Yikes! Mouse on Board!

B

Bill3558

New member
The wife and I went out for a day trip to the beach today and after being underway for 10 minutes she spotted a mouse that came from somewhere and ran into the bilge area hiding behind the gas tanks.

Any suggestions on how to get the little stowaway off my boat? It stays in the water at the marina. Guess it walked across the lines and got on board.

Its always something.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
1) Boa constrictor
2) 12 Ga./00buck
3)Pull the drain Plug

Bet if 30 minutes isn't up your editing the "any" out of the last line.

Actually I read somewhere that if you put some fabric softener sheets around the boat, he'll probably choose to leave of his own accord. Maybe leave one of the tie ropes hang to the floor to make it easier to get out?
 
cemiii":7j1dfcf8 said:
Actually I read somewhere that if you put some fabric softener sheets around the boat, he'll probably choose to leave of his own accord.
Click to expand...

And then if he/she doesn't leave, at least you'll have the softest, fluffiest mouse in the marina!! :roll:

Actually, Hav-A-Hart makes a tiny live trap for MOUSIE SIZED CRITTERS

Charlie
 
this is a tricky situation which calls for extreme measures. first i would place a large piece of cheese on the floor in good view. then get as high off the deck as possible, so as not to be seen, then load your double barrel 12 gauge shotgun with as meany shells as it will hold and when the little guy comes out from hiding, open up with both barrels. now the aftermath will not be pleasant however having said that you will notice that your mouse problems will be no more. i personally haven't had this problem but i'm told byrdman did and he handled this problem in the same manner in which i just described..........
let us know the outcome.
best regards
pat

ps: no warranties are expressed and/or implied, please read and understand all owner manuals before attempting to eradicate varments!
 
I was going to recommend the same thing but I'd replace the cheese with a couple dozen of fresh peas. Then when he comes out to take a pea, blast away.

If it sound like we may not be taking this too seriously, you may be right... :lol:

Charlie
 
The Hav-A-Hart double door trap works well.

Bait the trap with a 1" square of toast (whole wheat works well...) then put a small dab of peanut butter on the toast square, leave it in place overnight then return in the morning to check your trap-line.

Good Hunting!

Best,
Casey
 
ok, all kidding aside, a mouse aboard is no fun time. home depot or lowes both have mouse traps that are all inclusive, mouse goes in and doesn't come out. done, now i would suspect the mouse came aboard thru the hole where the engine cables pass thru the rear bulkhead. i used a firestop spray type foam and sealed up that opening as well as any other opening to keep out other unwanted critters, spiders, wasp and the like.
good luck and hope you have a good sense of humor.
pat
 
"this is a tricky situation which calls for extreme measures. first i would place a large piece of cheese on the floor in good view. then get as high off the deck as possible, so as not to be seen, then load your double barrel 12 gauge shotgun with as meany shells as it will hold and when the little guy comes out from hiding, open up with both barrels. now the aftermath will not be pleasant however......"
Click to expand...

Bill, if you are not using this method because you are worried about being able to aim good enough, no worries man. Even if you miss, the little critter will be forced to come out of hiding to swim to shore when the boat sinks, so you get rid of the rascal either way. Easy fix, some gel coat, a travel lift, some good pumps, a bit of EPA paper work and you are all good as new :wink

On the other hand, if it did board from a dock line. there are some cool systems used by the Lake Powell boaters that might work. Cone shields on the line that make them impervious to mice and other crawlers might be an idea. They also had some on the line trap systems, one on each side of the line, so if one gets filled, it flips over and then the empty one comes to the top so that its like an auto reload. Maybe to critters in each session.

Another option, see if Jim (from Wild Blue) will let Izzy out for a summer job too. Might be an opening for a second side career for the Wild Blue crew.

Good Luck on making your boat more lonely.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Some years ago, as I sat in our cozy family room on a wintery evening, my trusty hunting dog snuggled at my feet, a wee mouse scooted out from behind a pile of books. Seeing me, the mouse paused for an instant, and – I swear this really happened – flipped me “the paw” and then went on its merry way.

The dog continued to snooze.

The whole thing was too much to take.

So I quickly set a mouse trap baited with peanut butter, and returned to my reverie.

Within minutes I heard a most satisfying “snap” come from the trap’s direction. Upon checking, I found the defunct mouse.

Reset the trap and bagged another mouse within minutes.

And that was that. For a while.

Mice are not cute. They can do a lot of damage. I recommend doing whatever you can in keeping with your own good conscience and sense of ethics to rid your boat of the critter. Traps of various kinds are demonstrably effective. Good luck.

Dick Bolton
 
Izzy is not for rent...

IzzyFullMoonE.jpg

One thing we've had good luck with over the years in boats and RVs is dryer sheets (like Bounce). I put a container of Decon and a couple bug traps in the boat if we're going to be away for a while, then put the dryer sheets all around the interior. When we get back... no critters and the interior smells nice. Mice (and rodents) are vermin... if they stay away from our area, they get to live... come into our space, and they go to rat heaven.

Here in our summer "gig", I have dispatched several vermin who have tried to set up housekeeping in our shop. Our assistant manager (female) said to me the other day: "Don't tell me what you do to them, just make them go away."

I said, "They go to the "happy rat farm" where they can play and roam as they please. They were all smiling when I carried them out. Really."

Nasty, filthy vermin.
 
I had this problem earlier this summer. I suspect the mouse was living in the foam flotation of the dock. Heard some scratching noises like a bird on the roof, then heard an empty can roll in the sink. Grabbed the flashlight and there was a very fat mouse looking at me. I found that it came through the wiring tunnel through the bulkhead. And it left "traces" wherever it went. I put a maple bar on top of the garbage pail and set it in the cockpit and the mouse left, but not without getting me up about three different times through the night. Next day I sealed up all the holes in the bulkhead with spray foam. That night he returned. Again, "traces" were left where it went to look for an entrance. It apparently had the ability to reason and had a knowledge of boats as it went to all the windows and the forward hatch, and of course back to where it was successful the first night. After about an hour of looking around it hopped back out on the dock and disappeared. I now anchor out.
 
Speaking of living under the dock in a hollowed out space in the foam, I have a family of River Otters that do so, beside my boat.

They don't come on board, thank goodness, but do make a mess on the dock with their fishy poop!

They're not much of a problem, other than that, though, and at 20-25 lbs each, I'm very happy just to watch them swim around the boat and occasionally climb out on the dock.


Joe. :teeth :thup
 
hi joe,
hope this day finds you fit and trim, healthy, wealthy and wise.
apparently you have not heard of "louisiana river otter hot root soup"
not making this up. google for ingredients.
this should take care of the otter problem and feed the crew at the same time.
always happy to help another c-brat
best regards
pat
 
patrick and linda":1o17vpq6 said:
hi joe,
hope this day finds you fit and trim, healthy, wealthy and wise.
apparently you have not heard of "louisiana river otter hot root soup"
not making this up. google for ingredients.
this should take care of the otter problem and feed the crew at the same time.
always happy to help another c-brat
best regards
pat
Click to expand...

Pat-

Sounds interesting!

Why am I surprised that the ingredients don't actually include any River Otter Vittles? Or do I just have the politically acceptable version?

Recipe here: Louisiana River Otter Hot Root Soup

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
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