Unwanted visitor

[Salty25]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Whatever works for someone is "what they ought to continue to use"....


For that reason, repellants, not attractants (baits) seem, at least to me, to be the preferred approach.

YMMV

I agree with you on the repellant. If I was going to use something to attract them to their death I would put it away from the RV.

We've lived here since 2017 and this is the first time we ever had any issue. So would prefer to repel them back to where ever they were before.

Thanks everyone for the tips and info.

[Salty25]

I was able to get into the storage space today and check things out. It seems they did not go back into the battery compartment. They only sat on the propane tank and had a snack from what I saw.

I had an extra box of Fresh Cab so I put a packet on each tank; one on each side. I hope to get some screen material later today or tomorrow. I'll have to look it over to see how I can put it in the compartment so it won't fall out.

The mothballs; it seems they opened the pack and chewed on a couple of them.

[sourdough]

I use Fresh Cab in and around the RV and I used to use it around my mountain house and the Jeep that lived there. I put packets at each wheel, one inside the engine compartment and one in the interior. I had no mice after that. Prior they loved to come up somehow and eat the rubber boots of the gear shift and xfer case lever. Those on the ground seemed to work just fine.

[GHen]

Originally Posted by Salty25

The mothballs; it seems they opened the pack and chewed on a couple of them.

That’s sounds right if they were the new paraffin style. Hardly anyone stock the Old Fashion style anymore since they were identified as carcinogenic. Some hardware stores still have them.

[madisonjon]

I appreciate reading all the comments and never thought about the negative effects of keeping baited traps inside the RV. I’m ordered some fresh cab, plan on making a bucket trap, and will take out the baited traps from the RV. Saying that , we had some mice living in our rv, so the baited traps seemed to work in the acute phase to get them out of the rv. Now it’s time to keep them out. I did install a 30 amp conversion kit to remove the mouse hole and put down some steel wool. It’s been cold but once it warms up I will use some more gap filler. I never had trouble with my old keystone, but this one the mice found their way in. I appreciate all the tips!

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by madisonjon

I appreciate reading all the comments and never thought about the negative effects of keeping baited traps inside the RV. I’m ordered some fresh cab, plan on making a bucket trap, and will take out the baited traps from the RV. Saying that , we had some mice living in our rv, so the baited traps seemed to work in the acute phase to get them out of the rv. Now it’s time to keep them out. I did install a 30 amp conversion kit to remove the mouse hole and put down some steel wool. It’s been cold but once it warms up I will use some more gap filler. I never had trouble with my old keystone, but this one the mice found their way in. I appreciate all the tips!

What I found "useful but not foolproof" inside the RV is glue traps. I use the 4 pack of "sticky black plastic trays" placed (without bait) around the baseboards.

I agree with you, during the acute phase, the objective is to get mice out and baiting them with traps to kill them is justified. Then, once the traps and bait have done their job, remove them as they become an attractant for more mice to search for the smell. If there's any remaining mice, as they travel along the baseboards, they'll encounter the glue traps and remain "out in the open for harvesting"....

Problem I've found with the glue traps is that once the temperature falls "really low" the glue is no longer sticky and the mice "sort of ice skate over them".... So there are some limitations to consider, but not having the smell of food inside the trailer is, IMO, very important.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

What I found "useful but not foolproof" inside the RV is glue traps. I use the 4 pack of "sticky black plastic trays" placed (without bait) around the baseboards.

I agree with you, during the acute phase, the objective is to get mice out and baiting them with traps to kill them is justified. Then, once the traps and bait have done their job, remove them as they become an attractant for more mice to search for the smell. If there's any remaining mice, as they travel along the baseboards, they'll encounter the glue traps and remain "out in the open for harvesting"....

Problem I've found with the glue traps is that once the temperature falls "really low" the glue is no longer sticky and the mice "sort of ice skate over them".... So there are some limitations to consider, but not having the smell of food inside the trailer is, IMO, very important.

We had mice in our trailer only one time. We had it stored at our daughter's hose and the neighbors moved out. Her house was the closest to that vacated premises. I checked on the trailer and there were droppings and in one storage draw the had made a nest from paper towels. Cleaned everything up and went and bought traps.

I put out a dozen mouse traps. Baited them with peanut granola bar pieces. After removing 6 mice in 2 days. Set out new bags of Fresh Cab and sprayed around the outside under and on the trailer with Tom Cat Animal Repellent. Also sprayed inside the bottom of any cabinet with a pipe or wire penetration. I use the Tom Cat at home to keep the squirrles from under our deck.

That infestation was 4 years ago and no more intruders. Still use Fresh Cab but replace them about every 4 months, year round as cg's have mice too. I use the Tom Cat spray at the same time, buy it in 1 gal spray jugs.

We have always been diligent about keeping counters clean and food sources such as bread, nuts in bags, dry dog food, etc. out of the camper when we aren't using it. The thing with mice is you don’t really know what works unless you have mice then treat the situation and they go away. So did I just kill all the mice with the traps? I don't think that's logical because they don't travel alone.

This is what worked for us and of course YMMV.

[German Shepherd Guy]

Ok John, Danny, Salty. I read fresh Cab and I am thinking A bottle of wine but that is not what I think you mean.
Please enlighten.
Oak

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by German Shepherd Guy

Ok John, Danny, Salty. I read fresh Cab and I am thinking A bottle of wine but that is not what I think you mean.
Please enlighten.
Oak

Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent, sort of like "mouse tea bags" but bigger.... Available at almost any farm supply store. Smells like a mix of cedar, juniper, pine and "clean evergreen forest air"... DW keeps them after I replace them in the trailer and puts them in winter clothes when we seal them up for the summer and hang them in the closet. Keeps spiders and other stuff out of the snowmobile suits and boots and they smell fresh next fall when we start getting ready for winter.

https://www.qcsupply.com/fresh-cab-b...hoC0GQQAvD_BwE

[flybouy]

When I told my DW that they reminded me of a tea bag and a rosin bag she prompltly corrected me and said it's a "sachet bag". Yea, yea, whatever. Now when I order them I'll ask her if she wants me to order anything else when I order the "mouse saddle bags"...... The swelling goes down quickly, she's not as strong as used to be.

[Pearlie]

I tried Fresh Cab once, and the mice made a nest in it.

[Mboys]

A friend told me about peppermint spray. Comes in one gallon bottles. Works great to repell mice and smells good too. Good inside and out. Think I got it on Amazon. Works good for us.

[rhagfo]

Well if you live in the country and no neighbors to complain you might try a string of LED lights around your rig if stored at home. We full time and have used the LED lights the whole time. We have only had mice once, at the end of a nine day power outage.

[MurphyIRE]

I've learned to use ammonia around the trailer when I go hunting

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by MurphyIRE

I've learned to use ammonia around the trailer when I go hunting

Ammonia & moth balls should keep all living, breathing creatures away including those wanting to use the rv. Peeyuu!

[flybouy]

Never had any luck with mothballs outside, won't use them inside. Cedar smells so much better in a closet. Amonia? Nope, nope, going to use that to discourage animals either. There are far better methods IMHO.

[Goliath-goes]

We have 2020 381th. This is our third summer coming up with it. Every year was constant battle to keep unwanted visitors out. Someone told us peppermint would work so we figured what the heck and bought a gallon jug of peppermint rodent repellent and sprayed in entire basement storage. Sprayed the garage and put couple squirts in drawers and under sinks then around perimeter of all rooms. Needless to say we opened camper last weekend and not one sign anywhere. Stuff really works and is quite inexpensive on Amazon. Hope this helps