Keeping mice out during winter

[happycampingclarks]

Hi fellow campers.  We're going to store our old Starcraft camper in a barn over the winter.  This isn't a closed tight barn though so I need to find ways to keep mice out.  Can't stand mothball smell!  What other ideas do you have?

Thanks,
The Clarks
83 Starcraft

[AustinBoston]

1) Put a cat door in the barn, allowing cat(s) to come and go.
2) Introduce one or more cats to the barn.  More is better.
3) Only feed the cat(s) in the barn.
4) As the cat(s) gets used to getting all food in the barn, reduce the amount of food.
5) Reduce the amount of food some more as you find evidence that the cat(s) are catching small rodents.
6) Unless cat(s) appear to be suffering nutritionally, stop feeding them.
7) Monitor the cats for evidence of starvation (because they've eaten all the mice).  Supplement their food supply as needed to maintain cat health.  Still only feed in the barn, and only enough to keep them healthy; if there are mice, that should be the cat(s) primary food supply.

If someone has a better method, please let me know.

Ausitn

[TheViking]

We started seeing mice around our house a few months ago, we live by alot of undeveloped land and they are starting to build houses so the mice are seeking other places to live.  I have the TT plugged in when it's parked at home, so if you have that option you can do what I did. Plus it keeps your battery charged in the off season.  So I went to Home Depot and bought an Ultrasonic sound thing that puts out  sound at a level that is supposed to make the mice nuts.  I was skeptical but I have to say, I have whacked 12 mice via traps and not one has been in the trailer, so I have to give it it's due.
Everyone told me to get cats but I'm allergic and I have Asthma, so even cats outside ain't gonna happen.  This Ultrasonic thing is under $10.00.
 
Good Luck

[happycampingclarks]

I love the idea of Cats, too bad my in-laws don't haha.  It's their barn that has a cabin in the upper loft so there is some human & dog activity but mostly on weekends.  We'll see how it goes.  Luckily we're not talking a nice new camper here.  It's an 83 Starcraft.

[flyfisherman]

For sure, those little buggers can slip into the smallest of openings. Obviously, sealing around all incoming L/P lines and electrical wiring, plus making sure the camper's flooring where it meets the sides is sealed. I like using a silicone sealant that drys throughly yet stays flexable, such as Dow's #999A.

Then ckecking to make sure that when the camper is closed that the roofing seal is in place all the way around the base of the camper.  I also remove the L/P tank cover as I've found that to be a favorite place for them to set up shop.


Fly

[ScoobyDoo]

The farm supply store sell sticky pad traps.  Set the tires and jack on them should stop them on the floor.
  When we moved here we had mice pretty bad. With the dogs can't use chemastry. dogs nor I like cats. I picked up a small blacksnake out on a jobsite. Made sure DW was not going to be here when I got home. Turned it lose in the basement, have not had any more trouble. When the mice were gone, he left.

[mach8274]

Very simple solution. I heard this around a campfire once and IT WORKS!!!!

Just inside every opening (outside fridge access, electrical access, any storage
bins or compartments and on the bunks after closed up etc...) put some dryer
sheets. I have used them since the pup was new and haven't had a single mouse. One more benefit-your pup will smell springtime fresh after being in storage all winter. The dryer sheets also work for bee, hornet and wasp nests in the summer between campouts.  

Sounds rediculous, but tried and true.

Dave

[ILUVTHEBEACH]

I use the dryer sheets on the inside of my PU and I make sure I put brillo pads in the openings for the electrical cord.  Someone said to put brass pads in the openings because they won't rust.  I am going to try that this year and see if it works.  I haven't had a problem with mice since I've had it.

[mike4947]

Well forget the dryer sheets, we opened up one spring to not find ANY of the entire box we had spread around the camper when closing up. We found them all in one drawer along with a momma mouse and 6 tiny pink baby mice. She had used all of them to make a great little nest. I consider myself lucky she liked the dryer sheets better than the trailer canvas/bed covers/foam for nesting material.
 
 
As for Austin's cat theory. Cat/cats stuck in a barn all winter end up with a smell worse than mothballs. Austin, you need to add a litter box and to change it to your method...LOL
 
 
The method that does work, does mean a little work and cost on the part of the owner. You need two people, a caulking gun, a strong flashlight, and about anhour in the worst case.
One person inside the RV with the flashlight, one under the RV with the caulking gun. The inside person shines the light everywhere, including and cabinets and dinette seats and the underside person caulks until there is no more light comming through.
The spray insulating foam can be used in place of caulk, BUT you need to carefully read the label as most as open celled versions designed for interior use. Open celled foam acts like a sponge and will absorb mositure. The last thing you need is moisture held in contact with any wood. Look for a closed cell foam version.
Gaps to large to span with caulk can have a backer added to give a base for the caulk. We've used duct tape, window screen and bronze wool as backers so we could spread the caulk over the larger openings.
Speaking of bronze wool, which is available at most paint stores or large hardware or marine stores, which doesn't rust and stain like steel wool will works great for places where you don't want permanent sealing like around lifter arms. Add it in the fall and remove in the spring.
 
Park over hard pavement if possible. Grass, shrubbery, vegatation under or in close proxcimity allows several things. First a place for vermin to hide, second it can form a "ladder" for the vermin to access the trailer easier, and third over time vegitation gives off mositure. Moistur under the camper forming each time the trailer heats up an cools down can mean the wood flooring stays damp. While not all RV's parked on grass end up with soft floors, all the RV's in the extended camping family with soft floors could be traced back to long term exposure/parking over grass/vegitation.
 
In over 15 years since we learned this method, we've vermin proof several hundred RV's from PU's to Class A coaches and the only vermin damage was to a couple of engine compartments and if anyone ever comes up ith a way to vermin proof an open engine area they WILL become millionaires...LOL

[tlhdoc]

Seal up any openings in the camper.  If they are of any size pack them with brass wool.  DON"T PUT POISON in the camper.  That will draw rodents into the camper to get the poison.  Keep any "cover" for the rodents away from the camper.  Remove anything that has an oder, food, soap, etc.  Good luck with keeping the mice out.