Rodents

[damark115]

After seeing some acorn shells around the floor of the shed I store my bike in I decided to check my air filter. I have found nests there before. Sure enough, there had to be 50 acorns all jammed in the left side cover. I drive the bike almost every day. Any ideas on repellents that work? I have tried mothballs, clove, traps, and ultrasonic. For the winter I just plug up everything and hope for the best but I am still driving it now. Anybody tried peppermint?
Thanks

[Cajunrider]

I'd say to put poison out but they may crawl into the breather and die. Seriously, when you put out poison it kills them but then you have to follow your nose and get rid of the remains after a few days. They always pick the worst place to die.

[phenrichs]

Does your shed have power? Get one of those little buzzing rodent replellent devices. My neighbor had them in their farmhouse and never had problems after the put it in. It just plugs into the wall and emits some high pitched noise that deters them.

[dank]

We use a large rat trap to take out pesky chipmunks and red squirrels, which I assume is what you are having trouble with from the acorns. Bait it with peanut butter and walnuts or pecans (shelled).

I've also used the small size live trap. Both work, but the rat trap seems better. Chipmunks have such fast reflexes that I have seen them trip the live trap and still get out before it closes.

[Sin City Stan]

Years ago when I stored a boat in a shed I set up a gauntlet of sticky traps around the three points where the trailer touched the ground. Caught four over the Winter. Boat stayed clean.

Just stack them around the wheels and kickstand and check them weekly.

[cactusjack]

Get a cat. Best rodent repellent there is, and it's 100% natural.

[damark115]

I have power. Tried the electronic repellent, worthless. My 4 small traps catch a couple mice a week all winter long. I see the red squirrels all around the shed but never catch one. I will try the sticky traps next or even rat traps. I just wonder where they must also go and I have not found them yet. They never pick the mower or the snow blower or my tool boxes, just my Nomad. Even found acorns in my bowling shoes after leaving my bag on the bike rack overnight.

[ringadingh]

I use rat traps with peanut butter as bait, they seem to work the best. Although for red squirrels my pellet gun seems to be the best, they usually avoid the traps.

[waterman]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

Get a cat. Best rodent repellent there is, and it's 100% natural.

Depends upon the cat. Every cat my wife has brought home is lazy. Mouse can run right in front of his nose and the stupid cat just looked at you.

[phenrichs]

park it in the living room. No mice there.

[Loafer]

I had two red squirrels chew a hole into the house under the stairs. Didn't see or hear a thing, when I did find out I had squatters. They had made quite a mess. Tried everything mentioned hear. and probably a few others that didn't work. What finally worked was a Have-A-Heart trap with peanut butter with sunflower seeds stuck in the PB. Do not release them within 1 mile of your home, they will come back. I dropped them off at the nursing home where my mother was a resident because they have 32 feeders and 105 residents wanting something to do. A rat trap with peanut butter would work as well. Good luck.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by waterman

Depends upon the cat. Every cat my wife has brought home is lazy. Mouse can run right in front of his nose and the stupid cat just looked at you.

Back in Utah, we lived in a semi-rural suburb of Salt Lake City. Lots of small farms, horse and cattle, etc. Come fall, mice would get into the house to keep warm, cat took care of them in no time.

[damark115]

Ya, My girl won't let me buy a cat with the intent of locking it in the shed. I asked.

[fubarjohnnyr]

Damark, the peppermint oil works about as well as all the other 'home remedies' and that isn't very well. We've tried that in our Combines/wheat trucks/ other equipment over the winter. It never slowed them down much at all.

I havent tried this but I was thinking maybe mixing up a concoction of Capsaicin extract and alchohol. Be careful not to cross contaminate and accidently rub your eye though. :'(

[dandantmm]

Originally Posted by loafer

I had two red squirrels chew a hole into the house under the stairs. Didn't see or hear a thing, when I did find out I had squatters. They had made quite a mess. Tried everything mentioned hear. and probably a few others that didn't work. What finally worked was a Have-A-Heart trap with peanut butter with sunflower seeds stuck in the PB. Do not release them within 1 mile of your home, they will come back. I dropped them off at the nursing home where my mother was a resident because they have 32 feeders and 105 residents wanting something to do. A rat trap with peanut butter would work as well. Good luck.

I had a squirrel infestation too a few years back and I used live traps both inside and out but had the best luck outside. Because my wife and daughter insisted...i released them many many miles away from my house using a zig zag pattern of travel. If you don't want to release them then get a large garbage bag that you can put the trap in and then fill it with exhaust from your favorite vehicle. They go to sleep and don't wake up.

Squirrels are the worst, they will chew up all sorts of stuff when they are bored. I'm still finding crap/wiring that they chewed on in my attic. I don't even like having them living close to my house.