mouse

[mdlay]

We just bought a 1971 Overlander which is 30' long. We left it at some property we have for a few days and when we returned there was a mouse that had gotten inside.
Now my wife won't sleep inside anymore because she is afraid a snake could get inside. Does anyone know where on the body of the Airstream there may be an opening large enough for a mouse to enter. If I can find it and plug it up, I may be able to get my wife to feel safe enough to stay inside again.

Thanks, Lay

[montanaandy]

A mouse can get inside a hole the diameter of a pencil. I don't know how small of an opening a snake can get in through (never have had that problem with my AS - mice are another matter). Mice shouldn't bother you when you are using the trailer. It is when the trailer sits unoccupied that the problem arises.

There have been threads on preventing mice from entering the trailer. I have been unable to keep the mice out but have been successful at catching them once they enter (stickly traps). They end up leaving a mess which has to be hit with a bleach solution (to prevent hantavirus). A real pain but something that I have to deal with every spring around here so I am used to it. I have also heard that bounce type fabric sheets work but I have not tried that.

Montanaandy

[Navigator]

The best way to get mice OUT of your coach is to feed them strychnine! Gives them a powerful thirst.

They then leave for water, which they can never get enough of, and dint return.
Dick

[fritzs]

Here's a url about the mouse problem:

http://sierranevadaairstreams.org/ow...ning/mice.html

There was evidence of some mice intrusion in our 31 SLY, so even though it's cold outside and lots of snow here, we looked around inside (and outside) the trailer, especially behind the furnace, and plugged up everything with foam, aluminum foil, bounce sheets, etc. to try and prevent further intrusions, at least until Spring when we can get into the problem further.

The little buggers can jump sooo high and get into such small places, it's unbelievable. Then once they're inside, they have regular trails to follow underneath and behind everything. At least Bounce sheets smell ok. We're not baiting traps though as the mice don't seem to be in there right now. Just trying to keep them out. Found one nest and a fried mouse on top of the heater. Yuk!

At least check underneath the trailer itself to see if there is a screen vent for the stove/refridge. Also look behind the furnace; take off the floor duct and check in there. You might also crawl under the sink area and look with a mirror. If you can, check behind the toilet area.

Always looking for more ways to keep them out. They seem to like insulation, but didn't get into our foam mattresses for some reason.

Thoughts anyone?

[john hd]

check the areas where the gas piping enters the lower skin of the trailer.

also check where the umbilical cord enters the front.

checking these areas and repairing or replacing the putty around these entrances is part of my winterizing process.

note: those of you with older trailers with the in floor air intake for the refridgerator may want to check that the screen is still in place.

john

[crazylev]

Hello.

FYI

I just learned that rodent problems are more of a concern with older trailers and that newer AS are not prone to this as they are real well sealed on the bottom. It was brought to my attention that critters can still get in through the heater vent and the water heater vent. Both can be sealed during storage.

I was concerned about this, as I get closer to the decision, it is looking like I may initially have to keep the AS at an outdoor facility.

I suppose fear of hail, locusts, bird poop, break-ins, theft, will all be left for my therapist to sort out!

Jonathan

[fabofabo]

I hate those little bastards!

[85MH325]

Originally posted by mdlay
We just bought a 1971 Overlander which is 30' long. We left it at some property we have for a few days and when we returned there was a mouse that had gotten inside.
Now my wife won't sleep inside anymore because she is afraid a snake could get inside. Does anyone know where on the body of the Airstream there may be an opening large enough for a mouse to enter. If I can find it and plug it up, I may be able to get my wife to feel safe enough to stay inside again.

Thanks, Lay

Hi, Lay! Tell your wife to relax. The snakes eat the mice, but not people. Problem solved!

Seriously, I concur with everyone else. We've had a mouse problem in my garage for several months, I keep catchin' 'em and they keep comin' in! Little scoundrels!!!

Fortunately, so far as I know, they haven't discovered the Behemoth yet. I guess this a good reminder to go check this afternoon!

Plug every exterior hole you can find. Keep the larger gaps in the bottom seams filled with caulk. Larger areas can be filled with steel wool, but make sure you figure out something else in the spring as you don't want the steel wool rusting in place.

Let your wife know (or maybe not...) that your Airstream's no more succeptible to mice and/or snakes than your house is, so if she's not afraid to be in the house, then there's no reason not to enjoy the trailer!

Roger

[campcollector]

After pulling things apart on my newly crushed Bambi, I found a round hole cut into the plywood under the shower that leads into the rear bumper, maybe the hole was for running the umbilace into the trailer through the bumper. (are some older Bambies routed that way?) Looks like a good way in for a rodent and a nice place to set up houskeeping under the shower floor.

Also the front dinnette under the seat where the tow vehicle umbilicle comes in is an oversized hole that would make a nice mouse front door. Spray foam works good at sealing inconspicuous holes.

[WayWard Wind]

Campcollector---as you know I want to reroute the electrial cord on our 02 Bambi from the back bumper to the side. The hole in the bumper pan is one of the reasons. The hole where the cord comes from under the flooring thru to the inside of the bumper pan has a somewhat larger opening than the cord allowing cord movement back & forth. To try & seal the hole is impossible, as every time the cord is moved ---when hooking & unhooking--the hole of course opens up again. There also is a large hole where our cord comes out of the electrial panel and goes thru the flooring & into the underbelly to the back bumper. Those little guys have a freeway to the inside of the unit from there. So far!!! we've been successful in keeping them away.
Best,

[Silvertwinky]

I can't say I've had very much experience with mice. I haven't run into that problem yet in our trailer.

In my house where we live we have never seen a mouse in the 22 years which we have lived here. (It's a miracle,) no, I just think the concrete slab has something to do with it. We did find a snake skin on the outside of the house lying across the dryer vent though! "Goodness snakes alive"; maybe we've got snakes and I just haven't ever seen them! I will say that before it got dark that day I had sealed all of the cracks around the dryer vent. Never did see the critter that left the skin deposit either; it’s been too long to worry about it anyway now!

It probably wouldn’t' be a good idea to seal the bottom of your camper with concrete either; I think that might put it over its GVWR!

Actually, I think the foam that campcollector mentioned was a good idea!

[campcollector]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by A.E. Milliman
[B]Campcollector---as you know I want to reroute the electrial cord on our 02 Bambi from the back bumper to the side. The hole in the bumper pan is one of the reasons. The hole where the cord comes from under the flooring thru to the inside of the bumper pan has a somewhat larger opening than the cord allowing cord movement back & forth. To try & seal the hole is impossible, as every time the cord is moved ---when hooking & unhooking--the hole of course opens up again. "

I did not know the 02 model had the power cord comming out of the bumper.

My 03 has the hole and the plastic electric cover in the bumper but the connection is on the side of the trailer. The design change must have happend while my rig was being built. My floor has the hole and the bumper has the access door but they put the barger plug-in on the outside of the trailer. Same as current models. The only purpose the hole serves for me is to let bugs and cold air in so I'm going to seal it. I am surprised AS left the old umbilacle holes open if they were not going to use them. I always wonderd why the bummper had that plastic door in the bottom of it when the power hooked up on the roadside of the trailer.

[eubank]

Yup, the little buggers are a pain in stored rigs here, too, including our AS. In addition to stopping up every hold I could find, I used to use the rat/mouse bait. Not worth a darned, as far as I could tell. They'd drag it into a nest somewhere (usually in a stored blanket) and horde it. We finally got the best of the little buggers after we stopped up even more newly-found entry points AND switched to old-fashioned mousetraps baited with peanut butter. Murdered our little colony on the spot, and haven't seen any since. All we had to do then was to clean the devil out of the rig!

Lynn

[campcollector]

Nothing says "I got em" like the old victor mouse trap!

The bait may kill them but were do they die??? Under your bed or shower or in the wall thats were.

I had a problem with mice in my 69 chev PU truck, they built a nest in the dash out of the insulation under the floor mat, Peanut butter does work the best. In one day I had two dead vermine ready for the trash can.