Mice!

[Betsey]

We've had our 25 ft Safari for 3 years, but live on a mountain and have major problems with mice getting in. (Yuck!) We've had a dealer look at it and put foam in one "hole" under the stove. Any other suggestions, ie, places we should check, remedies (other than a snake!) Thanks!

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by Betsey

We've had our 25 ft Safari for 3 years, but live on a mountain and have major problems with mice getting in. (Yuck!) We've had a dealer look at it and put foam in one "hole" under the stove. Any other suggestions, ie, places we should check, remedies (other than a snake!) Thanks!

they will just chew right through the foam - should mix course wirewool with the foam next time.

Food source - put all your food stuffs into tupperwear type containers - and store all food in one place - and seal that place so that smell can not get out - ie a cupboard that is completely sealed then you can put weather strip so the door sits flush or put a closing clasp on it to make it really snug.

Crumbs - if you have lots then you might want to tackle that - if you are living in the trailer.

Good luck

[balrgn]

Originally Posted by Betsey

We've had our 25 ft Safari for 3 years, but live on a mountain and have major problems with mice getting in. (Yuck!) We've had a dealer look at it and put foam in one "hole" under the stove. Any other suggestions, ie, places we should check, remedies (other than a snake!) Thanks!

We keep one of those ultrasonic pest control plug ins. Never had a mice problem in our Camper, house, camp or restored car...

[Ken J]

Thats what I use too - ultrasonic pest control. Moth balls under the trailer is good too.

Are you in the east mountains? We just bought a place in Tijeras

Ken

[fireflyinva]

We've fought the struggle for trailer dominance--and sometimes our little rodent rivals have won over us.

We've tried ultrasonic (found a nest right under the tool) and mothballs (not such good success). Foam has provided a temporary barrier that worked over the past winter. Presently we have lifted up much of our floor. I'm going to try to seal off gaps (between bellypan sheets) and holes (like drains) with aluminum screening, though I'm not quite sure how I'll attach it (maybe a combination of tacks and rivets).

Mary

[cynthia]

Mouse & or Rat traps on the tire tops & unroll a steel pad wrap it around the base of the jack.They are not jumping in,so block their ladders.

[warbler5]

Snap traps baited with peanut butter... Make sure you tie the traps down, just in case only the tail gets caught! If you are squeamish about handling the traps once you have a mouse inside, try the sticky traps....this took care of a mouse problem in my aunt and uncle's MoHo.

Good luck!

[bikrmikey]

Plug all the holes, even small gaps in the belly pan can be the front door for a mouse. Then put out the traps.

[Foiled Again]

I swear mice have rubber bones, they can get in through incredibly small holes. If a pencil will fit through an opening there is a fair chance that a mouse can also.

I had two uncles, both plumbers, who told me that steel wool was a very good anti-rodent system. Use it around pipes, wires, etc. They'd mix it into pipe dope, putty and caulking. I don't see why it couldn't be mixed into Vulkem when used in the belly pan, etc. If the mice ingest it, it will do them in, so it is one of the few things they won't gnaw through. That means steel wool can actually protect your wiring and plumbing from their nasty little teeth. If you have drip holes, etc. that need to be open use steel wool tacked on with a little Vulkem so it will act as a screen.

Tupperware is our friend. Rodents have a very keen sense of smell so putting everything edible in sealed plastic or metal containers makes your trailer less attractive. Remember rodents will eat stuff you won't. Elmer's glue - yum! Dried flowers, yep! Eliminate their food sources.

Traps. Peanut butter smeared on traps is a most effective bait. Mice can steal solid bait like cheese, but must remain on the trap to eat the peanut butter. I loathe these new "sticky" traps - they aren't humane. Kill the mouse outright and be done with it. I'd set traps inside AND outside the trailer and keep them freshly baited well after you think you've solved the problem (3 months at least).

Good luck!

Tin Lizzie

[bryanl]

As noted, mice can get through a pencil sized hole. They can jump pretty good, too. For some ideas and links, see
http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/ow...ning/mice.html

Tupperware is nice but mice will chew right through it. This is one reason why those antique kitchen storage devices had sheet metal boxes.

Instead of steel wool, look for aluminum wool - it does exist - to avoid rust and other problems in your aluminum environment.

[SilverStreakca]

I just finished a recent battle with mice (6 in total) in my '76 Airstream and, although it took me awhile, I found the entry point by carefully watching them scurry around our trailer. I was very surprised and a little frustrated when I caught sight of a mouse running up a grey water hose I'd attached to the dump area on our trailer. Once the mouse ran up the hose, he then crawled along the inside of the rear bumper and squezzed himself through the "D" shaped gap that exists between the bumper and the metal support it is bolted to. Once he got through this "D" shaped hole he was home free; from here he scampered over the electrical cord and sewer hose housed inside the compartment near the rear bumper, and then into the trailer through a hole that connects this area to the inside of the trailer. For a temporary fix, I banged some wedges of wood into this "D" shaped hole and will permanently fill this area with a small sheet of metal this fall. If your trailer is similar to ours, you will want to check this area. Good luck and may the peanut butter ladden traps be with you.

[RVNUTTY]

Silverstreak....you have waaaaaay too much time on your hands! LOL

[eikel1we]

We've put scented bars of soap and dryer sheets in the open and in the closed spaces also. Maybe just luck, but have not had a problem in the 2 yrs. we've owned Cupcake.

Sue

[rluhr]

Originally Posted by PaulaFord

I had two uncles, both plumbers, who told me that steel wool was a very good anti-rodent system. Use it around pipes, wires, etc. They'd mix it into pipe dope, putty and caulking.

I agree. The only difference is that we use copper wool instead of steel wool so that it doesn't eventually rust out. Buy it in the grocery store or hardware store and use it, or steel screening, everywhere you have gaps.

[Cracker]

I'm on the 5th year at my camp using what appears to be a high-quality ultrasonic device - and the 3rd year using one in the trailer. Absolutely rodent-free in both and the AS is parked in front of the camp, in the woods, and 75' from the lake. I keep the trailer plugged in full-time - primarily to keep the ultrasonic device in service. The first year at the camp I had a Winnebago without the device - and it got mice. The 2nd year, I kept the Winnebago plugged in and nary a mouse appeared. The units I'm using are in the $75.00 range - but I don't know whether or not price means anything. I do seasonally "salt" the crawl space of the camp with moth balls - but the older I get, the harder it is to catch enough moths!

[montanaandy]

I have tried everything to rid my trailer of mice over the years (steel wool, glue traps with nut, scented glue traps, ultrasonic devices, barn cats) with minimal success. During a camping trip with my kids earlier this summer we had the mice running throughout the trailer during the night (ended up sleeping in the car which was unpleasant) and I finally went the poision route (Decon green pellets). Came back one week later - not a single mouse dropping. Have left the traps out all summer and have not had a single problem since. I know what I am using from here on in.

Montanaandy

[aluminator]

ok I have 10 years in the pest control industry. I know a little so I will share.

Yes, a pencil size hole will allow a mouse to get through so when rodent proofing make sure you get every hole. Steel wool works well but will rust in humid conditions so use aluminum. Wool size should be 00.

Glue traps will work somwhat but it may gross you out if you are squirmish. Mice may also pull themselves off the glue especially when it is cooler. In bad mouse infestations you will tend to catch younger mice.

Poisons work, however follow the directions closely, and be prepared for a possible smelly situation. Contrary to popular belief, they will not go out "looking for water" and die outside. If anything they will die in the nest where they feel safe.

Traps work quite nice especially the standard "snap" traps. If you have the time, prebait before setting, but you don't have to if you don't want to. The best bait to use is peanut butter. Smear a little ( just a little for scent) around the hole where they are coming where you placed the trap.

There is also a live trap called a Ketch-all that works nice- again use peanut butter inside the trap. The traps are a little pricey compared to snap traps but you can catch them live and release them far outside or release them down the toilet.

I bring a ketch all with me and have a few snap traps. I like to set the ketch all and catch chipmunks and deermice to show the kids and release them later.

Remember, be carefull cleaning up mouse droppings esp. in the southwest. Hanta or Hantu virus can be found in rodent droppings - mouse, chipmunk, pack-rat, deermouse,etc. and

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE refer to this site for cleanup : http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/h.../stc_clean.htm

Coming back from our vacations and sometimes we can bring back little hitchhikers.

[newae]

I had a few last year and used glue traps. I put a little peanut butter in the middle of the trap. It worked great. I also plugged every hole I could find with aluminum wool.

[tin sista]

Worked great on the farm!