Unwanted visitor

[Salty25]

I went out to check on my 24RDS. I have it stored in the backyard and the batteries in the garage on a trickle charger.

I looked in the battery compartment and saw a furry visitor was by and left a mess. I looked around and figured it came in through the holes where the front jacks are attached. I didn't see any evidence of intruders on the inside, in the living area or storage area. I got some steel wool to fill the holes and cleaned up the mess.

I also looked under the bottom to see if there was any other spots they may have gotten inside through. I saw there was a large opening under the propane bottles. When I looked inside the propane compartments I saw where one seemed to have been used for a dance floor. So I cleaned that up as well.

While looking around the propane compartment I saw a good size opening in the top; about two inches high and seven inches long on both sides. These holes went right into the battery compartment.

I'm thinking about getting some metal and cutting it to size and using self tapping screws to cover the hole.

A friend of mine thinks it may have been squirrels and suggested using mothballs until I cover the hole. So I got some from HD; the box had four bags so I put one on each propane tank for now.

I probably won't be able to get to this for a week or two. Any other ideas on how to cover the holes or to keep the furry critters out?

Thanks.

[JRTJH]

Holes and "vented access" in the propane compartment is a "design feature" that needs to remain. Propane is heavier than air and in the event of a leak, you want it to have a route to "fall out of the compartment and out of the trailer"... Doing so, is benefitted by a means for air to flow into the compartment from above the propane tanks...

If I were you, first, I'd use copper wool, stainless wool or aluminum wool rather than steel wool. They won't rust and stain your trailer like steel wool will do.

Stuff the holes that you DO want to seal loosely with copper wool, then use spray foam to fill the remaining part of the hole. When it expands and solidifies, it will seal the hole and if anything chews, it will encounter the copper wool and stop chewing.

As for the bottom of the propane compartment, have you considered getting some 1/4" "hardware screen" from the hardware store, pulling the propane tanks and unbolting the propane rack base, lay the "cut to fit the compartment floor" hardware cloth on the compartment floor, then reinstall the rack base and bolt it in place. That will keep the necessary venting and also form a physical barrier that's impossible for a mouse to bypass. You can do the same thing with the larger holes near the top of the propane compartment. That way you keep the ventilation for safety purposes and block entry from any "critter"....

Later in the year, when it gets a bit warmer and you can get under the trailer on a creeper, spend a couple hours on your back, rolling around under your trailer with more of that copper wool and a can of spray foam... I think you'll be "shocked" at the number of entry points in the frame rails, around the coroplast and where nearly everything under the trailer turns "up and goes inside"... Keystone seems to practice cutting 6" holes for 1/2" pipe.....

When you're done under the trailer, don't think you're finished, rather go inside, look under the sink, behind the toilet, in the vanity, pull the galley drawers and you'll find even more of those 6" holes to the belly.... Fill all of them with copper wool and expanding foam. It'll be warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer and there'll be much less "mouse pellets to gross you out".....

[Salty25]

JRTJH,

Thanks for the info and suggestions. I did go underneath when I first brought it home. I found a few places to fill and cover. This time I verified they were still intact. I never thought of the propane area before as a problem. I know they are open for venting. That was one of the reasons for posting to ask for suggestions. I wasn't thinking of totally sealing the top but covering the hole and maybe putting in some vent holes in the metal.

I used metal screening material in other area around to keep bugs out. Never thought of putting some in the bottom of the propane compartment.

I also never thought of looking at the holes underneath the sinks for filling with foam. I did that in my house but it didn't come to mind in the fifth wheel.

Thanks again.

[GHen]

We have used moth balls also, but specifically the “old fashion“ kind, not the newer paraffin type. Hard to find.

We use them to keep bears away from camp up in Alaska, and they work very well!

[Salty25]

Originally Posted by GHen

We have used moth balls also, but specifically the “old fashion“ kind, not the newer paraffin type. Hard to find.

We use them to keep bears away from camp up in Alaska, and they work very well!

Never thought of mothballs as a deterrent for bears. But I guess you can also carry a mouse on your shoulder to not be trampled by an elephant.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Salty25

Never thought of mothballs as a deterrent for bears. But I guess you can also carry a mouse on your shoulder to not be trampled by an elephant.

Yep, and store your mouse in the propane compartment when not in elephant country ...

[Pearlie]

I had a chipmunk storing sunflower seeds in a lower drawer in my kitchen and also under the sink in my bathroom vanity. I filled the holes with metal scrubbing pads, the copper colored ones, and filled the access points I could find under the camper. It seems to have worked, as I no longer have any apparent chipmunk stashes and have seen no signs of mice in any of the areas they would frequent. I tried all kinds of deterrents for mice, and none worked well. The only thing that seems to work for me is oil of peppermint liberally applied to cotteon balls in every area that would be attractive to them or along their likely passage points. It's worked now for 4 years without a sign of mouse droppings or any other indication the little critters ever visited.

[Salty25]

[QUOTE=Pearlie;491724... The only thing that seems to work for me is oil of peppermint liberally applied to cotteon balls in every area that would be attractive to them or along their likely passage points. It's worked now for 4 years without a sign of mouse droppings or any other indication the little critters ever visited.[/QUOTE]

From what I have read and heard it seems the peppermint oil doesn't always work. Not sure if it is due to the different areas or what.

Thanks for the tip.

[Pearlie]

Maybe some mice don't have the aversion to it. I soak the cotton balls pretty good, so you can't miss the scent. I guess you just have to try it and see.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Pearlie

Maybe some mice don't have the aversion to it. I soak the cotton balls pretty good, so you can't miss the scent. I guess you just have to try it and see.

Put a paper plate with cotton balls drenched in peppermint oil on the floor and in 2 or 3 days you'll find mouse droppings all around the plate and often, on the plate.

Put a paper plate with a packet of Fresh Cab on the floor at the other end of the trailer and there won't be mouse droppings around that plate 2 or 3 months later..... Mice, rats and voles around here either are attracted to Irish Spring soap, Pine oil and peppermint oil or they've learned to simply ignore it... Whatever the cause/reason, peppermint oil doesn't seem to have any ability to deter "critters in the trailer" around here..... Fresh Cab, however, seems to work for half the winter and with replacements put on the same plate halfway through, will work for the rest of the winter...

It's nice to see "no rat turds" in the spring, whatever works for the particular trailer......

[Salty25]

Well, I've been out of town for the past week. I just got back last night and was going through emails and snail mail this morning. I went out to check on the trailer and see the squirrels have been back. They actually sat on top of the mothball bag and ate a couple peanuts.

I guess I'm going to get some screen material and put under the propane bottles next week. Still no sign of them inside; so far.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Put a paper plate with cotton balls drenched in peppermint oil on the floor and in 2 or 3 days you'll find mouse droppings all around the plate and often, on the plate.

Put a paper plate with a packet of Fresh Cab on the floor at the other end of the trailer and there won't be mouse droppings around that plate 2 or 3 months later..... Mice, rats and voles around here either are attracted to Irish Spring soap, Pine oil and peppermint oil or they've learned to simply ignore it... Whatever the cause/reason, peppermint oil doesn't seem to have any ability to deter "critters in the trailer" around here..... Fresh Cab, however, seems to work for half the winter and with replacements put on the same plate halfway through, will work for the rest of the winter...

It's nice to see "no rat turds" in the spring, whatever works for the particular trailer......

I 2nd using Fresh Cab, it's awesome stuff.
I even throw a box of the packets under our modular home annually, no critters there either.
No way would I use the stinking moth balls anywhere!

[sugarhillctd]

Newby here to this forum but not to RVs. Have had several different ones in the past. Truck campers, bumper pulls and now the Cougar 25RKS.

Living in a rural area, in our RVs we have been invaded by mice and chipmunks at various times.

4 years ago I took it up several notches above mothballs and peppermint, etc.

My feeling is get them BEFORE they get into the unit by offering a better choice. Bucket of death. I place two of them under the RV. Ramp, peanut butter, PVC roller then oops- plunge into 2" of water or in winter WW antifreeze.

A 5 gallon bucket can hold quite a few victims before emptying.

It is me or them. Long time ago I had a mommy mouse give birth on the sheets on our RV bed. Nice mess. Not anymore.

[dutchmensport]

Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

True story:

When my 2 kids (boy and girl) were about 7 and 8 years old, they were identified as "gifted-talented". However, the school system we were in at that time, did not have special accommodations to help promote their ever needed challenging minds. But they did sponsor a chapter of the Oddsey of the mind.

They identified about 8 or 9 kids from the grade school that were also of the same "mind set" and my wife and I volunteered to be their leader. The kids came to our house and there we coached and practiced with them. The goal was to participate in a state wide competition for the most creative group of kids. So, the coaching began.

One of the exercises to stimulate the kids minds was that everyone sat in a circle on chairs facing each other. Then a question was asked and the kids had to pop-out possible solutions, as fast as they could. The answers always followed the same pattern. The first few answers would be the most logical, everyone would come up with. But then the prodding had to start. "Think beyond the obvious!" And the kids themselves would actually encourage each other as they fed on each other's craziness and sometimes absolutely bizarre solutions. But, that is exactly what the program was all about.

So when the question came up, "How do you get rid of a mouse in a house?" my wife and I had a moment of utter, and total bewilderment, and delight. We knew these kids had finally "arrived!" I'll never, ever forget this, and the final solution ... was ... well ... absolutely golden!

How do you get rid of a mouse in a house?

Set a mouse trap.
Get a bigger mouse trap.
Get a cat.
Get a bigger cat.
Set up a trap that will electrocute the mouse.
Set up a trap that will squash the mouse.
Put cheese in the trap.
Put peanut butter in the trap.
Put jelly in the trap.
Get a hunting dog.
Get a fox.
Set out poison.
Set off a smoke bomb and smoke it out.
Make lots and lots of noise.

and so it went until it developed into the final solution that no one could top:

Burn the house down!

So, in order to get the critters in your camper. Maybe you need to think "outside the box".

I just felt compelled to share this story. Good luck, whatever solution you come up with! And... oh ... I am not encouraging you to burn your camper down just to get rid of the critters, unless you really do get that desperate!

[Lee]

Like Sugarhillctg..... I use a "walk the plank" mouse trap...... Very effective.

[Bamabox]

Killing them before they enter is really the very best solution. Walk the plank is very effective, but I prefer to use the victor snap traps with the yellow paddle mechanism. Just a little dab of pb on the paddle. Set with the paddle low, so real hair trigger. I catch 3-4 deer mice before I have to replace the pb, they are so deadly. I put one near each wheel, underneath the camper to keep them out of the rain and snow. And a built a little hooch to hold a trap up front next to the tongue jack. My theory is those are the only places they can climb up to get in. What mouse could resist a little pb snack before going camping? Answer: none.

[61Hawks]

I saw somewhere that parking the rv on a huge tarp works. I guess rodents don't like walking on it. I tried it along with those electronic rodent things. For two years during covid I wasn't able to get anywhere near my rv. It seems to be working. When I got to my rv this winter there have been no signs of rodent intrusion. Hope this helps

[MN Roger]

I’ll be the first to admit it. I’ve always been skeptical of cure-all rodent repellents. This one works. Having set out traps around the inside of the RV prior to storage has yielded several mice. No more traps. Rodent Repellent by Tomcat actually works. Spray it around areas where these critters may enter and walk away. It works! Haven’t had issues for two years since starting this regimen.

[JRTJH]

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

That said, I've never been a proponent of baited traps in an RV...

Why? Well, if you put peanut butter on a yellow paddle trap, and catch the first mouse that approaches: SNAP, dead mouse... Then the peanut butter smell is still there to attract other mice who may "lick and nibble" on their way to find other things to sample....

IMO, (for what it's worth) if you put peanut butter inside the trailer, and the smell is strong enough to attract one mouse, then it's also strong enough to continue attracting other mice after that one is dead and "squished by the trap"...

For me, it's the same with the "munk-n-ator" or "cage type traps"... Put one under the trailer, filled with peanuts or bacon or cheese, and it may "get full with rodents", but the smell is still there to attract other rodents, even if there's no more room inside the trap for them to "push themselves into captivity to be removed at a later date".....

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

YMMV

[Salty25]

I use Fresh Cab in the RV and the vehicles. I thought it had to be in an enclosed space to work so didn't think about using one on the propane tanks.