Hey guys/gals got a question

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pavlov

New member
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Sep 22, 2006
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2
My sister has a 1997 or 1998 Coachmen Catalina, 30' Travel Trailer with no slideouts. it's a front kitchen setup. She leaves it all year in a small private permanant site campground, but the campground is only open from May 1 through Oct 1 every year. So, each fall she winterizes it, and covers it with a tarp.

Each spring when she comes back, she finds that mice have gotten into it. She lays out poison so they are dead, but they make a mess and it freaks her out.

I have a 1999 Jayco (same campground and circumstances) and I have not had a problem like that (knocking od wood every spring).

What are the obvious places where a mouse or mice could be getting in from? I'd like to try to seal it up for her next weekend. 

Is there some way to pressurize the inside of the trailer with a colored gas of some sort and visibly find "holes" or "leaks" to the outside?
 
Hello Pavlov, a mouse can get in a crack so small that you may not even fund it. We have found that a box of moth balls placed in pie tins or other suitable vesels can keep them out. Place them at various places inside the trailer. You will have to give the trailer about a week or two airing out in the spring, but this does keep out mice and other undersirables.

Jerry
 
Moth balls are the trick - but still put out the poison.

As for sealing, look everyhwere underneath and seal even the slightest crack or gap.  Entries for power cords , water pipes and hoses are common paths. Furnace vents too.  Do the same from the inside - pull out drawers, look under the fridge and sinks etc. and seal around all openings down through the floor.  Check under the bed too - sometimes there are cacks or openings there.  I had one rig that had a duct that went down to the water utility area from under the bed, I guess to provide some heat to the piping there during cold weather. The mice thought the ducts were great - sort of an interstate highway for them!  Doing all this may help - or may not. All you can do is try.  By the way, th elittle critters can scratch out most obstacles, so use someting tough to plug the holes. Hardware cloth is best.  The expanding urethane foam may work in small crevices, but they can dig through it if they really want to get in.
 
2nd Gary statements  Plus I wouldn't tarp it, if she does. Put the cords and hoses inside cause those rascals will gnaw on them until they get in./
 
Bounce dryer sheets have worked for me; they're cheap and don't smell bad in the spring. Just throw them everywhere.

As far as sealing the camper; you'll have to crawl all over it, but many times you can find the obvious routes especially if they have been open for a few years.

Another thing you might try is making sure the camper is very open underneath. We have a old camper up in the mountains that hasn't moved for eight years. The 1st two years we have problems because the camper was on blocks but very low to the ground. The mice took shelter underneath and then decide to move into the penthouse. Once we raised the camper (4") and sealed the obvious holes we haven't had a bit of problem. If they don't take up residence underneath, seems they never take the time to burrow in.

Also of course do the obvious things of making sure there isn't any food to attract them...

Another good poison for mice is a pie tin of automotive antifreeze; but only in closed areas where your pets can't get to it.

Good luck!
 
Put out some D-Con. The mice eat, the mice gets thursty, the mice leave the trailer to get water, they drink, they die. Just make sure there is no water souce in the trailer.

Larry
 
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