Community Forums

melon · 06-04-2006, 08:37 PM

I know this is a gross and foul topic, but I was wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem.
I just spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning rat crap and dog food out of my genset compartment. What I gather has been happening is my "new tenant" has been swiping dog food and climbing into the genset to store and eat, as well and use the facilities. Thank gawd it didn't chew through any wiring and hopfully it hasn't died in there. Hopefully it left a while ago and this stuff has just been sitting there needing to be cleaned up. It any case, dose anyone have any fool-proof ways to nip this in the bud?

Rod

melon · 06-04-2006, 08:37 PM

I know this is a gross and foul topic, but I was wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem.
I just spent the last 2 1/2 hours cleaning rat crap and dog food out of my genset compartment. What I gather has been happening is my "new tenant" has been swiping dog food and climbing into the genset to store and eat, as well and use the facilities. Thank gawd it didn't chew through any wiring and hopfully it hasn't died in there. Hopefully it left a while ago and this stuff has just been sitting there needing to be cleaned up. It any case, dose anyone have any fool-proof ways to nip this in the bud?

Rod

Vette Racer · 06-05-2006, 05:45 AM

Rod, I don't know about foolproof but what I do is put those D-Con bait boxes in the garage and four of them are around the outsides of the trailer. Seems to have solved my mice problem while parked at home, now on the road is another story. Had one move in last year while parked for a week in the woods but fortunately he was away when we left. Probably still wondering where his new home went to.

twinbubba · 06-05-2006, 09:23 AM

I haven't had a rat problem but last week when we were camping at my hunting lease, I pulled the propane tank cover off so I could take the tank to be filled and a bird had built an elaborate nest under the cover and there were four eggs in the nest. Anyone else have this happen before?

TB

Vette Racer · 06-05-2006, 12:12 PM

I usually find those in the back of the 5th wheel pin box.

Big buford · 06-05-2006, 04:10 PM

Yep, I'm in the club. Bought my rig from a guy that lived in the foothills! Scared the bageebez out of me when I reached in there and pulled out 2 fuzzy popsicles. Smelt swell also.

Almost due for another gen service so we'll see but haven't seen many around my house so I'm hoping for the best! NOT a fun job.

melon · 06-05-2006, 09:45 PM

I went to the Home Depot and got some "Deer Off" to spray inside the genset compartment. It was the only thing that repells critters that I could spray out of a bottle. I don't want to kill them cuz I know what that smells like in a few week, plus I don't want to find any fuzzy popsicles either. I could just imagine one of those things dying behind the gen, then every time I turn it on and it warms up having to smell that.
I also got some expation foam and steel wool to fill and opening that I may have. I read on here earlier about using bass wool because it wont rust, but I dont think I need to worry about moisture. Plus it will force me to check it more offten.

Rod

TXiceman · 06-06-2006, 04:50 AM

Rather than use the steel wool to block access, us bronze wool...it won't rust like the steel does after a time.

I keep some bronze wool to do wood finishing. You don't have to worry with the rust potential you have with the steel. If you can't find it at HD or Lowes, try a boat/marine supply store.

Ken

Mike42 · 06-29-2006, 08:10 AM

Get some 1/4 inch wire mesh(home depot or the like) and block off the access points. Using the wire mesh will allow you to maintain ventilation.
I did this on my MH and plan on doing the same to my newly acquired TH

Hoverbug · 06-29-2006, 04:48 PM

Rod, I have tried a lot of solutions, some worked some did'nt. What works for me is pet flea collars in all compartments. In the small compartments like the water heater and fridge 1/2 a collar will do. The Dollar store and Walmart have them for $1.

Vette Racer · 06-30-2006, 03:34 PM

Hoverb

Now thats the darnest thing I ever heard. I'm gonna run out and buy a few and try it. My D-Con works pretty good but I get tired of sweeping them up, not to mention they leave the D-con in the gen compartment. Seems that's their favorite place.

Hoverbug · 07-03-2006, 06:19 AM

Yeah Tom, I know what you mean. The Decon works but the critters have to get in the rig for it to work. The collars are a repellant. I have seen wasps approach the water heater and peel away as if avoiding antiaircraft fire.

<span class="ev_code_RED">Happy 4th everyone. Remember to fly the flag!</span>

WWFan · 07-05-2006, 07:35 PM

Hey Dave! Hope you (and all!) had a great 4th...glad you mentioned the Wasp thing...I need to add some of that 30ft-throw can of whoop-a$$ to my hardware store list...I've got more wasps (actually they're Yellow Jackets) living at my house than people. And I'll be sure to check the heater compartment (but I haven't seen any around the rig- they're all setting up camp in my eves as far as I can tell).

Good hearin' from ya!

Grizwald2 · 07-06-2006, 04:12 AM

Just an observation my wife and I have found out. When we bought our home in Murrieta we soon found out we had attic rats. We also had mice but they were mostly outside. My neighbor who had moved in the same time as us had them too. We both had pets to worry about also. So we went with the two pronged assault with the mice using traps with peanut butter all over the property and soon we had no mice and have not had any since. Now the rats were a different story. We tried putting the big rat traps in the attic and checked them regulary and never had any luck. We did not want to use the sticky traps because we did not want them to drag the sticky thing some where in the attic that we could not get to and end up with rotting rat. We also did not want to use the posion bait because of the thought that the rats would drag the bait outside where the dogs could eat it. We finally got tired of it all and threw the poison blocks in the attic anyway. That's when we learned a great lesson. After ingestion the Rats get very dehydrated and will not die in the attic. They always leave the attic right before they die. Worked like a champ. Killed 10 of the SOBs, one almost hit my daughter as it leaped to its death from the attic on a Saturday morning. I like the flea collar idea but for me if you are already infested don't make them move to your house from the RV, just poison the SOBs. I guarantee the will leave the RV or attic before they go meet there maker!

Griz