[Jim/Chris]

They are an occasional problem for me. My coach is parked under a “lean
to”. I try to drive it about an hour every month, but it maybe 3 or 4
months before we go on a trip. They do get inside mine.They have tried
to use the toilet paper to make a nest. I can tell you what not to do.
No poison, you can’t predict which impossible to reach crevice they will
expire in.

Ken

[Archived]

2x … “No poison, you can’t predict which impossible to reach crevice they will expire in.”

Try simple mouse traps set under the coach. You might end up with other little critters though.

We’ve lived here in a rural area of 1 to 3 acres lots for ten years. A neighbor was feeding a group of feral cats for years. We’d see the cats once in a while. Then some “city folks” moved in next door to her. Called the town constable on the feral cats, another neighbor whose dogs barked, and another neighbor who liked to celebrate events (New Years, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Flag Day, Veterans Day, and Green Bay Packer playoff wins) with fireworks. She had to get rid of the cats. Suddenly we have voles in the yard and mice in the basement. Trapped the mice. Voles I don’t know what to do with. This year we have chipmunks for the first time in ten years. I’m concerned because I see those little bast***s running out from under the coach and the Suburban.

Took the Suburban in for its annual oil change this spring. As the lift raised the Suburban a chipmunk jumped down from it somewhere and disappeared into the shop’s reception area.

I don’t know if the chipmunks are trying to live under the coach, or are just passing through when I see them.

A friend from Chicago had a raccoon take up residence in his S&S motorhome a few years ago. That was interesting.

[Larry & Diane]

We don’t have a Prevost yet, but I use Bounce dryer sheets to keep the mice out of our Monaco. Every season, I throw away last years and put in new ones. I put them in the bays and behind the cabinets, any place you can tuck one out of sight. Evidently, the mice do not like the smell. Same principle as using peppermint oil or any other commericial anti-mice product.

[Archived]

I have no advice on how to get rid of mice or keep them out, but I do know if they decide to reside in any vehicle they often find the insulation on wires quite tasty. If that doesn’t keep you awake nights thinking about how that can screw up a coach I don’t know what will.

[Archived]

When we lived in Tucson, we had “pack-rats” which are larger than your normal mouse.

Rat poison was our only solution. But as Jon mentioned, they chewed thru some wires in our engine and on our out-door fridge.

We would usually see them floating in our pool a couple days later after the poison did its job …

Just be careful if you have pets.

[Archived]

Squirrels are another problem. If a coach sits for several months, squirrels will get into places, chew wires and especially like to chew rubber hoses (airlines, waterlines, coolant hoses, etc). Had one chew the sidewall out of the inside of a tire. Could not be seen, but heard a loud pop, had a flat tire and a blown apart squirrel. Checked the tire and sure enough the squirrel had chewed a hole in the sidewall. Used mothballs around the coach to keep them out. Have to replace the mothballs every couple of months as they evaporate away.

If you stay at a campground with squirrels, some people think they are sooooo cute, then wonder why they have a hole in their coolant hose or they have an electrical short. I always keep some moth balls in a nice tight jar just for such occasions. Open the lid on the jar and sit it on the engine, or a bay, or under the front of the coach. A small jar also sits well on top of the tires. Put the jar removal on your departure check list so you do not forget.

[Robert]

I keep my barn door up (couple inches) to let the kitty cats we have out here roam in and out. Haven’t had a problem with them since I started doing that. Before trapped a couple after finding signs inside coach. They will get in if they have a chance. Building the log house out here a few years back, bought a new fifthwheel that had a sealed metal bottom and had it out here in the country and tried everything fabric softener sheets, moth balls, electronic devices and who knows what else and nothing worked. The old reliable snapping mouse trap was the only solution.

[Dick]

Ooof, well I can’t do another “mice episode” that’s for sure. They got into my 24′ trailer and I had to replace the $500 furnace in addition to replacing all the ducts, vents, and clean-up everywhere else. I either have to find secure clean indoor storage or I’m not buying a coach.

FWIW, at that time I did major research into the best mousetraps, and the bucket trap worked awesome. The advantage to this style is that it works best at long term storage sites where you’re not there to check often if it caught a mouse, and it can catch multiple mice without needing to be reset like a typical mouse trap. It’s cheap and simple to make. A lot of people suggest using antifreeze, and that’s fine if you’re not going to dump it outside (pick the mice out of the bucket with a pliers by the tail). But if you’re going to dump it, I suggest using windshield washer fluid (although it will still freeze in very cold temps).

Even if you’re down south, I suggest using antifreeze or windshield washer fluid. It helps preserve the mice from smelling too bad until you get around to checking it.

[Archived]

Mouse Trap

[Archived]

I just showed this very cleaver mouse trap to my wife. It really solves the heavy infestation problem as they could all have a swim together without the need to reset the trap. She told me that if I put this in “Our Bus” she would fill “Our Pool” with anti-freeze and see how I like it.

So I have decided to change the trap just a little. I think I will fill the bottom of the bucket with Jack Daniels. I win both ways. I could sell ticket. $50 per dip or $100 per dive.