Related to mice

[TOMMY47]

Why should mice find a RV more attractive than a car or truck or building?
Especially in the summer.
So far they're not going after food. 2 of the 3 I got were very large, much bigger than an average mouse.
It's not like the RV is right on the ground and easy to get into.
Any ideas?

[wintersun]

I expect that the mice can smell food in the RV and this could include cooking surfaces. I would bet that their sense of smell is much better than ours.

I use the sticky traps at various locations as I don't want them eating poison bait and crawing into the walls where they can't be removed or going outside and poisoning a hawk.

[TOMMY47]

I don't have qualms about killing them. However, since the killing traps seem to be unsensitive to them at the bait, I think the live traps will be more effective.

[Francesca_Knowl]

FYI:

I have absolutely no qualms about killing mice at home- that's MY turf. But when camping I manage things differently. I mostly boondock in very remote locations, and I think of the critters there as wildlife and don't feel comfortable killing them. Not their fault I'm in their territory with such an attractive new-residence, right?

I've had good success with "sticky traps", which allow for live release away from camp. One squirt from a Pam can, and away they go...And believe me-they don't come back!

[mlts22]

RVs have wood and padding -- good nesting materials. Plus, there is so much space within the walls, they can have many generations use the nests until the rodents have to move to find newer housing.

I'm glad my rig is parked right by a thriving cat colony. I've seen one of the cats dart under the frame, to come out very shortly with a rat in its mouth.

[TOMMY47]

I believe I MAY have found the point of entry.
The generator opening--no generator in it--has walls that do not go up the entire height of the compartment. Also the lock does not work well and there is often a gap when I don't force it closed. Additionally, I put a mouse trap with obviously too little sensitivity in the area. The peanut butter was eaten off the bait holder and the trap did not snap.
This area corresponds to where I believe they are gaining entry.
I bought some aluminum screen material and plan to cover all the areas with screen, once it stops raining/storming. Also bought a couple of live traps that should catch them just by entering.

[noe-place]

Our MH is parked long periods and I did find a mouse nest on TOP of the engine once and cleaned it before it sparked a fire. I urge all of you to remove the shrouds or whatever covers you have and check regularly for the little monsters and their messes.

[Bigdog]

OOPPSS !!!!! Double:o Durn 'puter is acting up again.:h

[Bigdog]

Thanks Hershey. Needed that.

Found a packrat's nest on top of the DW's Focus engine and still wonder why she didn't have a fire. There was grass, twigs, foil and paper, several whole sheets of paper of which I had been looking for. Then when I looked under the hood of my car, I found out where the little strips of colored plastic came from. $450 later I had a new wiring harness on my Trailblazer.

[hershey]

My daughter married a rat, does that count as being related to a mouse????? 🙂

[TOMMY47]

I don't think I ever had a mouse in a car in 48 years of ownership.

[pkunk]

I've had mice nest in my Mercedes heater fan. Car in garage, doors & windows shut. So where's the entry point? They will find a way.

[Francesca_Knowl]

TOMMY47 wrote:
Why should mice find a RV more attractive than a car or truck or building?

They don't!

I've had mice in my car just as often as I've had them in my trailer. More often, in fact- I've learned by hard experience to ALWAYS roll my car windows up when I'm at a campground.

It's all about an available place, and if the RV is what's in the spot where they're looking, they'll get in if they can.

[Wiscampsin]

TOMMY47 wrote:
Why should mice find a RV more attractive than a car or truck or building?
Especially in the summer.
So far they're not going after food. 2 of the 3 I got were very large, much bigger than an average mouse.
It's not like the RV is right on the ground and easy to get into.
Any ideas?

The underside could have plenty places for mice to gain entry. Sealing up every hole and void with spray foam will help. Some use steel wool for larger voids/holes. Problem is steel wool will rust. I use copper wool found at Walmart in the kitchen cleaning supply aisle by the sponges. Seal up every hole where water pipes, drain pipes, electrical wires, etc come into the living area. I also took out the heat registers and cut and installed hardware cloth, them replaced the registers.

[TOMMY47]

Again, Why?
I've been on the road for 11 weeks. It's not like the RV is stationary for any length of time.