Storage and Mice

[ForeverYoung]

We are new to RVing this year and I am preparing for my first year (winter) storage. I have heard I need to be concerned about mice.  Is there anything I should use to help prevent mice from getting into our coach?

[jleamont]

Foreveryoung, Welcome to the FMCA forums! 

There is some good information on this discussion;

 

[five]

Moth balls work....don't forget to remove all food out of the RV except canned goods.

[manholt]

Moth balls are poison!  The fumes effect all living things, except moths!  Cotton balls & a drop of Pepper mint oil, Rodent-be-Gone granular bags from Farm & Ranch Feed Store, Sulfa powder from Tractor Supply!  We use Rodent-be-Gone, in each bay, generator bay, engine bay & a couple inside coach...1 bag holds 24 small bags for $18.  Once a year, we order 2 dozen bags & that takes care of all the buildings, trucks, cars, 2 coaches, house and barns!

[richard5933]

The best thing to do for your coach is to spend time blocking access points. A mouse can get into a hole less than 1/2" in width if it thinks there's something worthwhile on the other side. At home our pest control guys have spent many hours finding as many possible entrance points and stuffing them with stainless steel wool to block the mice. Having a stone foundation is so much fun.

On our coach, I've spent many hours searching for every crack or opening that a mouse could use to gain access. Once found, I either fill with caulking or an appropriate seal/gasket/stuffing material. The ones that need to remain open for ventilation have had screens installed. The areas that need to remain open to allow for expansion have been filled with either copper wool or stainless steel wool.

The ares for me which are most vulnerable are electrical and wiring areas that go beyond the sealed compartments, such as the engine bay. As much of our wiring as possible has been wrapped with appropriate wiring harness covers, but that's not mouse proof. We lost a generator on our first coach when mice ate the wiring in the control box and destroyed things. I've read about mouse damage to engine wiring as well, which is why ours has been wrapped.

The area under and near where you store your coach is important to maintain as well. Keep the weeds and grass as low as possible. If you have gravel areas keep them week free. Mice don't like being out in the open, so don't give them hiding places to get into and out of your coach. If you store your coach indoors, have a pest control company come out and do an inspection to be sure that you're not sharing the space with a family of mice. Might be a good idea to put out some traps along the walls in the storage area regardless - get rid of the mice before they find their way into your coach.