Mice

[Maggman]

Have a 321res Cougar high country, 2nd yr and now Thacker in PA, starting to see black rice droppings... Ugh! Did some research and found none of the normal things, peppermint oil, mothballs, and electric clicker things work. From the research I found there has to be some openings underneath that TT so I got underneath and crawled around. Amazingly, I found four or five holes in underbelly of the RV that were over half an inch wide. Mainly where this spring hinges behind the tires and they overcut the underbelly around these metal hinges. Huge access points. I also found for 1 inch round holes behind the battery for electrical cables to go through and these all entered into the underbelly. I gotsome spray foam especially the fire retardant or pet retardant spray foam and filled all these gaps. I also went behind the heater panel where my sink and water heater isand saw droppings in there which apparently is where the little monsters are entering the travel trailer. After sealing everything and putting bail traps shall see if this solves my mice problem. Once you close off all the entry points there was no access into the TT and that's the only solution that will work. Will follow up after a few weeks.

[Jim & DJ]

Sorry for your mess. I have found that they can enter any openning as small as a pocket pen or more. Decon has been my choice but must be out of reach to kids and pets. Good luck..

[mazeppabob]

If mice, chipmunks etc. find a way into the underbelly they pretty much can go wherever they want. There are holes for plumbing and wiring behind walls and panels that you can't get at. I have stuffed and calked everything I could see. we probably have 10 traps in the trailer and check them just about everyday. Twice now we have heard something when entering the trailer, assumed in the underbelly and then found wood chips by the electrical compartment. The little !@# crawled up an interior wall into the compartment where several holes allowed the cables to enter. Then it proceded to chew its way out.
I rechecked the underbelly then looked closer back by the toy area where there is no underbelly covering. Back behind the fuel tank, had to really look close, I discovered that it was basically wide open into the underbelly. I managed to get tin all the way across that frame member. This might slow them down but I'm sure there are some spots I can't see.
Good luck

[Sam and Chris]

We have found that a product called Fresh Cab did the trick. After several years of fighting mice in our trailer, read about this online. Bought it at Tractor Supply, but can also get it on Amazon. Put one under the bed (TT bed slideout), one under the sink, and one in living area. We never, NEVER saw a dropping from then on. No need for poison (D-Con). After the winter when we opened the trailer, it smelled kind of strong (Pine sol or pine freshner for car), but it aired out quickly and no after smells. Highly recommend!

[Scttw]

Have a 321res Cougar high country, 2nd yr and now Thacker in PA, starting to see black rice droppings... Ugh! Did some research and found none of the normal things, peppermint oil, mothballs, and electric clicker things work. From the research I found there has to be some openings underneath that TT so I got underneath and crawled around. Amazingly, I found four or five holes in underbelly of the RV that were over half an inch wide. Mainly where this spring hinges behind the tires and they overcut the underbelly around these metal hinges. Huge access points. I also found for 1 inch round holes behind the battery for electrical cables to go through and these all entered into the underbelly. I gotsome spray foam especially the fire retardant or pet retardant spray foam and filled all these gaps. I also went behind the heater panel where my sink and water heater isand saw droppings in there which apparently is where the little monsters are entering the travel trailer. After sealing everything and putting bail traps shall see if this solves my mice problem. Once you close off all the entry points there was no access into the TT and that's the only solution that will work. Will follow up after a few weeks.



I to have had this issues with my brand new Alpine. They got into the ceiling and walls ..... also assuming through the belly. I have the water entry spots blocked up but unless I was to pull down the belly, I can't get at the wire accesses and from what I've seen, the workmanship for rodent entry isn't perfect. I did put a combination of fresh-cab / moth balls and bounce sheets up inside the ceiling through the pot light accesses - I pulled every one down (about 16 in my 40 foot trailer) and added the smells to drive them out. Plus, in the walls in a few spots where switches allowed me to drop in moth balls. Then where I guessed they were coming in I put out traps and over 2 weekends I caught 11. Last 2 nights up there we caught none so I suspect I got them all. I did rebait and we'll this Friday. Poison is also good because they then have to go OUT to drink, and that's when they will generally die, unless you are really unlucky. Several of those bags were eaten open so it also confirmed where they were. Make sure you use the BAGS OF POISON so they are forced to eat through the plastic - that way you know if they are still there. They ARE NOT inside the living parts of trailer thank goodness.

Getting them out this time of year is key. Once I know they are gone I will spray and steel-wool and tape the belly completely.

This year has been the worst year on record ..... because of last winter being SO long I figured they stayed in bed and had lots of sex :D

[jd420214]

I put dryer sheets every where last year seamed to work no sign of mice anywhere in our old trailer it sat on the lawn with wood under it next to a field.
just my 2 cents.

[JRTJH]

We've used Cab Fresh for the last 4 years. It smells "sort of" like Juniper berries and isn't too "lingering" once winter is over and we're able to open up the camper. I also use it on my tractor (under the hood) and in all my ATV's, UTV's and the boat. Since putting those "little packets" in things, I haven't had any mouse droppings or damage to anything in the pole barn. Up here, as the weather starts to cool, it's common to have a "mouse infestation" anywhere that it's warm and dry. Our pole barn is a natural for mice to congregate, but since using Cab Fresh, none seem to even come close. It also seems to keep the chipmunk population out of the barn as well.

I'm reluctant to use warfarin, Decon or any other type of poison. If the mice eat it, then leave the barn, owls, hawks, etc that prey on the mice also ingest the poison, so it's not a good idea to use it if avoidable. IMHO.....

[Lmac]

We also used dryer sheets and even after finding an entryway for the mice to come in after winter storage, not one came in! Used Bounce dryer sheets and put them in every nook and cranny. Hope it helps.

[lspajm]

For the folks that use cab fresh - how much do you use in your camper? I have a 35' Passport 3220BH - 1 pack in the front and 1 pack in the back??? or throw a pack under the sink, one in the bathroom???

Thanks!
Andy

[Ayotte]

We have also been using fresh cab for the last five years and have not had a problem. Some people say it don't work but we have had good luck with it. Main thing is to seal any entry holes first. We used spray foam and steel wool.

[Hansel]

Last year I found droppings in the cabinet's, it was the first year I have had a problem, so after a complete cleaning and sealing the spot's around where the suspension and wheel well area's, I used the fabric sheet's and places a "Tomcat" mouse and mice thingy on the ground by the wheel's. Seems too work since I haven't seen anymore signs of the little turd's.

[Glory72]

Someone told us about using Bounce dryer sheets. Put them all over the TT. Spring came and by evidence left behind, the mice must have had a free-for-all there, come one, come all! Haven't tried that since. We now have an outside cat! Hope that does the trick this winter.

[billandjan]

Main thing is to seal any entry holes first. We used spray foam and steel wool.

Spray foam is what I used too.

[zuley]

It was suggested to us last year to use little bundles of cloves wrapped in cheese cloth. We made up a couple of dozen and left them throughout the trailer. Perhaps a little over kill. The trailer smelled like a fresh baked ham and no indication of any mice when we opened it up.

[instymp]

We did all the above also. Mouse traps work. But our favorite are those sticky strips that you put down in traveled areas. Get them every time.

[koko]

We use the cloves/bay leaves in mesh bags. Have several. Smell great, and we can safely put them in the cupboards. After hearing about Fresh Cab, however, went out today and bought some for the floor corners - just in case!

[Tom]

I feel everyone's pain as I also suffer from mice infiltration. I've used the poison but prefer the chunks over the bags since my mice tend to remove the poison from the bags, scatter it around, then use the bags to make their nests. Also use traps but don't check them often enough since the trailer isn't located at my primary residence.

While I'm not sure, I think sealing the trailer is a hopeless task. Mailman just brought me some Fresh Cab today and he commented on how bad my package smelled. I fully expect that stuff to repel any living creature which is probably why the package says to put them only in uninhabited areas. Hope it works but, even if it does, it doesn't sound like it will last very long. In any case, I'm fairly certain that it will repel my wife.

I recently bought some of the electronic repellers but it's too early to tell if they help or not. Using 3, including 1 in the storage compartment and sure hope they work. I never used them before because I didn't want to run the converter all the time but finally realized that I could throw the breaker on the converter to kill it and still have the GFI circuit available.

[Maggman]

Well, been a few weeks after holes filled, sealed under cabinet areas and seems like all good now... Will be sealing up for winter, will set some traps and smelly things around and see where that goes... Thanks for all the feedback.. (tx)

[trackstand]

Get some Irish Spring soap and cut a bar into 1/3s. place it and they are gone...."bouncey:

[Maggman]

Okay posted previously about mice and found a HUGE solution.. After placing foam in all holes, pepperment spray, and fresh cab, found two or three more dropping. Decided to rethink entry, found the main entry point... Took off the access panel under the shower and low and behold a nest and very large 7 inch opening for all plumbing and stuff to go down into the belly. Made a template out of old license plate threw some tomcat blocks into belly and closed off the hole.. Apparently, this was the main entry.. NO MORE mice since... Yeah!,,"bouncey:

[eddarde]

my main entry point was the 2 inch heat duct to the under belly by the water tank, wide open. They entered there and went into the heater and foil ducts, ate there way out of the duct, and explored the rest of the trailer chewing on anything they could.

[I.plod]

This year has been the worst year on record ..... because of last winter being SO long I figured they stayed in bed and had lots of sex :D

Ha!!

Just as a side note, we bluegrass musicians keep rattlesnake rattles in our instrument cases. Old timers say they run the mice off...

[TG10894]

I know this is an old post, but I have found my main mouse path to be the HUGE hole under the shower too. (Cougar 2015 21RBS) The cutout has 4 small water hoses plus is large enough to accommodate the bottom of the shower drain P trap which protrudes a couple of inches into the lower space. I can't figure out a good way to close this off and wondered if you could share more details on the license plate fix you used.

[frankyb01]

I would cut a piece of metal screen to fit across the hole and staple securely. The screen will give you the flexibility to go under the P-trap and still reach the floor surface all the way around.

[Dave W]

You may have found how they got into your living space which needs to be plugged but you also need to find how they get through the belly cover and plug those holes as well - and that will take a bit more of your time or you will be taking the rest of Mickey's family on whatever road trips you take

[koko]

We stuff stainless steel steel wool in all openings. We also put Fresh Cab inside and mesh jewelry bags filled with cloves/bay leaves in the cabinets. So far we haven't had mice in any of our campers, but it may just be luck. Be sure that when you finish loading up or entering/exiting the camper you don't leave any of your cargo doors or the front door open. They can find a warm place in a minute.