Lights under your motorhome to keep mice away

[NITEHAWK]

I take the bottom half of a pop can, cut vertical slots--1/2" spacing, put cotton balls in the can, pour oil of peppermint on the cotton balls, bend the vertical tabs over towards the center of the can, and then wire two or three of these "assemblies" scattered around in the engine compartment or anywhere else mice might be tempted to go.
So far--five years--no mice, no red squirrels, and no chipmunks----and the coach smells nice and "pepperminty"

[Murf2u]

Originally Posted by Algonquin

Maybe I needed lights to prevent a groundhog from chewing up the sound insulation in my diesel engine compartment and the hood liner in my toad.

That wasn't a groundhog, they don't climb. Squirrels, likely Red Squirrels did that.

[mel s]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

Live trap and relocation works for that.

CampDaven
However, a death trap and disposal works just as well.

[ransil]

Originally Posted by Murf2u

That wasn't a groundhog, they don't climb. Squirrels, likely Red Squirrels did that.

Ground hogs do climb, I have shot a few out of trees.
They ate my shock boots last year and the under hood insulation from my pickup.

Fixed a friends RV where they ate chewed up the tank sensors and the generator fuel line.

[Algonquin]

Originally Posted by Murf2u

That wasn't a groundhog, they don't climb. Squirrels, likely Red Squirrels did that.

We saw it and it was definitely a groundhog. We were at a campground and we heard noises and scared it away. It was a young agile one. We left the campground that evening, sooner than we planned because you know, these varmints will not give up easily.

[Ray,IN]

Those electronic devices keep elephants away too. I know for sure, never have seen evidence of an elephant in my garage.

[garyvont]

I've used bath-sized bars of Irish Spring soap for years in my engine compartments, and never had another mouse. I drill a hole near one end of the bar, and use a piece of scrap 10 gauge wire to connect it to whatever I can find on top of the engine. I guess mice and rats have something against the Irish??? Some of my best friends have been Irish!
Gary

[Dave & Jo's Winnie]

Keep a rope light under my rig and the pack rat problem appears to be a thing of the past.


2005 34A Winnie Sightseer towing a 2013 Chevy Sonic.

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by Dave & Jo's Winnie

Keep a rope light under my rig and the pack rat problem appears to be a thing of the past.


2005 34A Winnie Sightseer towing a 2013 Chevy Sonic.

Very true!
Rope lights have proven perfect for us in 4 years of desert time! Some neighbors, not so much. One dude spent over $1500 on plumbing and wiring. They will even chew thru plastic storage bins.
I had one try to set up house around the battery in my Jeep. It bit off a wire to my dome light! All you need to do for that is open your hood at night or put a 5 foot rope light under the motor.
They are strictly nocturnal, and if you have rope lights around your rig, they will not cross it. Hurts their eyes. They will defer to the next dark target.

[hillman]

Keep sticky traps in motor home just to be safe.

[twolf3820]

Pack rats are frightened off by the lights, but mice and voles are not. For Mice and Voles, some hardware stores and lumber yards in the southwest will sell a wire mesh netting you place on the ground and drive your RV onto them. The mice and voles do not seem to like the feel of the wire mesh on their feet. Much like cows and cattle guards.

[Arch Hoagland]

Originally Posted by twolf3820

Pack rats are frightened off by the lights, but mice and voles are not. For Mice and Voles, some hardware stores and lumber yards in the southwest will sell a wire mesh netting you place on the ground and drive your RV onto them. The mice and voles do not seem to like the feel of the wire mesh on their feet. Much like cows and cattle guards.

Good idea. I use mesh netting on top of a flat roof where pigeons were gathering. Just laid it on there and held in place with a couple old pipes that were lying around. No more birds as they don't like to walk on it.

Think I'll put some of the same mesh netting under my coach. I use the thin netting you can buy at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.

[okmunky]

Originally Posted by twolf3820

Pack rats are frightened off by the lights, but mice and voles are not. For Mice and Voles, some hardware stores and lumber yards in the southwest will sell a wire mesh netting you place on the ground and drive your RV onto them. The mice and voles do not seem to like the feel of the wire mesh on their feet. Much like cows and cattle guards.

Would you give us some more details about this wire, please. Are you referring to hardware cloth with 1/2" squares? How far out from the tires does it need to extend? Should I protect the tires by putting a plastic leveler block between the tire and the wire? Thanks!

[DonDee]

This works, honest


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