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Old 03-19-2016, 11:18 AM   #21
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If the Mice have been in the walls there will be dead ones that stink for a long time. Generally they can't migrate too fa through the walls due to ribs but they are pretty good at getting through holes smaller than a penny. If it is just mice in the living areas they will leave when there is no more food, so just clean up thoroughly and park it where Mice don't want to stick around...like a clean paved parking area. Mice always left my trailer (parked in a Barn for winter storage) when there was no more food. But the can re-purpose things like Oat-filled microwave neck warmers in to both food and nesting so think about everything they might want to use. Clean out all toilet and Kleenex paper...nesting materials. When they are gone start looking for the openings where mice can get in...there are other threads on Mice in the forum that cover this pretty well.
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Old 03-19-2016, 11:28 AM   #22
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I had a few "visitors" in my classic cars a few years ago and a fellow collector suggested using peppermint oil as mice don't like the smell. However, I liked the smell and the fact that my "visitors" didn't and left. Have to experiment with the amount you use but a little bit goes a long way. I put it in places mice liked to hide on bits of cloth and I realize that this wouldn't help the between the walls areas, but it might be worth a shot. I've also heard that mice don't like to travel so maybe towng the rig might shake them up enough to leave as well. There are a lot of TTs for sale out there, so I'd think long/hard before I jumped at this unit. Good luck!!!
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Old 03-19-2016, 11:48 AM   #23
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Wiring, etc.

As someone previously mentioned, mice like to eat wire insulation. They suggested testing the electrical systems, but that isn't enough. Before we got our AS, we owned a summer camp. The mice had gotten into the fuse box - way into the inside where the wires all run to the breakers. One day my husband had reason to open up that part of the box and found all the wires bare and the whole box packed with mouse nesting and droppings (think nitrogen). One slight movement that caused the wrong wires to touch could have cause the whole box to turn into a bomb! That is assuming there was enough air left in there for an explosion to happen. . .

Anyway, the wires can be bare and still work, it's just that they are dangerous after they are bare. So expect to have to rewire the whole thing even if everything works. You will never know the condition of the wires you can't see.

Also, mice have no bladder control, so they pee a little bit everywhere they travel. Good luck cleaning that up inside the walls, etc! Personally, I'd walk away from this "deal."
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Old 03-19-2016, 02:43 PM   #24
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If the thing has had mice long enough to develop a smell, that is a very severe infestation. Even if you did get rid of them the smell would stay. Some people think the smell goes away, but it's only that they got used to the smell. DON'T BUY IT. Just walk away.
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Old 03-19-2016, 02:45 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sallye View Post
. . .
Personally, I'd walk away from this "deal."
Good points about the wire insulation. BTW -- I noticed your 20' FC, do you know there is a thread here for the 20-footers?

20-footers

Cheers,

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Old 03-19-2016, 02:49 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ahab View Post
Put a rattlesnake in there and shut the door. Wait a week or so and open the door to let him out. No more rodents.
Any snake eats only one or two mice a week at most. Definitely you need a couple bags of rattlesnakes, maybe five bags. I'd need an exact head count, drop the bags in, wait a couple months, and then send you in after them. Don't forget to take a count as you remove them. You can come out after you have found all the rattlesnakes.
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Old 03-19-2016, 05:33 PM   #27
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Hm. Have you thought of high explosives?
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Old 03-19-2016, 07:01 PM   #28
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While hibernating snakes also stink......throw the snakes in the door and run away from there.....I have seen campers where mice have taken over...
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Old 03-19-2016, 07:02 PM   #29
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Wish I had thought to use high explosives on my Overlander. Would have been a real time saver and I would be thousands of dollars ahead ;-)
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Old 03-19-2016, 08:13 PM   #30
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Biohazard Cleanup

There are specialist that deal with crime scene cleanup. Creepy, but necessary. This company - Bowdecon - may be willing to give you guidance on how to DIY. Google his site. He's seen it ALL! You probably have people in your area that handle gross cleanup crime scene or hoarder scene cleanup. As others pointed out, check out electrical connections - potential fire hazards from bare wires caused by rodent chewing.
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Old 03-20-2016, 02:19 AM   #31
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Dear hubby and I are going this weekend to see an Airstream that has only ever been towed 2000 miles. It was purchased and parked on some land in the SW. The owner told us there have been mice and or pack rats in the trailer. There is a stink and evidence of droppings. The price is great and it's aside from the mess in good shape. How do we get rid of the mice and their mess? We live on a farm and have free ranging poultry so I'm a little nervous about using poison etc. any help is greatly appreciated. Our last airstream was very clean when we bought it and never had to deal with this problem. Thanks!
I hope that you are following this discussion, and that you will update us after you have looked at the trailer.

Thanks,

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Old 03-20-2016, 10:03 AM   #32
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Using your head

Niche Vintage,

There are a lot of opinions on this site (not just this thread) based on speculation not fact. I am commenting here from personal experience. Not saying it is not real but I have worked on a dozen or so vintage airstreams and have yet to see wire munching mice. Hanta virus is only carried by one mouse, the deer mouse. Nor have I ever heard of a case of Hanta virus from working on an Airstream.
And, yes you can get rid of the mousey smell but it takes a while. . Don't get overly freaked out by well intended comments from the peanut gallery. Trust in God but tie up your camel.
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Old 03-20-2016, 10:16 AM   #33
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Hey, at least the peanuts up here in the gallery are pretty good.
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Old 03-20-2016, 11:12 AM   #34
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Mouse Mummy
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Old 03-20-2016, 11:14 AM   #35
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A baby in my backyard. Someone was bit not to far from here yesterday. The snakes are out early this year.
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Old 03-20-2016, 12:09 PM   #36
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. . . Don't get overly freaked out by well intended comments from the peanut gallery.
. . .
Nor by well-intended broad brushes which minimize the risk IMO.

The Hantavirus comments here picked up a head of steam because the original poster intended to go to the Southwest, where HV is a real threat IMO. We have had cases here in the East too, and one young man died while cleaning out a barn a few years ago. Never say never . . .

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Hanta/

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hps/history.html

Not sure where the OP is going in the SW, but this map is interesting IMO -- note concentration in the SW:

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/survei...ing-state.html


Forewarned is forearmed.





PS -- NM deaths in 2014:

http://krqe.com/2014/12/05/nm-record...death-in-2014/

1993 Four Corners outbreak:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_F...virus_outbreak

First 2016 NM case in Santa Fe:

http://www.abqjournal.com/718393/new...al-county.html
________________________________________________
[quote from article above]

"“Disturbing areas of rodent infestation, including nests and droppings, can cause the virus to be stirred up into the air where the particles can be breathed in. To be safe, wet down droppings with a disinfectant and wait 10 minutes before cleaning them up.”

_________________________________________________ [end quote]

NM Health Dept.:

http://nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/zdp/hps/

UNM research:

https://msb.unm.edu/divisions/mammal...antavirus.html
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Old 03-20-2016, 04:49 PM   #37
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Niche Vintage,
Your find sounds at least worth a careful look see. If the Spectres of Doom scares you off let me know so I can buy it.
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Old 03-20-2016, 05:59 PM   #38
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Just Specters of Caution . . .

Forewarned is forearmed . . .

With proper precautions the Hantavirus can be dealt with.
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Old 03-20-2016, 07:27 PM   #39
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Exactly where and how was the trailer parked? If it was inside a barn maybe mice could have set up house in the walls but if it was outside in the sun I would think that any mice inside the walls would be baked to death if they stayed. Mice could have lived well in the belly pan even in the sun. Mice will tunnel into cushions and mattresses and make nests so you will at least have to dispose of fabric and carpet materials and check every nook and cranny. If you remove all signs of the mice and let the trailer bake in the sun in a hot, dry climate for a month in the summer that could do the trick. I don't know about the damp Northwest, might not work there.
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Old 03-21-2016, 10:26 PM   #40
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Thank you to everyone for all of the helpful feedback. We thoroughly looked at the Airstream this weekend and have decided to purchase it. Pics to follow soon. The airstream wasn't in as bad of condition as we originally suspected. We will be picking her up at the end of the month. Photos and update to follow. Thanks again!
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