# Solutions to mice in the tractor cab?



## chazhk

Does anyone have a sure fire method for keeping mice out of the tractor cab? I've put moth balls in the John Deere and that seems to be helping to some degree. The cab got to smelling to bad from the mouse pee I had the seat and headliner replaced. The JD dealer said to use the moth balls so I have. Of course now it smells like moth balls......strong!! If a mouse did pee in there you would never know it. Now that I have the new tractor I hate to start with the mb treatment if there is a better and less offensive method out there. Any suggestions?

Chaz


----------



## somedevildawg

A good barn cat......


----------



## Swv.farmer

Try a rubber snake may work.
Or Maby keep some one bite in their.


----------



## FarmerCline

I take it the cab is not sealed very well if mice are getting in? Best thing is to get rid of the mice.....I would try to put out some poison where the mice will eat it and other critters aren't likely to get into it.


----------



## somedevildawg

Lol, Farmercline is not too receptive to the organic route, surprising knowing your affinity for felines


----------



## IHCman

Just One Bite brand mouse poison in plastic bait stations so nothing else gets into it.

My sisters Rottweilier killed all the cats on my parents place. Within a few months the buildings were overrun with mice. Did a little looking online and read some good reviews on Just One Bite brand poision. Bought some and 6 bait stations. Within a week there were no more mice. Even worked on rats under an old wooden feed shed. I made sure to check the bait stations often that first week to make sure they didn't ever run out of poison but i rarely had to add any. I now just check the stations in the spring and fall and haven't had to add any new stuff yet.

I was worried about mice getting somewhere and dying and then stinking to high heaven. But i read somewhere that they won't stink after eating this stuff. Hard to believe they won't stink but I've yet to smell a dead one yet.

Rottwelier is dead and gone, got more cats and wished I hadn't, buggers crap behind the chute in our working barn and sometimes one gets locked in the shop without us knowing. Just love to find cat crap on the floor.


----------



## IHCman

I've also heard to use dryer sheets, Vanilla airfresheners, and spearmint gum to keep mice out of vehicles. I've not tried any of those so don't know if they work or BS.


----------



## mlappin

When done with a tractor for any amount of time shop vac the cab out, take all paper out of the cab, then take an air wand and blow all the corners out the shop vac may not have reached, most of the time if they have no nesting materials or a food source they'll stay out.

Also a whole bunch of hungry cats go a long ways to keeping the mice at bay.


----------



## FarmerCline

somedevildawg said:


> Lol, Farmercline is not too receptive to the organic route, surprising knowing your affinity for felines


 Lol, you know I ain't having a damned cat in my barn.


----------



## Swv.farmer

I second the moation on no cats I hate the smell of cat pee


----------



## Vol

IHCman is dead on about using fabric softener dryer sheets. I know a fella that restores old model A's & T's....their open nature is a invitation to mice. He puts a couple of Bounce fabric softener sheets in each one periodically to keep the mice away on these very expensive restorations.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Tx Jim

I put peppermint oil on cotton balls in/under cab & hood of tractor. JD sells a product called "Fresh Cab'' to deter mice.

PMFCS12

Repellent - FRESH CAB RODENT REPELLANT

13.99 USD


----------



## chazhk

I have to agree about cats being the best deterrent. We had mice and rats in the old ranch house that was built back in the 20s. It was easy for them to get in; took some cats down and no more mice or rats. The barn stays closed up so cats wouldn't work. The mice get in the JD, not sure yet about the CaseIH, of course it has a big hole in the windshield at the moment from taking a rock while being delivered. I'll try a few of the suggested methods, sounds like some sure beat smelling moth balls. Thanks for all the input!


----------



## Teslan

I doubt that you will get mice in the Case. Our tractor shed was over run with mice it seems last winter and no mice got into either the NH tractor or the MF swather. They also never have gotten into the 6290 MF or the JD 7810. Gotta find those holes in your JD I guess. The NH dealer here sells these bags of stuff that supposedly keeps mice away. I'm assuming it's mostly pine needles as that's what it smells like. I put one in the cab of the 1089 stacker and I don't think they got in there to much last winter.


----------



## chazhk

Sure hope you're right Teslan, I was surprised they got in the JD. I'll look for an entrance and remove all "nesting" material in the tractor and barn. I keep disposable shop towels out and they carry bits and pieces of them to the Ranger and make nests, have found very little in the JD though. I'm sure going to try all the more pleasant smelling stuff. I hated to "stink up" the Case with moth balls since its new, but it sho' beats the smell of rat/mouse pee! Oh....and rat bait is on the way!


----------

