Is that a mouse in the house - Montana Owners Club

Allen in MT · 07-06-2009, 11:38 AM

Well I thought that I had most all holes filles in the 3400rl. We have our camper set up over in Id again. Well this year there seems to be an explosion of mice. A friend of ours has a sob and inside of 2 weeks they caught 17 of the furry beasts. Well it had been a couple of weeks since we were in camp and sure enough we had some. One was under the kitchen sink area and we got him with a glue trap. Another was in the storage area where the water pump is and we got it also. Then that night we found we had one in the ceiling above the bed. He waits till about 930pm before he sstarts moving. Ok now I take down the speakers and put sticky traps in. All this little rodent is doing is back and forth all night long. Then I figure he is going down the wall by the panel with all the light switches and slide button on the outside bathroom wall so I take the switch panel off and am looking around the hole and wires when he comes scurring back up a wire to the top. So I squeeze a sticky trap (w/peanut butter) in between the wall and have it attached to a piece of fishing line in case it drops I can pull it out. Since I put the trap in the wall he stopped using that route, so now he just scurried back and forth in the ceiling above our head. I don't know where is is going, but I figure he has to come out somewhere to drink and eat and have traps all over trying to lure him in. Hopefully its not a pregnant one with a nest full. Don't know what else to do to get rid the the pest. Even went so far as to put a couple of 5 gallon bucket water traps outside in hopes of catching some before they get into the camper. It's just a pain having to wash everything in the cupboards everytime a mouse gets in.
No I'm armed with 2 more packs of the glue traps (Stick Em) is the best brand that I have used, Tom Cat not so good and a couple more cans of foam and will go thru the underbelly again looking for holes.
well enough ranting for now. I hope your summer is mouse free.
e&hagd
Allen in MT

**Rondo** · 07-06-2009, 12:16 PM

Al-- Go to the Search engine here on the page and type in "mice" and you'll come up with many a thread on the pesky little critters! I my- self keep my Monte down on the Platte River bottom land while in storage or up on an open lot in the small town I was born in. I haven't had any problems with the critters for the past two winterizing seasons or this spring or summer yet--knock on wood! I put mothballs all around under the unit, dryer sheets in as many places I can where they might go(They don't like the smell) and I've also picked up a box or two of FRESH CAB at TSC (Tractor Supply Co)and put them around in the inside of the unit and in the basement! Fresh Cab is a Botanical Rodent Repellent(favored if you "think green") and seems to work well. It says to replace as the scent dimishishes and that is suppose to be in 30 days or so but I can still smell the packs that I put in the Monte last fall. You are not to leave them if you are staying in it but I figure I'll just pick them up and put them in a plastic ziplock bag, spinkle a little water on them, set them in the sun to rejuvenate them and put them out again next time I park the unit! I have used the sticky traps but have never caught anything on them and I think it is because of all the stuff I've put out! Keeep us informed on your project and if you can catch that "little mices"!

dsprik · 07-06-2009, 01:06 PM

Also, try to locate pure peppermint oil. It is expensive, but you don't need very much. Make sure it is not imitation peppermint oil. Apply with a Q-Tip and put up in your AC vents or any other openings. You seem to have several now openings now...

sunshineduo · 07-06-2009, 02:48 PM

Might consider an Ultrasonic solution. We've had pretty good luck with them as repellents so far, but you do need several of them inside and I set up an outside perimeter around the coach by stringing 4 of them along the belly centerline. Requires 110v to keep them up and running but so for no mice, no lizards (that's a good thing). Now if they just may an electronic bug repellent that actually worked...

**Rondo** · 07-06-2009, 03:59 PM

Dave-- I forgot about the peppermint oil! That also works well. We didn't put it in this year but did last year. We got it at a CVS drugstore! If you have a No Name Nutrition or natural food store anywhere close they also carry it!
Gary-- We use bug zappers up here in Nebraska and they also take care of the moths and flys along with the mosquitos! Only problem we can't carry them with us when we're out in the fields or in the woods! I think Dave sent some of his "big mosquitos" from Michigan or they climbed on board a truck and came from Alaska down here to Nebraska this year. I was out in the woods the other day and one landed on me and I swear it was at least an inch long and stood looking at me saying "I got you babe!" But guess what-- I got him before he could get me! Even repellents are keeping them off us this year!

eeoski · 07-06-2009, 04:54 PM

To catch an "active" one use peanut butter as bait. We had mice in Italy and the exterminator on the base said it was all he used. Put out two traps with peanut butter where he was running went into the kitchen to get a soda hear a loud "snap" (Sorry people, it was the only traps we could get in Italy.) and we had caught the critter! Can not guarantee as quick a result, but it has worked for us consistently when the issue has come up.

Robin

Backroads · 07-06-2009, 05:25 PM

We went to the dollar store and bought a dozen plastic salt & pepper shakers. Filled them with moth balls and put them all over the inside, storage & everywhere. Also bought a dog flea collar and opened the water heater trap door outside & dropped it in. In two years, haven't had much of anything. Knock on wood.

dsprik · 07-07-2009, 04:02 AM

Rondo, I think those big skeeters were driven down from Canada this past year with all those cold fronts.

Pete Hanson · 07-07-2009, 04:10 AM

We have become believers in the Peppermint Essential Oil (from the health food store) on cotten balls trick. We tried the dryer sheets with no luck but since we have used the Peppermint oil we have not had any intruders. We use a couple of drops on cotten balls in a zip lock bags with small holes cut in them. Since it is a strong smell of peppermint we only use it while the Monty is in storage for the winter and it seems to work well. Ulike peppermint candy the mice seem to be repelled by the oil smell.

dsprik · 07-07-2009, 05:10 AM

I would like to reinforce what Pete said about peppermint. It HAS to be the OIL. It cannot be anything else for some reason - not any peppermint candy, etc. Not even imitation peppermint oil. I also ordered mine from a health food store. You will be able to tell by the price if you have the right stuff.

I just put a little on a Q-tip and put just 5-6 around inside the Monty in some nooks and crannies.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 07-07-2009, 09:17 AM

And, I can promise you that mice LOVE peppermint CANDY!! Diabetic FAT mice we had!

Lambchop · 07-07-2009, 09:41 AM

Dicon & old fashion mouse traps baited with peanut butter works for us!

Roy

**Rondo** · 07-07-2009, 04:47 PM

Dave- if those big skeeters are up at the Great Lakes Rally, we may need to set up a bunch of the mouse traps baited with peanut butter to catch them!

I'm thinking of bringing my small zapper with me if they are as bad up there as they are here!

OK, back to subject-- you're right the peppermint oil has to be the pure stuff not the imitation or candies to discourage the meeses!!!

dsprik · 07-07-2009, 07:15 PM

Hey, I wonder if peppermint oil repels skeeters??? Not sure, but it may be expensive... We need a volunteer at the rally... Ron???

With all this talk, I went and broke out my peppermint oil and applied 3 drops to one end of a Q-tip and put them in my basement, in 2 vents inside the Monty and I threw one in my access to my water heater. Oops - just remembered the front battery compartment... Also chucked one in my pin box. Not sure if it repels birds or wasps, but it sure can't hurt. Even @ $15/oz...

Allen in MT · 07-08-2009, 02:36 AM

We are headed back to camp tomorrow (thursday) after a 4 day absence. Hopefully the furry critter will be glued to a trap. We don't have power so the electronic devices are out. Thanks for all the tips as there were some we hadn't heard of but am sure they will all be tried over time. With this mouse problem, we just happen to watch the movie Mouse House with Nathan Lane & Lee Evans last night.
I know the water traps work well as I have used them before around camp so it will be time to empty them as well as the live box trap which usually stinks after 2 days.
e&hagd
Allen in MT

**Rondo** · 07-08-2009, 04:30 AM

Dave-- I'll give it a try and let you know! I'm always a sucker as a volunteer!

I'm going out to pick some wild raspberries(we have loads of them this year)and the skeeters love to sit under them. Drove me out three days ago and only got about a gallon of berries.
Backroads-- OK you got me stumped! Why the flea collar and what does it do?

dsprik · 07-08-2009, 04:47 AM

Great, Ron. Now I'm curious. Might want to take a backup "plan B"...

Allen, I would also note that the peppermint oil not only keeps critters out, it will also drive them out if they are already in there.

**Rondo** · 07-08-2009, 05:01 AM

I'll definately take a backup! Don't need to be coming up to Michigan looking like a bumpy, red, round piece of flesh with calamine all over my body!

I'll let you all know how it works!

PennyC · 07-11-2009, 09:29 AM

Am I looking at the right product? Pepperminr Essential Oil 100% Pure - 16 oz, on sale at Harvest Moon Health Foods for $29.99 plus shipping.

Thanks,

dsprik · 07-11-2009, 05:52 PM

Yes that sounds about right, but kinda of cheap. It does say 100% pure, which is what you want to look for. 16 oz will last you a lifetime, though. Very concentrated stuff if it's truly pure. My bottle was 15 ml (.5 oz) dropper bottle. one to two drops as you are putting on a Q-tip will fill the room...

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