How to keep mice out of lawn mower?!?!

Tin Cat also works well. Just bait once. After the first mouse is caught remove it. If the mouse goes sour before the trap is emptied just put it out in the rain to wash off. Then put it right back into service with no bait, the previous scent is enough to lure more in. Nothing like Them volunteering to walk into the trap for free. They will die in a day or two so the trap needs checked daily if possible.
 
My Clausing 5418 lathe runs as smooth as silk. Couple of years ago felt a vibration that wasn't normal and found that the lathe doubled as a mouse tenderiszer /extruder /masher /chopper. . . .

Lots of suggestions out there on the web, so opinions galore. Here's a summary of what I've read on the internet. Mice are a prey animal and are looking for food and shelter. Change their environment and they get skiddish. They live in nests of nasty smelling mouse pee and poop, but they're used to it and don't care. But put a scent they're not used to and they get nervous; dryer sheets, peppermint oil, etc. But they eventually get used to it if they still have food and shelter.

We have a pop-up camper that has set unused for 7 years in the back of my shop. It's all set up with everything wide open and has no evidence of mouse damage except for one place. The camper has a port-a-pottie built in and I didn't leave the access door open. Found a bunch of insulation in it as I'm finally getting off my butt to get the camper sold and out of my shop. I've put poison in the camper but it's been pretty much untouched after 7 years.

It was suggested above, so not adding anything new here but I'd suggests leaving the hood open. Maybe a quick removable cover too like a piece of plywood. Poison works too, but we have some cats in our area that might be snacking on the mice. Don't know if that's bad for a cat or not.

Good luck!

Bruce

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RJSakowski said:
Apparently, mice leave a scent trail which keeps bringing them back to the same place
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Yep and mice for generations to come will follow the trail. My house is sarking built in 1923 so no noggins to block them up the walls to the roof space. Cloudy Ammonia sprayed around will upset them as does Peppermint oil which they cannot stand. Ammonia is cheap though.

My dogs are way better at mousing and ratting than the cats.
For some fun and games other than night shooting this guy has a lot of info on traps. Maunsel's 427 year old spring trap is one of my favourites and consistently outperforms a conventional spring trap. 11/16" holes for mice.
Some traps can be used for live capture which is good if you are feeding Raptors. Kids love this stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/user/historichunter
 
Thanks for all the replies!

I tried a multi-point "belt and suspenders" approach:

1) I have been leaving the hood up on the mower
2) I freshened the bait and reset the existing (simple wood base spring type ) traps
3) I found the spray below and gave a shot to the flywheel space and all around the chassis where they'd need to climb up
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4) I built and installed a trap based on this design, I'm using jelly-beans as bait

5) I found some "Victor quick-set" traps (similar to the Wilson Predator fast-set traps mentioned above by @David S.) and baited those with peanut butter.

6) I found a bucket to use with either a plain trap, or with the wire and spinning can above, but have not yet got it set up.

So far, no more mice problems.......

-brino
 
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brino, I just love that mouse trap in the video, lol.
A 427 year old design eh?
 
Ken from ontario said:
A 427 year old design eh?
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So they say! (I wasn't there :))

That same guy has many, many mice catching videos.
Here's a real easy one that also caught my eye:
(I think mouse #2 was pushed!)

I find it hilarious and ridiculous that he "saves" the mice........but I guess for one of his future videos....so they'll get what's coming.

-brino
 
dlane said:
Brino, the mice are building there nest there because it’s safe from cats, if you leave the hood open they will find a diferant home. My truck sets in the garage till needed I leave the hood open enough that rodents don’t feel safe.
The mower deck should lift higher than that , did you buy it new ?. I was tired of living on my lawnmower/ tractor ,and other things in Arkansas on 40ac so I sold it and moved here where most of the yard is paved, but this state is messed up
Wish I never left AR now, o well.
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No hood open does not work. I have a similar KW engine on my zero turn which has no hood and the mice have gotten into the cooling shrouds 3-4x, destroyed 2 ignition coils, ate various wiring. Ive re-routed most of the wire to outside the covers but there has to be a 12v line to one coil and another wire between the two coils, I've covered the wires with different things short of tiny conduit and they still chew. Tried moth balls, mouse repellent peppermint spray and bags. Bounce sheets they made nests out of. This past winter, when they ate through the plug wire on another coil, I declared the last year the mower will stay in the shed. &$%# things had to get me one more time as I just came in from fixing the wiring again. Managed to grind up a couple when I started the mower. Satisfying as that was its still expensive and disgusting. Its not like I have anything great in the shed for them. No food or nesting material, just garden tools, a couple chainsaws, sprayer and rototiller. Oh and gas cans, bar oil, funnel, filter wrench for the tractor and a grease gun. I,ve built the bucket type mouse traps with the rollers where they end up dunking themselves in RV antifreeze. I never knew one 10x12 shed could attract that many mice. No garbage kept in the area, no bird seed, nothing. Ive no idea what attracts them to the shed and then the mower. Do they flavor the wiring for mice to sell ignition coils?
 
I live in the mountains, lots of mice. I set up a trap line outside all around my house and storage shed. I use Woodpecker food for bait. (That is a another story). Anyhow the woodpecker food is mostly cracked corn with some sort of greasy binder. Maybe bacon fat grease. Mice like it and it stays on the traps for ever without drying out. I set a couple around my mower and check them a couple times a week. Have not had a mouse in the mower or shed for years. At first I would catch 1-2 every night. Now about maybe 1 a week. No mice in cars, garage, shed, or house.

If you think mice are bad, I have pack rats!!!!! Mice are easy compared to pack rats. I use giant size mouse traps for them also. Sometimes a little mouse gets whacked by a rat trap.
 
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