Varmints!

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For rats and mice, just buy the poison pellets in a box. No need to open or spread around. Just put the boxes in the motorhome.  They will find them.  I used to store my boat and mountain cabin with poison pellets in a box.

If the come inside and eat the pellets, they die. If they don't bother you, the poison is neatly in the box.

For Pack Rats... heaven help you!  Some of those people can't be helped.  :p
 
I don't have problems with critters but if I did it sounds like I would consider the sonic pro they talk about here:
It is called "Besides SHOOTING them", in General Discussion.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=28257.0
 
I had a real problem after unsuccessfully using moth balls, dryer sheets, etc....I would not rec poison inside the MH....

What has worked for me so far (6 mos) are the electronic/sonic devices..I got 2 at Home Depot and they seem effective....You'll get mixed reviews on everything in this area, just keep trying until you get something that works for you.....My 2 cents.....

Steve and Liz
Fallbrook, Ca
 
I too will not bait or poison within the RV itself. This means if your using baited trap will just continue bringing in the mice from outside follow the scent path of the past mice to the baited traps. Same holds true for the poison bait boxes too. The fact is you want to make the living area undesirable and find the entrance point where they are coming in at and seal it.

Like right now I'm using Ultra-sonic devices that human heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb4LYwUdNxs

But I've picked up some expanding foam and going to fill a few holes so the mice can no longer enter the living area.
 
My friend told me to try plugging all holes with steel wool. I am going to do that and then, the ultra-sonic stuff. They aren't in it yet, I want to PREVENT them from even "thinking" about it!
 
Just so you know...

The poison pellets don't need to be baited, you leave the stuff in the box.  The mice or rats will typically leave in extreme panic, in search of water once poisoned. Even if they drop dead inside, the body dehydrates rapidly from the poison, so you end up finding a very flat mouse. If you find him "fresh" there might be an odor, if you find him later, he is flat as a sheet of cardboard and odorless.

The best defense is to make sure he has no way of getting inside. I don't think the poison attracts them at all, but rather they are looking for a warmer place to live in the winter. Once inside, they look around for food, and thus find the poison. Some years they got in the cabin or boat and some years they did not.

We never could figure out how they got into the cabin, they are crafty little buggers. The boat we figured out and by they way they can swim.
 
If you know where they are getting in (i.e. the holes) plug them with steel wool.  Mice will chew thru alot of things to get in but they don't like steel wool.  The courser the better.
 
About poison pellets.

I've seen where mice and rats would pack the pellets back to there nest but not eat it. Clear out boxes and boxes of this stuff but not kill them.

I had a rat in the shop sleeping on the valve cover of my diesel truck (block heater) I could see the nest he built and clear it away and got a box of pellet and place it under the hood the next night. Well the box was empty by morning and new nest built. (Huh?) Ok. Another box and clear the nest. Next morning box was nearly cleared out and nest built again. (Geez!) Ok. 3rd fresh box and another night. Finally the box was picked at but another nest... (Frustrating!). All re-set up again. Now nothing was touched! Yea! Victory... I pull the truck out to find a swollen rat stuck in a hole of my tailgate (for 1 ton lighting). It took me a friend about 30 minutes to get him out of that hole and throw his body in the trash (Ewww! Gross!).

Since then I won't bother with them. I would rather find there entrance and plug it and make there living area non-viable option...
 
Mopar, after my head-on collision, my husband bought me a new car. One morning it ran like Holy Crap when I went to work. I popped the hood, and under it was a huge nest. The distributer wires had been eaten through.  I put a large trap near the front wheel and wala! Big pack rat--caught and killed.
 
I now use rat bait sticks everywhere (did all that other stuff and it did not work) they eat it and have to leave your home to drink that is when it kills them (out of the home). I also have the electronic devices 4 each in the motor home to keep them away (they do work). You can get them at Lowe's or Walmart.
 
Tried to find the sticks to no avail  :(  Ended up with Rodent sachets (peppermint, spearment and other goodies) from ACE Hardware to see if that keeps them out of engine compartment and chewing the blower vacuum hoses.  They work on me: eeeewwwwww!  Next step will be getting a big, bad cat  ;D
 
Found some mice-repel at the local farm and ranch store. Has a large amount of peppermint in it. Doesn't smell bad to me, but I hear the little rascals hate it. Good riddance.
 
eeaton1 said:
Tried to find the sticks to no avail  :(  Ended up with Rodent sachets (peppermint, spearment and other goodies) from ACE Hardware to see if that keeps them out of engine compartment and chewing the blower vacuum hoses.  They work on me: eeeewwwwww!  Next step will be getting a big, bad cat  ;D

Don't use poison if you have a cat@!!

You could set some mousetraps/rat traps in paper bags which limits the grossness. I just started using Devcon for mice in the garage to preempt them getting in (October tradition) the house. Had one in the house but he never got to go for the mousetrap. A rat trap might be a 5 gallon bucket with a hole in the middle barely big enough for them to squeeze in, with peanut butter in the bottom. If you catch them early they may not get out.
 
We had recent experience with a pack rat.  It had chewed through all the heavy duty electrical wires on the pump to our decorative fountain.  I peeked behind the free standing wall fountain only to see two black beedy looking eyes looking up at me.  Ewwwww.

As it just so happened,  an exterminator was on his way to our home to deal with termites, crickets and scorpions,(we live in the desert)  I just added that rat to his list of to do's.  What a hoot , 3 grown men  flailing about with broom sticks, feather wands and hoses.  The rat ran out into the open, then ran back behind the fountain.  FINALLY the exterminators used a glue board.  When the rat ran over it, his tail stuck and he was captured and disposed of in a humane way. 

I read that poisons are not a good way to go for  these critters as the hawks or other  predators of them can be poisoned by the bait as a secondary kill.  We now watch for piles of brush and  try to keep things open as  pack rats do not like day light.  I  did not like having to replace the  pump either!
Always something!
 
They are nasty buggers and they can certainly chew through wires...large wires, and metal. I think the mint sachets are keeping them away now.  :p
 
I am a newbie, so forgive my stupid question...
Do the electronic repellents plug into an outlet?  If so, does it drain the battery throughout the winter or is it so little electricity that it's fine?

Also, has anyone used "Fresh Cab" or the like?  It certainly sounds appealing. 

We have our MH parked inside a huge barn for the winter.  They put rat poisen in the barn, but I suppose we could still have a problem.  Since it's surrounded by fields I'm sure there are a ton of rodents looking for warmth. 
 
I think most of those repellent gimmicks plug into a standard outlet. They do not use the coach battery at all in that case. BUT, to use outlets in your RV, it will have to be plugged in!!
 
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