Before we became full-timers, our coach often sat for months at a time in a very rural setting and connected to shore power. I was concerned that mice might enter the utility bay and gnaw on the electric cable or the water hose.
I came up with the idea of cutting a sturdy piece of plastic to fit over the gap that opens when the drop down door is open. I used the lid from a Rubbermaid container. It is thick enough to bend, but not so thin that it is flimsy. I was able to cut a notch for the electric and water hose to pass through my "Rodent Shield" :)).
With my shield in place I can close the bay door. However, when the sewer hose is out -- all bets are off.
Incidentally, the small spray bottle contains a 10% solution of chlorine bleach that I use to spray the water bib in campgrounds before we hook up.
George,
Thanks, I like the both your suggestions.
Tony,
'99 U295 36'
I keep permanent small wooden run-of-the-mill mouse traps with peanut butter in the traps spread throughout the bays. Seems to work! If there aren't any mice, the traps are empty.
When we stopped in Montana at a friends house, the field mice saw us as a tour bus and tried to hop on. The peanut butter shop-and-stop took care of that! ;D
The peanut butter is good for weeks, and seems not to be a problem with ants either. And, the traps are cheap!
I would think the Peanut Butter works so well it invites the rodents to the coach. The last place you want them. At home, the County pest control told me to put the traps everywhere but near the coach to draw them away.
George, it must be that time of year. I too just had an invasion of rodents and the entry point was the drop down utility door. Your solution is thought provoking and very timely.
When field mice invade, I think that they are looking for a nest, not food. When they first invaded, they started on the paper towel roll, tearing it apart for nest material. That is how I found out about the invasion. Two seperate nests! This was before the peanut butter. It took one day of the mouse traps to stop the nesting. A three bagger. All gone now.
How does anyone else figure out that they have guests? Loss of electricity? Holes in favorite cloth chairs? Me thinks a mouse sacrifice in a trap is a good indication that the battle is on, and, no paper nests is an indication that I'm winning, or at least, ahead.
In addition to the utility bay, mice seem to LOVE our rear end cap >:( Nothing like the sounds of scurrying and scratching behind the headboard and upper cabinets at 4 AM...
This is the second year in a row that our coach smells like "Grandma's Attic" from the outside with all the old fashioned mothballs scattered around, especially on all horizontal surfaces in the engine compartment. We have to clean them all up before we pull out in a few weeks, but it seems to work. Last year we tried the Bounce dryer sheets and coyote urine perimeter spray and neither worked. A generous application of the mothballs did the trick.
We're very glad these coaches are so well sealed - we can't smell the mothballs from inside the coach.
Michelle
Pat Silva,
We loved the Oro Valley. We stayed at Catalina State Park. We even liked being "stranded" when the road was closed due to rain water filling the wash.
When George and I were in Tortilla Flat, AZ we picked up a hitchhiker (we think it was a nesting chipmunk). They were everywhere in the campgrounds. After taking it several hundred miles, we kept noticing shredded papertowels. So I like to keep an open papertowel in the big bay as our first "warning" of an intruder. We found that peppermint oil dabbed on cotton balls or pads and placed about the area really seemed to work. Rodents evidently despise the smell of peppermint. You can find the oil at healthfood stores. And the smell is quite pleasant versus mothballs.
A timely post, Sandy! We've been fine for weeks here with our "old fashioned mothballs" (and having removed the paper towels from the utility bay), but sometime in the last few days we had at least one mouse in one bay. No signs of a nest, but definite signs of "digestion".
One of the other workampers has a bird feeder up and it's attracting the red squirrels (which are VERY destructive).
I'll pick up some peppermint oil this morning.
Michelle
Have you found peppermint oil somewhere in large quantities? The only sources I've seen so far is in rather expensive gourmet food stores in 1/2 oz bottles. I asked at a farm store recently, but they didn't know anything about using it for rodents.
Dave,
Google is your friend. Do a search. Somewhere it has to be in larger bottles.
I bought my bottle in the aromatherapy section (health and beauty aids) of a local natural foods store. $5.87 for 1 fluid ounce. I had also asked at the pharmacy inside the local supermarket and while they didn't carry it, they were willing to order it (and the pharmacy tech was familiar with its use as a rodent deterrent). This is in a smallish town in Maine, too.
Make sure it's oil of peppermint and not peppermint extract (which is mostly alcohol and will evaporate too quickly).
Michelle
Dave --
go here
http://www.puritan.com/peppermint-342 (http://www.puritan.com/peppermint-342)
Other places offer a gallon for $345.00 How many rodents do you want to keep away?
So far, camped in and near wooded areas close to Lake Michigan for a couple of months, the rope lights, with timers set to turn on at sunset and off at sunrise, seemed to have (knock on wood) kept the rodents and cockroaches away from The Burrow.
That's great ($345 per gallon)! I'm now thinking of installing drip feed from a central peppermint tank to all possible bays and entry points, plus a feed to the central ice cream machine (converted from the ice maker). ;D
Puritan.com peppermint oil at 30 ml for $9.00 may be high, though. Comes out to $3,400/gallon, so I'm conflicted - buy peppermint oil or a new set of tires? :))
Update -
I ordered 8 oz from bulknutrition.com for ~$20. We just got new tires, so can't afford the gallon size peppermint oil after all...
I was gonna suggest planting some peppermint and squeezing your own oil. :))
[move] :) :D >:( :o ::) :-X :)) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :-[ :o :o :o[/move]
It doesn't take a lot of oil, but it takes a lot of peppermint to make a little bit of oil.
And there is another option for keeping the meeces away. It is a commercial product called Fresh Cab. Those who say it works, claim it is wonderful, and those who say it doesn't work say it is a waste of money. If you want to know more about it, check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fresh-Cab-Natural-Rodent-Repellent/107981312061?v=app_2347471856 (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fresh-Cab-Natural-Rodent-Repellent/107981312061?v=app_2347471856). I have been testing it, and am holding out for another winter before I will make up my mind.
Get a snake, if your snake fattens up, you can assume your rodent population is declining. We used to collect a few blacks snakes each year and give them rent free accomodations in the barn and corn cribs. We assumed they liked the place as they made their presence known to an unsuspecting sole or two on occasion, may also keep campground pilferers out with a "caution snake onboard" sticker at each bay.
Pepermint oil $340.00
Snake. Zero $$
Look on someones face that reaches in storage bin and finds snake - priceless
Greg 1995 280 se
I know the snake never did anything to hurt me, but I see a snake anywhere in my rig, and he is going to be gone or dead real fast. Don't like snakes in my area. They are fine around and about, but not in my rig!!!!
Drat...I got critterized!!! I have not been out much so the coach has been sitting in storage yard and this Sunday I had shredded Tolilet paper role and paper towel shredded in outside electric/water/ waste bay...
I did not have any cotton balls so I placed wet balled paper towels soaked with some peppermint oil into plastic glasses and placed in bathroom cabinets, kitchen cabinets, under sink, uppercabinets and under bed in engine compartment. Then I filled a spray bottle with water and peppermint oil sprayed inside areas and outside and thats when I found the outside shredding attack.... so I sprayed the engine compartment, all the compartments and the genny ........I sprayed the tires and around anything touching the ground.....
I need to go and get some traps what other suggestions does the group have ...about what else I can do ...where should I place the traps? how much peppermint oil versus water? and will the balled paper towels work or maybe cut up a sponge into small squares? or just get the cotton balls ....also what frequency while I am parked in storage...
I know I'm asking a lot of questions and for information but I am bummed.....:-(
Thanks in advance for any help.....
Tony
Tony,
You are doing what some of us have had to do in the past. There is not right or wrong answer and no scientific formula to do this "right."
I think traps are a good addition to your "attack."
When we had a sticks and bricks house I sometimes wanted to place a trap further than I could reach with my arm and yet I wanted to be able to retrieve the trap if I caught a mouse. So I did this: I would take a piece of 1 x 2 and screw the mouse trap to the end of the stick. sometimes I'd put an extra drywall screw in the end closest to my fingers and away from the trap so that I could easily retrieve my "prize." I think peanut butter works best. Put it where the mouse will have to struggle to get it. Those critters can lick a dollop of it off the end of the trap release and not get caught. So I would always smear just a little bit under the surface that is supposed to hold the bait.
Good luck. Don't let those critters get the best of you. Give 'em he _ _.
We've been using peppermint oil in all the compartments for 2 months now in prime mouse/rodent territory, and none so far (the paper towel test.) Too short a time period to tell for sure, but thus far so good.
CAT - rent a cat, borrow a cat or get a loaner cat.
Greg
1995 280 SE
Once borrowed moms prize mouser.
Thanks George and Dave and Greg ...I just got back from coach and read your posts, no cats love pets but I live alone.....well you know....
I went to Target and picked up some sticky and wood /spring traps but forgot the peanut butter at house. when I got to coach the critter had returned to the toilet paper...so I placed a sticky in cabinet and one under bottom slide draw in dining room cabinet where he/she is building a nest....put sticky traps under bed either side of engine in compartment a couple more somewhere else for a total of six...put one wood spring trap outside in sewer/water comparment, I had thrown out towels so don't know if they were back in that compartment but assujmed they were..... bought some cotton balls also so put out more laced with peppermint oil.......
I will return tomorrow after work and do the peanut butter thing....hope this works and I can get these critters, because Wednesday flying down to Orlando to meet a friend for a few days ...had to use or lose some air miles so no driving.....
Are they using the pipes to get under the bathroom sink cabinet and outside water/sewer compartment? I noticed what looks like a black hole in the upper corner of the outside water/sewer compartment is that a heat vent?
Dave,
when you said "We've been using peppermint oil in all the compartments for 2 months now in prime mouse/rodent territory, and none so far (the paper towel test.) " has the coach been in storage and not been driven? mine has been sitting about 3 months in prime mouse/rodent territory also.....
Tony
GREETINGS--FIRST POST--
READ ABOUT AND THEN NOW USE STEEL WOOL AND SCRUB BUDS AROUND ALL OPENINGS. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY UNWANTED INTRUSIONS IN FOUR YEARS.
NITEHAWK
PROUD NEW OWNER OF 36' 1989 FORETRAVEL GRAND VILLA
Welcome to ForeForums, Nighthawk.
You certainly don't want any rodents running about in that beautiful GV.
Yes! Welcome to the Foreforum! Stay a while! :D
Now here's an unusual approach that I've used over many years. I use garlic cloves! I discovered this while living in Miami, FL. We used to get bombarded with sugar ants all over the countertops in the kitchen. Beth & I decided to place our left over garlic cloves in a "garlic roaster" left on the counter top after we figured out that there were no ants in the pantry where we stored the bag of garlic (yes I know what you're thinking, we buy garlic at Costco where you have to buy a bag that has quite a bit of garlic bulbs...it's cheap and we use it for cooking as well as a pest repellent).
We've now included garlic as the repellent of choice in the coach as well. Just place the garlic cloves (unpeeled) on the coach counter top. It keeps the rodents and all other pests away. You can do the research as now I think everybody has discovered this very effective approach.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6151779_information-rat-repellent-using-garlic.html (http://www.ehow.com/facts_6151779_information-rat-repellent-using-garlic.html)
Don't forget to replace the unpeeled cloves every 3 months!
Peter,
That link seems to contradict your theory.
Are you sure you sent the right link?
Garlic Repellent Products# Commercial pest repellents listing garlic extracts as an active ingredient include, but are not limited to, Garlic Barrier™, Garlic Pharm™, Gempler's Garlic Oil Repellent™ and Equimins Garlic & Parsley Oil ™. Most commercial garlic repellents are marketed for use as insect, bird, deer and rabbit repellents. None of these products specifically claim to be effective against rats.
Are Rats Repelled by Garlic?# If rats have an aversion to garlic, it is likely to be very short-lived. Laboratory rats have been used extensively in studies testing the effects of garlic in the diet and pet care sites like the Rat Fan Club recommend adding garlic to rat diets to protect against disease.
I must admit that we've never had rats or mice evidence in the house or coach. I may have been incorrectly thinking that the garlic was keeping the mice away as well.
But, here's another interesting bit. We use bay leaves to keep the flour, rice, corn meal containers clean of pests as well (garlic will do the same but may impact its aroma to the milled products (don't know about the rice). :))
But maybe it's been the bay leaves that have been doing the trick all along???
http://answers.ask.com/Home/Gardening/how_to_repel_mice (http://answers.ask.com/Home/Gardening/how_to_repel_mice)
Hi Nitehawk welcome to the forum,
I will use the steel wool as soon as I get back from vacation and seal as many areas I can find, thanks.
Took a last run this evening over to storage yard with peanut butter to set the wooden traps. I didn't find any evidence in the bathroom cabinet, nor anywhere else. Hopefully the peppermint oil which I left in quite a few spots plus spraying in many other areas calmed things down for now. Only time will tell if maybe made them vacate!... ::) To be continued....after I return..
Thank you all for your suggestions and help.
Tony
Caught one critter!!
I checked the coach when I got back from vacation and found the wood trap I placed in the sewer compartment got one mouse, and there was nothing disturbed inside.
Reset a trap in the compartment and I resprayed plus moistened the cotton & towel balls with more peppermint oil. Hopefully that was the only critter and the oil keeps the rest out.
Thank you all again for the information and support!
Tony
Oops, forgot to mention in my previous post that we have a camper cat named Rocket. He had a fine old time last week when a bat (read "flying mouse") got into the coach. We didn't know it was there but he kept trying to get into the cupboard under the sink by pushing the sliding doors open. We came back from town and the bat was on the paper towels on the counter. (wife freaked out) Rocket tried to catch it, but I got it outside. He is still looking for "mice".
Rocket walks on a leash, rides on my lap, considers himself a person due to the sign posted at High Pines in Eagle River, has to break trail when we walk in the woods.(but he is the wife's cat)
DOGS HAVE MASTERS BUT CATS HAVE SERVANTS!!! BOY, IS THAT TRUE!
NIGHTHAWK
Don't forget poison in motor area. I owned a carbureator shop for yrs. and we found them ruined all the time, from boats and rvs. mostly,from rat droppings!Found a snake,on the motor once, or my workers did, and you 've never seen 4 men scatter !Had a big bull rat in my den once and tried all the things mentioned and he stole the poison, tripped the traps,etc.;smart rat and the only thing that got him was our 16 yr. old cat-in 15 min!!Nuff said.Ranchers-I own one in Texas , use cats to get rid of snakes,Nuff said!
An update - still using mint oil, still no mice after almost 4 months. Have been both sitting for periods from a week to two months in mouse country, and also moving and sitting in campgrounds that looked like mouse friendly territory (state parks, COE parks, etc with meadows next to sites.) We're fulltimers, so the rig hasn't ever been in storage since we've had it. Have used one 4 oz bottle of mint oil so far & starting on next one. Hot weather does seem to evaporate it faster - no surprise there.
Dave,
The only drawback to using the peppermint oil was every time I opened a bay door I developed a craving for Wrigley's Spearamint chewing gum.
I am glad you are keeping the rodents at bay.
Guess that's why some folks are using garlic oil :)). That Wrigley's Garlic Chewing Gum sure does bring back memories....
Greetings and Salutations,
Not to create more worry for all the newer coach owners because I don't know when it really started, BUT, a few years ago (how many?) the wire manufacturers(in their infinite wisdom and pursuit of the profit margin) switched over to a wire insulation comprised of a corn derived material. Mice and other rodents prefer this taste to the old rubber insulation.
I guess what I am trying to say is it is also important to insure the rodents don't enjoy a meal in the engine compartment or wherever there is wiring exposed. I did have a field mouse make a meal out of the wiring in my 1994 Silverado--and I was driving the truck almost erery day!!
Traps in the engine compartment and/or peppermint oil should help.
Nighthawk
Just had a "senior" moment! Forgot to suggest to clean off a spot on the frame in the engine compartment, Shoo Goo a mousetrap in place and then bait it. I realize the basic idea is to keep rodents away but if they do get into the engine compartment you will know.
Nighthawk
I do not know what the temperatures are like in your locality. But here, they are now dropping into the low 40s or high 30s the last 2 or 3 nights. Our experience has been that field mice love to get into houses or other buildings at this time of the year due to the dropping temperatures.
Probably the true test of the peppermint oil will be in the fall/early winter as the field mice/rats try to get inside due to the dropping temperatures.
It will be interesting to see how the peppermint oil works since we would like to avoid using mothballs inside the coach. We might use them in the storage bays underneath, but due to their aroma, we hope to avoid using them inside the coach.
http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=9305.msg41206#msg41206 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=9305.msg41206#msg41206)
http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=9723.msg43502#msg43502 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=9723.msg43502#msg43502)
http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=8450.msg37094#msg37094 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=8450.msg37094#msg37094)
Except that heated bays attract rodents, which like to nest in warm places...
Having said THAT, I found why my coach would not air up - the nasty little devils had, once again, invaded my bays:
() (as you can see, I could not find a way to insert an image of the hole a mouse chewed in one of the air lines to the front of the coach - copy and paste did not work, nor did attaching a file, which resulted in a little box with a red X inside)
At any rate, that is what happened...
When you are in the post page, where you type in your message there is a section named
Additional Options... (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=post;topic=9830.25;num_replies=43#) just below and to the left of the text box.
Click on that and you will see, well additional options, one of which is Attach: this is used to attach files and images to your post.
Select the Browse button, find the file on your computer (just make sure the image is <4Mb in size, it should be as thats would be a hugh image). If you have more than one attachment you must select more attachments and browse the to the file and select it. Do this for as many attachments as you want to include (sorry its one at a time, NO multi select yet)
Thats it, just Post the message as normal.
PS you can go back and modify your post an add an image to an existing post.
Steve
Thanks, Steve - I THOUGHT I tried that the first time!
George , I hate to tell you this ,but my little buddy ran away from home . Tears abound , yep a sad day on the ranch . looks like I can't help you . :( now Now Pepper ,my catch everything cat is A card carrying union member . He wont work more than 10 miles from home . SORRY :(
I refered to an email I received years ago and saved. A sheet of Bounce Fabric softener is supposed to repel mice. Also bees, yellow jackets, and most annoying bugs. According to that email, Bounce has many uses as an odor cure. If interested email me and I will forward the email to you.
Bob Raab '06 Phenix
Don't know about the others pest, but have heard that mice love to make nests out of Bounce. I tried it once and the Bounce disappeared, but the mice droppings didn't. I'll stick with moth balls and peppermint oil thank you.
Pat,
Thanks for the reminder. We will make our coach bays smell like a freshly cut peppermint field for the month it is in storage.
Water hose gnawing would be bad. Electrical insulation knawing less so, since they would not likely gnaw on the copper conductor. What is 4+ bad is air lines - I have now had two instances of this; the first resulted in the inability to air up the coach, the second resulted in being unable to release the driver's side parking brake. BUMMER!!
Don't count on the little critters not being able to gnaw through a small copper wire like the ones from the thermostat to the furnace and telephone wires. They did it at my house before we moved in. It was vacant for over a year so I guess it could have also been a field rat but the wiring was all chewed up.
I haven't used any of the peppermint oil so far...but I do use moth balls and the moth ball cakes. I saved some empty vegetable cans, removed the paper label and drilled several holes in the can about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom and put moth balls in the can. Then I placed these cans around in various places in the bays....and I hang the plastic hanger with moth cakes in it from cables in the engine compartment. I sure don't want the mouse eating insulation/hose problem.....
I read an article recently that said that castor oil has the same asphyxiating effect on rodents as peppermint oil. The article confirmed that both are very effective, limited only by the need to replenish the oil frequently. It didn't say how frequently, but I imagine it relates to the strength of the smell
I received some additional information about using the Peppermint oil. I went into MOMS Organic market to buy more Pepermint Oil. I told the clerk helping me what I was using it for, the clerk mentioned she mixes in Clove oil with the Peppermint Oil and it will work even better. The Peppermint oil which has been very effective so far since I found the critter about four months ago and as per the recommendations of all in this group, I placed peppermint solution and traps in the interior and exterior bays of the coach. The mouse was found dead in the sewer bay killed by a wooden mouse trap, I assume while he was trying to exit the now very peppermint smelling coach!
I did purchased the clove oil based on her recommendation, either a great up-sell by the sales clerk or as she said an additional ingrediant to enhance the effectiveness of the peppermint oil.
Tony
Tony, give it try, who knows? Would you like fries with that?
Tony, did they say how much clove oil to add? Hmmmm, I might try that next time. I can remember my mother using whole cloves to keep out ants from their house. Can't say if it worked or not as this wouldn't be noticed by a kid. How expensive was the clove oil? I was a little shocked when it cost me over $9 for a bottle of whole cloves from Wal-Mart this week. (cranberry sauce not ants) :D
i've been using the peppermint oil as a deterrent, and have not had any mice, but it does evaporate very quickly. Has anybody tried this, or similar, commercial product?
http://www.bonide.com/products/product.php?category_id=865 (http://www.bonide.com/products/product.php?category_id=865)
I believe it includes peppermint oil as one its components.
Mike Spitz
2003 u295
I am much more agressive. We have a rodent problem at our storage and one of the little critters got in and made a next on top of my Aqua Hot. Used the insulation from around the A/C line in the engine bay. I immediately went and purchased a box of rat/mouse poison and distributed in the engine bay and joey bed areas as well as around the perimeter of the coach. No more rodents. Continuing to keep coach perimeter well protected with a barrier of rodent poison squares. Sounds more harsh than Peppermint oil, but has been successful.
I know there may be other points of entry for critters, but the sewer hose door is the most obvious. I wish I could take credit for the critter block that keeps them out of my coach but John Rostie, the previous owner, made this one, see attached photos. It simply slides into the gap when the door is open and allows my Shore electric cable and TV cable or Satellite cable through to their receptacles when the Bay Door is closed. These are the only two cables I keep hooked up when parked for any length of time. I always fill my water tank rather than use the city water hookup so I don't have to worry about a water hose coming out the door. I don't hook up my sewer line until I'm ready to dump the tanks so all I have to be concerned with are the TV Coax and the Power Cord. It leaves no room for critter entry through this bay. So far, no critters.
The wood block is easy to make for anyone with a little woodworking skill. I might even paint mine if I ever get real energetic.
Are you taking orders for this insert Kent???
I've been using some kind of squirrel deterrent spray, was real pricy from Lowe's, mix in spray bottle and squirt around - smells like Mexican hot peppers IMHO - but it did make the squirrels at one camp site shy away as well as the birds wanting to get water from water line dripping - now will it work on mice - WTHK's
Have also sprinkled the green rat/mice bate around inside bays which is to make them exit to seek water
So far have not have a rodent issue - but then I sleep very soundly and would never hear them in the basement reaping havoc :)) I'll only wake to shoot the idiot who enters front door :P :P
I don't have a work shop right now but I will be happy to supply measurements if anyone wants to make their own. It is real simple construction.
Scott,
Some thing(s) to keep in mind with rodent poison. The Posse are concerned.
Keep Bentley's safety in mind. If he were to ingest either the poison OR a rodent that had eaten the poison, he also would be endangered. Most rodent poisons are high doses of a drug similar to Coumadin. A significant blood thinner that can kill your beloved pet.
Many states are seeing significant decreases in natural predator populations due to the predators dying off from eating poisoned rodents. Texas is experiencing a decimation of the owl and hawk populations as these birds are the victims of rodent poison use.
Prevention, when possible, is a much better alternative than the currently-available poisons.
Just a gentle suggestion...
Michelle
The points made by Michelle are very good and important. There is another BIG drawback to rodent poison. What if they can't get back outside for water? We lived in a house in a wooded area near a river. Previous home owner mistakenly hid rat poison where we could not see it. But we sure could smell the occasional dead mouse. In a motorhome it will make you want to barf.
Buy a large batt of steel wool at a hardware store. Put a long roll of it in a plastic bread bag. Then wrap it around your drain hose but inside your utility bay. Easily removed and stays clean and dry. Do the same with shorepower line and water hose. For those use smaller bags. If your tank valves have openings larger than the pipe do the plastic bag/steel wool thing there also.
Rodents do not like to chew on steel wool, but if they chew a hole in the plastic bag you will know they were there! (operative word is WERE)
Norm, I think that is a great idea. They would be easy to store and use when needed. I may replace my wood block.
Does anyone know of other areas of vulnerability. I found one other area on my U225 where the wiring went into the coach from the engine area. I used foam to seal that off. It seemed to work. I haven't been under my U300 yet.
Brilliant! And Karma for you! We have heard critters in our rear end cap (the fixed portion above the engine door) and have thought about how to seal it without a mess. A plastic bag/steel or brass wool-filled "sausage" would be perfect.
Love this forum :)
Michelle
Where does one get brass wool. It would not rust.
Nitehawk, need more information here. I can visualize the use and application of the steel wool in a bag, but I am not sure how wrapping the sewer hose to the extent of the size of the bread bag will protect the hose. And, we have water and electric reels so we can't wrap all of them. A photo sure would be nice.
George, sorry I can't supply pics. My '89 has electric and water connections that are on a bulkhead in the engine compartment so no welcoming openings for rodents. My drain hose is only down when dumping so no problem there with rodents.
If you leave the drain hose down while camping make a steel wool pkg long enough to go around the drain hose.
If I might suggest--- if you have openings from your utility bay for the utilities into the coach plug these openings with the steel wool gambit. The rodents may still get into the utility bay but no further. Put some peppermint oil in the compartment.
I don't know about brass wool but steel wool can be obtained at any hardware store and the big box stores like Menards, Lowes, Home Depot, Fleet Farm.
Kent,
I don't know where to find brass wool, but I have seen stainless steel wool lots of places. That should take care of the rust issue, no? And, no, I can't tell you an exact source, but I bet Home Depot and / or Lowe's would both have it.
Paul
36' 2000 U320
I think he meant Bronze wool and you can get it at Ace Hardware
http://tinyurl.com/2f5c9ox (http://tinyurl.com/2f5c9ox)
Michelle had originally mentioned brass wool. I had never heard of Brass or Bronze wool but since neither will rust they sound better than steel wool. I'm glad to know it is available at Ace.
Brass, Bronze, Stainless, Aluminum, Etc......wool is available at your friendly local machine shop as waste.
I'm fairly certain that the few of us, fairly well scattered, wouldn't be a strain on any local machine shop for quantity. But, wear gloves!
However, my cats enjoy patrolling the bays from time to time when given the chance. Their previous visitation seems to deter any homemaking for critters. They are neutered and in 3 years have never "sprayed", instead they mark their territory by rubbing their cheeks in prominent places.
Just a thought,
John
Michelle,
The concern about Bentley is dually noted. This poison is only put out at our storage unit and completely removed upon taking the coach out. I have considered the issue of rodents dying in the coach. In So. Cal. where we live at the base of the mountains we have had a pretty good rat problem since the 2003 fires which pushed them down into the neighborhood. Very annoying and have spent thousands of $$ dealing with the darn things at my home. Not concerned in our area about the predator killing problem because there aren't any here now. Would not ever use poison out on the road and really do appreciate the different suggestions while camping. Particularly like the wood block and steel wool ideas. You guys are always a wealth of information. Bentley really appreciates Michelle's concern for his well being although he would have to get off his bed to put forth some effort to find any type of hidden anything. LOL.
I can't remember where we found it - Ace or HD or some such hardware store. It's not fine like steel wool, more "pot scrubber" like than that.
It was recommended by an "organic" pest control technician for stuffing the weep holes in stone and brick home exteriors, mostly as a scorpion deterrent.
Michelle
Hi all,
McMaster-Carr has bronze, aluminum, and stainless steel wool products. The so called rust less wools. Check their web page.
George,
I was away for the holiday and sorry for the delayed response to your question about the peppermint clove mix. I believe the clerk said add a smaller part of clove versus the peppermint and being as the clove bottle was about 1/4 the size of the peppermint I would go with that mix.
Tony
We were in a U-BAKE-EM food store this afternoon. I noticed they had Peppermint oil for $1.49 in .34 ounce little bottles. Couldn't find clove stuff at all.
Was the Pepperment oil (Pure Essential Peppermint Oil of mentha piperita) or Pepperment oil extract? The actual oil is very expensive and last while the extract is alcohol based and evaporates quickly and does not leave a lasting smell.
Both peppermint and clove were the oils and cost was approximately $ 20 and $ 7 dollars respectively for each. The bottles are in coach so I do not know amount but the bottles are not very large, my guess 2ml and .5ml but only a guess, I will check next time go to storage yard.
Tony
PatC This was the first time in 13 years we went in that store. If we get over there again I will check but don't hold your breath!
Nitehawk,
I have not used the clove oil as the peppermint oil seems to be working fine.
You can find both oils at MOMS organic market which seems to be local to eastern MD area or I purchased my first bottle of Peppermint Oil from a Whole Foods Market and they should probably have Clove Oil also if you want to give a try.
Tony
We found our peppermint oil in the "aromatherapy"/health section of a natural foods store. There's usually a section of all sorts of oils and essences in that section.
-M
I ordered peppermint oil from Bulk Nutrition - http://www.bulknutrition.com (http://www.bulknutrition.com) - $10 for a 4 oz bottle. Just checked and they are currently out of stock, but I need to get more, so will research other sources. A 4 oz bottle seems to last 3 - 4 months with frequent openings of the bay doors.
Health food stores often carry it
Just found the same stuff from Amazon - $6.95 for a 4 oz bottle http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Peppermint-Oil-ounce/dp/B00028MKRQ (http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Peppermint-Oil-ounce/dp/B00028MKRQ) Incidentally, many reviews on Amazon about the wonderful properties of peppermint oil in repelling mice. Sounds like people only buy it to repel mice...
Don't forge
Don't forget to borrow the cat litter box too!!!
Found it at Herbs Pro for $3.78
http://www.herbspro.com/68597/product.htm?utm_source=gan (http://www.herbspro.com/68597/product.htm?utm_source=gan)
But that was for 1 oz! 6.95 for 4 oz at Amazon... :)) :)) (and the contest continues... LOL)
Good price Dave but I could not find it with that link.
http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Peppermint-Oil-ounce/dp/B00028MKRQ (http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Peppermint-Oil-ounce/dp/B00028MKRQ)
All fixed - it was the "trailing ." in the link Dave posted. Steve fixed 'em.
Michelle
BUT - the review by a guy says: " BEWARE...THIS STORE IS SELLING CORNMINT OIL AS PEPPERMINT OIL, November 26, 2010
- review is from: Peppermint 100% Pure Essential Oil - 4oz
I PURCHASED WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PEPPERMINT OIL (MENTHA PIPERITA)BUT RECEIVED CORNMINT OIL (MENTHA ARVENSIS) INSTEAD . BUYERS BEWARE!!! WONT KEEP RODENTS AWAY. :(
You get what you pay for.
"Mice can get out of control in a hurry if they find a comfortable location. They are put off by strong minty scents like Peppermint and Pennyroyal. You can use a strong tea as a spray or wash for traffic areas. You can strew mints into storage or empty areas to repel them too. If they are really being a nuisance, you can use Betty Crocker's Potato Buds. The mice will chow down and go outside to find water. The salty buds will expand and kill them. No, its not nice. However, if your neighbors pets or a wild creature decides to eat the carcass, they will not be poisoned! If this is all too much violence, get a Live Trap called The Tin Cat and bait it with savory seeds like Coriander, Fennel, or even birdseed. The mice will flock in and spend the night chowing down, but will be unable to get out. In the morning, you take them for a ride a few miles down the road and release them." From: Discouraging Wildlife (http://www.wellesleyisland.net/discouragingwildlife.htm)
There are (3) places the mice can get in (with all doors shut) front of the coach were the lines and wires come out of the coach in the (center) rear of coach same place and the Uilty door. I put steel wool in these areas were the holes are. and a rag on top of the drop door. Then I put mof balls around coach and in engine compartment. If any should get in, I put the old green antifreeze in small amounts around the inside of the bays and in the engine compartment. Works good.