Of Mice and Men....................in RVshttp://mo

[EJH-MOC]

Problem........mice in our RVs
Entry points...4 tires and front jacks and/or rear stabilizer jacks.
Methods tried..Bounce sheets, moth balls, peppermint oil, electronic repelling.

After some thought, it would seem that if we can keep the little @#$%s from getting from the ground to an access point on the RV, then they will not be inside.

My solution is an electric/battery powered fence charger.

Many of us use those plastic leveling pads that look like 12" square Lego blocks. Pop rivet a metal strip (metal hanger strip) around the base of the leveling blocks. Leave 1/2" space from the bottom edge of the blocks to the bottom of the metal strip. Make up six if you have 4 tires and only use front jacks in storage area.

I placed the blocks on planks which had some 1/4" mesh wire stapled to it.

Connect the charger + wire to the metal strips on the blocks. Connect the charger - ground wire to the 1/4 " mesh wire on the bases.

Plug in or turn on the charger..............TOASTY CRITTERS.

I'm using one now that puts out ~7kv, my battery powered one has ~ 4kv output.

In the two months since using this method.........no mice.

When I had a farm and used electric fencing, I recall seeing a chipmunk hung up on the bottom fence wire, very dead. If it will do a chipmunk, it should strongly discourage mice.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR MICEjavascript:insertsmilie('')

EJHjavascript:insertsmilie('')

 

[CORattler]

ROTFL!! My kinda RV owner. Rube Goldberg is alive and well!!

 

[Art-n-Marge]

By no mice do you mean you haven't seen mice at all, or you are seeing their carcasses. If I saw nothing at all, I'd still worry. They're now probably going up your stabilizers or landing gear.

Next, you'll need a fire extinguishing system with a smoke detector to put out the little suckers if a wimpy one lights on fire....

Actually, if this is truly working it's a great idea for you mouse sufferers and certainly provides an effective solution. Do you have pictures of the install you can post?

 

[DarMar]

Great idea, we just hope our mice don't become that much of a problem, yes they certainly have in the past. Our 2007 model had all the entry points you described, but with our 2010 it appears, and we hope, that it may be sealed a bit better. One will see in the next short while, we will keep our garden fencer handy now that we aren't using it to repel the deer from there.

 

[grampachet]

The old farmer had problems with rats in his barn. His neighbor told him how he got rid of the rats that were causing damage in his barn. Catch one and dip it in gas and light it on fire. The rat will squeal or scream and actually scare away all the other rats. So he tried and caught a big old rat, dipped it in a can of gas and lit it on fire. The flame was so violent the farmer dropped the rat, the rat ran under the barn, caught the barn on fire. No rats and no barn. Problem solved...

 

[EJH-MOC]

No mice as in nothing in sticky traps or snap traps, no droppings (poop).

Using the pads on four tires and front jacks, not using back stabilizers.

Wife did hear some wild screeching out by the camper last week, might have been a Fisher or Weasel.

Will switch to the solar/battery powered fence charger in the winter.

ejh

 

[EJH-MOC]

Pics later

ejh

 

[mlh]

EJH is wright there is only 4 places mice can get in your camper. I have another way to keep them out.
First get 2, 5 gallon buckets drill some small holes in the bottom to keep water out. Take the handle off. Now put the landing gear down in them.
If you don't park on hard top, get 2, 2x12s 8 feet long. Go to a heating and air dealer. Have them make two sheet medal boxes 9 inches wide by about 6 feet long 12 inches high. Make them 12 inches high in the shape of a c, turn a lip out 2 inches on the top and bottom. Turn the last inch on the ends in 90 degrees so you can put a screw in them to keep them together. You will probably need to make the boxes in 2 pieces because the sheet medal comes in 8 foot lengths.
Now set your camper in the center of the 2x12s put the boxes around the wheels put a screw in them to hold them together. A mouse might be able to jump over them but I doubt they will because the have no reason to. mlh1
Lynwood

 

[BillE1]

Keep the ideas coming. I've NEVER had a mouse problem until a week or so ago. Seems I only have one to deal with but can't seem to get him/her.

I've plugged every opening (even some that may not be entry points) I can find. Meaning taking parts off to get to the floor etc.

One thing for sure, if it doesn't do much befpre winter, I know he won't be there in the spring. Something about 30 below will help.

Geeze I HATE those little critters.

Bill

 

[tbhd2]

This issue has been on before and I've posted that there are large holes in the frame where the hydraulic cylinders are attached to the slideouts. These holes allow direct access into the frame of the trailer. Once in the frame they can get into the furnace through the silver hose that heats the tanks. They can also climb into the ceiling through the back cap.

 

[BillE1]

Well, I found out where he WAS (note the past tense) getting in.

With the slides closed, all the edges are nice and tight, but at the floor level where there is mishmash of bubble seals, there is just enough space for them to get in. I stuffed #3 steel wool in all all the cavities down there and for week now...no mouse.

When the slides are open, that area looks to be nice and tight and you think that there is no way for mice to get in. Even if the slide is partially closed, still no way in. Only when fully closed is that area accessible to them.

Tomorrow, the trailer goes nightnight till April. I will be leaving bait around (as I do each winter) just in case.

Bill

 

[richfaa]

We pretty much plugged all the holes under and in the camper which we were told was not a good thing to do. We had one mise in nearly 5 years,Saw the dropping in the pantry, set a sticky trap and got the villian. Nothing since.

 

[Bill-N-Donna]

Here is a you tube clip of what looks like a great home made mouse trap.

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[brooksider]

my buddy uses the bucket method in his camp and uses anti-freeze in the bucket instead of water as the water will freeze in the winter. Caught 14 last winter.
Joe

 

[Chip-MOC]

When in storage I use 10" roof flashing around each set of tires. When not in use just roll them up for storage.

Don't use anything around the landing legs as they cannot climb up the smooth pistons.

The above finally solved our mouse problems when in storage.

 

[Hooker-MOC]

Plug the gaps with steel wool, it expands to fill the gaps and they can't get through it.

 

[Bill-N-Donna]

If you eliminate the food source what would attract them to want to venture inside the campers. I started to use moth balls but then I was afraid that I wouldn’t get rid of the smell next spring so I took most of them back out. I left a few inside the basement and left a box or two sitting outside the camper in the general area.

The only mouse I’ve had so far was when we first moved here and the camper was parked next to the woods. I found a small dead mouse inside and a not so pleasant odor. However, as it turned out the odor was caused from un-removed food that had managed to stay inside the trash all winter.

I don’t believe I could find all the nooks and crannies where a mouse could get in to place steel wool in them but I believe it would be a good thing to do. Some people swear by the dryer sheets, I may try and put some of them out. Would it actually make a difference as to which brand would work the best?
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[Tom S.-MOC]

quote:Originally posted by Hooker

Plug the gaps with steel wool, it expands to fill the gaps and they can't get through it.

Steel wool, especially the finer grades is quite flammable.

 

[Hooker-MOC]

quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

quote:Originally posted by Hooker

Plug the gaps with steel wool, it expands to fill the gaps and they can't get through it.

Steel wool, especially the finer grades is quite flammable.

There are no flame or heat sources where it would be put.

 

[Tom S.-MOC]

quote:Originally posted by Hooker

quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

quote:Originally posted by Hooker

Plug the gaps with steel wool, it expands to fill the gaps and they can't get through it.

Steel wool, especially the finer grades is quite flammable.

There are no flame or heat sources where it would be put.

It could take as little as someone's cigarette butt tossed out their window. Steel wool is one of the items survivalists carry with them just for the purpose of starting a fire.