Mice, Mice and more Mice

[DutchmenSport]

We've had mice in the past, but spring traps and a little patients eventually got rid of them. Moving the camper to a different location will help, but if you take the camper "camping" and keep those traps set, you'll eventually get rid of them all. If sitting stationary, a hungry cat is always a help!

We are currently in Louisiana where we are anchored down (this time) from March to end of June. Last week we had to take a trip to Delaware and the camper was left behind. I closed up the camper completely while we were gone. When we returned, there was a dead mouse odor inside the camper and I thought to myself.... oh crap! here we go again.

Upon further investigation my wife found it. "It" turned out to be a piece of goat meat and bone. Why goat meat? Our dogs love raw goat meat. There is a market not far from where we are camped that sells goat meat. When I discovered my dogs like it, I keep it supplied for them all the time now. Well, evidently, we missed a bone they were chewing on, got closed up in the camper for almost a week and turned rotten. It smelled exactly like a dead mouse.

We got rid of the rancid bone, aired the camper out and the smell was gone. I believe we dodged a bullet!

I've plugged all my holes, but I found out if I leave my garden hose attached to the water connection in the camper, the mouse get in ... even though the outside wet-bay area is enclosed, somehow they still get in. I like to keep the garden hose connected, but the water off as we use our fresh water tank all the time. Once I figured out where they were getting in, I now disconnect the water hose and close that little plug in the bottom of the bay. Ever since I figured this out, we've not had any more mice.

 

[Notanlines]

Dutch, knowing dogs like I do, I’m betting they hid that there looking forward to it when they returned! Dogs gonna be dogs!

 

[Max23]

So, what I understand is, moth balls are the key. Correct?

 

[Kenwprice]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I need some advice on mice.

I have a 2012 272RK Outback. I've never really had issues with mice before. The only time in the past was two or three years ago when we had a tire blowout and it ripped a hole in the floor of the camper. During the time it was in for repair a mouse found its way in, made a nest and had some babies. We discovered them and eliminated them and all was good. Now, we're getting mice every week.

I've spent day's scouring every inch of this camper, both inside and out. I found a single hole under the slide where the plastic corrugate underbelly and frame come together. I could tell that they chewed a mouse sized hole and I plugged it with steal wool. Other than that, I didn't find any other hole where they might be getting in.

Inside I plugged up all holes that I could find. Under the sink, behind the electrical panel, water pump, anywhere that had tubes or electrical coming out of the floor. I found spaces where the rubber for slide kinda all met and plugged them up with steel wool. I don't see anywhere on the inside where the chewed holes to get into the living space of the camper.

Here I thought I finally had a mouse free camper, opened the door yesterday to check and damn if there wasn't a dead mouse in a trap.

The thing is.... I need to get out of town and get to my happy place and recharge my batteries. I can't do that if I can't have a mouse free camper. Any suggestions on where to look for more holes? Or how to keep these pests out?

Thanks

I bought a gallon of peppermint spray on Amazon and sprayed every inch of interior perimeter, closets, slides, everything, then did the same thing in the basement. Works awesome - they hate it!

 

[DutchmenSport]

.... peppermint ... - they hate it!

It would be MY luck, they'd enjoy it and have a party!

 

[jasin1]

Another thing about mice is if you get an infestation in a closed up rv over the winter i’d make sure and clean it up properly and sanitize or fumigate if possible…Gene Hackmans wife supposedly died from Hantavirus as a result of mice infestation

 

[JRTJH]

I have had good luck with using Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent after a good cleaning to remove all the food and "FOOD SMELLS" in the trailer. That includes any grease under the stovetop cover and in the oven as well as those "forgotten cookies or cheese crackers" in the drawer by the recliner.... The "packets of Fresh Cab" only last about 3-4 months, so in "up north winter storage" you may need to add a second set of packets mid-winter. I always leave the old ones in place and "add to" rather than replace" and then take out the old ones in the spring, leaving the freshest ones as an "air freshener" in the trailer.