Unwelcome Rodents (1 Viewer)

[edriver]

Any suggestions on the best way to keep rats out when parked up for several weeks please. I recently parked ours up for 6 weeks outside our home in Spain, we live out in the country and when I got in the other evening I was horrified to find rat droppings. No damage or anything eaten through thank goodness but what's the best way to keep them out? Poisen is out of the question, we have dogs and I don't want to kill them just want them away fromour lovely motor home! I am considering an electronic plug in rat deterrent. Any advice, suggestions, or personal experiences will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Vanman]

A cat?

 

[wizzer59]

yes you could borrow my little dog she loves them

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[4maddogs]

I had mice once. I foolisly left some rice and other dried foodstuff in the cupboard ( all in plastic boxes now!). Once in it was really hard to get rid of them despite clearing everything out and cleaning thoroughly.
I tried humane traps, electronic deterrents, anti-mouse sachets (lavendar based), but none worked. Then someone on another forum suggested thise sheets you put in tumbl dryers and it worked. They are pleasant to smell so I put a sheet in places where I thought they were coming in. I still do from time to time and will in the winter as the MH is warm and welcoming!

 

[houdini]

Do you have any idea where they are gaining access?
Try the electronic plugs it might work for you, ratty in our loft totally ignores ours. We are currently trying out raw sweet potato which is supposed to be poisonous to them.
Sorry, don't have any suggestion for keeping them out but here is a list of other foods which are poisonous to them (actually warnings on food not to give rats from a rat fan club site). Good luck.

• Bitter Almond – Bitter almonds may yield from 6 to 8% of hydrogen cyanide (Wikipedia Article), a deadly substance.
• Blue Cheese – Contains Toxic Mold
• Fats (from meats) – Rats do not have gall bladders and therefore they do not have the enzymes needed to digest the fat of meat (credit to spazrats).
• Green Bananas – Inhibits starch digestion
• Green Potato Skin and Eyes – Contains solanine, a toxin
• Licorice – Contains a suspected neurotoxin
• Orange Juice – May contain d-limonene which can cause kidney cancer in male rats
• Poppy Seeds – Can cause neurological damage, or may cause death!
• Raw Artichokes – Inhibits protein digestion
• Raw Bulk Tofu – May contain bacteria (packaged tofu is safe)
• Raw Dry Beans or Peanuts – Contain anti-nutrients, causes red blood cell clumping (note: the peanuts that you buy in stores are almost always roasted so are okay. Frozen beans from veggie mixes are okay because they have been pre-cooked)
• Raw Onion – Can lead to anemia and an upset stomach
• Raw Red Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts – Contains an anti-nutrient that destroys thiamin
• Raw Sweet Potato – Contains cyanide-forming compounds
• Rhubarb – Contains high levels of oxalates which bind up calcium
• Wild Insects – May carry parasites

 

[movan]

I leave an onion and garlic in my fridge and oven. . I put garlic cloves around the van on floor. I spray seats and bed with lavender oil .. I wipe floor down with water with lavender or peppermint oil in. I PUT TUMBLE DRYER SHEETS IN CUPBOARD. I SOAK A CLOTH WITH STRONG BLEACH AND LEAVE INSIDE BY HABITATION DOOR .. also by pedals driver's side and anywhere else where is a gap I think they could squeeze in .. mice only need pencil sized hole. Repeat every few weeks ..

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[Larrynwin]

We use bait boxes for rodenticides which are not accessible to cats and dogs .
We place them outside around the buildings and mhome and so far any rotting smellies have been outside.

 

[pappajohn]

Glue mats....cant beat em.
Once on, they aint getting off.
Check often as you may have to help them on their way to the big rathole in the sky.

 

[Tootles]

I think the answer may be your location. Try Skegness. It's a proven fact that Ratus Ratus cannot survive in a sunny sea breeze. One whiff of the bracing sea air, and *BUMP*, dead rat.
Pack up at once and head for Skeggy. You will find that all the rats will leave your truck at Calais, and go live with all the other rats in The Jungle.
Fair weather, blue seas and a rodent free existence awaits you!!

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[wizzer59]

I leave an onion and garlic in my fridge and oven. . I put garlic cloves around the van on floor. I spray seats and bed with lavender oil .. I wipe floor down with water with lavender or peppermint oil in. I PUT TUMBLE DRYER SHEETS IN CUPBOARD. I SOAK A CLOTH WITH STRONG BLEACH AND LEAVE INSIDE BY HABITATION DOOR .. also by pedals driver's side and anywhere else where is a gap I think they could squeeze in .. mice only need pencil sized hole. Repeat every few weeks ..

SO you like Rodents then Joy..................................................................or is it for Vampires??

 

[DM14742]

Plug all the openings with steel wool, they don't like it.

 

[Jandek]

We have 6 traps we set loaded with peanut butter set about the van when it is left in storage. Caught 6 in the first few weeks and then nothing since .
Maybe they got the hint after seeing their mates demise?

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[Gromett]

If you know where the rat holes are, then you could do what the New York pest control people are doing.

They ram a bunch of dry ice down the hole then cover it up. The dry ice sublimates to CO2 which suffocates the buggers while they are in their nest. No rotten corpses to find and it gets the whole nest in one go. You can usually get dry ice delivered to most places.

 

[icantremember]

They ram a bunch of dry ice down the hole then cover it up. The dry ice sublimates to CO2 which suffocates the buggers while they are in their nest. No rotten corpses to find and it gets the whole nest in one go. You can usually get dry ice delivered to most places.

That's interesting .... do you reckon it might work with bl@@4y moles?

 

[movan]

Plug all the openings with steel wool, they don't like it.

Yes .. forgot that. Bung squashed brillo pads in any little holes you may think they can use or in cupboards under sink where the drain pipes don't fit snug to shelves in case they climb up waste water pipe.

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[Anthea M]

Eek my worst nightmare as I suffer from musophobia !

 

[houdini]

Eek my worst nightmare as I suffer from musophobia !

Learn something everyday Anthea, had to look it up!

 

[ivorantony]

I have six circular drop vents going through the double floors and suspected that they were using them to gain entry,
luckily I found that plastic practice golf balls fitted tightly, these have many holes so the vents still work as designed but without the rodents getting in

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[tonka]

That's interesting .... do you reckon it might work with bl@@4y moles?

Moles.... NO PROBLEM... You just need a good mole catcher
Me and the grandkids have caught quiet a few..

 

[WynandJean]

Plug all the openings with steel wool, they don't like it.

Neither would I !

Wyn

 

[Gromett]

That's interesting .... do you reckon it might work with bl@@4y moles?

Unlikely. Moles are used to surviving in very high CO2 environment, they will have longer to escape than a rat would. You would need to make sure ALL the moles routes of exit were blocked before doing it. My guess is that if you were to get a few people all banging dry ice down mole holes after blocking as many as you could find it might then work. I don't honestly know. It just won't be as easy as rats.

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[Vanman]

Unlikely. Moles are used to surviving in very high CO2 environment, they will have longer to escape than a rat would. You would need to make sure ALL the moles routes of exit were blocked before doing it. My guess is that if you were to get a few people all banging dry ice down mole holes after blocking as many as you could find it might then work. I don't honestly know. It just won't be as easy as rats.

Sounds like there my be a game of Whack-a-mole in the offing

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

I leave an onion and garlic in my fridge and oven. . I put garlic cloves around the van on floor. I spray seats and bed with lavender oil .. I wipe floor down with water with lavender or peppermint oil in. I PUT TUMBLE DRYER SHEETS IN CUPBOARD. I SOAK A CLOTH WITH STRONG BLEACH AND LEAVE INSIDE BY HABITATION DOOR .. also by pedals driver's side and anywhere else where is a gap I think they could squeeze in .. mice only need pencil sized hole. Repeat every few weeks ..

And thats why Joy doesn't,t have many two legged visitors to her van either.

 

[Gromett]

Sounds like there my be a game of Whack-a-mole in the offing

That's true, they would pop their heads up and if you were quick you could grab them with gloves on and relocate them.

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[Allan & Loren]

We've not had a rodent problem thank goodness but I have on good authority been told that they hate the smell given off by tumble dryer sheets. Apparently if you get a packet and pull up the top one and leave it until the smell subsides then lift up the next. My mate had a problem, put 3 or 4 boxes around the Moho and problem gone!

 

[rangi]

We had a "lodger" in our roof last winter. Some one on here had probs with mice ( Think it was @yodel ) I tried one of those Cage traps baited with Chocolate or blue cheese, without success.

Finally got success with alternating Red rat poison with Blue.
Red is stronger than Blue

 

[f6c]

Glue mats.

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[4maddogs]

I think the answer may be your location. Try Skegness. It's a proven fact that Ratus Ratus cannot survive in a sunny sea breeze. One whiff of the bracing sea air, and *BUMP*, dead rat.
Pack up at once and head for Skeggy. You will find that all the rats will leave your truck at Calais, and go live with all the other rats in The Jungle.
Fair weather, blue seas and a rodent free existence awaits you!!

I live right by the sea and there are rats all around. Cromer pier has a rat problem too so I doubt that sea air is a problem to rats!

 

[gus-lopez]

I use giant metal rat traps in engine compartment & also peppermint as apparently they don't like the smell. but outside I use glue mats. I'll bait the metal rat traps with peanut butter & stick it inside a ring of glue mats. As @pappajohn & others have said they'll never get off.
You can also buy here the glue in tubes to coat beams & pergolas etc.

The ones I use are " Roe-glue" trampa adhesivo, & made by Masso , as is the liquid glue & poison pellets & all are available in any ferreteria.
You need to find out where they are getting in to the motorhome as fortuanetly I've never had that problem only with them wanting to inhabit the engine compartment. I also use a sonic alarm inside the MH & change frequency on it once or twice a week.

 

[icantremember]

Moles.... NO PROBLEM... You just need a good mole catcher
Me and the grandkids have caught quiet a few..


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You're on Mr Tonka and grand kids. .... free camping included.

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