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Old 07-04-2008, 07:51 AM   #1
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We have picked up and unwanted houseguest. Once we get him to leave, we would like to know how others prevent such guests from taking up residents in their coaches. As I see it, the only access point on our coach would be through the service bay when water and sewer are connected.
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Old 07-04-2008, 07:51 AM   #2
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We have picked up and unwanted houseguest. Once we get him to leave, we would like to know how others prevent such guests from taking up residents in their coaches. As I see it, the only access point on our coach would be through the service bay when water and sewer are connected.
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Old 07-04-2008, 08:26 AM   #3
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After camping at a campground that was clearing some land behind us we caught 8 mice. Now I keep 3 traps set with peanut butter all the time. I change the peanut butter now and then. I tried to seal everything, but mice can get in a small crack. Good Luck and happy 4th to everyone.
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Old 07-04-2008, 09:44 AM   #4
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In our '99 PaceArrow, we got infested. They chewed clothing and paper products and generally made a mess of the floors under drawers, it was terrible. Our error was routinely storing dog food and a bag of doggie treats inside the compartment under the galley sink. They were in rubber-gasketed plastic containers, but they found 'em anyway. Also, we had one of those built-in trash bag hangers inside the same under-sink compartment. And this was fine for a few years, and we kept everything squeaky clean (pardon the pun), but then the critters discovered the goodies. We know this because the initial attacks were in the dog food and the trash bag, but before you know it the whole family starts coming!

So: Trash bag plus pet food plus under sink area open to plumbing access holes equaled mice! There are openings into your rig, through the floor, that you will probably never see, especially in the galley and bathroom where lots of plumbing and electrical appliances reside. Unfortunately, the builders are not real good at sealing all the holes where wires and pipes come through. Here's what we learned: Rodents will enter if they sense food of any kind. Keep anything edible, that has any odor, in your upper cabinets which are sealed to the walls. and the fridge. Never put food in the lowers unless it is canned or jarred or really well-sealed. We tried scented products like soap bars (Irish Spring is one you'll see touted online) and even coyote urine (yeah, you can buy this stuff online as a deterrent for mice), but they did not work. We sealed every hole we could find, but they were getting in near the back, coming under the shower and under the kitchen sink. So, we kept traps set to intercept them, a real pain, but it worked pretty well, as they got nailed on their way in and never did any more damage. This is a tough issue. Seal everything you can locate and keep Sandy's food and treats, anything that would attract mice, in raised storage, not under a sink. Same with the little trash can. I advise a free-standing one outside the cabinets. Sorry this is long, but I can really empathize with you on this one. Hope you win!
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Old 07-04-2008, 11:28 AM   #5
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We store our winny at home in a half shed. It is next to the horse barn and we have about 15 barn cats that lay under the rv a lot. No self respecting mouse would DARE come into our rv. They would make quick treats for the cats.
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Old 07-04-2008, 11:49 AM   #6
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Was it Mickey or Minnie??

We killed Mighty Mouse and his band of merry men last year - traps and peanut butter......their ultimate doom.
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Old 07-04-2008, 01:15 PM   #7
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Has anyone installed a RV-Critter Guard? I just saw their ad in the FMCA magazine?

I think our guest is a long lost cousin of Mickey that has gone astray.
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Old 07-05-2008, 05:34 AM   #8
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Mouse traps worked for us also.

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Old 07-05-2008, 10:11 AM   #9
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Ed - Interesting, but I don't know which tubing... don't know where these voids are that open to the storage bins. I'd like to find them and seal them, if you have a moment maybe you could describe them some more?
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Old 07-05-2008, 02:40 PM   #10
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Rather than use steel wool which will rust, use bronze wool. It is usually available at most boat supply stores.

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Old 07-05-2008, 04:02 PM   #11
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If your looking for mice I have had plenty, last fall caught over a dozen, we have even tried the furnace, now that was a mess body parts all over the insides of furnace even had the head rolling around in the fan.
Since last fall its been pretty quite, not a one has shown up, maybe they are tired of peanut butter or tired of trying to beat that clamp across their heads.
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Old 07-06-2008, 01:23 PM   #12
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I use dryer sheets any ones will do. I use to have a seasonal Camper and this is what every one used sounds crazy but it works plus your camper will smell good to
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Old 07-06-2008, 09:04 PM   #13
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Thanks a bunch, Ed, that's the info I wanted. I'm on it with foam cans tomorrow!
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Old 07-28-2008, 08:10 PM   #14
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Myride:
I use dryer sheets any ones will do. I use to have a seasonal Camper and this is what every one used sounds crazy but it works plus your camper will smell good to </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
We use dryer sheets also. I put them in under and behind everything. We store the coach in a boatyard. Don't know if the dryer sheets work, but we have never had mice. Also have heard to leave a slightly soiled cat litter box on board. Mice will stay away from anyplace cats frequent.
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Old 07-29-2008, 04:32 AM   #15
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sistah:

Also have heard to leave a slightly soiled cat litter box on board. Mice will stay away from anyplace cats frequent. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Are you sure you want to do that? Might work well on family and friends too...
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Old 07-29-2008, 05:54 AM   #16
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We camped in the UP of Michigan last year in the forest. We had so many mice. We had 3 cats on board, and the mice would run the walls and ceilings. There were at least a dozen. The cats were going crazy. I opened an electric outlet, and 3 looked out at me. I took a trap duct taped it to the reciptcle, closed it up. 15 sec. I had a mouse. We caught 44 mice on that trip.

I went in the cargo bay looking for another bag of cat chow I had taken with us. It was an 8lb bag. Not a piece in the bag.

Got home, and caught 41 in the shed, house, and motorhome. We used to have outside cats, and we would get home and they would have mice in less than 30 minutes. Coyotes have killed all of our outside cats.

But the moth balls, dryer sheets and all of that stuff never worked.
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Old 07-29-2008, 08:34 AM   #17
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Try puting oil of peppermint on a cottonball under cabinets and storage areas. Mice don't like the smell. I also found fabric softener sheets work also.
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Old 07-29-2008, 08:59 AM   #18
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If you would like to try to seal up all the holes that mice can use to enter your living space from the basement through the sub floor then the floor of your coach, then you could use the Plumbing Diagrams:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/Plumbing.htm
or the Electrical Diagrams:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/Wiring.htm
to locate all the holes that Winne makes it the coach for plumbing and electrical access.

A daunting task indeed!

A compartment door was left open one night and one of the little critters came aboard. Drove the wife crazy but I finally trapped it with just an old-fashioned mousetrap with a little Gouda cheese. Was it fat or what. Three weeks of living high on the hog landed it in the dumpster!
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Old 10-02-2008, 10:45 AM   #19
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Well I just got back from the UP in MI, mice catch was down. I got 12 cats 2.
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Old 10-02-2008, 02:31 PM   #20
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15!! I hope they are neutered!



<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chandler Bing:
We store our winny at home in a half shed. It is next to the horse barn and we have about 15 barn cats that lay under the rv a lot. No self respecting mouse would DARE come into our rv. They would make quick treats for the cats. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
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