Do we have mice?

[britabeck]

We bought our 2003 30' Classic S/O 3 years ago. We have had it winterized and summerized each year by our RV dealer. On our third camping trip this year, our main electrical went, and this past weekend, the refrigerator stopped working on propane. We took the trailer into the dealer to have it worked on yesterday, and when they opened the electrical compartment in the trunk at the back, there was a big rodent nest. They will not work on the trailer until we have it professionally cleaned (worried about hantavirus).

Here's my question: I have completely emptied the trailer of absolutely everything and there is not one speck of evidence of mouse turds anywhere. We have put mouse traps around and not caught any mice. Could we have caught this in time before they get all through the trailer or could the nest have been there all this time since we bought it. Our insurer is saying that they don't know if we are covered for any of this unless we do a "tear down" of the walls. We don't even know what this means.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Melody Ranch]

Clean it up. Use traps. Take it to a dealer who works on systems. Get it fixed and go use it.

[DaveFL]

" they opened the electrical compartment in the trunk at the back, there was a big rodent nest."
Was the 'big' referring to the nest or the rodent? Measuring the scat you should be able to tell. It would give you an answer as to what size hole they need to get into the rest of the trailer. Was the nest made out of things from inside the trailer, toilet paper, paper towels, notebooks? or brought in from the surrounding area?

[britabeck]

The "big" referred to the nest, not the rodent. Ha, ha. No signs of any rodents, thank goodness! Nothing inside the trailer has been chewed on i.e. paper towels, magazines, toilet paper etc. It looks like some insulation in the nest and lots of paper, but I don't know where it came from. We're just worried we have families inside the walls, but wouldn't there be some evidence of mouse droppings inside the trailer.

[DaveFL]

Yes for dropping, and odor if they had complete freedom and time. Mice droppings are small but any color carpet or tile other than black would be easy to see. On doing jobs around my mh I found evidence of mice. Found nest in furnace vent, one on motor and on top of gas tank between chassis rafters. Also found mummified squirrel carcass between gas tank and chassis wedged in, must have ingested too much plastic. Lots of info on how to prevent them from getting in on this site. Do a search and you might also get more ideas on cleanup.