MICE IN CABIN AIR FILTER AND INTERIOR OF TRUCK!

[outsidesleep]

So I returned from a five day trip camping in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. I washed and detailed my 2015 Nissan Frontier pickup the day after returning, everything was normal. Approximately four days after being home, I was in a local park trail running. I returned to my rig post run and reached for the water glass sitting in the center console area. There was a drowning mouse swimming around in it! Then I saw another one. I opened all of the doors and eleven mice eventually jumped out of the doors in all directions. It seems like they all fled the vehicle. I dont think they were in there for long as there is no poop inside the truck and no wires appear to have been chewed. Honestly im still a little creeped out to drive the truck after what I saw. I have set traps with no mice caught. I placed drops of peppermint oil around the interior and under the hood. I also picked up some "Fresh Cab" from the local hardware store which is a sachet of balsalm fir oil which is supposed to be a deterrent. This is the time of year this stuff happens in the east coast. The mice are seeking shelter, water, and food.
Any tips to know for sure if they are gone?

 

[outsidesleep]

The truck did sit for 5 days with the tailgate down. I also cooked with a two burner stove on the tailgate. I cleaned every night after cooking but wonder of the food scent drew then into the vehicle in the first place. We did also have a sealed bag of trash which we stowed on the roof of the vehicle each night. I intend to go back to the way I did things in my backpacking days ie: bear hang the trash and cook far away from the vehicle.

 

[Dusther210]

Wow that sucks, I would be scarred for life. It sounds like you have all the bases covered, fill it with traps and deterrents, maybe a mouse poison if possible


Do you own a cat?

 

[outsidesleep]

PS- That brown looking paper in the nest is a turbinado sugar packet I had thrown in the glove box when breaking down camp on the final day of the trip.

 

[outsidesleep]

I did remove the cabin air filter and shop vac the duct work as much as possible. Even picked up an aerosol air vent cleaner.

 

[outsidesleep]

Wow that sucks, I would be scarred for life. It sounds like you have all the bases covered, fill it with traps and deterrents, maybe a mouse poison if possible


Do you own a cat?

Unfortunately, I do not own a cat! I think they are gone but they can hide! I just dont want to be driving across a bridge and one jumps out of the damn glove box.

 

[Dusther210]

It reminds me of the nightmare I had with my car that got infested with spiders. I did everything short of burning it to the ground. The week after the infestation I sold the car lol

 

[FishinCrzy]

Eleven plus one in the cup?? You might want to check with Guinness World Records!! Surely that was a litter of new mice? I've had a few mice infestations under the hood before. They had to climb up the tires to get in, right? Maybe set traps before the climb in? Or, park on a containment of water. No ants either! They are sometimes a problem. Maybe a Kingsnake under the seat, yeah.

 

[ryancarman]

we've had mice in vehicle issues here, we live very rural... and you want to start with not leaving anything food related, then anything they can nest with, ie paper, napkins, kleenex etc most mice build a nest but move on when it gets too dirty from urine and poops, hence the smell...

 

[Things]

Don't use poison, if they die under the dash or in the vent you'll be bumming.

I would turn on the A/C and or the vents etc. on high with the doors wide open and you outside cause you never know what got in there,,,,,,,,,

Little dog food in the bottom of a 5 gal bucket they can get in but not out.

I do carry a few traps just in case on my trips, if you gear is outside you might get a stowaway.......

 

[outsidesleep]

we've had mice in vehicle issues here, we live very rural... and you want to start with not leaving anything food related, then anything they can nest with, ie paper, napkins, kleenex etc most mice build a nest but move on when it gets too dirty from urine and poops, hence the smell...

Luckily there was no smell inside the vehicle. I drove it yesterday. Vacuumed out the vents, installed new cabin air filter, shampooed the seats, disinfected the whole interior of the vehicle. From no on I will regularly check the cabin air filter for signs of a mouse nest. I will also be keeping balsam fir oil and peppermint oil scent in the cab and under the hood.