Community Forums

rguild · 09-28-2016, 01:56 PM

I am a full time RVer who spent the last three months Boondocking in Wyoming and Utah. I have been visited in my coach by mice, chipmunks, and most recently a rat. I now own live catch ad release devices but would much prefer to deter them from getting in.

I need advice on where they are entering the 2015 Bounder 33c and what I can do to discourage their entry.

NOTE: I will be in a cellular dead zone in the Needles District, Canyonlands NP for most of the next two weeks but will thank all respondents when I can.

Thanks for your kind advice.

z3406 · 09-28-2016, 02:22 PM

I've had good results with a product called Mouse-Free. It's made for RV's and it's like petroleum jelly with some kind of menthol added, it's also a good undercoating. This is the third coach I've used it on and I've never had any issues with Rodents.
Keep Mice and Rodents out of your RV | Mouse Free

KF5UMC · 09-28-2016, 07:29 PM

My Bounder friend here in Tombstone AZ told me last season the rodents were BAD here. He does the following:
Look for droppings then use Rat/mouse traps in every basement compartment. The kind of traps that kill or they will return.
Seal any holes, wire runs/pass thru holes with steel wool. The rodents will eat through steel wool and have internal bleeding and eventually die.
Close all basement doors completely (I found droppings laying on the top of half open basement upright doors).
Remove any food source!

Regardless, you need to move on this problem fast as an example, a wiring harness chewed up by rodents will be expensive!

Just use simple common sense and inexpensive precautions.

Good Luck!

**NLOVNIT** · 09-28-2016, 07:38 PM

Have you thought of getting a cat?

Rodents have very squishy bodies that can get into the tiniest of places. You've got to seal up as many entry holes as you can find. Crawl around on the floor & you'll be amazed at what you'll find. Don't leave any food in containers they can easily get into. You may have to buy killing traps & poison. This is war & you have to take no prisoners or you'll lose this war.

Lori-

RE_Farmer · 09-28-2016, 10:13 PM

I saw something recently that said peppermint plants repel mice, spiders and other vermin. z3406's recommendation implies some truth to the peppermint idea.

An alternative could be putting a few drops of peppermint essential oil on a cotton ball placed in basement bin and other vulnerable places.

rarebear.nm · 09-28-2016, 11:21 PM

I live in Santa Fe, NM and we've been having a serious rodent problem this year. I just got my RAM 3500 back after $3,500 worth of rodent caused repairs. I've been using a variety of techniques, but not enough. Part of the issue is that many rodent will become accustom to something new and ignore if it does not present a danger. I'm thinking about rotating different methods to get around this somewhat. The problem is that I got lazy and didn't do the things I know I needed to be doing.

Baited traps are good to get the rodents that are already present. But, keep in mind that the good smelling baits, peanut butter, will also attack more rodents. Removing smells and plugging holes are the core techniques. Then I'd say replants need to serve as the second line of defense and trapping as a cleanup method.

You have to plug up as many holes as possible. Mice can get through holes as small as about 3/16". There are some rodent type wire screens, tough enough they can't chew through it. I also use steel wool packed into the small spaces, and other blocks on the bigger holes. I understand that most rodents do not like light. So I'm thinking about adding some LED strip lights in various places in the RV, inside and the basements as well under the hood of the truck. Since my RV is parked at home with full time shore power, leaving the lights on with a light sensor switches would be simple. If I were you I'd forget about being nice with the little critters and do what ever it takes to protect your property.

storm_bs · 10-03-2016, 10:50 PM

I stored in Tucson last fall/winter period and put bars of irish Spring soap under the sofas, in cupboards and compartments. Apparently the smell repels them. I also put Bounce Dryer Sheets all over the place and in all drawers and cabinets also. Similarly in the outside storage bays I placed moth balls in styrofoam bowls as well as the bounce sheets and also urinal deodorizing pucks. Similarly in the engine compartment I placed mothballs and Bounce sheets and finally two urinal pucks on each anxle. I had no rodents or traces of them having come around during 6 months of storage. It may have been a bit of overkill but I had heard plenty of horror stories and expensive repairs experienced by others and didn't want to take any chances. Good luck.

lynch763 · 10-04-2016, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rarebear.nm

I understand that most rodents do not like light. So I'm thinking about adding some LED strip lights in various places in the RV, inside and the basements as well under the hood of the truck.

I too heard this just yesterday from a gentleman from Questa, NM. He's had a problem this year with the mice and bought two 25 foot rope lights that he lays out in a circle surrounding his jacks/tires.

For the last few months he said he'd not had any more problems.

The whole "mice will stay away from the light" idea makes sense to me.