Rodent nest plus dog food HVAC help

[Buckbull]

Look at the bright side your wiring is still intact. I'm still waiting to get my truck back from the dealer from squirrel damage.
Like posted above, ozone generator will get rid of the smell.

There is a bunch of threads with solutions to keep the critters out of the cab

Yeah, i did the 1/4 hardware cloth on the two holes on the firewall, intake to air filter and the vents behind the back seats. Not sure how they are getting in.

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[TJC]

Did you cover the correct holes in the fIrewall? The inner ones, not outer. I've seen a few people mistakenly cover the outer holes. Just a thought...

If there is a crack, they will find it! I am amazed by how small a crack they need to enter my garage. I finally found ans sealed all the possibilities, but I keep the traps baited... just in case.

 

[NotBudule2]

Never used inside my Ranger but caught 5 in one day several years back...
Smear a little peanut butter on the back and when they step in , ZAP!!! Light blinks and you dump it and repeat ... it would Velcro or zip tie nicely in the engine compartment or anywhere else...

 

[MrJ1s]

This is incredible, I thought my cabin filter was bad but it may have been because they were heading towards their other nests and stashes in my truck. My cabin filter may have a rest stop along the way. They had nests in the lower part of the back of the driver's seat, above the headliner, the console under the shifter boot, under the handbrake boot and stashes under the rear seat. There may be some residue in the HVAC in the part of the housing that contains the heater core and AC condenser. I still get a whiff on hot days when I turn of the AC.

I see a lot of comments about the Ozone Generators. I have one, it is not a lightweight with a 60,000mg output. I have used it a few times but the key is to get as much of the residue as you can reach and scrub/disinfect all of the areas that they have pissed on. Do what you want as far as personal protection goes, I wore a N95 mask. Depending on where you live and park Hantavirus may be an issue.

Yes, I screened the HVAC intakes and the vent behind the rear seat.​

 

[TJC]

Yes, I screened the HVAC intakes and the vent behind the rear seat.

What a mess! Before or after the infestation?

 

[MrJ1s]

"What a mess! Before or after the infestation?"

I started searching mouse/mice posts in this group right after discovering the the initial infestation and screened the openings immediately. After I got what I thought was the only infestation I discovered the others one at a time because of the lingering smell, even after the Ozone Generator treatment. The headliner was the last one I discovered and it was the worst, probably because it is a huge area relatively speaking (in mouse terms). The attached picture is the (16 inches in diameter) bottom of my 16 Gallon Shop Vacuum Cleaner. That mound of nest material and all of the mouse $#!+, pi$$, seeds, shells, etc. is nearly as large as a basketball.

 

[TJC]

Is it possible you had a family of mice living in the truck and they got stuck in there... munching on your interior and getting water from condensation from the AC?

 

[got3fords]

I have lived in a rural area in Va. for over 25 years. I have never had a garage, but almost always had a paved driveway. Never had such terrible infestation. I have on occasion had a small nest of some sort in the engine compartment. Even when I used to keep an old pickup parked up behind the shed, in mowed grass, I didn't see this kind of mouse trouble.
We get the occasional mouse in the house and shed. And maybe the occasional black snake is our best defense.

 

[TxOTRRanger]

While viewing this thread. This is the ad that popped up.

Rodentkill instead of ROADKILL lol.

 

[Buckbull]

Never used inside my Ranger but caught 5 in one day several years back...
Smear a little peanut butter on the back and when they step in , ZAP!!! Light blinks and you dump it and repeat ... it would Velcro or zip tie nicely in the engine compartment or anywhere else...

I bought a couple similar to your picture. I put them underneath the truck baited with peanut butter but havent killed any. Too chicken shit to stick my finger in it to find out if it works.

 

[IdahoRanger]

While viewing this thread. This is the ad that popped up.

Rodentkill instead of ROADKILL lol.

Ads, I don' have stinking ads.

 

[Buckbull]

Thought id provide an update. The recommendations i received to use a ozone generator were spot on. Hard to believe how well it worked. No more mice have gotten into the truck that i know of. Now that the cold weather is behind us maybe they arent interested.

 

[AzScorpion]

Thought id provide an update. The recommendations i received to use a ozone generator were spot on. Hard to believe how well it worked. No more mice have gotten into the truck that i know of. Now that the cold weather is behind us maybe they arent interested.

My ozone machine has more than paid for itself 10 times over. It's great for odors and musty smells and good to know it helps control mice too. The house we were renting in Arkansas had a faint smoke smell from the previous owner and it took it right away. The garage was really bad between the smoke and grease oder and running it for 20 minutes twice in a week took it completely away.

They really jumped up in price as I only paid $50.00 for it back on 6/2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFKP8ZPW?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

 

[TJC]

My ozone machine has more than paid for itself 10 times over. It's great for odors and musty smells and good to know it helps control mice too. The house we were renting in Arkansas had a faint smoke smell from the previous owner and it took it right away. The garage was really bad between the smoke and grease oder and running it for 20 minutes twice in a week took it completely away.

They really jumped up in price as I only paid $50.00 for it back on 6/2024

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFKP8ZPW?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

The bigger model is still $49.98, good for 8K sq ft!

I don't understand it, but that is what says...

 

[Buckbull]

The one i bought from amazon was around $50.

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