Author Topic: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!  (Read 2029 times)

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Offline needswork

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Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« on: September 03, 2006, 07:52:33 PM »
I replaced 1 of 2 flourescent light fixtures in the garage/shop today (it's been working crappy lately- sloppy socket). Anyway, I took off the cover and found a mouse "nest" in it, cleaned that out and found that the mice/mouse had eaten through the insulation and most of the strands in the hot/live wire!  :o There were like 3 strands left! I always thought that the stories of mice eating wires was and old wive's tale- now I now that it's true. Holy crap, my beloved CB could have been gone up in flames! I showed it to my wife and her reply was "better check the other light". I did and it was ok. I plugged a hole in it.
'78 CB 550K fixer-upper. The bike needs work, I sure don't!

Troy R

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2006, 08:02:37 PM »
While working in a suzuki garage in 2003 I removed over 120 pinecones fron inside the air box of an xl-7 suv.Critters can and will get in .I saw a mouse nest beside a battery on an old honda civic, baby mice and all. Keep up the mainenance oh ya get good fire insurance . After all that is a collectable right!! ;)

Offline needswork

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2006, 08:07:34 PM »
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the "electrician" who had wired the light in. There were 19 (yes nineteen)  ??? marettes/connections in it. The new light I installed has 3.
'78 CB 550K fixer-upper. The bike needs work, I sure don't!

Troy R

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2006, 08:20:01 PM »
so North-Bay to Pembroke 1 1/2 hours one way do you ever travelle this way.

Offline needswork

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2006, 08:23:18 PM »
No, haven't gone past Mattawa yet (1/2 hour?). I did the "Papa Joe Run" in June (North Bay to Mattawa). 4000 bikes, probably 3800 of them were H-D  :( and I was the only SOHC Honda (yeah, I looked for another). Fun ride though, I'll do it next year.   
'78 CB 550K fixer-upper. The bike needs work, I sure don't!

Troy R

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2006, 08:38:47 PM »
No way 4000 riders Wow . I've been on a few here and 100 bikes in the Bancroft memorial ride for John Flagg.And ya no cb's anywheere. I did find one 75 750k , from cobden. It's funny to stand back and watch people stop to stare trying to figure out what it is.It certainly stands out. It's my 5 bike and I've never had people come up and talk to me like this over my bike before . I'm enjoying it. ;D

Offline needswork

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2006, 08:47:59 PM »
Yeah, riding in the middle of a pack of 4000 bikes was a pretty cool experience.  ;D I was suprised to find I was the SOHC Honda in it. My bike got a few questionable looks like "wat the hell..." Like I said, almost exclusive H-D riders. There was a (very cool in my opinion) Ducati 1000 Sport there though. What a beautiful machine.  :P
'78 CB 550K fixer-upper. The bike needs work, I sure don't!

Troy R

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2006, 09:09:08 PM »
I like THE DUKE !! :o

Offline jtb

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2006, 09:45:21 PM »
I had a service call years ago when one of my customer's network was down.  It was the days of coax cable, and a problem would bring  the whole thing down.  Finally found a mouse (or rat) had eaten through the insulation on one of the cables.  I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.   :D
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Offline needswork

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2006, 09:53:27 PM »
jtb,
I had heard of mice eating through wires, getting fried and burning down a house in the process, I never believed those stories but I sure do now! I'm so glad I fixed it before the winter sets in (and the mice move in)! I bought those electronic mouse keep away things today. My brother-in-law swears by them.
'78 CB 550K fixer-upper. The bike needs work, I sure don't!

Offline Peterbylt

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2006, 12:29:11 AM »
I was working on a computer a couple of years ago and found about 15 snake eggs in the power supply.
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Troy R

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #11 on: September 04, 2006, 02:34:58 PM »
Just set a few traps with cheez. Then keep checking them. Or get one of these things.

Offline Jonesy

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #12 on: September 04, 2006, 06:37:36 PM »
When I worked at the small engine shop I was working on a Honda snowthrower that the complaint was "Loses power, smells funny when hot". Hmmmm... I remove the cover and burst out laughing. The bottom of the engine compartment was filled about 5 inches deep with dog food! The mice were really busy on that one! After vacuuming all of it out, it worked like a charm.
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Offline pmpski_1

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2006, 10:15:51 PM »
I was working on a computer a couple of years ago and found about 15 snake eggs in the power supply.

I gotta know the story behind that one.
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Offline needswork

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #14 on: September 05, 2006, 05:54:59 AM »
I bought a couple of those things you plug in that emit a sound wave that rodents don't like.  ??? It's supposed to keep them out. My brother-in-law swears by them. I guess we'll see.
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Offline Raul CB750K1

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #15 on: September 05, 2006, 02:06:05 PM »
I was riding one day and started to notice a rare smell and smoke coming from the engine. I pulled up and found a sardine attached to my engine...  ;D


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Offline Rushoid

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #16 on: September 06, 2006, 09:30:47 AM »
I was riding one day and started to notice a rare smell and smoke coming from the engine. I pulled up and found a sardine attached to my engine...  ;D


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Sorry, Raul. I thought you moved my bike.  ;D
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Offline nickjtc

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #17 on: September 06, 2006, 11:45:30 AM »
I was riding one day and started to notice a rare smell and smoke coming from the engine. I pulled up and found a sardine attached to my engine...  ;D
Raul
P.S. Beat that!!!!
Sorry, Raul. I thought you moved my bike.  ;D

Nice connection to another thread!!

A mechanic colleague at the Polaris shop I worked at was having a clearout of his tool chest and found a whole litter (??) of baby mice that had been born on one of his shop rags. Mother must have been one of the ones we caught in the (many) traps placed all over, since the yound 'uns were very bald and very dead.

An instructor friend found a mouse nest in the airbox of his partially disassembled and winterised V-Max when he was getting it ready for spring riding.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2006, 07:54:59 PM by nickjtc »
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Offline Jonesy

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #18 on: September 06, 2006, 12:55:30 PM »
While working at the same shop (as in my other mouse story) a guy brought in a Ford tractor complaining of it overheating. We tore the shrouding off the engine and sure enough, it was stuffed with mouse nest material and 3 dead (and partially cooked) mice. We thought about putting them in the bag of old parts to give back to the owner, but decided against it.

I'll never forget my co-worker muttering, "Yup, he's dead alright" while whacking the dead mouse's head on his workbench...  :D
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Offline mrbreeze

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #19 on: September 06, 2006, 06:52:37 PM »
One time back in Wyoming in the 90's, one of our regular customers that was a rancher brought in his late 70's model T-Bird with a putred odor complaint.Turns out to be a mouse nest next to the heater core. I forgot how long it took me to R&R to do the job but I remember 3 dead baked babies and a bunch cotton type surroundings.You talk about stink........Whew!!!!!
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Offline tsp37

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Re: Warning to those with mice in their shops! Graphic pic!
« Reply #20 on: September 06, 2006, 07:07:12 PM »
I had no tags or insurance for my bike after I got it home and contented myself with inspecting and polishing.  I found a cozy grass nest in the air filter and a small handful of tiny "berries" from the PO's shrubs.  I didn't find the occupant.