Community Forums

jondrew55 · 07-11-2015, 03:29 PM

We store our class A a couple of miles from our house. We went to get ready for a trip after it sitting for a week or two and found we had left a foil packaged fig newton bar in our pantry. We also saw we'd had visitors. Move had torn up the bar and had also gotten into a couple of other drawers chewing up sponges and leaving droppings all over. We cleaned up and went on a 4 day trip and found no evidence we had any stow aways. After the trip we made sure there was no food left inside but I put several blocks of Tomcat mouse poison in the MH. After two days our visitors had returned and left tell tale evidence. I cleaned up again and left the blocks in place. Came back again today and more of the same. I'm assuming (due to the lack of smell) there is a nearby colony that keep getting in thru some small hole in my MH. After feasting, they head back to their nest and are hopefully dying off. I'm just wondering how long this is going to continue? At this time, the bait is the only food, but there may be dozens in the colony.

Any ideas on how long this will continue? Is there an alternate method? I'm thinking about building a bucket trap from a 5-gallon pail. At least then I'll see how many I'm dealing with. If you don't know what a bucket trap is, just google mouse bucket trap and there are many references.

TROONORTH · 07-11-2015, 08:52 PM

They say that if you see one mouse in your house you probably have dozens! I think that the situation is somewhat different in a motor home as that many mice would be hard to 'hide'. Check all the usual places for occupancy such as beds, stuffings in furniture cushions, storage areas etc.

I am inclined to agree that you may have visitors from outside the M.H. In which case you are trying to kill off an almost inexhaustible supply of mice! I vote for the bucket trap which will give you two things; a sense of revenge ( always important) and the ability to eliminate any colony that might be living inside the rig with you! Baits like warfarin are slow acting and may not be totally effective as some of the little buggers have developed a resistance to it and other poisons.

BUCKET TRAP - 1

BAIT - 0

SuzyCothran · 07-11-2015, 10:17 PM

We just discovered that chipmunks have been using OUR RV as THEIR RV - chewed through numerous wires. Thought we had that taken care of, checked to see if it started - it did - but that's when we realized they had chewed through the fuel line, located above the gas tank. Whoa, boy, so much for the sale we had lined up for Monday...

FleetMan · 07-11-2015, 10:49 PM

Try spraying "Critter Out" or other peppermint oil solution around and underneath your RV after it is parked. Supposedly they are deterred by the odor and that is supposed to keep them away.

TQ60 · 07-12-2015, 09:52 AM

Buy a handful of snap traps.

Get the ones with the big yellow flap as they are easier to set and have a wide target and work without bait but really well with peanut butter.

Place them 90 degrees to walls with bait end along wall and place a few inside until you determine entry point (s).

We are working same issue with ours...left some peanut butter crackers inside and they ate the peanut butter and left crackers.

Damaged some things but out of sight so upset yes but 26 year old mh so not like new anyway...it was...

Harbor freight has bore cameras that are great for looking in tiny places so get one.

Ours ate our pex pipe and currently replacing.

It seems they do not like the undercoating so we will look into spraying that over the foam and steel wool we will use to block access.

In your case the undercoating may work on the bottom side after condition confirmed good.

Many have same issue so keep us updated as we all share

JFNM · 07-12-2015, 12:35 PM

I would suggest NOT using poison as a dead rodent in a place that you cannot access (to get it out) will leave a stench that you probably won't like. I always keep a couple of snap traps loaded and waiting. Occasionally catch a mouse after boondocking on farms or other mouse-rich environments.

jtermini30 · 07-12-2015, 04:09 PM

Go for the bucket trap!

2009 Fleetwood Expedition 38F
2013 Scion XB toad

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Voyager35L · 07-12-2015, 04:15 PM

I have had mouse problems in the past. I always keep a baited trap in the rv when not in use. I also would suggest you start looking for points of entry and block them with steel wool or caulk. Also bait and trap the storage areas under the unit. They usually come in there first. Stay away from poisons. If I kill a mouse, I want to see it and remove it.

Gilleshps · 07-12-2015, 04:18 PM

I've been there too, bounce sheets are suppose to deter mice and smell good to boot. I use traps and sticky pads with peanut butter, I tried gain dryer sheets but apparently it has to be "bounce". Best of luck!

Ps: Like another posted stated, poison blocks will leave you with a dead mouse somewhere you can't access, so you will live with that smell for quite some time.

accumack · 07-12-2015, 08:06 PM

Bounce never worked for me. I still caught mice in the traps I set as a backup.

stepside454 · 07-12-2015, 08:12 PM

We've always used bounce sheets & have never had a mouse issue . Coincidence ? Maybe

sam-3 · 07-12-2015, 08:45 PM

This takes two people. Have one crawl under the RV at night with a flashlight. The other person is in the RV to see where to light shines through. Use expanding foam to seal up any gaps. They love to come in around plumbing cutouts ect. Best of luck in locating the points of entry.

Gilleshps · 07-12-2015, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam-3

This takes two people. Have one crawl under the RV at night with a flashlight. The other person is in the RV to see where to light shines through. Use expanding foam to seal up any gaps. They love to come in around plumbing cutouts ect. Best of luck in locating the points of entry.

Lol, do you see me now!?!?! Mice can fit through cracks you'll never see. But, that's a good cat and mouse game for the wife and you

TROONORTH · 07-13-2015, 09:19 AM

"mouse rich environment"
Love it!!

It seems to me that the mice have only four points of access; Where the tires rest on the ground. Is there not a way to deter them before they invade? Tires seem to be the choke point. Shouldn't any defence start there?

"we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender... !"