Anyone have a preventive measure "that works" for keeping mice out of an airplane. The damage and associated cost to repair the mice damage to my C150 is considerable. Thanks
Anyone have a preventive measure "that works" for keeping mice out of an airplane. The damage and associated cost to repair the mice damage to my C150 is considerable. Thanks
Have always set traps in all 8 corners of the t-hangar and it seems to catch them before they can cause damage. Never had a problem.
I leave bait out in my hangar 365 days a year. I figure any critters getting in my hangar will find the bait before they build a condo in my airplane. Even if they get into the airplane and die, I'd rather that than a long term mouse house somewhere in the airframe.
You don't have a hangar cat? Or are you feeding yours too much?
The best way to keep mice out of your airplane is to fly it regularly.
Best of luck,
Wes
N78PS
Wasn't there a post a while back about a guy who had come up with something that went around the wheels to keep mice out? I did a search but came up empty handed.
Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.
"I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.
Several ways to combat mice. Ist make sure there is no food or even food crumbs in the plane to attract the mice. But that is not guarantee. Put in a few sheets of that paper that you put in the dryer to make fabric softer, it really seems to work and is cheap and easy, mice don't like the smell, but it won't hurt pets. You can also get boxes of mice poison at the hardware store, and leave the open box in the plane. But it can spill and will only kill the mice, After they have already been in the plane and eaten it; might also hurt a cat or dog.
Borrow a cat and let it roam around in the plane for a few minutes, so the cat smell ( not long enough to pee) will deter mice.
Lastly,you can custom make a enclosure of thin sheet metal to fit around all the wheels so the mice can't climb up into the plane.
Finally have the airport keep the grass trimmed down so there are less field mice, and try to park away from any field if you can.
Last edited by Bill Greenwood; 05-27-2012 at 06:42 PM.
About two years ago as I was starting my second RV a ferral cat appeared...I just happened to have some dry cat food, so I kept putting that out in a bowl by the hangar door every night. After a VERY long time the cat would come into the hangar to get food and water...months later I was able to touch him, although he would swat at me quite often. By now he has become a lap kitty and sleeps in the hangar way up in a storage cabinet on a folded up quilt. When it is cold, as over winter, there is a heat lamp for him. I also added a 'doggy door' so he can come and go as he wishes. He is now a permanent resident in the hangar.
The only mouse problem I have is that he catches them outside, hauls them in the hagar to eat, and leaves a pile of guts for me to clean up. It seems a small price to pay for the mouser service and the companionship he gives me.
Interesting to be able to tame a totally wild animal...he appeared with one ear chewed off, probably in a fight, or perhaps something a coyote did to him.
I used sheet metal around the wheels with pretty good success like the photos in this old thread:
http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?...er-Should-Know.
But if you really want to get rid of mice get one of the electric mouse killers.