Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Unwelcome Visitor

A couple of days ago I discovered I’d had an unwelcome visitor to my +4, a mouse. A couple of weeks ago some bird seed got spilt in the garage (it should have been in the shed but that’s my own fault) and got blown about the floor a bit.
On Saturday It being summer in Scotland I took it a run over the new Aberdeen bypass and when having a quick check under the bonnet noticed some seed in the vicinity of the heater air intake which I assumed had been blown there, on Sunday I noticed a bit more but again thought it had been blown there while out for the run although it did look a bit chewed.

Monday was the start of the season spruce up and again I found more chewed evidence at the same spot so started to look around a bit more to find some chewed bird seed behind the seats. Off to the nearest hardware store and purchased a couple of humane traps and one of the plug in sonic type detergents.

On checking this morning found more chewed up seed so it doesn’t appear to phased by the sonic deterrent and the gloves are off as a couple of spring traps are now set.
As I’d cleaned up all the seed I could find I wondered where it was getting a supply and had a look in the air filter inlet to see a supply stored inside.

I’ve cleaned the air filter and found some silvery and black material which I’ve found is insulation around the heater box which so far appears to be the only damage. At the moment I’ve masked off the air inlet with a note posted on the steering wheel to remind me and moved the sonic detector up to the engine bay

The droppings I’ve found are extremely small so I assume a field mouse, hope fully now it’s food supply is cut off it will disappear, watch this space.

I hate to say this but try behind the carpets that run up the outside of the footwell.
I found a load of hazelnuts but no rodent thankfully one year when fitting Librands door checks to my +4.

Cheers John will have a look

Apparently mice don`t like the smell of mint - so a pot in the garage or peppermint oil with a few drops around may help.

Brian - Mice in Inverbervie! Whatever next?
You may have to go into quarantine on the Orkney trip.
Seriously though, it is rather worrying since mice seem to have an appetite for wiring insulation. I hope that your big-game hunt is successful.
Don.

Phil is correct about concentrated peppermint..all rodents hate the smell.

I live in a Forest (but under cover !!!) and the mice love chewing on fuel lines and certain plastics..many owners have had bills of £5000 to rewire some camper vans parked on site.

My friend works at Nestle chocolate factory in York and for over 100 years they have used concentrated peppermint to keep rodents out of the works.

My Supersports and other vehicles live outside..I have an electrical sonor device in each but also have pots of the oil mixed with water and cotton wool balls when parked for a while.

Very successful.
It is also well known in Motorhome circles that peppermint oils is the best solution.

About £9 for a bottle on ebay...it goes a long way

I assume your +4 is a pre-cat model.

Quentin

Very good, Quentin


I’m surprised I didn’t see you Bervie, I went the other direction to Stonehaven on Saturday, just to try the new road, it’s going to provide a whole new area to explore for me, can’t wait for sunny Sundays!


But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!

One deceased mouse this morning and no signs of dinner having been consumed in or around the car so some relief but the peppermint oil is on order and the traps will remain for the foreseeable future. The sonic deterrent does not seem to be a great success as it was placed less than three feet away from the trap

Thanks to all for your replies, I’m now a bit worried about the cat on the car as it certainly isn’t much of a mouser.

Didn’t see you on Saturday Ewn just the speed polis at the Stony end, the bypass makes a massive difference this end if you are heading toward the airport, pity it’s only 40 years late.