A couple of motorhoming friends have had their van ruined visiting field mice. They have soiled and torn the upholstery. Not sure where they have found their way in, but any tips on prevention would be appreciated.
You need a repeller like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beacon-Mouse-Repellent-Battery-Operated/dp/B00ECCPQL0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526664454&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+powered+rodent+deterrent&dpID=51uUoTmOHGL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Ultrasonic Repellents are a waste of money. You would need multiple units to cover the various parts of the MH and mice quickly become accustomed to the noise and ignore it.
The only logical way that a mouse could enter a MH is by climbing up the tyres and into the engine compartment or via any holes from the back axle into the interior. My advice would be to place a baited cage trap underneath the vehicle whenever it is stationary at home. Use chocolate spread or peanut butter as bait and visibly check the trap every day. The cage trap will catch any passing mice and they can be disposed of before they cause problems.
I have traps set around the outside of my home all the time. They may got months without caching, but when they do it is usually multiples.
------------- If I had known how busy retirement would be, I'd have carried on working.
If there is an invasion of mice then there must be an attraction for the initial visit which is usually forgotten dry food left in a cupboard somwhere such as bread crumbs or biscuits for example. Once they have found the food store they will turn the location into a luxury 5 star hotel which the upholstery becomes a permanent bedding and toilet facility.
About 10 years ago we had mice enter the caravan in storage and couldn't find out the reason why till I took everything out of the floor level cupboards only to find a bag of gnawed doggy chew stick treats that my wife had stored right at the back for future outings in the caravan. The mice found an empty shoe box under the seat, made an entrance hole in the side and stuffed cleaning cloths inside for bedding. We chucked out the lot, installed an ultrasonic repellent and check the battery about every 3 months which solved the problem for good. We make sure now that no food or dog treats are left in the caravan (apart from sealed tin foods) and clean the carpets with a vacuum cleaner on the day we depart to ensure there are no remaining bits or crumbs left behind.
Rodents are very clever to say the least but you need to tell your motorhoming friends to check ALL of their cupboards at floor level (especially if they have dogs) as there might just be an unexpected food source available that's enough for them feed on for a few months. When the food runs out they won't just depart considering that the party's over, they will bring food from an external source into THEIR home so it's important to double check if your friends want the declare their motorhome as rodent free. Installing an ultrasonic repeller is down to personal choice but for what they cost it's worth the money as a secondary deterrent in my view.
mice will climb up anything in contact with the ground or low enough for them to climb up on - as has been pointed out they WILL get through any small holes etc so spend some time under the van and block (DONT SEAL) any vent holes etc with wire mesh.
they will continue to visit IF any food stuffs have been left - tins are ok - you can buy a trap which will catch multiple visitors, so I would invest in one of those aswell as installing a few traps around the van.
we once had an invasion in our 'shed' in france (we use it as a utility room, freezer, food storage, washing machine etc) the little buggers had made nests inside a 12 pack of toilet rolls, leaving the cellophane pretty much intact. when I opened the door I could see them all looking out of the windows in their block of flats !!! its funny now to think of that but it wasn't at the time !
Mice will be attracted to all sorts of things that we wouldn't call foodstuffs. Plastic cable sheaving and pipes may contain traces of latex, a natural rubber that mice and other rodents adore. Foam also may contain traces of latex. They will also eat paper products because of the nutrition they can gain from the cellulose. I have spoken to a customer today who found evidence of mice eating his air filter. Your vehicle is full of mouse food!
Forget trying to fill every void because they will find some that you will have never discovered. The best way is to place a wire cage trap baited with a very nutritious bait such as peanut butter or Nutella type chocolate spread under the vehicle and leave it there at all times. If there are any mice about they will go into the cage before trying to get to the less nutritious materials inside the vehicle.
To do the job right put a long baton of 50mm x 50mm or similar wood under the vehicle and place the cage trap alongside the baton. Mice will always choose to run alongside a wall or similar barrier so they are protected from one side.
------------- If I had known how busy retirement would be, I'd have carried on working.
Our caravan was stored on our drive campervan is there now area is regularly patrolled by our anti rodent patrol he will eat mice but only kills rats
We have had one mouse infestation in the house in the last 18 years traps baited with chocolate got them all within 2 hours of traps being set
the wee ones are attracted to some brands of soap and will knaw on it
We are surrounded by fields once the crops are in and it gets colder they are attracted to the house the job of the cat is to get them before they get in and cause damage
the ONLY way we got rid of ours was by using a steel mesh screwed in from under the van, over any holes we could find, then covering the ground in more or less neat jeyes fluid making sure that anything such as wheels, steadies and jockey wheel was covered in it, we even made puddles with sheets of plastic bags under anything that touched the ground so as to hold the jeyes in it, this destroyed their trail of urine they leave so as to follow back to their nest. yes ok the storage smelt like public loos for a week, but better that than the damage they cause, and no we didn't have any food source for them whatsoever in the caravan
Quote: Originally posted by marg6 on 09/6/2018
the ONLY way we got rid of ours was by using a steel mesh screwed in from under the van, over any holes we could find, then covering the ground in more or less neat jeyes fluid making sure that anything such as wheels, steadies and jockey wheel was covered in it, we even made puddles with sheets of plastic bags under anything that touched the ground so as to hold the jeyes in it, this destroyed their trail of urine they leave so as to follow back to their nest. yes ok the storage smelt like public loos for a week, but better that than the damage they cause, and no we didn't have any food source for them whatsoever in the caravan
Well said that man (or ?? woman), exactly the best advice by far so far!
I used to store caravans in a barn in France where there were zillions of mice and the only thing that kept them away was by spraying everything with Jeyes fluid as it is known to kill the urine trails that mice and other rodents follow.
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Topic: MICE INVASION
