Boondocking: Rodent & Mice Visitors

[Ray Eklund]

Off the Grid Boondockers and RV Park campers have the possibility of Rodent Visitors at night. They are active at night... while you are sleeping and hear them running around, behind the cabinets.

Gilbert Ray RV Park in Tucson, Arizona has LOTS of Rodents. Closer to small Rats in size. They come out after Sunset. You will see experienced campers preparing to persuade these rodents to go to YOUR Tow Vehicle and possibly Trailer.

They are so cute with the 'beady eyes and whiskers'. The width of the whisker tells the Field Mouse or Field Rat if their body can fit into a tight space, or not.

Rodents, Rats and Field Mice enjoy the warm engine in the Fall, Winter and Spring. They plan to spend not only the chilly evenings, but the entire Season under your Tow Vehicle hood, or find a way to get into your Airstream.

When the Rodents visit your vehicle, they leave their business card... droppings. Field mice leave rice size and larger droppings and the Rats leave larger droppings. They also will Urinate on the Droppings, making the mix stick to smooth surfaces. They love fiber glass and fabrics that are comfortable to nest and deliver a family in a nice cozy Rodent Apartment, of sorts.

Their intent is to move in with you... the provider of shelter on top of a warm engine and a supplier of food within your trailer.

They will bring local plants, containing small seeds, into comfortable places under your tow vehicle hood as their food supply. If you find droppings easily under the hood... you already have Rat Apartments being supplied.

We all enjoy company who come to visit. This is company most prefer to avoid at any cost. A 'Do Not Disturb' sign will not work with Rodents.

How do RV Owners prevent, or try to prevent, any rodent from entering under the hood of the Tow Vehicle?

Experienced campers will hang a bright bulb under the slightly open hood. You want as much light under the hood as possible. Watch the pros in Tucson.

If you find Rodent Droppings and Urine Stains... you need to upgrade your defenses. Rodents also like to chew on plastic wiring insulation and plastic parts and rubbery materials. To a Rat... maybe vitamins.

To you, serious damage can occur under the hood overnight. If you suffer Rat Damage... you will immediately find out sooner than later. Finding the damage is a different matter.

I have described a simple effective option for Tow Vehicle Rat Prevention, TVRP.

There are some specific ways to prevent rodents of all sizes from getting INTO your Trailer. Like Human Beans, even rodents like the comforts of an Airstream. They can also Exit when they want. The Droppings and Urine are like road signs for a good meal inside your trailer.

Lucky for us... our Oliver Elite II is 99% sealed tight for a Rodent Invasion. An Airstream... Ohhhhh Weeeee. Warm and comfort is like an expensive Hotel and you also supply the meals. But maybe I have said enough. A Rat climbing under the covers with you is an experience I would like to avoid. But you may have no clue how any Rodent can find their way into your Airstream... right as I type.

Rodents can also climb into the Cab or Bucket Seats of your Towing Tesla.. if you do not know what to prevent them from entering. But, as a Neanderthal, I prefer them in your vehicle and not mine.

By now, you are probably bored, so I will put this to an end.

This has not been approved by any Rats, Field Mice or RV Owners or spell checked.

Enjoy your next trip into the 'bush'... and keep the Airstream sealed to small visitors. They will leave droppings and urine to find their way back... tonight. Maybe.

[xpcdoojk]

So, Ray, how do I get them to avoid me and visit my lucky neighbor? Guidance of my ancestral Neanderthal would be much appreciate. We pick up our airstream International 23 FBT tomorrow.

[AKNate]

We’ve camped at Gilbert Ray and seen the lights of which you speak. I’m curious if there’s ever been any sort of scientificish research into the actual effectiveness of light as a deterrent. We had no lights there and had no rodent issues. At our house we’ve had rodents in the past and they never cared the least about light. Our cat caught one in the middle of the day. I’ve seen them come into the kitchen late at night when I was still up with all the lights blazing.
I think desert rodents like to avoid the heat of the day and are generally nocturnal like most rodents, but I strongly suspect they have no aversion whatsoever to Christmas lights under your camper or an open hood.

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by xpcdoojk

So, Ray, how do I get them to avoid me and visit my lucky neighbor? Guidance of my ancestral Neanderthal would be much appreciate. We pick up our airstream International 23 FBT tomorrow.

******
Since owning three Airstreams over years of experience finding a Rodent of any weight, any length and any variety: ZERO since 2006.

Since owning an Oliver Elite II our experience finding a Rodent of any weight, any length and any variety: ZERO since 2022.

2019 Oliver Elite II:

The only entry into an Oliver is through the Front Door. If the screen door is closed and the front door ZERO chance. Front Door open with closed screen door, ZERO. The Oliver series are built to Float for a longer period of time compared to all other travel trailers. Do not attempt the floating, but the Oliver is built so tight, I am surprised air can enter.

Airstreams since 2006:

Airstream has a different issue. There are two openings due to poor fit in the left and right fender wells. They vary in gaps, but a hungry skinny mouse might be able to get under the floor of the trailer. I doubt if anything could get in between the gaps in any of our trailers.

I sealed those gaps, and you will find them easily at the bottom curved area. I took Gorilla Tape, after cleaning the surfaces, and taped them shut. Nothing should get in, but nothing will get out either. I say that for those who have a leak inside and the water has no place to drain out. The Oliver's have 'weep holes' along the bottom area, just for that exact possibility. Pure Genius... I may add.

There are two slight openings on each side of the steps into the Airstream. They cannot be sealed and are, at worst, dust collectors in the rear section. This cannot be changed or covered. The Oliver steps fold up and slide under the frame. Very cleaver, but it has lots of clearance.

Oliver II Eilte: 0
Three Airstreams: 0

Only rodent entry would be leaving the Front Screen Door open.

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by AKNate

We’ve camped at Gilbert Ray and seen the lights of which you speak. I’m curious if there’s ever been any sort of scientificish research into the actual effectiveness of light as a deterrent. We had no lights there and had no rodent issues. At our house we’ve had rodents in the past and they never cared the least about light. Our cat caught one in the middle of the day. I’ve seen them come into the kitchen late at night when I was still up with all the lights blazing.
I think desert rodents like to avoid the heat of the day and are generally nocturnal like most rodents, but I strongly suspect they have no aversion whatsoever to Christmas lights under your camper or an open hood.

******
I did the LED Lights around the Airstream Trailer... like an Idiot. Not needed at Gilbert Ray... the Rodent Breeding Farm for those leaving snacks outside the trailer. No way anything could enter the tight open areas under the Airstream fender wells. Maybe other brands, but not an Oliver or Airstream.

I hung a drop cord 100watt bulb, hanging over the engine, at Gilbert Ray and no sign of rodent on the engine. That worked... or just by chance.

New Mexico / Colorado border:

This Summer along the central New Mexico and Colorado border, in grassy and forested area... used a 9 volt light as it looked like Rodent Country. I did a small Light under the F350 Diesel 'hot bed for rodents' under the Hood.

The not so bright bright light did no good at all. Found droppings and urine on the battery and weeds brought into an area that looked like a Rodent Apartment being furnished.

We left that campsite after Sunrise. Never suspected any small rodents would be in the area. Yep... neither did our Blue Heelers who will get our attention if a rodent is in the area during the daylight hours.

A very bright, well lit light source under the hood in Rodent Country probably is needed.

The first clue were footprints on the hood. I left each window down about one inch on the passenger and driver's side during the day, and through the evening. A small rodent must have climbed into the window, dropped onto the seat looking around and left. Now I make sure I have the windows closed on the tow vehicle at night.

It took some super coordination to get in, look around and leave. I say left... as nothing dropped on Nancy's lap while we were leaving.

Try the lights for the Tow Vehicle but not for the Airstream. You just have to worry about all the Relatives... sneaking along with your travels.

[pmclemore]

Brings to mind our visit to Craters of the Moon - great place but we ran into a bunch of mice. Caught 7 before the siege ended.

Don't tell the rangers that I might have disposed of them instead of catch-and-release.

Pat

[Saluda372]

Catch and release, passing on the problem.

[Hikingsolo]

My Electrician friend and fellow Airstream owner has told me that most electric wire insulation is made/installed with the aid of peanut oil. Hence the attraction for rodents. Beware, the hungry buggers are coming for you in the deserts of Arizona!

My daughter had wires controlling her 4 garage doors chewed to nubs by enterprising pack rats when the doors were left open at night. Now the family is religious about closing the garage doors to avoid having grandpa complain about having to kneel down to fix said nubs.

I too have found little footprints on my battery case, and I live in the middle of Tucson away from most desert rats. Once even had a nest in the cabin air filter of my pickup after returning from an extended vacation. Beware, they are enterprising little creatures.

[airmaine]

Depending on rodent pressure vis-a-vis camping near predictable rodent breeding areas, different levels of prevention/elimination seem to be required. There are threads on the forum. I've found a very effective way to deter/prevent at least small rodents from entering, doing damage to or nesting in both the TV and AS. It's a simple and environmentally safe alternative to some other solutions. I saturate cotton balls with pure peppermint oil and place them on dairy lids (secured with gorilla tape) in strategic spots; e.g. in the water pump compartment, under the bathroom and kitchen sinks, under the bed in the storage compartments (this is the arrangement for the FC 23FB). It is not an unpleasant aroma, and will need to be "rejuvenated" periodically. This has worked really well in the overwintering storage situation. Can be purchased on-line or at health food stores.
Bonnes odeurs!

[Airwave503]

I carry traps.

[SlvrBllt]

We tow a 16’ AS Basecamp. It seemed pretty tight and rodent proof, but after some time camping in the boonies in S Arizona, we found evidence of rodent invasion. So using a package of fine steel wool, my hubby crawled underneath and jammed portions of it into every conceivable spot of entry that he could find, and there were many. I also bought some citrus-scented rodent repellent from Ace that I keep in my food storage areas. I read that using bars of Irish Spring (also citrusy) will repel, so they are now in my non- food areas. I’ve had the Basecamp since 2017, and aside from that first intrusion, no more problems.

[Ray Eklund]

Search: Territorial field mice and Mice in Travel Trailer

Lots of furry facts to read. "Mice can get into your RV through a hole as small as a dime"... got my attention.

No shortage of options.

7 expert tricks to keep mice out of your travel trailer:

I like the sealing every possible point of entry. That works for us.

[SYC2Vette]

"If you find Rodent Droppings and Urine Stains... you need to upgrade your defenses. Rodents also like to chew on plastic wiring insulation and plastic parts and rubbery materials. To a Rat... maybe vitamins."

Don't know regarding Airstream wiring but newer SXS and ATV and motorcycles as well as many cars and trucks now use soy based insulation so it is a genuine food source apparently.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a2...hink-is-tasty/

Honda sells rodent deterrent tape (4019-2317) that apparently works well, if pricey. We purchased some deterrent bags at Tractor Supply and also concentrated peppermint spray (all available on Amazon of course).

Latest is a persistent mouse keeps building nests in the exhaust outlets on my wife's Mazda of all the odd places.