Hey Guys,

I have something weird going on. I kept getting mice in the cab of my 97 F150. I know these buggers can into the smallest hole but I can't figute out where they are getting in.

The truck gets parked outside at night in northern MA in one of those tempory garage things from "CoverIt". I know they are there because of chewed up tissues and paper towels... but no droppings... which means that they come and go but don't live there. I have never laid eyes on any live mouse while using or driving the truck.

I set two traps with peanut butter on the passenger side floor the other night and had one dead mouse the next morning. Set the traps again and none this morning. I am going to leave the traps set... but does anybody have any similar history on critters get in through some opening in the F150 cab.

BTW... the vents behind the cab are intact and not molested in any way.

Thanks for any help

Brian
Groton, MA

 

There is a paper product (cardboard really) that has a very sticky surface from which mice cannot escape.

One on the inside and outside of each tire should eliminate the problem.

And your truck won't smell like peanut butter.

 

there are so many ways to get in... I would check the firewall as you have already checked the tear vents, for any small holes.

Another possibility is the floor heating ducts.

Maybe stuff some steel wool into those openings (they hate that... they cant chew it) and you no longer see mice then that is the point of entry.

 

I just recently (last week) had a problem with them getting into my '03. I turned on the blower motor and had a terrible sound coming from it. I took it into the Ford dealer and they found dog food in it and luckily no mice.

I used to keep a spare bag of dog food in the garage, when this happened I checked it out and sure enough, there was a small opening in the bottom of the bag where they were getting into it. They must of been taking it into the truck through an outside vent.

I am not going to be storing bags of dog food in the garage anymore, since I had to pay to have the food cleaned out of the blower motor and box. By the way, the dealer treated me real good and only charged me about $50.00 to tear it apart and clean it out.

I set up mice traps in my garage and so far I have gotten 3 of the little @#$&$! Hopefully that was all of them.

 

Thanks for the advice.

I feel real dumb right now... it never occurred to me to check the the fresh air inputs on top of the hood. It is the obvious entry path. But, I can't imagine the damn mouse getting around all the ducts, blowers and baffles. I'll have to try moving the the heater/AC control to off... maybe that closes the baffles.

I'll do a little digging around this weekend... it's too dark this time of year when you get home from work. Maybe a little wire mesh over the intakes would help.

Brian

 

I second the sticky traps, they are much more effective then a regular mouse trap. Put one around each tire, and you should get them all at one point on another. Put a little peanut butter or some sunflower seeds in the middle, and remember to check and move them away before you drive away--especially if there are a few caught in there!

Justin

 

.....ivee seen big azz rats drag the traps ur talkiing about all over the backroom of my old job

 

I heard one time that a mouse can get through a hole the size of a pencil...

 

That is a lie put out by an unemployed cat.

 

My unemployed dog wants your unemployed cat over for dinner. There will be only one setting of silverware...

Physical Abilities of the House Mouse
Can jump from a standing position up to 12 inches from the floor; can jump from a running start up to 38 inches, can use vertical surfaces as a spring board to gain additional height, and can jump downward 8 feet to the floor. Can run up almost any vertical surface, including wood, brick, metal pipes and girders, sheet metal, wire mesh, and cables. Can easily run along suspended electric wires and ropes of most common sizes. Can squeeze through openings slightly more than 1/4 inch in diameter. Able to travel upside down, clinging to 1/4 inch screen. Mice are capable swimmers but tend not to dive below the surface.

http://www.ipmofalaska.com/files/housemouse.html

 

I'm by no means a mouse expert, and I don't have a better way to keep them out of your truck, those seem like good ideas-- but here is something to consider:

If you are finding tissues and paper with small pieces missing, but not finding the little pieces that were removed, he (or more likely, she) could be building a nest in some impossible to reach location in your truck.

While on Bradley Fighting Vehicles years ago, at the motor pool. We began noticing the paper on our pad of 2404s (maintenance forms) which we kept inside the vehicle, were shredded at one end, but had no idea why. Later, the turret had to be pulled out for some maintenance. With the turret removed, we began inspecting areas not usually accesible or visible. We figured out the mystery when we found the nest, made mostly of shredded 2404s, with 5 pink baby mice inside. Can't say for sure how she got in, how she survived the off- roading and subsequent washings, but an F-150 would sure be a friendlier place than an armored vehicle to raise a family. I also wonder if they would have stayed or moved out eventually, (had we given them the choice).

Just food for thought!