Help! There is a creature living in my truck!

I just returned from a week long camping trip in the mountains. The last day we were there we noticed a tissue box my daughter had in the back seat had been shredded and spread around the truck. I cleaned out the truck as much as I could there, drove 350 miles home yesterday, and this morning came out to clean up the truck further and found more of the same. So it came home with me.

I have no idea how it got in - the truck was shut up tight. But more importantly at the moment, how do I get rid of it??? I’m worried it’s going to chew on wires. So far there is no sign that has happened. But I haven’t exactly taken the dash down. I’m worries about poison because I don’t want it to crawl somewhere inside and die and smell. Any recommendations for traps for a vehicle?

How about how to seal up the truck so it can’t happen again?

 

Sticky traps assuming it’s a mouse?

 

Put a small live trap in there with food. You’ll have it overnight.

I say no mouse trap, because it could be bigger like a squirrel or something.

 

I agree with above...

 

Spray your truck wires and everywhere else with Critter Ridder. Set up basic spring traps near your parked truck with peanut butter covered Warfarin (rat poison).

 

Put some peanut butter in the middle of a glue trap. You will either catch a mouse or your kid.

 

Thanks for the tips. I’ll get some glue traps. BUT I am out vacuuming and thoroughly cleaning. And what do I find...? Cleaning leaves out of my fresh air intake by the windshield wipers I discover a mass of tissues inside the grating. Not sure if the picture will show up. There is a nest in there. Anyone know how to get this off? I see screw clips on the two ends. I’ll work on going up my cabin air filter as well.

 

check cabin filter and under intake cover. also spray some peppermint oil. they hate that smell.

$22 Exterminators Choice Vehicle Defense Spray for Cars & Trucks - 32 oz - Anti-Squirrel Peppermint & Garlic Formula - Repels Mice & Rats - Safe for Kids & Pets

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DTBOV06

 

And I thought I had problems with the mouse I saw in the garage last night. As much as I hate sticky traps, that would be the way to go.

 

I bought this stuff used as directed, and it did not work. They chewed through the exact same wires TWICE!!!!!
Rat poison and pellets work best.

 

Took off the wipers and cowl (the clips are a pain). Got the nest out of there. Cabin air filter is chewed so I had to take out the blower motor and clean it out of tissue and filter remnants. Also found some under carpet insulation fibers in tbere. If I could find this mouse I would happily kill it with my bare hands. So far knock on wood no sign of chewed wires.

 

Found a possible path in. On each side under the windshield wiper cowl there is about a 3 inch wide gap at the low point that goes into the fender, probably to drain water. I’m going to silicone glue some window screen to cover the gaps while I have it open.

I guess the little menace came up through there and then into the cabin through the vents.

 

Been there, but not as bad.
I inserted plastic fender pins into the holes. I didn't take any pics of the rest, but I patched the openings on both sides with Dynamat. Then installed a piece of metal gutter guard over a doubled up panel of aluminum window screen to cover the large opening. So far in almost two years, I haven't had any issues and my filter stays blood and turd free. Only issue is that it cuts down on the free air flowing into the cabin so I usually have to drive with the fan turned on a bit to keep the windshield from fogging up. Also, I keep a bar of Irish Spring soap in the glove box, dryer sheets inside the center console and under the seats, followed by peppermint oil on cotton balls under the hood

 

Did you store food or something in the cab? Wonder what attracted the little thing in there.

Next time, bring the cat.

 

Do not put rat poison out where cats and dogs can access! Sticky traps inside and baited traps for mice/rats are good! Hot pepper spray and gel good!

 

I didn’t intentionally store food, but I have a 5 year old and 8 year old so they drop a lot on road trips. From a mouses perspective there was probably a ton. We were in the Virginia mountains when the remnants of the hurricane went through. It was insane rain for 36 hours, so maybe he was just looking for a dry spot.

 

Hope he don't come around anymore, sorry for your troubles

 

Thanks.

 

Bingo, think that's why I have a new friend in my garage.

Hope you got the little rascal out!

 

I had the same thing happen to my 2016 Tundra last year. Full size Rat. Caught it using about 6 glue traps laid all over the floors. Got it first night.

 

A possible entry point may be at the bottom of the front fenders, where the excess water drains from the windshield cowl. If you leave your truck outside, it is a good idea to keep this cleared of leaves and debri to prevent excessive moisture from building up. You can see this better if you open the front doors and look down at the bottom of the fender by the rocker panel.

 

Good to know. I bet this is right. If the mouse goes up from this it ends up in the fresh air intake. I’ll try to leave my truck on recirculate when in the woods too. I noticed when I had the blower motor out that recirc does effectively close off the path from outside in.

 

Well I got them. Two little mice on separate glue traps with peanut butter. Didn’t take long. Given the pair and the nest they were building makes me think if I hadn’t caught them I would have had hundreds of them pretty soon. I just put out more glue traps to leave overnight in case there are more.

 

Glad you got 'em before they did any serious damage.

 

I love your signature and this gif went so well with it and the subject! Is that you in the signature gif?

 

Glad to hear you got the little bastards! I have to park outside, but, in our neighborhood we have 2 full time outside cats and they seem to do a pretty good job with our mice. Only had them in my garage once in the 8 years I've been in this house. And that was a particularly rainy May for the CO Springs region. Cheers mate!