How to Keep Mice Out of Farm Equipment
How to Keep Mice Out of Farm Equipment
Mice and other rodents can be a problem in farm buildings and during storage, as they will chew through many materials that humans use. Mice love the insulation around power wires and will damage them, causing short circuits and potential fires. Although common household mouse repellents for tractors—including cayenne pepper and peppermint oil—can certainly be helpful, we recommend a holistic strategy for those who need to know how to keep mice out of farm equipment.
How to Keep Mice from Chewing Wires
No one likes a bunch of uninvited mice running around their property, but these critters pose a special problem for Flemingsburg-area farmers who rely on tractors and other equipment that needs to be stored outside. If you need to know how to keep mice from chewing wires, just follow these seven tips:
- Clear: Make your property less inviting for mice by clearing brush and keeping your grass short.
- Clean: Eliminate potential hiding places for mice within your storage spaces. Clean up regularly, and remove as much debris as possible. Look for holes and hidden entryways, then eliminate them.
- Remove: To the extent that you are able, remove all food and crop residue from your vehicles before bringing them in for storage. An air compressor can be very helpful here.
- Open: The under-hood area of most tractors provides a safe place for mice to hide. Make it less welcoming by keeping your hood open when the tractor is in storage.
- Disconnect: When you lock your tractors up for winter, consider disconnecting and covering the largest and most accessible cables.
- Partner Up: Bring home one or two farm cats who will hunt and kill the unlucky mice who happen to meet them.
- Repel: Consider the wide range of available mouse repellents for tractors and farm equipment, including natural, high-tech, and store-bought solutions.
Mouse Repellents for Tractors
Mouse repellents for tractors make an excellent last line of defense. Most need to be replaced every 30 to 90 days, which is why we recommend a comprehensive deterrent strategy. However, even if all your other plans fail, you can keep mice away from vulnerable wires by exploring these precautions:
- Store-Bought Mouse Repellent: Baits, traps, poisons can be used to keep mice from chewing wires, but we don’t think these are the best solutions out there. Many recommend botanical repellents like Fresh Cab, which uses a scent (that smells fresh to humans) to keep rodents away without risking harm to local wildlife. Many other such repellents are available.
- Household Mouse Repellent: Water mixed with cayenne pepper or peppermint oil sprinkled on your wires can keep most rodents away. You could also use cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil, but you’ll need to remember to remove them from the engine compartment before you start the vehicle. Dried orange peels, mothballs, and fabric softener sheets have also been found to be successful in some cases—but keep in mind that mothballs can be poisonous to cats or dogs.
- High-Tech Traps: Although any potential buyer should know that there are conflicting reports on their effectiveness, high-tech, high-frequency sonic mouse repellents aim to protect a wide area for a long time. It has been proven that mice don’t like loud noises, but you might want to combine your sonic repellent with one or more of the methods outlined above.
If we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for at our parts department, we can absolutely point you to someone who can help.
Rose Farm Supply Can Lend a Hand!
If you have additional questions about how to keep mice out of farm equipment, all you need to do is let us know! Drivers from all over the Lexington and Louisville areas come to Rose Farm Supply when they’re in need, so don’t hesitate to contact our team today.