Unwanted critters (aka mice)

[Karl]

Do any of you have suggestions for keeping mice out of the 5er? I have done the "usual" things such as trying to caulk all of the possible entrances (seemingly impossible to do), put steel wool in voids in the interior, using mothballs around the wheels, bounce in strategic places, sprayed pepper spray on the tires and other mouse ladders, and of course d-con in areas near the rig. I live in a home in the country on a 5-acre spread, mostly mowed, but where we have lots of field mice... Any suggestions would be appreciated. I know that felines would do the trick, but we are not wanting to go that route. Maybe suspending the 5er from a crane would be the answer!

[DrivesBGM]

I bought a 5 pack of insect/mice ultrasonic repellers from Costco. They require 120v AC to work. I've been using them for about a year and have no signs of ants, spiders or mice. Of course this could just be a cooincidence.

Craig

[Montana_655]

Karl & Carol,
This is something we are trying to work out as well. Its started a month back when we found mouse droppings in the closet between the kitchen and bathroom. I filled the pipe pass through holes with steelwool and stopped their access to the closet. Then a couple weeks back I noticed a couple dips on the floor below the AC unit and opened the filter to find 5 baby mice no more than a couple days old. Subsequently I've pulled drawers under the kitchen and set traps (w/peanut butter) and have caught momma (I think). When we were in PEI last weekend I chased a little bugger just on his way up one of the front jacks off into a field where he happended to get stepped on (sorry I just didn't want him back). So being home the traps are down but the plan was to pull all the drawers and open the cabinets that give access to under the kitchen sink/stove area. From the glimce I've had of this area there are some nice big holes hacked between inside walls and the hoses and wiring looks like a rats nest in itself. My thought was to use the spray insulation foam that hardens to fill all the fillable cracks and board up the hacks Keystone made in assembly. In searching through the forum on the mice subject I have seen reference that the mice will eat through the foam insulation. This may require using a combination of steelwool, then foam, then spay urethane or poly spray.

I've checked the underbelly and can't see how you could make this 100% access proof..

Any thoughts from others on this topic would be most appreciated (bar getting a cat :-). Although the dogs would always love a new toy..
thanks

[Montana_1603]

Have had out trailer parked on our site up in the mountains for 10 yrs and have had a lot of fun with the field mice. Tried about everyting. There is no way that you can seal up you rig well enough to keep them out. I havn't found any of the electronics to work at all. We had them chew up some of the electronics we put down to repel them. They have eaten throuogh about everytimg we have tried to plug up the rig. Finally got a cat and left it up there(others are parked there all the time) and that worked. He isn't very friendly but he keeps down the mouse population for all of us. At first he was catching about 12 a day. I know because he had to show me everyone he brought home. Now he is down to about 3 to 5 per day. Maybe he is getting a little lazier or he is really depleating the population. Anyway we havn't had any sign of mice for two years. It is worth putting up with the cat to have our rig mouse free. I don't know what we will do when we head out on the road. Don't think he will take well to all the travel. We will work on that later. Good trapping.

[sreigle]

Dlott84040, I don't suppose you are related to Mike Lott in Topeka, KS?

[kdeiss]

My husband constantly tells me it is not possible to get mice in our Montana because it is all sealed. Oh well!! He is a city boy and truely doesn't understand about mice. In our previous fifth wheel I used a SMALL AMT. of expanding foam whereever I found an opening and this worked very well. Of course the old fashioned things like never leaving anything they would eat where they can get it also works well. i have enough tupperware in my camper to start my own store. I hope this helps. Remember if you use expanding foam it really expands and can cause pressure so you must be very careful not to use too much.

[Northstar]

Lots of good ideas to keep for future refernece. Happy rving....

[Montana_1577]

.........Live in it....Keep the unit moving constantly...Obtain a one-eyed mean cat

[sreigle]

We've never had a mouse problem (knock on wood) and hope we never do. I know there's all kinds of places they and insects can get in but I still do the ring of vaseline thing around water lines and power lines.