How to stop rodents nibbling your SIB

[Merrie Thames]

Last season as I was unpacking the SIB for the first time I noticed a load of chewed up blue poly rope falling out of the boat. Turns out some mice had taken root in the folded up boat (not to mention an inch long queen wasp) which I had left down the garden covered with a plastic sheet. Fearing what migth become of my brand new boat, I invested £45 at Wickes and an afternoon in the sunshine making this box, which is rodentproof (yes I know they can munch through wood, but they're not likely to stay around that long with nextdoor's cat about!). It's nothing more than two sheets of plywood and a couple of lengths of 1x2'' cut in the right places!

Hope it helps someone.

MT

[willk]

That's a nice job.

Rodents and I have a long and chequered history. My advice is:

Raise the box off the ground and place bait boxes below it - check these every week in the autumn and monthly over the winter - if bait goes missing - be vigilant.

Put a couple of baits in the box too. Have a dekko over the winter. I'd recommend a few slug baits too. Mice can enter a 6mm gap, slugs any gap at all. Obviously slugs won't eat your SIB, but they are dirty sh1tty little fkkrs that will foul and stain everything before them...

I have no issues with WASPS

[spartacus]

Would be worth drilling some 10mm holes in the sides to allow ventilation. Send me an A4 self-addressed envelope and I'll send you back some sheets of fine gauge aluminium screen free of charge (for use in loft vents, soffits) so you don't problems with rodents/wasps, etc. You can PM me for address. Can be fixed in position with a little epoxy glue or use a staple gun. I'd also use a layer of roof felt on top. After the winter we've just had your box will take a battering.

[Mattywooo]

Thats a great idea, those mice do have a taste for SIB. One thing tho, is it also thieving basta*d proof.

I say this as £950 quids worth of fishing gear just got taken from my van. No sib fishing for me for a while.

Maybe a nice padlock and fixings to the ground, may be a little over the top but worth it.

Looking good, Cheers.

[thornbackflound]

Originally Posted by Merrie Thames

Last season as I was unpacking the SIB for the first time I noticed a load of chewed up blue poly rope falling out of the boat. Turns out some mice had taken root in the folded up boat (not to mention an inch long queen wasp) which I had left down the garden covered with a plastic sheet. Fearing what migth become of my brand new boat, I invested £45 at Wickes and an afternoon in the sunshine making this box, which is rodentproof (yes I know they can munch through wood, but they're not likely to stay around that long with nextdoor's cat about!). It's nothing more than two sheets of plywood and a couple of lengths of 1x2'' cut in the right places!

Hope it helps someone.

MT

Done exactly the same as you,got a chippie at work to make me one up,does the job for my small inflated sib.