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Old 04-06-2020, 09:51 AM   #1
Barbie
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May have wild life living in my RV

I have no idea how to approach this...

One of my cats is an excellent critter finder and has been spending a lot of time watching my vents this past couple of weeks.

A couple of times I've heard scratching under my kitchen floor.

My underbelly is all enclosed.

What is the best way to find and get rid of whatever it is that is under there?
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Old 04-06-2020, 10:13 AM   #2
JRTJH
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If you're living in it and the cat is "an excellent mouser".. Invite the cat to move in....

If you're NOT living in it, maybe put the cat in the trailer a couple hours each day??? Alternatively, lots of mouse traps, spend some time crawling around under your trailer (expect that you'll be laying on your back much of that time) and look for any "access areas" that mice/rats could enter. Fill them with copper wool, brass wool, stainless wool (steel wool rusts and will make a mess when it seeps onto the trailer body) and then seal them with either expanding foam, DICOR sealant or a similar sealant.

Fresh Cab will help prevent rodents from "setting up housekeeping" but won't do much to move them out once they're established... I'm not a big fan of poisons, first because anything that dies in the bottom will "stink in the bottom" and second, if a mouse eats the poison, then goes outside to die, if your "excellent mouser" happens to catch it before it dies or if a hawk, eagle, fox or ??? happens to consume it as a source of food, then they also ingest the poison....
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Old 04-06-2020, 10:45 AM   #3
Barbie
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Full timers... Cat lives with us and is indoor only. I know she will catch whatever may come up through a vent.

I'm worried about the damage whatever it is may be doing to my wiring, plumbing etc while in there.

I'm guessing we will have to unscrew the coroplast to remove what is in there.

I plan on getting something like Fresh Cab to repel them after that.
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Old 04-06-2020, 11:53 AM   #4
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You might try something like "sudsy ammonia" or Pine Oil to spray through a couple of openings in the bottom cover. It may be enough to motivate them to leave. Ammonia used carelessly may be uncomfortable for you as well as them. Pine Oil, on the other hand will "create an aura of Christmas" if you use a little too much.
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Old 04-06-2020, 01:45 PM   #5
Northofu1
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Hi Barbie,
I had mice last year, it was like their playground, 2018 was my first year having to winterize it. I did what John suggested, stainless wool and then expanding foam. Not one mouse in the same spots as last year. I did however use the stainless wool in the A/C (inside the trailer) and the little buggers got in through A/C unit from the roof. Grrrrrr Getting rid of this trailer soon (I hope) I will look into getting a cover for A/C on new unit.
Good Luck
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Old 04-06-2020, 01:51 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Northofu1 View Post
Hi Barbie,
I had mice last year, it was like their playground, 2018 was my first year having to winterize it. I did what John suggested, stainless wool and then expanding foam. Not one mouse in the same spots as last year. I did however use the stainless wool in the A/C (inside the trailer) and the little buggers got in through A/C unit from the roof. Grrrrrr Getting rid of this trailer soon (I hope) I will look into getting a cover for A/C on new unit.
Good Luck
Mice are "sneakily little ba******" and can get most anywhere they're motivated to go. Remember, the air conditioner "rests on a 3/4" foam gasket that is "slightly depressed to seal against water". There's about a half inch "foam filled gap" all around the 14x14 A/C hole in the roof. Covering the air conditioner during storage may well provide a "warm, dry place" protected by a canvas cover while they "work from inside the warm, dry A/C shroud, comfortably chewing through that foam seal.... I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't use a cover on your air conditioner, that's a personal choice only you can make... I'm suggesting that it may not provide the "impenetrable defense" you want it to provide....
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Old 04-06-2020, 02:43 PM   #7
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Trying to keep this in the 'good taste' mode, but from the heading I thought we were heading down an entertainment path for bored RV'ers during our shut-in time. I'm just sayin'...
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Old 04-06-2020, 02:45 PM   #8
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I had to reread that a couple of times.... lol
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Old 04-06-2020, 03:05 PM   #9
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Covers on the A/C? I have a cover on my generator in my car port. When went to do a test start the other day (battery dead/wouldn't start), pulled the cover off and the top was covered by Texas acorns and bird seed from our bird feeder (oiled sunflower seeds) that drop to the ground. Seems like a cover makes a nifty place for a snack. Not sure if it was a mouse or other small critter. Had the same things found in my 5ver's pass through and the missus put mouse traps all over baited with peanut butter and didn't catch anything. I crawled into the pass through and sealed everything open from below with duct tape (all I had as we were camping in Del Rio TX and bored with everything shut down). Also got stuck and the missus had to drag me out by my feet and my tail got really bruised good on that sharp metal lip where the door seals. Thank goodness she wasn't quick enough with her camera or I would be an internet star right now. BTW: Mouse traps didn't catch anything.
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Old 05-03-2020, 03:13 PM   #10
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We had mice recently, got in through the passthrough and then inside where there was gaps at the stairs going up front. After totally sealing around the steps and also putting 1/4” hardware cloth at the wood vents on the step risers, my wife set out traps, at first with peanut butter, chunky and smooth, but neither one worked. She then got the bright idea to try cream cheese, and figuring these mice were more sophisticated, went with the good brand. That was the trick. Got them with fancy plastic traps and also sticky traps. When we are parked in a rural area, I’m going to get some LED light ropes to lay around the rig to see if that helps.
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Old 05-04-2020, 01:38 AM   #11
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Yeah, Bob, with mice as sophisticated as yours you need to light the was so they aren't injured on the way to the cream cheese!
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Old 05-04-2020, 02:05 AM   #12
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Sort of like a refrigerator light for mice? I like it!
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Old 05-04-2020, 08:10 AM   #13
travelin texans
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I thought the rope lights on the ground was for snakes not mice, seems that would just light the way for them, I don't think they're afraid of the dark.
Pick up a couple boxes of Cab Fresh, maybe Fresh Cab, at Tractor Supply then place the bags in the storage compartments, under sinks & cabinets, it's a great rodent repellent & also smells fresh.
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