- Joined
- Jan 9, 2008
- RO Number
- 29205
- Messages
- 283
I got to my boat and found I had mice - discusting!!!! They chewed up my upholstry, a few wires, any food that was in paper, and generally mad a big mess in - just 3 weeks. Now that the weather is getting colder, they are looking for shelter, and boats are great.
My boat is in a covered slip and they just jump on board. In my case, I had just put in a new vertical windlass, the the hole to the anchor locker was plenty big. They say mice can get through a 1/4" slit, and rats a 1/2". I plugged the anchor chain entry with steel wool - they hate chewing on it, and it should not do any harm as if I forget to pull it out, it will come loose when I drop my anchor. Another boater said he saw a hugh rat leap off another boat and run down the dock in broad daylight - scared the hell out of him!
Some good advice:
Keep no available food - they chew through plastic and paper.
Keep no water available to make them comfortable.
Plug all holes either with steel or copper "wool", or very fine wire mesh.
Watch leaving your portlights open as they will chew through the window screen if its plastic.
Put a fine mesh , like 1/4" square, between your engine room air intake vents and the hull - they can usually squeez through the normal vent openings.
Plug any small holes going from your engine room into the cabin with steel wool or metal screen. The rule is, if you can get your finger in the hold, a mouse can get through it.
Leave lots of traps around - concesus is the snap-traps are the best with peanut butter as bait as it last a long time. I have about 15 all over now!!!
Decon works, but if they die on your boat, they can stink. I still have Decon in my bilge and in out-of-the way places but be sure to keep it away from kids and pets!!! If a mouse dies from Decon, and a cat eats the mouse, they might die.
Mice and rats are good jumpers, but they will usually follow a dock line so putting a big funnel or 10" SMOOTH plastic disc on lines will help - but only helps if they can't just jump on the boat.
Concesus says that the ultrasonic deterrents don't work and they get use to them quickly, although they might be anoying enought to make the mice walk down the dock to another boat.
Fox urine is suppose to be one of the best deterrants, although I could not find it. Spraying it around the dock and on the posts near your boat seems like a good idea.
If you do find them on board, it is HIGHLY recomended that you wear rubber gloves, have a good disenfectant like Chlorox to spray everything down, wear a good face mask, and don't vacuume up the crap as it puts it airborne and can carry lots of disease. Wet it down with disenfectant before cleaning it up. It took me well over a half day crawling around every nook and cranny to get it cleaned - they went everywhere!
These are just my ideas from first hand experience and reading on-line - your comments and ideas are needed as with this really cold weather, lots of boats will have new visitors!
Good luck and I hope nome of you come to your boat and find the mess I did!!!
Jim
My boat is in a covered slip and they just jump on board. In my case, I had just put in a new vertical windlass, the the hole to the anchor locker was plenty big. They say mice can get through a 1/4" slit, and rats a 1/2". I plugged the anchor chain entry with steel wool - they hate chewing on it, and it should not do any harm as if I forget to pull it out, it will come loose when I drop my anchor. Another boater said he saw a hugh rat leap off another boat and run down the dock in broad daylight - scared the hell out of him!
Some good advice:
Keep no available food - they chew through plastic and paper.
Keep no water available to make them comfortable.
Plug all holes either with steel or copper "wool", or very fine wire mesh.
Watch leaving your portlights open as they will chew through the window screen if its plastic.
Put a fine mesh , like 1/4" square, between your engine room air intake vents and the hull - they can usually squeez through the normal vent openings.
Plug any small holes going from your engine room into the cabin with steel wool or metal screen. The rule is, if you can get your finger in the hold, a mouse can get through it.
Leave lots of traps around - concesus is the snap-traps are the best with peanut butter as bait as it last a long time. I have about 15 all over now!!!
Decon works, but if they die on your boat, they can stink. I still have Decon in my bilge and in out-of-the way places but be sure to keep it away from kids and pets!!! If a mouse dies from Decon, and a cat eats the mouse, they might die.
Mice and rats are good jumpers, but they will usually follow a dock line so putting a big funnel or 10" SMOOTH plastic disc on lines will help - but only helps if they can't just jump on the boat.
Concesus says that the ultrasonic deterrents don't work and they get use to them quickly, although they might be anoying enought to make the mice walk down the dock to another boat.
Fox urine is suppose to be one of the best deterrants, although I could not find it. Spraying it around the dock and on the posts near your boat seems like a good idea.
If you do find them on board, it is HIGHLY recomended that you wear rubber gloves, have a good disenfectant like Chlorox to spray everything down, wear a good face mask, and don't vacuume up the crap as it puts it airborne and can carry lots of disease. Wet it down with disenfectant before cleaning it up. It took me well over a half day crawling around every nook and cranny to get it cleaned - they went everywhere!
These are just my ideas from first hand experience and reading on-line - your comments and ideas are needed as with this really cold weather, lots of boats will have new visitors!
Good luck and I hope nome of you come to your boat and find the mess I did!!!
Jim