Mice are among the most common intrusive wild animals to bother homeowners in North America. They are versatile, clever little creatures that have two main goals in life: warmth, and food, and they’ll do pretty much whatever it takes to achieve these two goals. But the question remains, How do you get mice out of your car?
And the home isn’t the only place where you might find them. In fact, more and more people are complaining about mice inside their cars, which can cause quite a few problems.
Why do mice get into cars?
The reason why a mouse has found its way into your car can vary. During the cold months, it’s not uncommon for the little rodents to be attracted to the insides of cars because of the warmth of the engine.
Throughout the year, they will also pick a car above other potential nesting spaces, as it’s easy enough to get into for them, but difficult for predators to penetrate. This makes it an ideal hiding place for the little critters, all year round.
What’s more, cars tend to be parked near properties, which in turn offer easily accessible food sources for rodents, such as open trash cans, bird feeders, leftovers, pet food, fruit trees, and so on.
Is there a mouse living in your car?
Wondering how you can tell whether or not you’ve got a mouse problem? Easy, just look for:
- Gnawed wires – pop your hood open, and look for chewed wires, as one of the first signs of a mice invasion;
- Difficulty starting the car – a very serious consequence of a mouse in the car is that they will do permanent damage to the insides of your car, to the point where it won’t even start anymore;
- Ruined upholstery – when moving into a new home, a mouse will need materials to create its nest. This is why, if there’s a mouse around, you’re quite likely to find missing bits in your upholstery;
- Droppings – look for tiny pellets (aka mouse droppings) inside your car;
- Bad smells – since mice often use the car’s vents to get in and out, it’s likely that they’ll leave behind various droppings to create bad smells.
If you suspect there may be a mouse living in your car, we recommend that you visit wildliferemovalmichigan.com to learn more about professional mouse removal as soon as possible.
How to get rid of mice in your car:
There are a number of options available to you, if you’re struggling with a mouse in your car. As mentioned above, you can call a professional wildlife removal service to have them sort out the problem for you. Honestly, this is the best option, as they are usually best trained both to identify the root problem, get rid of the mouse humanely, as well as sanitize your car.
But there are DIY alternatives, such as mouse trapping. These include traditional lethal traps, glue traps, and more humane alternatives, like live traps. Personally, we wouldn’t recommend using glue traps to get rid of mice, as they are vastly inhumane. A mouse will chew off its own leg, or go to extreme lengths to free themselves. Besides, a glue trap involves a slow, and pointlessly agonizing death.
Your best bet would be to use a live trap that you install somewhere inside your car, ideally along the mouse’s natural path. You could also install this near the vents, which often provide the mouse with easy access to and from the car. Check on the trap regularly, to ensure that the mouse isn’t trapped for longer than strictly necessary, and then use the trap to transport and release the mouse into a safe new location.
Future prevention
Mice are attracted to cars that don’t move for a long time. So it might be a good idea to bring your car indoors somewhere, if you don’t plan on using it in a long time.
Alternatively, you may seek professional help in blocking the entry point (if you know what that is), or use various odours unpleasant to mice to deter them from approaching. These include peppermint oil, pine sol, and Irish spring soap.
Make sure you thoroughly disinfect your vehicle after a mouse infestation!
Other articles from mtltimes.ca – totimes.ca – otttimes.ca
West Island personal trainer Joy Levy and the joys of fitness training – EnJoy Fitness
