Mice in my AI

[FlaBucki]

I stored my 2014 AI in a rural location this winter and recently found evidence of serious mice occupation - and have since captured two of the rascals. Can't blame them for hanging out in a nice coach for the winter. I have had the AI sliding door window water leak so they had access to occasional fresh water and I found they had munched on paper products and even single serve packets of ketchup and mayo!

I do not believe they entered while doors/windows were open, but of course can not be certain of that. Wondering if anyone else has had an issue and if you found any points of entry - likely where the frame is penetrated for piping or drains??

[Silverpuller]

Originally Posted by FlaBucki

I stored my 2014 AI in a rural location this winter and recently found evidence of serious mice occupation - and have since captured two of the rascals. Can't blame them for hanging out in a nice coach for the winter. I have had the AI sliding door window water leak so they had access to occasional fresh water and I found they had munched on paper products and even single serve packets of ketchup and mayo!



I do not believe they entered while doors/windows were open, but of course can not be certain of that. Wondering if anyone else has had an issue and if you found any points of entry - likely where the frame is penetrated for piping or drains??

We had a pair in an SOB, prior to going AS. The rig was in winter storage, no food on board. They had built a perfect nest under the kitchen sink, in a Kleenex cube. I finally figured that they accessed the trailer through a water pipe coming up through the floor. There was enough of a gap between the pipe, and the hole it went through, for the little guys to squeeze through. They must have been leaving to feed, returning to sleep and poop (it was all over the place).

[gmillerok1]

You can't keep them out.

I set traps both in the engine and inside the chassis and check them often. They can do considerable damage and you have to stay on top of them.

Not to mention they, and their droppings, are just gross.

[InterBlog]

I believe that we CAN keep them out - at least out of the finished interior. But not without effort. IMO the best way to address this is to crawl around under the Interstate and inventory every chassis penetration (gray and black water lines, fresh water lines, electrical, propane). Find where they have chewed away the packing or caulk around each penetration. And then reinforce those areas by packing with copper wool and re-caulk. They cannot chew through copper wool.

The same tactic will not work for the engine compartment because it is open by design. Anyone with interior rodent problems should also inspect their engines carefully because they chew anything and everything. Here's a collage I made back in January of one poster's engine damage:

[Acheron2010]

I employ this highly effective 24-hour security patrol. Have not had any problems.

[waninae39]

sticky pads work for me
the mice nibbled on the irish spring soap

[Caffeinated]

For some reason it seems mice do not chose to co-habitate with our miniature Dachschund. Probably because she eats them.

Mike

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Acheron2010

I employ this highly effective 24-hour security patrol. Have not had any problems.

Love that cat - very unique coloring.

[highfeather]

The same tactic will not work for the engine compartment because it is open by design. Anyone with interior rodent problems should also inspect their engines carefully because they chew anything and everything. Here's a collage I made back in January of one poster's engine damage:

BEST way to keep them from nesting and chewing in the engine compartment is Rid-a-Rat (Ace hardware, Amazon or direct from Rid-a-Rat). It's small and runs forever on small batteries or can be direct connected to the chassis battery. Tiny blinking LED light and it works! Sticks tight with a strong magnet. Believe me I've tried it all. And yes, steel or copper wool to eliminate their getting inside through the tiniest openings.

[gmillerok1]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

I believe that we CAN keep them out - at least out of the finished interior. ...

Sorry. Guess I should have said "I can't keep them out!"

[wachuko]

This had not even crossed my mind... oh carp... mine sit in a friend's property...



Time to put in place all of the recommendations shared so far.

[73shark]

I put a trap baited w/ peanut butter and cheese under the hood and inside the coach and would catch 5-6 a winter. And that's w/ it sitting in my driveway.
The reason they chew on plastic and wire insulation is soybean oil has been substituted for petroleum products.

[toskeysam]

My rodent problem centered around squirrels in the engine compartment. Last summer we used peanut butter and a live trap to relocate about 25 squirrels to a nature preserve about 8 miles away. Really made a difference for us.

[hahnstead]

I place dryer sheets all over the trailer. Mice hate the smell.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Love that cat - very unique coloring.

It might be a chimera. Those can get very dramatic in appearance when the two fused embryos are even more diverse (some have different colored eyes... google two-faced cat).

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by wachuko

This had not even crossed my mind... oh carp... mine sit in a friend's property...
....

Depending on the population and characteristics of any given location, they can attempt an invasion within a matter of hours.

Case in point - boondocking bliss... facing a turbulent sunset as a lobster boat comes back into port in rural Nova Scotia. Does it get any better than this?!

Except the mice launched their offensive within the first four hours of me taking up residence here. The little fishing village boasted one of the best beaches in the province (on the other side of the baymouth bar I was parked on here). With beaches come trash cans. With trash cans come mice. Not to mention the supplemental food source available from the port activities (more trash cans, bait residue, kids dropping their peanut butter sandwiches while fishing off the wharf, etc.).

I remained there for the better part of a week, but I had to be very diligent about the rodents, to ensure they weren't destroying my engine.

[gmillerok1]

Got another one today! That's three so far this winter. I always leave at least one trap in the engine and a couple inside.

[InterBlog]

This has been said on previous rodent threads, but I don't think I saw it here:

One of the best mice deterrents is simply driving the Interstate. We don't go 2 weeks without driving ours somewhere. Most of the time, we don't even go 1 week.

My husband calls me spoiled. I had a mission-critical meeting in Galveston the other day; drove to the meeting, oops - there was a mis-timing, meeting postponed, drove to lunch at Mosquito Cafe, brushed my teeth and made myself presentable again after lunch, drove back to the meeting, then afterward, drove to the Seawall so that I could walk the dog who was with me the whole time, changed out of business attire into beach clothes, did the walk on the beach, then drove home.

That kind of lifestyle is simply not possible with a car. There's always a good excuse to keep the Interstate rolling and mice-free.

[rmkrum]

And the best part of driving an AI or having an Airstream trailer in tow is the fact that comfortable, clean bathroom and resting facilities are right there with you whenever you may need them. Can’t get that in any other vehicle alone.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

This has been said on previous rodent threads, but I don't think I saw it here:

One of the best mice deterrents is simply driving the Interstate. We don't go 2 weeks without driving ours somewhere. Most of the time, we don't even go 1 week. ...

... There's always a good excuse to keep the Interstate rolling and mice-free.

I agree - drive mine at least every week when home. It's our second vehicle. Primary car at home is a new Chevy Bolt EV - a great car BTW. If we need to drive over 200 miles, carry more than four people or haul something big we take the van.