Mouse in the house

[Ctskip]

Now that the boat is all stable and clean,she's getting ready for winterizing.She's all set in her slip. I noticed today there is a mouse on board. Any suggestions short of a 12 guage? I'd like to keep them off too! I've seen pie plates on the docking lines,but that seems a little out there. The wife says catch it. I say drown it.Help I'm finding myself cleaning the Winchester.

 

[JC on Bainbridge]

Just sink the boat

That will take care of the little guy. Of course, you will have to raise the boat later. ;d How about using a standard mouse trap, not the kind that goes smack + splat. Or, do you have a cat, or can borrow a cat from a friend, and leave it onboard for a few days.How did the little guy get in there in the 1st place? Did you leave a hatch open? Yeah, pie pan will work, but how about just close all the hatches. The ones that you leave open for ventilation, use a screen.

 

[chutz]

What about a hungry cat?

Are there any stray cats roaming the marina? Give one of them a home for a few days. If not, mouse traps with peanut butter gets 'em every time..-=gp=-.

 

[JohnS12875]

Not Cats!

You definitely don't want a stray cat taking up residence in your boat over the winter. Some smells simply can not be removed, and cat urine is one of them. Some friends and I recently won a sherrif's auction for a fixer-upper vacation home. The previous owner was evicted, but not the cats. Worst investment I ever made.

 

[Franklin]

Dry ice?

I heard dry ice will kill just about anything and not leave a smell. I haven't tried it yet, but I hear people use it if they get a roach problem. Now that I think of it, I bet the traps would be better...that way you know for sure you can get the dead rotting animal out of the boat. Hmmm...I wonder if rotting roaches smell

 

[Jeff]

Don't use the poison

Had one on my 322 and used some poison, that's supposed to make them look for water. Died in my tool pouch, and started to smell, better there then under the sole.It also ate about half a muscle relaxer I had left out, so it was probably REAL happy to go.Trap would be the best, then you know where it is.Good LuckJeff

 

[Rick Webb]

Coke

They cannot burp so if they drink anything carbonated their little tummies go pop. Could be an urban legend I've heard this for years. Sticky traps work real well, just put them along the edges were they travel. The Winchester is over kill your Daisy Red Ryder will work just fine.

 

[Capt Ron;-)]

Pepsi

I have always heard that they prefer Pepsi, to Coke...I am recovering from an operation, and so have too much time on hands & feet too.

 

[Dennis Thomas]

Hardware cloth

I once had a rat on my 25’. It got in through a clam shell vent on the port cockpit locker. From there in made its’ way into the boat through the finger hole in a small inspection hatch. It had to chew the hole out bigger to get through. Once inside, it chewed corners on two cushions. But worst of all, it chewed holes in plastic water hoses. One was the drain from the sink in the head. The hole was about a half inch above the water line and the seacock was open! When the boat rocked water came in. Since then, I have never left a seacock open when I leave the boat.I used poison and found him soon after. I then cut squares of hardware cloth to fit the clam shell vents. I snipped slits in the corners of the square so I could bend tabs down to help hold the screen in place. This seems to work. The hardware cloth is very stiff and chew resistant. I don’t know if it works because no one else around me has ever had a mouse or rat problem.S/V Anodyne

 

[BobW]

Did it start to 'stink like stink'?????

;D

 

[Eric]

De-Con 1, Rats 0

My in-laws had mouse problems in their RV in winter storage a few years ago. They tried everything under the sun, and finally solved the problem with De-Con (poison). After that experience, I went straight for the De-Con when I discovered I had a rat living aboard my Hunter 30 last winter. After putting the poison out and going home, I began to be afraid that the rat would expire in some dark, hidden corner of the boat. Fortunately (??), it was lying dead on the cabin sole the next time I went to the boat, and had not yet started to stink. The messes that it had left all over the boat, however, took months to clean up, and really did stink for a long time.The best I can figure is that the rat entered through a clamshell vent on the transom. Rats are amazing creatures though, in that they can collapse their skulls and bodies in order to fit through extraordinarily small gaps. I kinda wish I didn't know that. ;-)

 

[Ctskip]

I'll trap it

The wife just went to get a hav-a-heart trap. So I guess this is the way we'll go. Now I'll have to look at all my thru hull fittings for mouse holes. I thought the boat was secure to begin with . I understand they can collapse their bodies to the size of a pencil.. Hopefully it hasn't chewed up my cushions and or wires.I'll round up all the stray cats and bring them to the club. I'll feed them for about a week then stop and they'll be hungry then . Thanks to all

 

[RichH]

Ferret !!!!!

Would take about 30 seconds for a ferret to de-mouse/de-rat a boat.

 

[Rick Webb]

What are You Goin to do With it When You Catch It?

I'd use a 2lb sledge but that is just me.

 

[Steve Dion]

from the voice of experience, please listen

We have had a couple mice on board from time to time. We have also had infestations (21 at one time, mostly dead). We had poison on board (big mistake). We had poison on the dock step (also a big mistake).If you have a single mouse, the sticky traps are really your best bet. I like the ones that are a box with open ends. Then you spice up the bait a little (just a dollop of peanut butter, creamy or chunky). You should have your mouse within 12 hours. Now if your mouse turns out to be a RAT then you need to step it up to a large snap trap that is secured to an area.Good luck and I really hope you only have one!

 

[Lonnie14597]

Garage Logic mousetrap

This is in the AM1500 radio talk show "Garage Logic" show archives. They say it really works! Good Luck!

 

[FrankR]

Trap 'um with a snap trap

Use a snap trap - bait with peanut butter mixed with some cotton from a cotton ball on the trigger - makes it much harder for them to lick it off.

 

[r.w.landau]

Have-a-heart

The trap is pretty cool. It snaps close and give you time to release the mouse later.I had a mouse problem before and used both the snap trap and the Have-a-heart trap. The snap trap ended the problems. The have-a-heart trap did it's job but it was 2 months later and the mouse must have died a nasty death in that trap that I checked everyday twice a day for a month. After that month the mouse checked in for a life time.Do the mouse in get it done that would be merciful to the mouse.r.w.landau

 

[Fred Ficarra]

Be kind men, just remember,

they have nearly the same genes as us. These are the guys used for lab testing because they are the same. The look in their eyes when they are scared (of us) is the same as ours because they are the same. These guys are intelligent mammals not insects. And I'm referring to mice, not rats. Again, be kind.

 

[Ctskip Allmand 31]

I'll be kind

I'll be gentle as I lower him into the drink. Just kidding I'll let him loose next door to your house. Ok?. Theres a field near the boat so I'll let him go there.The wife got me a hav-a-heart trap so I can torture him and enjoy myself with his suffering. just kidding. I'll give him a good home,set him up with his monthly checks and see he has transportation too.I'll be kind I promise