Bingster Posted January 22, 2018 Report Posted January 22, 2018 Most all of us who have a car in a barn or somewhere outside have run across mouse nests. I am told that deer mice especially carry a virus that is quite harmful if the dust in the nest is ingested or some contact with their urine or crap. I ran across a nest packed into my snow blower engine and picked it out with a wire. I didn't put on a mask at first but then thought that I better. I had no gloves and did touch some of the metal after it was all cleaned out. Anybody get sick from these critters? Quote
knuckleharley Posted January 22, 2018 Report Posted January 22, 2018 10 minutes ago, Bingster said: Most all of us who have a car in a barn or somewhere outside have run across mouse nests. I am told that deer mice especially carry a virus that is quite harmful if the dust in the nest is ingested or some contact with their urine or crap. I ran across a nest packed into my snow blower engine and picked it out with a wire. I didn't put on a mask at first but then thought that I better. I had no gloves and did touch some of the metal after it was all cleaned out. Anybody get sick from these critters? I don't personally know anyone that has,but you can bet someone has gotten sick. Probably people who rode around in the cars before the nests and odor were eliminated. Out in the open,pulling a nest out with a piece of wire or even your hands,I wouldn't worry about it. Just wash your hands afterwards,and spray everything with carb cleaner and you should be good to go. Riding around inside a old car that smells like mouse urine is a major Bozo No-No,though. Put on a respirator and pull everything out of the car and drag it out in the open to air out before spraying and scrubbing down everything inside,and then rinsing it down good while wearing rubber gloves and a respirator. If there is something you can't spray with a hose,spay a rag with something like brake cleaner,and then use the rag to wipe that area. There ain't no such thing as saving upholstery that has mouse urine in it,though. Remove and replace,and clean the metal good before replacing. Quote
Bingster Posted January 22, 2018 Author Report Posted January 22, 2018 Thanks. That's pretty much what I thought and was hoping to hear! Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 22, 2018 Report Posted January 22, 2018 How does one know what mouse urine smells like? I have tweezers to spread the little legs so I know what moth balls smell like but I never tried them on mice or any other kind of pee. 1 Quote
knuckleharley Posted January 22, 2018 Report Posted January 22, 2018 9 minutes ago, Don Coatney said: How does one know what mouse urine smells like? I have tweezers to spread the little legs so I know what moth balls smell like but I never tried them on mice or any other kind of pee. Don,it's one of those things that is so "special" you will recognize it for what it is right away. Quote
Dan Hiebert Posted January 22, 2018 Report Posted January 22, 2018 That'd be hantavirus. New Mexico had a near epidemic of it in the late '90s, none got it from poking around old cars. Mouse nests were indeed the source, poop and urine as mentioned is where it resides. If I recall, most had contracted it from mouse infested buildings - attics, crawls spaces, etc. Enclosed spaces, dust, and no protection. It's more prevalent in drier climates. Always better to be safe than sorry, though. There are a few old threads in the forum that address how best to clean out former mouse condos. Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 23, 2018 Report Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) Set Traps. I caught three in my Garage one Twas the Night before Christmas when my kids were 8 and 10. I bought them to their attention while singing: "They'll go down in history". And they did. No alive mice near my cars - Traps set. My kids today. U.S.M.C. Edited January 23, 2018 by Tom Skinner 1 Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 23, 2018 Report Posted January 23, 2018 We were 40 and then 42 when we had these two wonderful children. Jennie is a Firing Range instructor (Lance Corporal) in Japan. Chris is stationed in Raleigh North Carolina (Lance Corporal) They are 22 and 20 1 Quote
knuckleharley Posted January 23, 2018 Report Posted January 23, 2018 1 minute ago, Tom Skinner said: We were 40 and then 42 when we had these two wonderful children. Jennie is a Firing Range instructor (Lance Corporal) in Japan. Chris is stationed in Raleigh North Carolina (Lance Corporal) They are 22 and 20 What's he doing in Raleigh,recruiting? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 23, 2018 Report Posted January 23, 2018 Mouse....U R IN my domain...die sucker die! 1 Quote
Tom Skinner Posted January 23, 2018 Report Posted January 23, 2018 They were recruiting at J.M. Robinson High School in Concord, N.C. while on leave in this picture. When they are on Leave they help Recruit at the High Schools. Quote
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