Mice/Rats/squirrels

Gracie

Any ideas for keeping them out (so they don't chew on pipes) . . we store outside - live in a rural area.  Thinking about a pad of large gravel. .

Cyclonic

The first thing to do is to make sure there is no easy way in and there is no food stored inside.

Next, place unused dryer sheets in storage cabinets and under seats.

We generally don't have a rodent problem at home where the T@Bpole is stored, but I have heard from many others that this works well and we have never had any.

Estancio

My T@B is stored under a shelter beside the barn. While mice do invade all my vehicles, I have never seen any sign of mice in the T@B. No food inside, all closed up and no openings for them to creep inside. The mice here on my NC farm do not seem to chew pipes nor wires. Good luck!

Tabaz

Every campground I've ever been to, someone has low voltage lights under their trailer/RV.  I was told it helps keep rodents away.

Nomad

Frank - That's just so I don't make fun of them :-)

Ratkity

OutbackAZ said:

Every campground I've ever been to, someone has low voltage lights under their trailer/RV.  I was told it helps keep rodents away.

Those are disco lights.

Nomad

Sorry, most of the people I know with disco lights shouldn't be discoing.

irvingj

Last winter I stored both our 2004 DM T@B and my boat in the same place, next to each other in rented space in a large old industrial building. In the past several years I had never had a rodent problem with our T@B, and last winter was no exception… BUT THE BOAT ENDED UP WITH A BOATLOAD (sorry, but that's just the best word…) OF MICE IN IT!!

Still working on the mice in the boat (which then got into the garage, our cars, etc… sheesh!) but never had an issue with the trusty old T@B. Apparently they close up pretty darned well.

RE: the Bounce dryer sheets-- I had heard that, too, and found that they worked well in my tractor, which sits outside. (Guess what-- now my boat smells nice, too!)

Estancio

I've taken to using moth balls in my vehicles. Put a few in the air filter intake and a few in the cabin filter. It works but the odor does not appeal to most of my passengers. Another option is Irish Spring soap. In all these, it undoubtedly is the smell that dissuades the mice.

Gracie

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this information!! . . It's VERY helpful! . .

tabasco_jim

So I had the tires off yesterday to have them balanced and I noticed that there is an opening behind each tire where the axle is. There is a rather large space in there between the holding tanks and the belly pan, This would be the perfect winter haven for squirrels, raccoons, and possums. I am seriously thinking about putting something over them to keep this from happening. I don't think they could get inside the T@B.

ChanW

Re: Irish Spring soap. I left it all around and in our Tab.
The next spring, the bars in the propane/battery tub were nicely chewed, right next to the squirrel's little nest in there.
I think they use it for their toothpaste.

Estancio said:

I've taken to using moth balls in my vehicles. Put a few in the air filter intake and a few in the cabin filter. It works but the odor does not appeal to most of my passengers. Another option is Irish Spring soap. In all these, it undoubtedly is the smell that dissuades the mice.

Sharon_is_SAM

Wow, so the smell did not deter them.  What about a car deodorizer?  They are pretty stinky.

Fergie

We recently had stuff in an indoor storage facility.  It was a very clean and well run operation. The owner was very sold on the Bounce drier sheet method of deterrent and recommended it for what this is worth. He is in the storage business and ought to know.

Fergie

Nomad

Been in a number of rural historical sites - Bounce dry sheets seem to be the choice.
Was shooting for two hours in one - smell good when you walk in, totally nausiating after two hours - haven't bought Bounce since.

ChanW

i think I'd have the same reaction as you PXLated. Dunno if I could stand the Bounce smell in our Tab.

Verna

I received a company car that had been used for a year by two chain smokers. I sprayed a couple bottles of Fabreeze on the headliner, the carpeting, the cloth seats, even the carpeting in the trunk. I put a box of 120 Bounce sheets in it. It took a 2nd box of Bounce to get rid of the smell and I think it took two to three weeks to get the car so I could drive it. 

Like PXLated and ChanW, I don't want to smell that much Bounce again!

WyoBob

Every spring I've had to clean mouse poop out of every corner and surface of our coach. In the kitchen silverware drawers, the bed...you name it. No food, no reason for them to be there, but they seemed to love it. I've tried everything... The dryer sheets came highly recommended. After spreading an entire box throughout the coach (not a T@b) I had my fingers crossed. That next spring ... I decided that the mice actually enjoyed them! And they pooped all over those dryer sheets. (Sigh). There is another product worth a try. Fresh Cab. It smells wonderful. Made from evergreen trees. Amazon carries it. Anyone tried it?

Michigan_Mike

Estancio said:

I've taken to using moth balls in my vehicles. Put a few in the air filter intake and a few in the cabin filter. It works but the odor does not appeal to most of my passengers. Another option is Irish Spring soap. In all these, it undoubtedly is the smell that dissuades the mice.

I would steer clear of mothballs as they are considered to be a possible carcinogen and the odor will permeate anything it comes into contact with.  We got ill in a condo down in Florida and ended up removing a wicker storage container (placed it out in the owner's shed) that contained clothing and mothballs.  

Gracie said:

Any ideas for keeping them out (so they don't chew on pipes) . . we store outside - live in a rural area.  Thinking about a pad of large gravel. .

At the rear of your T@B there is an opening under the trailer where the plastic trim is lowest to the ground.  This was noted last fall here on the forum as a potential entry point into the trailer for mice and rodents.  I purchased some of the stainless Scotchbrite scrubbing pads, stuffed them into the rear trim area and other areas I found beneath the trailer and have had no rodent entry into my trailer.  My trailer was stored all winter inside a barn that was full of mice too.  I also placed Tomcat mice poison around the barn as an additional deterrent and never had any issues with the trailer.  

Gracie

Thank you one and all.  We put "Betty" on a pad of road base - then got a set of solar lights from Home Depot.  Three of them in tandem - light up the underbelly nicely during the night.  So far - no problems. 

ScottG

I live in mouse central. House, garage, vehicles--you name it, they've moved in. Therefore, defending the T@B has been high priority.

I started a similar thread last year, and don't recall anyone reporting T@B damage from rodents. Believing exclusion is the best policy, I went over the camper with a fine-tooth comb and couldn't identify any possible point of entry. Worried about the openings in the trim, I even inspected the "zone" behind the rear bench with a strong light and a mirror, and everything appeared sealed up tight. (Regardless, I still stuff the trim openings with copper mesh just for good measure.)

Bottom line is these look like pretty tight little trailers. If you close everything up well, the woodland creatures will have a tough time moving into your 'hood--especially when getting into your house or car is soooo much easier.  :-)    

Nerdy1

I am in area where ground squirrels, chipmunks and variety of other rodents are quite happy to move on in - at least in my other vehicles.  I keep T@Boo on a gravel pad, but that hasn't really helped.  The area behind the wheels appears to be a favorite place for ground squirrels in particular to hide, especially when 2 large dogs are on the run.  My huge lab actually can get all the way under the T@B - arghh! Also, when I took my cover off - a pack rat family had been nesting on the the roof.  Finally, the battery/propane tongue box, another favorite rodent hangout spot.  Sigh. So far no sign that they are in the T@B.

Lesley_and_Ian

Great thread.  Just what I needed to know as our new9to us) T@B is going to a local barn next weekend.  I will try dryer sheets and mouse poison I think.  

irvingj

Well, be careful with the poison.... If they die in the vehicle, the smell is next to impossible to remove in my experience.

ericnliz

irvingj, Have to agree with you, the smell is horrible, and if you can't find them after the poison takes effect, you're pretty much stuck. Drier sheets would be my go to before any other options just for that reason. [I'd rather deal with the drier sheet smell any day!]

LauraRey

Mice. Ugh.  We had an infestation two years ago at the cottage. Everyone on our side of the lake complained about the same thing.  It was....just gross and a pain to clean up.  We used TomCat boxes.  I hated to kill the little creatures, but they were a health and safety issue.  We've seen very few mice since then.

Michigan_Mike

Gotta love them TomCat traps!  Very efficient!  

JohnDanielsCPA

I have seen quite a few posts in other forums where people swear by peppermint oil-soaked cotton placed in strategic spots around your trailer.  I have never had a mouse/rodent problem, so have never tried it.  Just sharing for what it's worth.