Now, it is our turn, MICE, GRRR - Montana Owners Club

CountryGuy · 07-13-2006, 06:06 AM

Found evidence just this AM. Supposed to go out with the twins on Monday, so you know what I will be doing, CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN.

So, I have been reading the archived messages about mice, we surely have discussed this a few times.

Looks like we need to get some steel wool and start plugging up. Foam too?

Sooo, I see here that several have suggested Peppermint, and state that mice don't like it. Is that still working for you?? I ask, cause: We came home from RGV this spring and found a LOT of mice stuff in the house, LOTS!! And, guess what?? They were eating peppermint candies! SO, I am wondering about the peppermint oil trick, I am afraid that might attract MORE mice into Tana. Noting that the mice Al did catch in and around the house were the fattest mice I have ever seen, not sure if the traps got em, or they died of diabetic coma and just happened to lay on the traps in exhaustion??

OK, I have to vent:

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Now, I am off to clean.

Parrothead · 07-13-2006, 06:33 AM

Carol
Sorry to hear of your mice problem. I hate them so and always had them when we lived in NY and never found a fool proof method. I even had a squirrel in my mobile home once. My daughter has a brand new deluxe $500,000 house and has mice in her kitchen and a squirrel in the garage. Guess these little varmits aren't picky about where they invade. Hope you get them. Be sure to wear rubber gloves as the droppings can cause disease.
Happy trails......................

OntMont · 07-13-2006, 06:43 AM

We had (we think) just one mouse that seems to have got in through the leg openings into the front locker. We were able to trap it and no further evidence has appeared. I closed as many openings as I could find and get at with thin sheet aluminum that you can buy in roll for ---(I don't know what its for, but you can buy it at auto and hardware stores). It is easy to work with. Attached it with pop rivets. So far so good, but you can never be sure with mice!

CountryGuy · 07-13-2006, 07:22 AM

Sue,

Never have we had the trouble with critters like this year. Not just the mice, we also have coons in the shed, you don't even want to hear that nightmare story! BLAH

Ants too, you know, in the ground ants, So far, NONE in Tana or the house, but, never have we seen so many ant piles, talked to some friends, their reaction: same thing!

Had a big fat rabbit all over the yard for the last 4 weeks, the other day, no kidding, saw a fox running across the yard, hmmmmm, have not seen that rabbit since??? hmmmmm???

Also have a great blue herron down in the pond some days, hummingbirds at the feeder, a blue bird has a family around here, the geese have raised their young and moved on.

Saw a baby deer the other day, he/she ran across the yard, not 15 feet from me, could not have been more than 3.5 to 4 foot tall at the head and had a LOT of SPOTS!! Never did see the mama???

Usually I love the wildlife here, but gotta say, this mouse and coon thing has really put me at my limits! Lucky, so far, the damage in the house has been minimal (discovered damage), and so far, NO family heirlooms or photos or bibles have been involved.

Anyway, all suggestions, even repeats, will be considered. John, if you could figure out what that Aluminum is used for (name, something), that would be appreciated. Still would like to hear from those of you that have tried the peppermint too! (Although I think our mice have decided it is a food group, SIGHHHH)

Montana Sky · 07-13-2006, 09:44 AM

Carol,
I have bounce all over the coach, also have those sonic things you plug in that is supposed to drive them away. Dont know which one works, but I had a mice problem for the last 2 years and so far I have not found 1. I also had the dealerhsip add screws to the underbelly and seal up a few areas that I could stick my entire arm into. I suggest trying the bounce trick, seems to help plus your coach will smell fresh... =)

JLBOZ60 · 07-13-2006, 10:00 AM

Steel wool worked for me in my laundry room at home, have a small bottle of peppermint but have not tried it yet. So far we have not had anything in the monty. Marge

Illini Trekker · 07-13-2006, 02:59 PM

I have used steel wool then spread pepper on it then sock it with carpenters glue and more pepper. The glue will harden up so they can't just pull it out of the way and the pepper makes it real tasty. Good luck!

CountryGuy · 07-13-2006, 03:10 PM

Dennis, glue, pepper and steel wool?? Goodness you are quite the cook! HA HA

OK, silly question, maybe, but what KIND of steel wool?? extra fine, 1 ott, the kind I clean my pots and pans with??

The traps are set, we cleaned up all evidence (so we can see if they are still in there). I did not put the stuff back in the drawers. They really loved the kitchen drawers!! and under the kitchen sink. Al seems to think he found a hole back [s]by the hot water heater (our unit, hot water heater in kitchen area). [/s] ON EDIT, he tells me that it is near the drain for the galley tank. He did stuff some steel wool in there, but all we had on hand was some extra fine for fine finishing. (brings up the question, will the mice appreciate the extra fine finishing??? sick eh???

)

For the life of us, we are not sure what they were eating in those drawers, but it sure looked like they had "helicopters" from maple trees in there. One drawer they were getting desperate OR serious, and chewed up the corner of a cheap table cloth for nesting material.

We also moved Tana so we could get her close enough to the house to run the A/C so we could stand to work in there. If they were OUT to lunch, maybe they won't find where we moved Tana too! HAHAHA

Trouble, is, IT AIN'T FUNNY!!

Carol

Illini Trekker · 07-13-2006, 05:11 PM

Carol I'm a terrible cook but I do know how to grill. Let just say fine will work and then marinate it with the pepper. If I'm a mice all I need is food, water, and a warm - in this case drawer to hide in. Good Luck! See-Ya

CountryGuy · 07-14-2006, 04:13 AM

Well, Mamma mouse met her devine maker. However, there is at least ONE baby in there. He/she turned and looked at Al (he was looking for more with the flashlight) and Al said it was not even scared, just turned and walked away. Geesshh.

Shopping today, gonna get some sticky trap stuff for babies, thinking that the traps may or may not catch them, Al said it was no longer than 1 inch long (body, add some for the tail).

By the way, they seem to be residing for the most part under the false floor under the kitchen sink. On our unit, the sink is right next to drawers, if you pull our the lowest drawer and look you will see that there is a false floor under the sink area. That is mouse haven for the moment. And, no way to get in there unless we rip the place apart (not gonna happen).

Score: Al vs mice

Al, 1

mice, -1 and ?? more to go.

Parrothead · 07-14-2006, 06:49 AM

Carol thanks for this morning's laugh. I needed it today. Congrats on getting at least 1. Maybe the babies can't survive without Mamma Mouse. I like your attitude - you can make a bad situation funny. Good luck getting the rest.
Happy trails...........................

CountryGuy · 07-14-2006, 11:01 AM

Sue, gotta try to keep laughing!!

Now, we won't talk about how snarly I was when we got home and I found what I did in the house (mice) and the shed (coons). I was so beside myself!! NO ONE could stand to be around me, heavens, I could not stand to be with me! How bad is THAT???? I went off the radar screen in my comfort zone, WAYYYYYYYYYY OFFFFFFFFFF!

I had those peppermint candy remains everywhere (as well as the pooo and the peee). In my SHOES!!! In my TOASTER!!! Basement, well, we are still discovering stuff there, they managed to take Indian corn OFF the wall for cripes sakes, wall of slippery panaling and they got it 5 foot up! In some ways, ya gotta give em credit, they sure are talented. grrrrrrr They even climbed up and had a snack on my buffet where my Christmas in the Village is displayed. I cannot repeat in mixed company what they did to my poor little white reindeer from the set! I believe it had something to do with kinky S*x. GULP!

After 3 plus months, my sense of humor is starting to return a bit. But, on a bad day, I can still be found snarling around the house, with many blue/purple words streaming from the sides of my mouth with the anger drool!

In the meantime, no new DOA's in Tana, Al put down some sticky traps, and we have purchased a roll of Gorilla Tape to use on the underbelly area. He thinks we have enough Steel wool for the moment.

The dogs love this, they are not getting groomed cause we are so busy on mouse patrol!

Carol

Parrothead · 07-14-2006, 02:35 PM

Carol, I think the peppermint oil works but they were probably after the sugar in your candies. The squirrel I had in my mobile home ate all my decorative corn also. As well as all my bars of soap and the back of my couch.
Happy trails........................

CountryGuy · 07-14-2006, 02:45 PM

Soap seems to be safe here. Did not get my couch but did total a lap sized afghan I had crocheted (talking bout the house damage here, not Tana, only got a plastic table cloth in Tanan).

Hopefully tomorrow AM we will have a few more of the little pests sitting with their maker.

Never a dull moment, eh??

Carol

FredG · 07-14-2006, 06:19 PM

We had a squirrel in our unit a month ago. Came up through the heat ducts and chewed a hole in the plastic vent cover under the shower. I assume it worked its way up the heat duct from the one that goes into the belly.

Anyway, I finally found a product that seems to repel the squirrels....not sure if it'll work for mice. It's critter ridder by havahart.
http://www.havahart.com/store/produc...=47&pf_id=3142
I got it at Lowes. I sprinkled some right in front of the vent int he shower (on the linoleum, so it'll be easy to sweep up) and also pulled the bottom drawer in the kitchen out and sprinkled some under there. Since we're parked for a while, I also sprinkled some around the landing gear and the wheels.

Since then, haven't seen any more squirrels inside.

CountryGuy · 07-15-2006, 02:26 AM

Thanks Fred!! We will have a look!

Les and Julie · 07-15-2006, 07:03 AM

We seem to be in an on-going "battle" with the mice but we seem to have them under control at the moment -- we have not seen any evidence of their presence for a while now. Les sealed up all the open holes he could find with expandable foam, we put Bounce dryer sheets all around, used the sticky traps (found they seem to be much more efficent than any other kind) and we also put in one of those Sonic thingies under the false floor which is under the sink --- so far no mice. Friends also put an additional Sonic thingie outside under their unit and we are considering that too, especially when we are parked in one spot for a while.

Sounds like it was a "exciting" homecoming

but as soon as you see the twins all will be forgotten. Enjoy your grandbabies --- we are taking our grandsons (ages 11 and 14) for a week long trip tomorrow -- and we are so looking forward to it. Not sure who is more excited, Grandpa Les or the grandkids

.

Good luck with the mice.

Julie

CountryGuy · 07-15-2006, 08:11 AM

Hey Les and Julie!! Good hearing from you, even in this not so pleasant topic! HA HA

First the twins report, they are due here in 3 hours or so, will be with us till the 25th, and YES, we are taking them camping!! This time to a KOA near here. This will be like a resort compared to the lake camping. Full hookups!! OHHHH ya!! After 13 days on 60 gallons, with twins and parents and friends and lots of eating and cleaning, this will be SWEET!! Won't have to use as many paper plates!

And, it is gonna be great summer camping weather, hotter than you know what, beach, big water slide, sand (the twins LOVE that sand/beach/digging stuff).

Now, a critter report

Al WAYYYY up today!

Lets do it by counting the mice fatalities of the day:

1 baby in Tana, not on the sticky stuff, but in the trap! Surprised us on that one.

1 in the basement of house, there have been traps down there since end of April and after the initial catch of 3 we have had NO more till this AM!

1 in each shed (that makes 2) and one tree frog in one shed! Did you know that tree frogs like peanut butter?? (Wait a moment while I go giggle somewhere!)

So, mouse count -4 this AM, plus that one sad tree frog.

Traps are set again, of course.

Good thing about this kind of cleaning, we get a lot of reorganizing done and toss stuff not needed. Kitchen drawers are nice and organized! OHHHYEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Al took a lot of his "junk" drawer stuff out and put in the basement of Tana! OHHHYEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers and happy hunting!

Carol

VanMan · 07-15-2006, 02:34 PM

Carol - you were talking about your wildlife. We have about the same (deer, squirrels, rabbits, coons, possums, fox, etc.) except we also have the much dreaded armadillo. A couple of those can take a beautifully manicured lawn and make it look like its been plowed overnight. I tried to humanely get rid of them for a couple of years, but there's no way. So I had to begin eradicating them - there are about a dozen buried out here now !

CountryGuy · 07-15-2006, 02:42 PM

Larry,

Skunks can make quite a mess too, dig up a lawn faster than you can believe. Our friends had a huge run in with skunks a couple years ago and they live in a more populated area than we do.

Only armadillo I have seen outside of a zoo were a few dead ones on the side of the road. Funny thing, this was our 3rd winter in RGV and Texas and we saw ZIP the first 2 years!

We get moles bad here too, oh, dear, what a mess they can make of a yard. We gave up trying to fight that battle, we just run over the hills and the tunnels with the mowers and ignore the rest! Ground hogs, thankfully, usually don't come out in the main part of the yard (read that "cut" part of the yard), they are back in the woodsie areas tho.

And, we have pheasants! Goodness they are a beautiful bird, hunters love em!

Gotta say, we DON'T have bears! HAHAHA

Carol

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