Pest Control and Storage

[NEXSW]

We just had the "pleasure" of replacing our electrical harness after a rodent chewed threw it.

It is stored in a lot near a field and I put some stuff around it but clearly not enough or the right stuff. I did not even think of the engine just the house part.

Advice?? We live in Central Texas.

[petersrc2]

Originally Posted by NEXSW

We just had the "pleasure" of replacing our electrical harness after a rodent chewed threw it.

It is stored in a lot near a field and I put some stuff around it but clearly not enough or the right stuff. I did not even think of the engine just the house part.

Advice?? We live in Central Texas.

Hi NEXSW
Maybe we're just lucky, or ---------- what we're using actually does help.
We read about "this old wives' tale" and So Far, So Good (about 10 years).
Both for our prior Monaco Camelot, and the present Melbourne 24K, we've parked atop tarpaulins on gravel. We've been told Rodents don't like walking on tarps???? Inside, we place about a dozen scented bars of Irish Spring soap. Told they don't like it's smell.
So ------ Old Wives' Tale, or ??? ------ We've found no evidence of rodents inside, or out thus far.

[Cranetech]

A lot of new wiring has a new soy based insulation so rodents find it delicious. I have also heard drier sheets work or coyote urine. Not sure who the lucky person is who gets to try collect that is lol but you can buy it. On the ground around your unit.

[che57vy]

I put a lot of moth balls out in different areas, downside the smell.

[sennister]

Originally Posted by petersrc2

Hi NEXSW
Maybe we're just lucky, or ---------- what we're using actually does help.
We read about "this old wives' tale" and So Far, So Good (about 10 years).
Both for our prior Monaco Camelot, and the present Melbourne 24K, we've parked atop tarpaulins on gravel. We've been told Rodents don't like walking on tarps???? Inside, we place about a dozen scented bars of Irish Spring soap. Told they don't like it's smell.
So ------ Old Wives' Tale, or ??? ------ We've found no evidence of rodents inside, or out thus far.

We must have a different breed of mice around our place. We tried Irish Spring for the first time last year and it didn't work so well. In fact since there was no other food in the camper they took to eating it.

Originally Posted by che57vy

I put a lot of moth balls out in different areas, downside the smell.

That and the cancer... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1247554/

[sennister]

Originally Posted by petersrc2

Hi NEXSW
Maybe we're just lucky, or ---------- what we're using actually does help.
We read about "this old wives' tale" and So Far, So Good (about 10 years).
Both for our prior Monaco Camelot, and the present Melbourne 24K, we've parked atop tarpaulins on gravel. We've been told Rodents don't like walking on tarps???? Inside, we place about a dozen scented bars of Irish Spring soap. Told they don't like it's smell.
So ------ Old Wives' Tale, or ??? ------ We've found no evidence of rodents inside, or out thus far.

I was thinking about this and I wonder if the mixed results might be related to storage temps. If stored well below freezing that possible something like Irish Spring wouldn't release as much smell to drive them away? But then I looked and your location appears to be in Canada. So you probably have temps as cold as us in MN. You also mentioned the tarp on the gravel. Doesn't it get covered with snow so ineffective in the winter? Or maybe both these questions are answered because you store somewhere that doesn't get that cold. I do understand that they normally start looking for a new home as the temps drop in the fall but still they are out and about in the snow.

I have had the best luck with Bounce dryer sheets and it doesn't leave a strong odor behind. A new one that I was recently told about was to put cheap charcoal briquettes around the base of buildings and the perimeter of the camper. I haven't tried that one yet. One thing to watch with some of these products that are specifically made for rodent repellent is what the duration is. My Father stores a couple cars at my place for the winter and had this potpourri looking pouch of peppermint stuff. He was talking about how great it is and I looked at the packaging. It only lasted 1 month. The problem is that we store that car up on a 4 post car hoist and all our outdoor furniture goes under it along with my zero turn mower. So once that building is buttoned up for winter there isn't an easy way to get back into the car to add more repellent.

[petersrc2]

Hey, Sennister------ Re: Temps/Precipitation/Storage Location, etc.
West Coast winter climate's quite moderate ------- more rain than snow, and "mild frost" most years.
When we had the longer Monaco, we stored it on a gravel driveway, with tarps beneath, and ADCO cover on Motorhome, Irish Spring inside.
Now that we've downsized, we store in in a Pole Barn ----- open sides/walls, gravel floor, tarps beneath, Irish Spring inside.
Fortunately ------ no chew marks on soap bars.

[sennister]

Originally Posted by petersrc2

Hey, Sennister------ Re: Temps/Precipitation/Storage Location, etc.
West Coast winter climate's quite moderate ------- more rain than snow, and "mild frost" most years.
When we had the longer Monaco, we stored it on a gravel driveway, with tarps beneath, and ADCO cover on Motorhome, Irish Spring inside.
Now that we've downsized, we store in in a Pole Barn ----- open sides/walls, gravel floor, tarps beneath, Irish Spring inside.
Fortunately ------ no chew marks on soap bars.

Ahh yeah, I wonder if the more moderate climate will make Irish Spring work better. Or the cold weather froze the noses off our mice... It would make sense that if the bar is completely frozen that it may be less effective. So for the OP, the option might work as I think they are in TX.

My In Laws also used Irish Spring in their 5th wheel and when we opened it for them last weekend saw the same chew marks on the soap. It was stored 100' away from our unit.

[BullDozerBob]

See my post JUST A HEADS UP back two or three weeks.
All the storage and wet bay compartment pipe penetrations are covered with 20 gauge sheet metal.

[KCSA75]

Fresh Cab.
We've stored our camper in what is effectively a barn the last two winters. I buy a box of this stuff and put it all in the camper before we close it down for winter. In two years, I've not had so much as a single mouse turd and no damage.

I buy it at Tractor Supply but I think you can get it at Walmart, Ace, etc.