Mice in July !

[jerseyjim]

This year is so different. In 15 years, I've NEVER had mice in my RV as late as July. (yesterday). If I don't snowbird, they're gone by the end of April/early May.

Normally I have 10 snap traps between outside and inside. Unfortunately, the peanut butter...in this heat doesn't last. The pepperment/cotton thing mentioned here in the forum is too expensive. I don't want the poison traps...they (mice) go off to die somewhere IN the RV and....stink up the place. (experience)

I've heard of a common available product one can put on the ground around the tires that keeps them away. Anyone know about this?

Any New suggestions out there?

[JumboJet]

I use Fresh Cab and an electronic repelling device. As others have said, I put the Fresh Cab inside two zip-lock bags and leave the outside bag unzipped.

The electronic device sits outside on the floor.

[Dance_Chick]

Sorry, don't know the name of it, but we bought those electronic devices that plug into a 110 receptacle. It comes in a pack of 3, so put 2 in coach and one in house. It gives off some kind of signal that repels them. It worked for us. No more mice. I bought it online.

[jage]

Dryer Sheets.

We have local mice and have had a few camping. I've used both all natural and commercial dryer sheets. Basically just buy a box, shove a sheet in every corner inside, the back of the cabinets, footwells- I even put one outside under my propane fill cover (though not under any hot covers like the water heater). One at the hinge of each back door etc. basically everywhere I can without just throwing them on the floor (one under the corner of the carpet though...)

The only time I've had a mouse since is three years after the first sheets and they had no scent left (d'oh). I replaced and we've been mouse free again for a year.

It's easy, cheap and smells nice if you don't get overpowering fabric softener sheets.

[J-Rooster]

Jim, what I used is electronic rodent noise devices. I went to a factory in downtown Seattle that makes fortune cookies and it was the only thing that they used, that worked to keep rodents out of there building. I bought two large ones and have them on in both both ends of my coach. I then went to Lowes, and bought a case of #00 course steel wool. I removed every drawer in the coach and put steel wool in run ways and any nook and cranny that I could find. No more rodents. At home, last week, rodents got into my heat pump of my stick built house. I put #00 course steel wool everywhere leading into heat pump! No more rodents in there since then.

[Bigdog]

I have had mice off and on for a couple of years and usually using a tray of the green pellets works wonders. However, I went to buy some this year and find out that they aren't being sold anywhere as they were considered dangerous to little kids and pets. Bummer as I never used them where there are any kids or pets. I have used several of the replacement mouse proofers to no avail. Wer had something get into the basement and into the basement ceiling. Never saw it, but knew it was there by the fact that it would chew into several packages of food. None of the baits worked so I finally spent $40 bucks on one of those zapper traps, put peanut butter in it and it disappeared. Now, I've got one in the motorhome that has been working on the drivers seat and I've figgered out that it may be living under the floor, but can't find where it's getting into the interior. To get to the seat it's had to go past four bait traps and they have shown no signs of being touched. I put the peanutbutter loaded zapper in there and we'll see what happens. I may have to stuff it with foam rubber as an additional bait.
Oh, and it hasn't touched any food inside the MH, even some nuts that the DW left on the counter after getting home from the last trip.

[turbojimmy]

I ordered 2 boxes (8 pouches) of Cab Fresh this morning. I figure 2 in the RV, one in the wagon, and the balance in my shed and garage. I'll report back with results!

As an aside, I was seeing deer ticks really early in the season (March). Turns out that mice carry the ticks and spread them to other animals. I bought some "tick tubes" which are basically toilet paper rolls stuffed with cotton that has a poison on it. Animals aren't affected by it, but it kills ticks. Mice grab the cotton from the tubes, make nests with it and get the poison on their fur. Ticks die when they come in contact with the mice. I've found a couple of nests on the property made out of those cotton balls and I have not seen a single deer tick since March.

[Naio]

I had good success with mint based wasp spray ('poison free' brand).

Used once and the mice left for a few nights. They came back, I sprayed the undercarriage again, and the mice gave up and left for good.

Prior to this I tried mothballs, but they had no effect.

Side benefit: The wasp spray works on wasps, too. More effective than Raid.

[crasster]

I'm not suggesting you do this but peanut butter and golden malrin (fly bait) typically will wipe out mice or anything else that eats it. Anybody who tries this needs to be very careful to keep pets away. Most people report it works better than any rat/mouse poison.

[RoadXYZ]

By the way this was posted on "Tricks to keep rodents out" thread : Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent. I used in 2 Motor Homes and 1 TC. No mouse signs etc. Leaves a "fresh" smell in your RV. Overpowering "fresh" smell if you use the quantity they recommend. I put a pack inside a zip lock sandwich bag and it still provided a "fresh" smell. The "fresh" smell is a good smell, but I am not into many fragrances.

[youngone]

doxiemom11 wrote:
I remember those posts you are talking about but can't remember the name. I have seen it. Browse that area at say tractor supply and a few places and you will probably see it and know it's the one you wanted. Dang , right on the tip of my tongue too.

FreshCab?, mouse-free.com, predatorpee.com
Doesn't Comet around the tires burn the mice paws?

[RoadXYZ]

Can also be found in Ranch/Farm places, although in this area we have Ace hardware as well as a true Hardware Store privately owned ... we broke down and bought those "get in there and eat this poison" type mice traps when we saw a pile of nut hulls on the battery under the hood of our vehicle. We scrubbed down the interior, set the traps, and promptly bought moth balls to scatter around for a few days before we had to go to town. BTW we put those moth balls in netting (like satchet bags), and hung them around the interior. And yes we were volunteering at a site out in the Countryside ! Never found a dead mouse, but no more nut hulls either ... Moth Balls are supposed to keep cats out of flower beds, and apparently mice don't like them either !

We lucked out with no wire damages.

[doxiemom11]

I remember those posts you are talking about but can't remember the name. I have seen it. Browse that area at say tractor supply and a few places and you will probably see it and know it's the one you wanted. Dang , right on the tip of my tongue too.

[2oldman]

turbojimmy wrote:
So as offensive as it might be to 2oldman (sorry, sir), I wouldn't mind a fresh how-to-prevent-mice thread.

Not a problem. I'll just stay out of the way! (unless the OP wants them)

[turbojimmy]

I moved into a new house 6 months ago. I've never had trouble with mice in any other properties in the 'burbs. This one, though, is on a 3.5 acre wooded lot. Didn't think much of it when I bought it but there are a lot of critters up here.

I was in the garage the other night to wait to see if the rain sensor was going to shut off the sprinkler system (long story). Turns out the clock on the system was 5 minutes slow. So I sat on the steps to wait it out. As I sat there I saw movement in many different directions. I really thought I was losing my mind until I realized it was mice. Lots of them - well 4 anyway. 2 on the floor and 2 scaling the walls. I'm wondering whether I care that they're in the garage. We have cats so I don't see them in the house or basement. But I digress.

This morning I started up my truck and the low tire light was on. Left rear. I left it running and grabbed the air hose from the compressor. I knelt down by the tire and was filling it when I saw one of those suckers looking at me through the wheel - it was sitting on the brake rotor. WTH?

So long story longer - there's lots of mice. There's evidence in the RV and I'm now worried about our '64 Impala. It moves even less often than the Allegro does.

So as offensive as it might be to 2oldman (sorry, sir), I wouldn't mind a fresh how-to-prevent-mice thread.