could*).. So the mice would have to be going in & out of the garage. Maybe they do, IDK.

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[Dude]

I have the same concern -- I'm not sure all entry points can be screened over. Even if they can, there's a good chance that most of them were designed to be left open. Obstructing them with screen might cause problems (if they were intended to have a certain max airflow). Just a thought.

What I'm thinking is that the Badlands (and the RV, and other vehicles) are in the garage. Needless to say, we would not leave the cats in the garage (although I guess we *could*).. So the mice would have to be going in & out of the garage. Maybe they do, IDK.

How hard is it to seal all entry points into the garage? Most older construction is difficult to prevent ingress/egress.

 

[R W NORRIS New Mexico]

Years back, most wire insulation was changed to a "soy" product from the old oil based wire insulation. Now that was thoughtful, feed the mice and pay the repair at the shop. Well I have found that an empty water bottle or two stuffed with cotton balls, then just a few drops of actual peppermint works great to rid the vehicle. I live in the National Forest in New Mexico at 8000 feet so we have lots of mice, but they can get into the bottle if there is no lid and the scent also gets out. Put one bottle under the hood, and the other under your seat. They work as a fantastic replent for mice and spiders. Our cars sit for weeks at a time and so far no mice, however my sister-in-law did NOT do this and they ate her headlight wires. A $400 repair bill from the shop. Now she uses the peppermint and again no mice. Just secure the bottle under the hood in a tight spot. Best of luck. Rodger

 

[sajohnson]

How hard is it to seal all entry points into the garage? Most older construction is difficult to prevent ingress/egress.

So what's the deal with the marmot poster? Blue tarps around cars? I found this:

https://www.aspendailynews.com/aggressive-marmot-causes-maroon-bells-trail-closure/article_bd26572b-f3f5-539f-97cb-eb012c773919.html

I built the garage, so it's perfect in every way.



Seriously, it's pretty tight but mice are very clever. Google AI Overview:

Mice can fit through openings that are as small as 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide, or the diameter of a pencil. They can also squeeze through gaps that are 1/4 inch high. Mice are skilled climbers and can enter through many places, including:

Soffit vents
Cables entering a building
Gable vent screens
Turbine and box vents on roofs
Garage doors

~~~

That's what I've always read -- 1/4"

My wife is on your team -- seal the garage. I'm just not sure that's possible.

I'm leaning toward team eradication at this point. We have a bucket full of mouse/rat poison blocks. They're green and the active ingredient is warfarin (it looks like they are now using Bromadiolone 0.005%)

I try not to kill anything, but I make an exception for mice. The only concern I have is poisoned mice dying inside a vehicle. We've had that happen and it is no bueno.

 

[sajohnson]

Years back, most wire insulation was changed to a "soy" product from the old oil based wire insulation. Now that was thoughtful, feed the mice and pay the repair at the shop. Well I have found that an empty water bottle or two stuffed with cotton balls, then just a few drops of actual peppermint works great to rid the vehicle. I live in the National Forest in New Mexico at 8000 feet so we have lots of mice, but they can get into the bottle if there is no lid and the scent also gets out. Put one bottle under the hood, and the other under your seat. They work as a fantastic replent for mice and spiders. Our cars sit for weeks at a time and so far no mice, however my sister-in-law did NOT do this and they ate her headlight wires. A $400 repair bill from the shop. Now she uses the peppermint and again no mice. Just secure the bottle under the hood in a tight spot. Best of luck. Rodger

Thanks Roger, we'll give that a try.

You said, "... but they can get into the bottle if there is no lid...' I'd think that's the LAST place they'd want to be. Is that good or bad that they can get into the bottle?

Do you use the bottle to prevent the peppermint oil from evaporating so fast?

I'd heard about the soy based insulation. Not a good idea. Are they still using it?

Side note: You live IN the national forest?! Now I'm even more envious! Do you have an inholding? We looked at a few of those. Typically, the setting was very nice, but access was difficult.

 

[R W NORRIS New Mexico]

The neck of the water bottle is just right for the mice, to get a good wiff of the peppermint. lol. I will tell you, I live in a great area for the outdoorsman. We have Bear, Mountain Lion, Lynx, Elk, Deer, Turkey, and all the rodents. The community has about 400 Full Time residents and then the summer visitors that have cabins and campers. The Lincoln National Forest overlooks White Sands Missile Range and the Northern section of Ft Bliss Texas. They are at about 5000 feet and we are at 7900 at my house. The bad part is Forest Fires. Really bad. 25000 acres this summer already within 20 miles of us. We are remote, it is a 75-90 minute drive to Walmart or Home Depot so you shop for a month at a time, which we are used to. By the way, SOY is still used. Good Luck on the mice. You cannot block their entry, however you can repel them. Also, do not use Moth Balls if you have pets, they are toxic to pets, where as the peppermint is safe and some use cinnamon as well. From Timberon, New Mexico best to you. Rodger

 

[sajohnson]

The neck of the water bottle is just right for the mice, to get a good wiff of the peppermint. lol. I will tell you, I live in a great area for the outdoorsman. We have Bear, Mountain Lion, Lynx, Elk, Deer, Turkey, and all the rodents. The community has about 400 Full Time residents and then the summer visitors that have cabins and campers. The Lincoln National Forest overlooks White Sands Missile Range and the Northern section of Ft Bliss Texas. They are at about 5000 feet and we are at 7900 at my house. The bad part is Forest Fires. Really bad. 25000 acres this summer already within 20 miles of us. We are remote, it is a 75-90 minute drive to Walmart or Home Depot so you shop for a month at a time, which we are used to. By the way, SOY is still used. Good Luck on the mice. You cannot block their entry, however you can repel them. Also, do not use Moth Balls if you have pets, they are toxic to pets, where as the peppermint is safe and some use cinnamon as well. From Timberon, New Mexico best to you. Rodger

Rodger, I'll send you a PM.

 

[ScareCrow]

How hard is it to seal all entry points into the garage? Most older construction is difficult to prevent ingress/egress.

Great....... Bronco diapers

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse in the world.....

?

 

[Major Kong]

learn how to become the next Louie Armstrong of the DM4DyingMouse
creep the little bastards out of the neighborhood
and introduce some predators at the same time

 

[Mark S.]

learn how to become the next Louie Armstrong of the DM4DyingMouse
creep the little bastards out of the neighborhood
and introduce some predators at the same time

Alternatively, put a row of spikes around your vehicle and adorn them with the heads of the mice you catch/kill.

 

[Uncle Buck]

So what's the deal with the marmot poster? Blue tarps around cars? I found this:

https://www.aspendailynews.com/aggressive-marmot-causes-maroon-bells-trail-closure/article_bd26572b-f3f5-539f-97cb-eb012c773919.html

I built the garage, so it's perfect in every way.



Seriously, it's pretty tight but mice are very clever. Google AI Overview:

Mice can fit through openings that are as small as 1/4 inch (6 mm) wide, or the diameter of a pencil. They can also squeeze through gaps that are 1/4 inch high. Mice are skilled climbers and can enter through many places, including:

Soffit vents
Cables entering a building
Gable vent screens
Turbine and box vents on roofs
Garage doors

~~~

That's what I've always read -- 1/4"

My wife is on your team -- seal the garage. I'm just not sure that's possible.

I'm leaning toward team eradication at this point. We have a bucket full of mouse/rat poison blocks. They're green and the active ingredient is warfarin (it looks like they are now using Bromadiolone 0.005%)

I try not to kill anything, but I make an exception for mice. The only concern I have is poisoned mice dying inside a vehicle. We've had that happen and it is no bueno.

Of course you noted the date on that story, but marmots have been known to destroy wiring in parked cars, and because of their size they can do so very quickly (mice usually require a while). A friend parked at a motel for one night in Carbondale, CO and had to have his Subaru towed to a dealer in Glenwood Springs the next morning, where the rodent was discovered still in the engine compartment. They tried numerous ways to get him to leave to no avail. A crusty old mechanic finally put on his welding gloves and reached in and yanked him out. As I recall the bill was around $2K for all the wiring he had chewed up.

 

[Carolo]

We live in a national forest. We have bears, coyotes, bob cats, racoons and LOTS of wood rats. If you see a mouse, it is likely a juvenile wood rat. I have measured them, with tails at 14". They ate the vacuum lines off my F-150 (parked outside). My BSBL parks in the garage and is protected by electronic mouse chasers (they make noises that irritate rats, but cannot be heard by humans or dogs). The mouse chasers keep the rats out of enclosed areas, but the rats love the open deck. I have killed 3 rats in the last 3 nights using rat snap traps (think really big mouse traps) baited with peanut butter. The electronic mouse chasers work, and the big snap traps even catch small rats (think mice). We live where they live, be diligent, and NEVER put out sunflower seeds for the birds (sunflower seeds are like Crack to bears, they don't hear the mouse chasers, and big rat traps only make them mad).

 

[sajohnson]

A good article from C&D:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a21933466/does-your-car-have-wiring-that-rodents-think-is-tasty/

 

[Rawah652]

Even if you don't have soy-based insulation, rodents (of all sorts) still love to chew through wires for some reason. I had an older model 4Runner that had the left front ABS sensor line chewed when it was in storage after shipment. Would have been a $170 wire harness but there was enough slack in the wire that I was able to safely splice it. Unfortunately, this isn't always an option as automakers try to run as little cable as possible, so if it ever happens on my Bronco I can only hope the little rascal leaves me enough wire to splice! ?

 

[sajohnson]

Even if you don't have soy-based insulation, rodents (of all sorts) still love to chew through wires for some reason. I had an older model 4Runner that had the left front ABS sensor line chewed when it was in storage after shipment. Would have been a $170 wire harness but there was enough slack in the wire that I was able to safely splice it. Unfortunately, this isn't always an option as automakers try to run as little cable as possible, so if it ever happens on my Bronco I can only hope the little rascal leaves me enough wire to splice! ?

The C&D article confirms that -- rodents like to chew on wires regardless of the type of insulation.

Speaking of zero slack -- when I replaced the dome light there was just barely enough wire to plug the connector back in. As if it was wired while in place in the headliner, before the headliner was installed, which would make sense..

BTW -- that dome light is pretty sophisticated. A PCB with the 2 LEDs and multiple components inside the black plastic base; then a white piece with 2 clear conical shaped diffusers; topped with a clear plastic lens. I'll bet it cost a couple bucks. I'm glad the mice didn't ruin it.

I noticed that there is quite a bit of space between the liner and the roof. I wonder why Ford did that.

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