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View Full Version : Mouse Terds in boat?!



jpetty3023
12-04-2011, 04:53 PM
I went to my storage unit today to check on her and do a little clean up. I turned the stereo on and started cleaning things out for winter storage. I got to the drivers side bow seat and when I lifted the seat I noticed little terd droppings and a bunch of chewed orange plastic pieces!!! I keep my ropes under this seat.....

I took everything out and noticed my orangle proline handle was chewed on and of course the droppings of, what I'm assuming is mouse terd, was scattered about. My boat is stored in a nice, sealed unit. I checked the perimeter of the unit and all looks tight.

How did the alleged mouse get in my boat and under the closed seats?

How do I keep this maniac out of my unit?

I will put the cover on today after im done cleaning up but I seriously doubt the cover will keep this dude out!

Mikey
12-04-2011, 05:07 PM
Gonna be real tough to avoid Mice all together if boat/trailer touches the ground in any way. Suggest traps,sooner rather than later. hopefully ,just a single mouse. Make sure No food or crumbs etcIf you have a power source ,The Electronic noise makers work pretty well as well. Good Luck and hopefully no more damage.

jpetty3023
12-04-2011, 05:15 PM
How does the dang mouse get in the boat though? I figured the smooth surface of the exterior would keep them from being able to climb inside. Tricky critters I guess. I do have a power source so I guess I'll look into the electronic noise deal you talked about Mikey, thanks for the suggestion

zabooda
12-04-2011, 09:00 PM
Anything open? Drain plug? Can any of the cover be lifted? Put out some sleepy mouse (poison). Better for them to eat that than your accessories or seats and a dead mouse doesn't make a mess.

wolfeman131
12-04-2011, 09:40 PM
Gotta watch using poison because they don't drop dead in their tracks and if that sucker ends up crawling into some obscure place and dies, you may have one stinky boat next season. Try these easy to use traps from d-con.

http://www.d-conproducts.com/traps/nvnt.html

Nobodyrides4Free
12-04-2011, 09:53 PM
JPetty, I always put at least 3 boxes of D-con in my boat when it goes to storage. You know those triangle yellow boxes. Only had on time they got in the past 3 year, chewed on bait and never found anything else. Better be Safe than find you wires chewed up and a nest in your boat. The mice can get in places you never thought they could. Rick

jmvotto
12-04-2011, 10:01 PM
X2 on the d con

jpetty3023
12-04-2011, 10:04 PM
Grabbing some D con tomo and maybe one of those electric mouse bait/traps. My drain was open and cover off but tucked away in a nice tight storage unit. Drain plug in and cover on now

zabooda
12-04-2011, 11:47 PM
I leave my boat outside all year long and my drain plug is in the bottom of the boat so I just lay it loosely across the drain so anything can drain out and it keep all but Mighty Mouse out.

skiyaker
12-05-2011, 07:52 AM
mice are tricky creatures- they can fit trough the smallest of places- the pest guys will tell you they can flatten their skull in order to do this. if they want to get in somewhere they'll get in. I would suggest a multilayer plan of defense. I'm sure you already vacuumed up any food crumbs in your boat but as you already found they'll climb in looking for nesting material. My dealer suggests moth balls in the compartments- not sure if they really do anything but I've never found mouse droppings.

I'm a big believer in poison- I like the bait blocks. I used to catch mice in my crawl space all the time until I started putting bait blocks in my window wells. If it's possible surround your storage unit with bait blocks; then put some traps around your boat. then maybe some bait blocks or dcon in your boat. The poison makes them thirsty- so they'll usually go back outside looking for water before they croak. You'll win this war on mice.

Suprahunter
12-05-2011, 09:17 AM
Years ago I read that clothes dryer sheets will discourage rodents. I put them in every compartment and down the center isle.
I don't know if this is the only reason I have never had a problem but they are cheap and they make the boats smell great.

kaneboats
12-05-2011, 11:14 AM
I've heard that. I also read on a fishing boat forum one time that peppermint oil works.

dusty2221
12-05-2011, 11:28 AM
I used peppermint oil last year, smells amazing. It is very expensive for what you actually get. I read that it must be oil, not extract. Not sure why it matters....

sandm
12-05-2011, 12:37 PM
I had one that managed to jump aboard while tied up to a dock a few years ago.
there are some real nice snap traps that keep the mouse inside a black body. they work great.

if I had my boat in storage, I'd be using d-con around the ground and put a couple of snaptraps with peanut butter up in the boat just for good measure..

moombadaze
12-05-2011, 08:54 PM
12 gauge-should take of it

jpetty3023
12-05-2011, 09:44 PM
I have dryer sheets in each compartment, this mouse ain't skeered!!! He will meet his maker soon enough thou

chawk610
12-06-2011, 08:49 AM
I can't imagine the nightmare of tracking down some vital wire that's been chewed by the nasty lil b@stard! Good luck with the kill!

rdlangston13
12-06-2011, 09:14 AM
This has me worried and wishing I would have left traps in my boat

jpetty3023
12-06-2011, 10:01 PM
Get them put back in David. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I caught the act before it got/gets to bad. Did a good clean up of boat and unit today, placed traps and bait around unit and got those electronic sound trap things someone suggested. Hopefully I won this war!!

saskyrider
12-06-2011, 11:27 PM
i have used dryer sheets and store my boat in an old barn on our farm... never had trouble once... i always make sure the cover is on and tight, and also use zest soap shavings on a margarine lid... i used mothballs once in my old boat and it stunk like mothballs for quite a while after storing it for the winter..