Rodents accessing trailer

eddylives

Well-known member
We have a recent development with our new trailer.
It seems a rodent has found a way into our trailer but only has access into the cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom which are beside each other and has started to make it its home bringing in foods to store in the drawers so far. mainly dried mushrooms and such.
Other than the obvious finding and sealing of the access point and possible trapping of the critter What else can be done to try and stop future invaders?
Any good poisons/traps/deterrents to test out?

I believe it is a squirrel that has invaded the trailer but have yet to see for sure.
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
We have a recent development with our new trailer.
It seems a rodent has found a way into our trailer but only has access into the cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom which are beside each other and has started to make it its home bringing in foods to store in the drawers so far. mainly dried mushrooms and such.
Other than the obvious finding and sealing of the access point and possible trapping of the critter What else can be done to try and stop future invaders?
Any good poisons/traps/deterrents to test out?

I believe it is a squirrel that has invaded the trailer but have yet to see for sure.

Mouse Free
 

Greggshere

Active Member
Is it pet safe? Does it need to be in the open to work or can in be in a cabinet?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

RichnPeg

Member
We are new to camping and stored ours in a barn last year. I was told to use cotton balls with peppermint essential oil. We had no problem with rodents and when we opened up this Spring the camper smelled really good.
 

Westwind

Well-known member
I found two THREE problems in our Bighorn fifth wheel,

1. We have three steps to our upper bath/bedroom level, in the three steps, there is a drawer for central vac hose etc. When I took down the storage compartment wall I exposed the three steps and realized they were wide open to the lower enclosed (Not so) chassis of the trailer. The mice were getting into that area and into the trailer via the drawer in the staircase leaving a poop trail of evidence. Once I sealed off the stairway opening with plywood and caulking with steel wool stuck to it, yes it appears they will eat the caulk but HATE steel wool.

2. We have washer/dryer in the front of our trailer and I took the cover off the pipes/wiring from the undercarriage and found another direct passageway into the trailer, I plugged all the openings into the chase with steel wool and into the trailer.

3. I also found another opening above the kitchen cabinets where wiring came out from behind the cabinets up to the ceiling in a corner, I stuffed steel wool in all openings.

4. I have bags of mothballs around the wheels the trailer near where the slide out piston opens are into the trailer carriage and the front legs.

5. Inside the trailer we have traps, electronic sensors in the outlets and sheets of smelly dryer sheets.

6. I've heard of folks putting rope lights under the trailer and putting them on timers so they come on/off automatically at night.

7. My next offensive is to go around with black caulking and seal up every crack or opening on the underbelly cover. I have foamed all openings, drain pipe and water pipe which pass into the underbelly of the trailer.

8. Don't know what else to do after all of this, after being infested two years ago I did all of this and we didn't have any inside of the trailer on the compartment. This year they made a mess after I had the stair plywood rear storage compartment cover off for a couple of weeks allowing free passage into the trailer, so bad
 

Diamondjim

Well-known member
We are new to camping and stored ours in a barn last year. I was told to use cotton balls with peppermint essential oil. We had no problem with rodents and when we opened up this Spring the camper smelled really good.

We (my wife) has used this trick for years. We had a park model for 12 years in the woods of Western New York. Depending on the severity of the winter, they find their way in! The peppermint oil is awesome.

As added insurance, I built a "red neck" mousetrap to get as many as possible before they can get it. Look it up on YouTube.
It's a 5-gallon bucket with a tin can suspended on a wire at the top of the bucket. Covered with peanut butter, I provide a ramp for the mice to get up to the top edge, they go after the PB in the center of the bucket and BINGO, they fall into the water and drown.
Sorry to be so graphic, but the little buggers are a pain in the neck.:rolleyes:

Good luck!
 

rhodies1

Well-known member
We (my wife) has used this trick for years. We had a park model for 12 years in the woods of Western New York. Depending on the severity of the winter, they find their way in! The peppermint oil is awesome.

As added insurance, I built a "red neck" mousetrap to get as many as possible before they can get it. Look it up on YouTube.
It's a 5-gallon bucket with a tin can suspended on a wire at the top of the bucket. Covered with peanut butter, I provide a ramp for the mice to get up to the top edge, they go after the PB in the center of the bucket and BINGO, they fall into the water and drown.
Sorry to be so graphic, but the little buggers are a pain in the neck.:rolleyes:

Good luck!

Your little bucket gadget works well for squirrels as well.
 

olcoon

Well-known member
I also use the "bucket trap". I don't use a wire across the top, I've got an old archery arrow to put the can on, and have holes drilled into the top of the bucket for the arrow. I've also got it rigged so that the arrow and can won't slide back & forth, keeping it in place. Also in the winter I'll use RV anti-freeze in place of the water so it won't freeze. I use this down at the hunting property & it works GREAT!
 

chiefneon

Well-known member
Howdy!

We picked up a unwanted hitchhiker while in Florida lately. I have tried the bucket and they only eat the peanut butter off. I’ve put out old spring loaded traps, and other traps and we can not catch it. My daughter warned not to use poison as they with eat into the plex tubing to get to water. I really want to catch it or them before they multiply. Any help would be appreciated.

”Happy Trails”
Chiefneon
 

Westwind

Well-known member
Still battling mice, gave up on sticky traps, the cold -30 freezes the sticky stuff. Back to the snap traps and the first night caught two, so I set at two new new ones but put minimal peanut butter on the trap lip, the little critters licked the peanut butter off. My wife read me the riot act, anyhow we have lots of PB on those traps tonight.
I'm definitely going to start working on a bucket trap. We leave for Florida on 12/27, I need to get those mice out of that trailer or I'm in DEEP trouble.
 

mlpeloquin

Well-known member
If you want to get them and don't care alive or dead, sticky trap paper traps. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJE512...t=&hvlocphy=9032190&hvtargid=pla-312081200858 Place a very small drop of peanut butter in the center. Put this in behind the UDC along the wall area and anywhere else you think they are. Just drop in the trash. The bucket with a aluminum can that rotates easy on a dowel or rod works best. The can must spin very easy though. The peanut butter should be in the center 3/5ths of the can so that the buggers must reach out for the peanut butter. Heat the RV so the sticky traps don't freeze.

Last year I finally inspected the entire bottom of our Big Horn and found the back four inches was wide open. The coroplast was short by four inches! I filed it in with aluminum flashing and taped it to the coroplast and the back bottom of the cap. I also remove the foam around the drains going through the coroplast and cut two pieces of the aluminum flashing to fit snugly against the pipe. I did this for both drain pipes. I had a rat destroy one of my propane flex lines! Big teeth marks in several places.
 
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