Mice revisited

[EMD_Driver]

Kitty and were in Sunny today and the mouse poo was everywhere! There were almost as many mouse turds, as there were stink bugs! I put 4 mouse sticky traps in the camper a week ago and they were empty today. One had been moved from the counter to the floor, but had no mouse on it.

I also found a lot of empty nutshells, in various places throughout the trailer. It doesn't look like they've been in the camper too recently, but I don't want to take any chances.

I intend to use the Bounce dryer sheets like grannytosix talked about in THIS post.. Any other ideas?

 

[Trailblazer-MGRV]

OH NO. For obvious reasons I will be following this thread very closely. Not sure if this will help or not, but last weekend I was using a mini digital inspection camera looking for 110V power lines in the walls of our unit when I discovered some mouse droppings and a poison block in a previously unknown compartment in our rig. We had no other signs of mouse droppings in our unit anywhere. I suspect the previous owner had the problem and had dropped the poison block in this hidden compartment. Just wonder out loud whether this could also be an entrance point on your unit. Here is where to look. Remove the drawers from the below the closet opposite the bathroom. Behind the drawers is a large opening where the heating ducts and water lines enter the bedroom portion of the 5'ver. I put the inspection camera down into the area and below the ducts coming up from the basement area and I found the compartment with the droppings and the poison block. You may want to take a look in this area and drop a poison block into this area. Because of where this area is located, the dogs will not be able to get to the poison block.

What I am suspecting is from this hidden compartment the foil duct work might go down into the enclosed underbelly to heat it. I'm also thinking that mice could get into the underbelly and then up into the rig through an opening around where the foil duct goes through the floor. Again this is all speculation at this point until I can investigate it further. However, I thought I would mention it in case you wanted to investigate it since you now have a mouse problem.

Good Luck and please let me know if you find any entrance points that I should also check out.

 

[henryj-SUN]

Electronic Repellant

I used just one of these, Victor Electronic Repellents, in my double garage this winter and for the first time in years did not trap a single mouse all winter. There are some limitations--obviously a trailer would need to be plugged in all the time and the sound waves don't penetrate walls.

Henry

 

[jbinnh]

The little buggers got to our T-1950 this winter. They chewed through a section of romex exposing copper on both white and black wires. Elec tape will take care of that for now, but would appreciate any suggestions for reenforcing the red water line coming out of the water heater that they chewed about half way through. It does not leak but the wall thickness is drastically reduced. Is there a product, like Goop maybe, that anyone would reccomend?
Thanks,
John in NH

 

[justatourist]

I wonder if the electronic repellant also stop squirrels? they are just busy tailed rats.

jim

 

[JohnGB]

would appreciate any suggestions for reenforcing the red water line coming out of the water heater that they chewed about half way through. It does not leak but the wall thickness is drastically reduced. Is there a product, like Goop maybe, that anyone would reccomend?
Thanks,
John in NH

Hi John

Welcome to Sunline Owners Club!

Don't know what year your camper is but I'll take a guess it has PEX tubing in it.

Since a water leak can create much havoc and real misery.... I myself would go the extra steps and get a fix that can hold full pressure.

If you are fortunate enough to have a PEX crimp tool, you simply cut the suspect piece out, insert a union and crimp on 2 copper rings and it will be as good as new.

The crimp tool is rather expensive however they now have some lower cost ones but still are maybe in the ~ $20 to $30 range "I think". While I have the big tool I think Gary here on this post may have the smaller unit.

They also make compression fittings. Here is one type
Flair-It Store - Flair-It Couplings

I think it is Lowes, maybe Home Depot carry's another brand called Shark Bite The SharkBite® Connection System | Cash Acme If it is not Shark Bite it is another brand. I have seen them there but never paid attention to the exact brand as I use the PEX crimp parts. The fittings are cheap once you have the crimp tool...

That way you spend ~ $3 to $5 a fitting and it is a done deal.

Getting adhevises to stick to some plastics can be a real challenge and still may not have the strength to hold the pressure.

Hope this helps

John

 

[JohnGB]

Gary, bummer for sure on the mouse ordeal. You would think with the enclosed bottom on the 5er, and metal no less, this would not be a problem. But...obviously not. The woods nearby the pit I'm sure may raise the odds.

The noise units Henry posted on look interesting. I myself have not had a mouse issue yet but I know I need to get something in place to make sure I don't.

When was the last time you where inside the unit? Did these little buggers get in when it was warm out? I had preconceived notions this only happens during the winter months when the ground is covered/froze.

Squirrels where mentioned, gosh I hope one one get's red squirrels in their camper. Had them varmints get in the attic of farm house back in NY and in the packing house in the barn. They got in the walls as the fruit sorting area of the barn was insulated. Man what a mess and the stink.... about take ones breath away.

Hope you get this fixed up and post what ever you come up with

John

 

[Drake-SUN]

EMD...so sorry about them meeses!!! Believe me, my wife and I feel your pain. We tried mothballs...no luck, Bounce dryer sheets...fahget about it...Mouse Magic...you can get it online...it's peppermint oil on corn husks inside a teabag...some luck, but the little buggers even chewed one of them open and either ate or did a dry bath in the stuff...We have cleaned up enough mouse poop to go into the MANURE "biness"...but last night I took off the gloves. I set two traps...Inside of 20 minutes I had two meeses, and got another one in the middle of the night.

Trailblazer, You hit on it...you just gotta find out where the little buggers are getting in, and a hidden compartment that conceals a hole is the very most likely spot. My wife found the path for our little furry angels this morning. It was the electrical cord storage compartment that was the gateway leading into our trailer for the the varmits! To look in from the outside, it looks sealed, but when you look at it from the inside, looking out toward daylight, after raising the top of lid on the top of the cord storage compartment found in that closet across from the bathroom...it looks like the entrance to kingdom come! What a hole...right up the cord and into the closet. We sealed that hole up with steel wool and duct tape from the inside and out!!! I think we've solved the problem. But first, trap what you've got inside!!!

 

[jbinnh]

Thanks very much John. Just checked and it is pex so will repair as you suggested.
John

 

[EMD_Driver]

When was the last time you where inside the unit? Did these little buggers get in when it was warm out? I had preconceived notions this only happens during the winter months when the ground is covered/froze.

We've been in the unit a few times, during the winter. The slide stays in during winter and I found lots of nutshells under the edge of the slide's carpet. They did get in the unit while it was cold. We have had mice everywhere, this winter! We caught several in the house (Our cat even caught a few!) as well as the Sunline. Something even carried some nuts on top of the motor, in one of our pickups! I found nutshells on top of the fuel filter housing!

 

[EMD_Driver]

Mouse Magic...you can get it online...it's peppermint oil on corn husks inside a teabag...some luck, but the little buggers even chewed one of them open and either ate or did a dry bath in the stuff...We have cleaned up enough mouse poop to go into the MANURE "biness"...but last night I took off the gloves. I set two traps...Inside of 20 minutes I had two meeses, and got another one in the middle of the night.

Thanks! That mouse magic sounds like a great idea!

 

[Drake-SUN]

I keep an old Toyota truck up at the trailer...it sets for weeks at a time before I fire it up. Those mice had acorns stashedon both sides of the engine, up near the firewall. Then I started the truck up and drove it into town. Welllll, the darn thing smells like a rolling forrest fire....smoldering wood, and brush. Turns out they built in the muffler area of the exhaust system. I fixed 'em though....see the attached photo

 

[justatourist]

Drake,

I had some galvanized pipe laying on the ground behind a storage building. The pipes were filled with acorns packed so full I couldn't get them all out. I've had varmints of some kind get on top of my mower engine and chew the plug wire in two. Cost $65 and I did the repair labor. Had more get on top of the Onan Generater chewing the wire harness on the motorhome. Cost $760.

I will now keep D-Con spread around and fresh along with large and small mouse traps. I hope they all get their fill and die. I also keep squirrel traps set. When one is caught in the live traps I will haul him miles away to unpopulated areas for release. I have trapped 6 in one day in a trap with no food inside it is just placed on a garden bench in the yard, only their curiosity for bait. Othertimes I use a old Pepsi bottle cap with peanut butter in it. Today I'll cut down a squirrel nest. It is a continuing job with no simple solution.

If working at keeping the pests under control they do return after you think they are all gone. If you have no problems now maybe you can thank some neighbor that controls them for you.
:|

jim

 

[Drake-SUN]

Jim,
That's some expensive repair! I haven't gone the poison route yet....but I haven't ruled it out...I'm afraid a passing dog might get into it...or eat a poisoned mouse carcass...but you have reason to declare war after the expense they have caused you. The live trapping is a good thing though...you know they are going to stay out of your business if they are in a park or woods somewhere several miles away.

 

[justatourist]

Drake,

I have enclosed my poisons behind wire shelving so larger animals can't get to them. I don't think dogs will eat them since most are not let loose feed and to run wild around here. Cats are another issue but they want fresh meat they kill themselves. Florida does have leash laws for pets and the Humane Society will set traps if they are running loose.

I've heard that a squirrels will travel about two miles to get back to his 'home'. I take them farther than that.

There are several reasons I do not want the pests around us, expecially in our living quarters or in the walls. Remember the black plague that killed millions in Europe? It spread by fleas riding on rodents. Maybe we will not get the plague like they had in Europe but the fact is that living with rodents is filthy and unhealthy. I can feel the dust of the rat poop floating in the air, it seems, so I want the place as clean as possible. Living in a confined space such as a TT only concentrates the problem. Money repairing the damage is secondary. Trying to be nice to something that easily becomes a infestation just doesn't make much sense to me.

jim

 

[Drake-SUN]

Jim,
All, around, good judgement calls. The unsanitary bi-products of rodents are unsafe in human habitats. Problem rodents and the filth they cause must be eliminated...no question. Good luck, because as my wife and I have found. it can be a real struggle!

 

[Trailblazer-MGRV]

I came across a product today called a Rat Zapper. The unit claims it runs on 4 D cell batteries for up to 2 years. Although it is a little pricey, it might be a good alternative for anyone not wanting to use poison in their rigs. Not sure how well it will work, but the testimonials sound positive.