Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Fleetwood Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-15-2012, 03:19 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 4
Rodent Proofing

I'm new to this site and hope I'm posting in the correct place. We have a 2010 Fleetwood Discovery 40X. We've owned it 2 years. We've taken it to the mountains of Northern AZ for the summer for the last 2 seasons and each summer have encountered a rodent problem, fortunately all contained within the large pass-through compartment which houses the holding tanks and power supply. Last year, the rascals chewed up wires and caused all kinds of electrical problems that took weeks to diagnose and fix, rendering our RV useless for nearly 3 months. After getting it all put back together and functioning in December, we took it back up north in July. Again, we encountered not only mice but a pack rat that got in the compartment that holds the tanks and died by way of glue traps. Are there any suggestions of what we can do to keep them from getting into the compartment that has the holding tanks in it? It's the same compartment with the comfort station on the street side and the peg board with outside electrical outlet on the curb side. After cleaning up the carcass and doing all of the disinfection that was required, we decided to bring it back home to Phoenix and take our chances with it melting in the heat. HELP! I'd love to hear your suggestions if you have found a solution to this problem! ~Rodney in Phoenix
AZGuyRAM is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-15-2012, 04:17 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Davdeb1's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Avon Lake, Oh
Posts: 2,958
I have a friend in Tucson that puts down rope lights around the perimeter, and underneath his 42 ft MH. He says the lights will keep the pack rats away, they are the ones that love to chew the wires. You would probably need dryer sheets , and maybe traps if the mice persist.
__________________
2000 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR
40 FT--330HP CAT
2 SLIDES-TOAD 2012 focus
Fulltime-Home is where we park it.
Davdeb1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2012, 08:20 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Clayobx's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Willow Lakes RV & Golf Resort, FL
Posts: 3,163
Hi, had a problem with mice also. There is a firm that coats the bottom of the chassis with what I believe to be an oil, similar to olive oil or close composition? Bit pricy !

Don't have any great suggestions as we are open to forum solutions and expertise. Probably wil go under the coach with "great stuff". Fill the voids and see if that helps?
Clayobx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2012, 08:25 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Plane nutty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 101
While the great stuff foam is wet throw steel wool into it so the rodents won't chew on the foam.
Plane nutty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2012, 08:33 PM   #5
Moderator Emeritus
 
Scarab0088's Avatar


 
Damon Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lone Star State
Posts: 19,203
BALLS!!

MOTH BALLS that is!!

See this: Mothballs as a Rat Deterrent | eHow.com
and
Keep rats out of your car with moth balls.

And, change them regularly
__________________
Kim and Steve, Mustang LCDR (USCG Ret), Outlaw #1193
https://www.irv2.com/attachments/signaturepics/sigpic84535_7.gif
WE LOVE OUR OUTLAW RV
Scarab0088 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2012, 08:46 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Thor Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,893
move to another CG? heres the link to the rodent proofing for trailers Mice and Pest Repellent for Campers | Mouse Free good luck
Fred1609 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2012, 09:51 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Plano Tx
Posts: 171
I use the plug in type repellents in my MH and boat. I also put Bounce dryer sheets in each compartment of the MH, on top of the engine, in each cabinent. Also use them in my boat and have eliminated them so far. You can also put down a ganular product called critter away but need to re-do after a rain or several weeks.
I've heard of people in AZ that leave the hood up on their vehicles if they are not going to drive them for awhile. Suppose to keep the pack rats out of the engine compartment. Perhaps you could leave the compartment door open while in the CG if that is an option.
__________________
Don & Bunny
05 Discovery
06 Saturn ION toad manual 5 spd
dls461 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2012, 01:34 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 4
Thanks for the suggestions. I tried drier sheets but due to allergies, had to pull them all out. The smell wafted into the living area and was too much to handle. I haven't tried moth balls but I do know that you have the replace them as they dissipate. I'm also not crazy about the smell of them.

Are there any other 2010 40X owners who might be able to offer suggestions as to where they are getting in? The flaps on the bottom of the bins where the water and sewer lines come in when in use are very well secured in my coach and it's not likely that the pack rat got in from that location. Are there other known openings to the outside?

Thanks again for all of the suggestions!!
__________________
Rodney & Dennis ~ Phoenix, AZ
AZGuyRAM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2012, 02:27 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Clayobx's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Willow Lakes RV & Golf Resort, FL
Posts: 3,163
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plane nutty View Post
While the great stuff foam is wet throw steel wool into it so the rodents won't chew on the foam.
Great idea on the steel wool! Don't think we could handle the aroma of moth balls
Clayobx is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2012, 06:01 PM   #10
Moderator Emeritus
 
Scarab0088's Avatar


 
Damon Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Lone Star State
Posts: 19,203
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clayobx View Post
Great idea on the steel wool! Don't think we could handle the aroma of moth balls
Exactly why it works...
But, don't put mothballs in your living spaces...they go under the hood to protect the wiring (rodents love the the taste) and in areas where the lil' buggers might try extract bedding (exposed insulation) or where they try to enter your rig

We have the same problem in SoCal desert areas with rodents...and it's not just RV's.
I like the steel wool in the expand-o foam idea too
__________________
Kim and Steve, Mustang LCDR (USCG Ret), Outlaw #1193
https://www.irv2.com/attachments/signaturepics/sigpic84535_7.gif
WE LOVE OUR OUTLAW RV
Scarab0088 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2012, 08:35 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AZ Mountains
Posts: 394
In addition to the above, I've heard of folks soaking a rag with ammonia and putting it on the suspect area. Another suggestion - (assuming you don't have pets) leave a few bars of rat poison in the areas that get infested. When I did that under an outside shed, the problem disappeared in a week.
nbounder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2012, 09:05 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
EDALLSAILS's Avatar
 
Thor Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Port Charlotte, FL
Posts: 728
In Florida we have critters that haven't even been named to deal with. Last 5 yrs we have used a 3 stage deterent. 1st we bought those plastic soap boxes for travel (get the ones with vents in top. We put IRISH Spring soap in each box. we put one box behind ever drawer, pantry, closet and one in every bay in basement. Then we purchase plastic jars with vented tops and put Moth Balls, they go into every bay. adjuast openings just enough that you can barley smell it when opening a bay door. (this is a similar product to a comerical product named SNAKE AWAY used in barns to keep out rats and SNAKES). Last we purchase Large Harts Flea collars. To activate you stretch them. cut them into 1/3s and put them in basement bays. we change them out (all 3) once a year. No smelly sprays, no traps and most important NO ants, mice, rats, fleas or snakes. Now to get rid of the alligators, a big gun works! good luck. ed
EDALLSAILS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-19-2012, 09:28 AM   #13
Junior Member
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 9
Really appreciate these easy to implement suggestions to
Critter Proof the Coach. TY!
Montana D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-30-2012, 08:54 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
w6pea's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Chula Vista, Mexifornia
Posts: 1,021
Okay here goes.
We went to a BLM Campground in July. Got home in middle of the month went today to the RV to exercise the generator. Found now that we have mice in our RV.
Has any one used Fresh Cab Rodent Deterrent and or Peppermint Oil.

I figure that I will need to get a couple of sticky traps and then put in the deterrents.

Oh when in BLM Campgrounds Do Not Feed the Ground-Squirrels and or the Chipmunks and the cute little Bunnies
__________________
Remember "Without Truck's......America Stops" RVM129
"Take me to the Brig. I want to see the "Real Marines".
Major General Chesty Puller, USMC -
"Semper Fi"
w6pea is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:17 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.