More Mouse Problems

[gypsmjim]

I recently reported about finding a mouse nest under my solar panel. Got that taken care of with some chicken wire. Now new issues have cropped up - all on the outside, no problems in the trailer - yet!

I have a 195 with a wall mounted AC. It has a roof vent right above it, which I assume is a fresh air vent. While cleaning the roof I noticed a huge mouse nest under the vent. It has an opening around the bottom of the vent, and the top appears to be screwed on - the screw heads are caulked. I looked inside around the AC unit and cannot see any problems, but I also cannot see what is the construction of the vent.

My question is....are there openings in the vent large enough for a mouse to get through?

Next logical question concerns the two small round plumbing vents on the roof. Is that a possible mouse entry point?

I'll put more chicken wire on the roof if I have to.

Final question - the nests thus far have been constructed of grass, etc., mixed with a white cotton-like material. The **** mice are eating away the fabric on the back sides of my tire covers. Should I remove them for Winter?

[mike837go]

Mice can get into and out of any opening smaller than their skulls.


The most effective solution I've found has been poison bait stations in and about the buildings. And check the stations monthly. Freshen the baits as needed.


Until you reduce the population pressure to locate new housing and food supplies the vermin will constantly probe for resources.

[Jagiven]

Mice can be a pain. Can you post a picture of the vent cover in question? There are a few different styles. Usually there are some type if clips so you can remove them fairly easily.

If the mice went down the waste tank vents, they are done for, they will die, and be flushed out in the spring.

As for the tire covers. You really should have something covering the tires. It sounds like if you do nothing with them by spring you will not have any tire covers left. I use some scrap plywood cut to slip under the wheel well. Painted them white.

Depending on what you have around your place for animals there are a few different items you can use to remove them from the area. If you have a spot they like to go (tire covers) bait them and either poison or trap them. Just remember if you use poison, the dead mice might be eaten by something else, which will be poisoned too. Peppermint oil (must be the oi) will detract mice and other critters. I like spring traps, if it is somewhere I can get too frequently. Stick traps are nice to, as you can catch multiple mice on one trap.

I have never had any luck with the so called remedies such as bounce drier sheets, Irish Springs soap, Moth Balls. My preference is bait and catch, but have had good luck with Tom Cat bait blocks and poison wheat.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by mike837go

Mice can get into and out of any opening smaller than their skulls.


The most effective solution I've found has been poison bait stations in and about the buildings. And check the stations monthly. Freshen the baits as needed.


Until you reduce the population pressure to locate new housing and food supplies the vermin will constantly probe for resources.

Save for the poison this is pretty much what I suggest. Make sure there is nothing in the trailer to attract them. I'm talking about food wise. Make sure there is no growth around or under the trailer, tall grass, brush, bushes, etc. As Mike said, they need a place to go, but you can do things to make it less attractive for them.

Regarding poison, it works great. The caveat being if you have pets, especially cats that might end up catching and eating a poisoned mouse. The pet can get sick or die themselves.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

Save for the poison this is pretty much what I suggest. Make sure there is nothing in the trailer to attract them. I'm talking about food wise. Make sure there is no growth around or under the trailer, tall grass, brush, bushes, etc. As Mike said, they need a place to go, but you can do things to make it less attractive for them.

Regarding poison, it works great. The caveat being if you have pets, especially cats that might end up catching and eating a poisoned mouse. The pet can get sick or die themselves.

No pets get anywhere near the outbuildings. The local predators (redtail hawks, owls, coyotes, fox...) have plenty of forest and fields to hunt in. They generally stay clear of my barn/shop.

[gypsmjim]

Here is a picture of the vent. It looks like it attaches from the top with 2 screws, which are caulked over, so I guess it shouldn't be removed. My concern is the size of the screen inside, if there is a screen.

I think Poison would be futile. The trailer is in the middle of a 1/2 acre lawn, surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods. There must be a gazzilion mice around us.

Thanks for all the replies so far...

[Seann45]

Amazon sells a product called "Cab Fresh" it was designed for farmers to help keep mice out of the equipment cabs and has a nice mint smell.. I can vouch for the statement that dryer sheets DO NOT WORK..

[3'senough]

Peppermint oil is a good natural barrier and can be used around any part of the trailer coming in contact with the ground.

The baits are also good, just hope they die outside.

[RoyBraddy]

Peppermint oil must be 100% strength to work is what I found out... I ordered mine from AMAZON but I think WEGMANSs carry the 100% pure stuff... Hard to find anywhere else in the big stores...


Mice are almost blind and run with their noses...

We carry a zip-up bag with a bunch of cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil to push in areas where we see mice traffic signs.

The other day I posted this trick someone came up with on-line and I had to try ti out haha.. i caught ONE MOUSE and threw him outside into the woods area. He probably beat me back to the trailer haha...



Roy Ken

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

Here is a picture of the vent. It looks like it attaches from the top with 2 screws, which are caulked over, so I guess it shouldn't be removed. My concern is the size of the screen inside, if there is a screen.

I think Poison would be futile. The trailer is in the middle of a 1/2 acre lawn, surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods. There must be a gazzilion mice around us.

Thanks for all the replies so far...

That long roof vent is for the refrigerator, you should have an outside access panel down low below it. Double check the very top of the vent. There are four screws as I recall, in a series of indented slots running the length of the TT, as I recall, the slots fill up with crude and such and the screws were not very noticeable. When I removed mine, for inspection a few years ago, I found I had ½” hardware cloth at the roof level to keep debris and animals out. A ½” hole would allow a mouse to get in. You can open the lower access panel, with a good flashlight and a camera, take a few pictures upwards and see if the nest is gone, and have gotten inside the refrigerator access cabinet. You will never get your head in there to look up.

As I was looking at the picture, I was wondering how the mice are getting up onto the roof? I would figure out how to stop them from getting up there. Next if they are climbing up the side of the TT, I would install a vent cover over your furnace port. I have a friend with a seasonal site. Their neighbor had a large bill last spring as a mice climbed in the exhaust port, made a nest in the fan, and chewed up wires in the furnace.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

That long roof vent is for the refrigerator, you should have an outside access panel down low below it. Double check the very top of the vent. There are four screws as I recall, in a series of indented slots running the length of the TT, as I recall, the slots fill up with crude and such and the screws were not very noticeable. When I removed mine, for inspection a few years ago, I found I had ½” hardware cloth at the roof level to keep debris and animals out. A ½” hole would allow a mouse to get in. You can open the lower access panel, with a good flashlight and a camera, take a few pictures upwards and see if the nest is gone, and have gotten inside the refrigerator access cabinet. You will never get your head in there to look up.

As I was looking at the picture, I was wondering how the mice are getting up onto the roof? I would figure out how to stop them from getting up there. Next if they are climbing up the side of the TT, I would install a vent cover over your furnace port. I have a friend with a seasonal site. Their neighbor had a large bill last spring as a mice climbed in the exhaust port, made a nest in the fan, and chewed up wires in the furnace.

The vent is directly above the cabinet that the AC is in. Looking through a crack next to the AC I can see the light coming from the hole in the roof. The fridge is in a different location and it has 2 side vents, nothing above it on the roof.

There is no crud in the screw holes. Its obvious Jayco didn't want the vent cover to be removable since its all sealed in.

I guess I'll just have to pull out the air conditioner and check for a screen. I'll put one on the inside if need be.

The fridge and furnace vents have al been custom fitted with window screen, so no problem there.

How they get on the roof is a mystery to us as well. The sides seem so slippery. My wife says the critters must have suction cups on their feet.

I'll also get some peppermint oil and put it around the tires.

[moallen]

The past couple years I've been using something I get at the local farm store called "Rodent Stopper". Comes in a 1 quart hand spray bottle. It has mint oil, as well as other oils in it. Seems to work for me. I spray the tires, jack post and along the inside perimeter of the trailer edges.

One thing about any kind of spray, mint oil, dryer sheets, etc., they will not work to drive mice out. They do seem to work to keep mice from entering. I think it has as much to do with masking any food odors lingering in the camper as mice just not liking the smell.

[Jagiven]

[QUOTE=gypsmjim;351574]The vent is directly above the cabinet that the AC is in. Looking through a crack next to the AC I can see the light coming from the hole in the roof. The fridge is in a different location and it has 2 side vents, nothing above it on the roof.

The fridge and furnace vents have al been custom fitted with window screen, so no problem there. QUOTE]

I thought it looked odd that the AC was right below the that frig vent, then decided that maybe it was the angle the photo was taken from. I suspect when the unit was built someone made a mistake and cut the hole and installed the vent, without paying attention. Because that roof vent is for the larger refrigerators, like my 8 cu frig. Personally, I would look at a few more TT's of your model and see if they all have that vent. Its just a spot for water, snow and possibly critters to get in.

[Jagiven]

I just looked at a couple photos of 2015 model. They have that same vent over the AC. I wonder if it was added due to a heat buildup issue??

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

I just looked at a couple photos of 2015 model. They have that same vent over the AC. I wonder if it was added due to a heat buildup issue??

That could be. In any event what I need to know is if that vent has screens in it and if they openings are large enough for a mouse.

[3'senough]

For hard to reach places a phone video function is a great tool to reach in and look at what is going on.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

The trailer is in the middle of a 1/2 acre lawn, surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods. There must be a gazzilion mice around us.

We have a creek surrounded by heavy brush and trees right behind our backyard. It's 60 feet from our trailer and the back of our house. We have a shed close to the edge of the property and the mice get in there all the time, in the lawn and snow removal equipment. Never in the trailers, not for the over 20 years we've been parking trailers here.

That said maybe try building a small wooden box with a couple of small openings and place it near the woods that are closest to your trailer. Even put some food in it. Give the mice a more attractive place to go than your trailer.

[Mustang65]

Originally Posted by RoyBraddy

Peppermint oil must be 100% strength to work is what I found out... I ordered mine from AMAZON but I think WEGMANSs carry the 100% pure stuff... Hard to find anywhere else in the big stores...




Roy Ken

2x
We have used the peppermint oil and dryer sheets with great success.
Don

[DocBrown]

Read up on peppermint oil and dryer sheets. Not always all that effective. As Roy said, peppermint oil must be 100% to be effective. If you are using over a winter period and don't have easy access to the trailer to refresh the oil, the odor fades and loses it's potency.

There is no pat answer to getting rid of mice.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by DocBrown

....There is no pat answer to getting rid of mice.

Lots of farm cats!