its getting near rodent winter nesting time (1 Viewer)

Oct 5, 2012
4,283
9,569
Ayrshire
Funster No
23,166
MH
Carado T132
Exp
5 years, feel free to ask me about the Carado!!
Its getting to that time of year, when the expensive furry bundles of fun are looking for a nice cozy motorhome to winter up in and deposit constant streams of urine on your soft furnishings, poop prion infested poop on everything and eat up anything that makes a nice nest. (including wiring).

Time to put in the traps and poison.....anything else and you are risking an expensive repair.....you have been warned (y);)
 

Freespirit1

Free Member
Sep 3, 2013
731
456
West Wales
Funster No
27,912
MH
A Class
Exp
Short while after a gap of many years.
Meeoww - come on in!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Mel

Free Member
Oct 6, 2012
2,131
2,810
De Haan Belgium
Funster No
23,175
MH
Caravan LMC
Exp
Since 2010 Caravan since 1995
Ken(munchie) has a small anti rodent box under the front of the MH.
He said it was very good when we where down at his French Villa.


Mel
 
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
21,327
Balma (next to Toulouse) France
Funster No
4,394
MH
HymerCamp 51Capucine
Exp
Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
Mine is ready . It has been for nearly a month now! But I'm afraid not a lot of living creatures can't get in!
Black pepper along the walls, essential oils of : citronella, mint, peppermint, sage, eucalyptus, lavender, camphor. A few drops of each a bit everywhere. All accesses to the habitation have been made difficult. Engine has pepper, and red pimento all over the place. Heater breathing holes underneath have been obstructed with a thin and long piece of wood.
You're warned! lol!
I've made my van the most unfriendly to the little devils. I just hope they won't be too cold to give it a go whatever smell is on their way!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
A perennial problem. My latest solution is an upturned ice cream tub with an entrance hole cut in one end. Suspended along the inside with wire is a tasteful modern art installation of bright blue chewy bait blocks, which I've called Metaphor of Doom. Wedged under a house brick by my front wheel I'm hoping it will attract small rodent art critics from all over the storage site before they consider climbing into the engine bay. I consider this to be humane killing, as they've been given free art gallery entrance prior to meeting their mousey maker.

I also laced selected parts of the engine bay with peppermint essence to disguise established urine trails, and left a back up bait block in the passenger footwell where they normally make an entrance through the soft lining behind the engine.

Obviously I've kept any potential food or nesting material well out of reach of the floor. Fortunately all the adjoining vertical surfaces are smooth.
 
Feb 17, 2009
359
1,377
Cheltenham
Funster No
5,664
MH
AS Broadway FB
Exp
Since 2006
I've set my traps baited with nutella, hope the blighters don't mind it's 3 years past its best before date. Electronic rodent repeller on.

Do the electronic repellers work? I've always just set traps but as the van is on hookup at home a plug in repeller would be a good idea.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
May 8, 2011
3,834
47,990
God's county. Helmsley, North Yorkshire.
Funster No
16,317
MH
IH Tio 630 RL
Exp
Since April 1846 but have always camped.
I've had a battery repeller on for the last 3 years and it doesn't work although some people thinke they do. The past few years I've baited mouse traps with chocolate and always caught loads. However I've been thinking that maybe the smell of chocolate brings them in? So, have just removed everything that's possible, vacuumed it out and wiped all surfaces with Dettol. If there's no food or nesting material then hopefully they will move on. Fingers crossed!
 
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
21,327
Balma (next to Toulouse) France
Funster No
4,394
MH
HymerCamp 51Capucine
Exp
Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
with chocolate

Yep ... thought the same , and since then never tried to put traps with food.
But I have kept a few glass bottles I have cleaned, that I will break into little bits and stick on 2 large rubber covers (usually put in cars'boots). I want to make the access to the engine as difficult as possible. So will put the rubber covers with glass on, on the ground where the engine cover ends. Last year I have found so many rats poos and wees there, as well empty snails shells (rats love them), that I knew which way they were going to go into the van.
 
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
21,327
Balma (next to Toulouse) France
Funster No
4,394
MH
HymerCamp 51Capucine
Exp
Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
Do the electronic repellers work? I've always just set traps but as the van is on hookup at home a plug in repeller would be a good idea.

I've heard lots of negative comments about those. Either they are not set properly, or the rodents just get used to them. I would not spend any money on those. On the other hand , having never used them, I don't have any self experience of their effectiveness

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Popeye

Deceased RIP
Sep 5, 2011
7,926
86,461
edge of New Forest
Funster No
18,072
MH
Frankia Platin Plus
Exp
On and off since 1983
My eldest lad has had Rats move into an extension he is building, one of his two dogs is fairly effective, he has caught more on the sticky Pads than in any of the traps. One rat was managing to walk clumsily away with an A4 size mat stuck to his right front leg, needless to say he couldn't get down his bolt hole fast enough to avoid the dog.
 
Apr 27, 2008
11,794
13,952
Eastbourne East Sussex
Funster No
2,327
MH
Hymer low profile
Exp
Since 1972
I have found my electronic repeller to be pretty good. Haven't caught any mice with it on, caught loads before. It is a German marten repeller, runs on 12v and mine is permanently wired in. The solar panels keep the batteries charged.
 

TallBlonde

Free Member
Sep 2, 2015
82
72
Northamptonshire
Funster No
38,085
MH
Searching, searching ...
Exp
Complete beginner
A perennial problem. My latest solution is an upturned ice cream tub with an entrance hole cut in one end. Suspended along the inside with wire is a tasteful modern art installation of bright blue chewy bait blocks, which I've called Metaphor of Doom. Wedged under a house brick by my front wheel I'm hoping it will attract small rodent art critics from all over the storage site before they consider climbing into the engine bay. I consider this to be humane killing, as they've been given free art gallery entrance prior to meeting their mousey maker.

I also laced selected parts of the engine bay with peppermint essence to disguise established urine trails, and left a back up bait block in the passenger footwell where they normally make an entrance through the soft lining behind the engine.

Obviously I've kept any potential food or nesting material well out of reach of the floor. Fortunately all the adjoining vertical surfaces are smooth.


Metaphor of Doom has given me the right giggles. Perhaps you could pass your installation on to Dismaland when the exhibition closes?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

TallBlonde

Free Member
Sep 2, 2015
82
72
Northamptonshire
Funster No
38,085
MH
Searching, searching ...
Exp
Complete beginner
But jeez, here's another thing I didn't realised I'd have to prepare for as I contemplate the purchase of a MH. I thought it was all about packing up your shorts, swimmers and a few bottles of wine, then singing 'I love to go a-wandering' along the highways and by-ways.
 

filopastry

Free Member
Nov 11, 2013
1,016
1,738
london
Funster No
28,978
MH
littleun
Exp
newbie and learning every day
We have a semi wild cat ... she feeds herself most of the time and hoping she will eat any offenders who come close. Cos of the cat can't use poisons, even out of her way, if the mouse/rat has a nibble of the poison but does not die quickly, and normally it's not so, it way wander poisoned into the path of moggie
 

magicsurfbus

Free Member
Oct 11, 2010
4,673
10,127
NW England
Funster No
14,057
MH
Bessacarr Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 1997
But jeez, here's another thing I didn't realised I'd have to prepare for as I contemplate the purchase of a MH. I thought it was all about packing up your shorts, swimmers and a few bottles of wine, then singing 'I love to go a-wandering' along the highways and by-ways.

25A54CA100000578-2951155-image-a-69_1423838258580.jpg

"The vans are alive... with the sound of squeeking, scratching, gnawing, pooing, weeing, breeding..."

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

MikeandCarolyn

Free Member
Mar 18, 2008
2,170
1,467
Worle,North Somerset
Funster No
1,860
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
Since 2009
We must have been lucky for last 7 yrs :) When we lived in S.Wales we were close to a farm and Llantrisant Common,we had stone walls and some stone walled flower beds in which we had seen rats and mice.In fact it was not unusal to have a small brown mouse scuttle across lounge floor.
But,we never had any signs of mice or rats in van,which was parked alongside a stone wall.
Here in Worle we are close to fields and a river,so I'll keep close eye on things.
 

Charlie

Free Member
May 16, 2015
3,211
3,639
Herefordshire / Worcestershire borders .
Funster No
36,385
MH
Auto Sleeper Kemerton.
Exp
Im a newbie
Its getting to that time of year, when the expensive furry bundles of fun are looking for a nice cozy motorhome to winter up in and deposit constant streams of urine on your soft furnishings, poop prion infested poop on everything and eat up anything that makes a nice nest. (including wiring).

Time to put in the traps and poison.....anything else and you are risking an expensive repair.....you have been warned (y);)


Cheery thread of the day ????
 

TallBlonde

Free Member
Sep 2, 2015
82
72
Northamptonshire
Funster No
38,085
MH
Searching, searching ...
Exp
Complete beginner
We've used humane traps in the house when the cat has brought them in. I can recommend Aldi peanut butter as bait. I then take the little bleeders on a very long drive on the basis they'll be too confused/knackered to make their way back.
 
Apr 27, 2008
11,794
13,952
Eastbourne East Sussex
Funster No
2,327
MH
Hymer low profile
Exp
Since 1972
We've used humane traps in the house when the cat has brought them in. I can recommend Aldi peanut butter as bait. I then take the little bleeders on a very long drive on the basis they'll be too confused/knackered to make their way back.

Humane traps are no good for me as my MH is in storage. It takes 48hours for a mouse to die of thirst, which is not very humane, so only worthwhile if you can check every few hours.
 

TallBlonde

Free Member
Sep 2, 2015
82
72
Northamptonshire
Funster No
38,085
MH
Searching, searching ...
Exp
Complete beginner
Humane traps are no good for me as my MH is in storage. It takes 48hours for a mouse to die of thirst, which is not very humane, so only worthwhile if you can check every few hours.
Yes, was only pointing out that I could do that at home as the buggers were appearing in a cupboard in our home office.
 

Bacchus

Free Member
Jul 27, 2015
412
4,236
Staines
Funster No
37,318
MH
A Class Hymer
Exp
since 2011
all those mice ate my motorhome threads.....

a friend of a friend had to make an emergency landing in his (vintage) aeroplane. He left it in a field for a couple of weeks and it was eaten by cows.

You don't traps for them in B and Q!


(back on topic) I live next to a river and the house next door is derelict; full of rats. I saw them swimming home last year when we were flooded, but don't have any problems with them in the house or in the MoHo. I have seen them running onto the boat to grab bread that was meant for ducks, but I think the smell of humans keeps them out of the house, and there is nothing in the MoHo to lure them; I think the baited traps are a self-fulfilling prophecy but I hope that I don't come to regret that thought...
 

Badknee

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 25, 2014
7,395
408,979
notloB
Funster No
33,046
MH
Vantage Neo
Exp
Living the dream.
I went for the shotgun method of rodent extermination which on reflection may not have been the best option, made a right mess of the inside of the MoHo ;):giggler:
 

Kasey

Free Member
Nov 10, 2011
49
35
Hertfordshire
Funster No
18,856
MH
5th wheeler
Exp
since 2009
Interesting topic. Have had my 5ver parked in farmers yard (next to grass bank) for the last 5 years and never had any problems until last winter. A mouse managed to find its way into the front locker somehow and made itself a nest for the winter. Wasn't there when I moved the 5ver in the Spring. Must have been a clever little climber as the only route I could see to the locker was up one of the front legs. A lot more grease going on those this winter.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top