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Thread: how to get rid of critters in my car?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Just north of Memphis TN, USA
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    how to get rid of critters in my car?

    I was rooting around in the trunk of my car yesterday and stumbled upon a nest of mice, complete with 2-week-old(~ish) babies, all of which started running everywhere. BTW, my trunk is not junky at all. They were nested up under the fake floor thingy that hides the spare tire.

    I found a mouse nest under the hood when I did the first oil change, but I figured whatever had taken roost in there on the car lot had vacated when the car left the lot. That was over a year and a half ago. Now I'm wondering if I've had car critters this whole time, or is this just a coincidence. I seldom eat in my car so there's no food source in it. They have to come and go to eat. Is there any way to keep them out of my car without killing them? Some sort of repellant, perhaps? Mama is most likely pregnant again. I really like mice, but I don't wanna be a rolling rodent nursery.

  2. #2
    If you figure it out, let me know, because I have mice in my KITCHEN, and I have 5 cats in the house! The guys at Home Depot, where I went for traps said that the cats need to eat less or pay rent, lol.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Alberta, Canada
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    22,005
    I found a couple of things:

    1. http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf634141.tip.html

    Peppermint oil works! My wife did it last night after we found out we had mice in the wall. The traps that we put down had no affect after a few days, so we dropped a bunch of peppermint oil soaked cotton balls in the wall and closed off the holes with a garbage bag. I just wanted to see if they would come back in. And this morning no holes in the bag. However the dogs wanted to go out at about 4 in the morning and in about 5 minutes they had mickey and his friends cornered. Too bad they couldn't finish the job. Their snouts are too big to get under the smoker. So, either get peppermint oil or get a rat terrier.
    2. http://www.care2.com/greenliving/sca...naturally.html

    3. http://www.ehow.com/how_5367093_make...repellent.html
    "Do or do not. There is no try." -- Yoda

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Usually in my own little world...
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    4,875
    Quote Originally Posted by jenn_librarian View Post
    If you figure it out, let me know, because I have mice in my KITCHEN, and I have 5 cats in the house! The guys at Home Depot, where I went for traps said that the cats need to eat less or pay rent, lol.
    LOL!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Just north of Memphis TN, USA
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    I reckon I'll try the peppermint oil trick. If nothing else my car will smell nice

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    40,828
    I didn't know that about Peppermint oil - we have two cars, and the second is rarely driven these days, so when I went to get an inspection sticker for it, they showed me a nice neat little mousy nest in the air filter. The guys said it wasn't the worst - they once had a chipmunk jump out of the filter onto the mechanic! I may check the air filter, and "bless" it with some peppermint oil, just in case!
    I've Been Frosted

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    California
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    11,778
    This thread is making me want to go out right now and check my car! And my car is only 5 years old. But I will be checking the spare tire compartment tonight.
    Our goal in life should be - to be as good a person as our dog thinks we are.

    Thank you for the siggy, Michelle!


    Cindy (Human) - Taz (RB Tabby) - Zoee (RB Australian Shepherd) - Paizly (Dilute Tortie) - Taggart (Aussie Mix) - Jax (Brown & White Tabby), - Zeplyn (Cattle Dog Mix)

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by aTailOf2Kitties View Post

    I seldom eat in my car so there's no food source in it.
    They have to come and go to eat.
    Oh, not true!

    Your car is a rolling buffet to Mouse Mob!
    They'll eat most everything the car is made out of!

    My "older" bomb must have a missing rubber plug, a rust hole, or an
    underside opening the the Mouse Mob uses as their front door ...
    I've lost count how many generations and 'families of Mices actually
    consider the Bus to be "Home" ... but Heidi goes ballistic every time she hops in.

    SO FAR ... the head Chef in the Mouse Kitchen has prepared dishes from:
    * the car & camera manuals, and the registration & insurance papers in the glove box;
    * the checkbook in the center console;
    * seat stuffing;
    * a 40# bag of Dawg Krunchies left overnight in the trunk;
    * a Tupperware container of Dawg Treats stored in the trunk.

    The Mouse Housekeeping Staff have prepared beds and lodgings from:
    * Spare clothes carried in a grip in the trunk
    * a box full of Pooh-Bags for the Mutts
    * bits & pieces of carpet, seat stuffing, and insulation.

    The Engineering Division supervised & directed the building of Condos in
    the air filter box AND the Heater Ducts in and behind the dash.
    (And I think that's where the Porta-Poddy is also located - that hasn't
    been *empied* or *serviced* since the Mob moved in.

    The Last Straw (and demise of the Old Bus) came with the hiring of the
    New Chef - he introduced his specialty >>>
    Electrical WIRES and Insulation!

    A month ago various things just "quit working" ...
    * Glove box light went out
    * DASH lights went out
    * Radio & Clock went dark
    * 4-way Hazard flasher quit flashin
    * License Plate light went out

    ** the Death Meal was served while I shopped in Wally'sWorld ...
    We pulled out of Wally's after DARK and got a KNOCK on the window
    at the first light ...
    "HEY, Bud - ya got NO Tail Lights on this car!"
    /s/ Cinder, Smokey & Heidi

    R.I.P. ~ Boots, Bowser, Sherman, & Snoopy

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    indianapolis,indiana usa
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    Wow, I've never heard of finding any critters in a car. Where do you
    park the car?
    I've Been Boo'd

    I've been Frosted






    Today is the oldest you've ever been, and the youngest you'll ever be again.

    Eleanor Roosevelt

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Just north of Memphis TN, USA
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    car gets parked in the driveway. I do have woods and fields nearby though. I did find some nibbled paper and teeny-tiny poops in the glovebox once, but it looked too small to be a mouse. I bought the car new in November '07 but until recently it was my spare/backup car.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by aTailOf2Kitties View Post

    I did find some nibbled paper and teeny-tiny poops in the glovebox once,
    but it looked too small to be a mouse.
    Lil Mousies, Lil poops!

    They didn't come out of the flashlight or the tire gage.

    Time to sprinkle some MOTH BALLS --- they're tough on YOUR Nose ...
    but the Mousies will move out when they get a >sniff< of the Moth Balls.

    >>> I didn't read the Moth Ball Memo soon enough.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Wyoming, USA
    Posts
    4,102
    The check-engine light came on in my almost brand new car some years ago. I went to the auto parts store, they pulled the code, and told me I needed a new oxygen sensor ... $400! I told DH, who said, "Hmmm ... let's look at the air filter first." Opened up the air filter cover and cups of whole sunflower seeds poured out. Apparently, the mousies were raiding the good stuff out of the bird feeders and hiding it in the air filter box.
    "We give dogs the time we can spare, the space we can spare and the love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made" - M. Facklam

    "We are raised to honor all the wrong explorers and discoverers - thieves planting flags, murderers carrying crosses. Let us at last praise the colonizers of dreams."- P.S. Beagle

    "All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king." - J.R.R. Tolkien

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
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    Santa Paula, CA
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    I just received this e-mail from a friend about many uses for Bounce sheets. I started a thread about it and it says it repels mice. Read #1 & #2. Here's the link to my thread:http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...16#post2197116. Good luck.

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