Mice coming inside

Sherrinonie · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 4:27 pm Post subject: Mice coming inside

Witnessed a large kangaroo mouse coming out of the bottom of inside steering column plastic housing. Thought I blocked all holes with steel mesh and taped off all inside vents. Tried mothballs outside as well as downy dryer sheets and they still came inside, desert camp trip number 3. HELP!

vanagonjr · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:09 pm Post subject:

What holes did you block. Behind the grill, there is a black mesh, but it does not cover the sides. Seal those. Also my van had two factory holes behind the drivers side (Left) head lights. I only noticed them when I had the dash apart. If you pull your instrument cluster, I think you can see them. I drove tapered rubber plugs into them. Hope the mice don't chew them.

Battery vents, driver and passenger seats (at least on my weekender).
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

DAIZEE · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:50 pm Post subject:

I standby my Essence of Peppermint Oil (the real oil not the fragrance), cotton balls, in a glass baby food bottle with holes punch in metal top. I have about 6 throughout my van including in the engine compartment. But I did add some welded metal mesh to the air intake behind the black plastic screen. Pleasant soothing smell for humans. Of course the resident mummified mouse that I found hanging in A Column was way before my time.

I also placed about 8 in different areas of the shop and not a mouse dropping to be seen for the first time year round.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

Zero419 · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:08 pm Post subject:

Those miuther effers were in my van too!
almost every storage season.
I have gone through so much trouble cleaning up after them over the years.
I tore the entire interior out a few years ago and cleaned up a few nests.
I swore drier sheets worked. That is until this year.
Found another nest next to the water tank. they chewed through some of my stereo coax wires. Evil or Very Mad

I filled all my holes too.

Only thing that works for me are spring traps. Lots of them. I only have a problem when all the traps were sprung. You would think when a mouse gets into a living space with 10 dead mice, it would turn around.

Maybe I should start sticking them on mini pikes.
_________________
1987 Westy Auto Bostig 2.0 Ztec

BoneMachine · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:28 pm Post subject:

We've become big fans of 'Fresh Cab'. Our cat has been very depressed since we started using it in the basement where the mice were coming in.
http://www.earth-kind.com/
Since a devastating mouse infestation in our last van, while it was in storage, we keep fresh cab in our new van. You might also plug vent holes with copper wool.
Good luck
_________________
'85 Wolfsburg Edition Westfalia Weekender, Zetec #36, w/ Peloquin TBD
'83.5 Westfalia, full camper (we'll never forget you)

Sherrinonie · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:38 pm Post subject: Kangaroo mice

I took off front grill and wired in the galvanized steel mesh and stuffed steel wool into side openings as well. I also stuffed mesh into passenger side battery vent box. I think the only way to fine the hole would be to remove the dash in order to visualize other holes. Now this is something I dare not attempt alone. Any recommendations as to what kind of business I could set an appnt. with who can remove the dash? I have discovered all helpful advice here on the samba. We did the peppermint essential oil soaked cotton balls in glass jars with holes punched in top and distributed throughout the westy too.. I have a beautiful restored 85 westy that I'd like to enjoy without the kangaroo mice visitors during the night.. They were getting into stove area until i blocked all entry with mesh.

DAIZEE · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:46 pm Post subject:

The worst part I found in removing the dash and the heater blower and core was that I'd never done it and had much anxiety and fear. There is an excellent tutorial -pics and trust me if I could do it all by myself, ANYONE can. Labelling everything and I mean everything is the key.

If I have to go back in there, I'd just pick some time when i have several days (others can do it in hours) and go for it. First time is total intimidation. Ben's Place picture tutorial was the way I went. Now I can put it back and take it apart easily.

Lots of maintenance work to do in there also. Good opportunities to do lots of maintenance. GO FOR IT!
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

summer samba · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:12 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the encouragement.
I have to take my dash out soon to clean the blower and heater hoses.
Mice or something set up house and peed inside the whole habitrail mess.
If the temp gets too hot my van blows mouse pee smell out the vents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mad

vanagonjr · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject:

When I pulled my vents and plastic hoses, I soaked them, either vinegar or Simple Green, or maybe a combination of both. Smell was completely gone.

Also pulled 2 dead mice out of the air intake behind the heater.
Plugged the "knee bar" air outlet to the drivers side as not used on Westys. Put screening in of the passenger side to keep those buggers out in the future (besides the added mesh behind the grill). I had to put a garden hose on my shop vac to clean out the knee bar tube of nesting stuff and nuts. It took over 1/2 hour to clean that out.

Peppermint oil in the van all winter - so far so good.
_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

DAIZEE · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:05 pm Post subject:

By the way I keep several spread throughout cupboards, behind glove box all season because the little bummers will hitch a ride anywhere. Someone has told them Vanagons make good homes. Squirrels too seemingly.

I believe in this strongly as so many of you know. My ex had a very elderly 5 plex right near a wilderness park, the entire bldg from top to bottom was invested and two garden sheds were one holy mess. They spread grass seed everywhere. After cleaning this all up all that I did was put my special concoctions everywhere and no more nice period anywhere. About the same time his neighbors started complaining about getting a mice problem, he had a corner lot so lots of neighbors got taught what to do. All happy. Meese like dark places (like in the front heater core), sometimes the only way you can tell is by smell (I don't have a sense of smell so don't rely on that) but if you see so much as one tiny pellet, you got em.

If you are working with mouse feces and urine, please do wear a mask and you should not vacuum it up as vacuum spreads dust.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)


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