docj Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 We've been parked for several weeks at a rural CG in eastern PEI. The sites are on grass in the middle of a field a few hundred feet from a river. One evening a couple of days ago we saw a mouse running across the floor as were watching TV. Needless to say this didn't sit well with either of us and the next morning we were on our way to the local hardware store to buy some traps. The traps were effective, but they also alerted us to the fact that we weren't dealing with a single mouse, but, potentially, a family. So I began the quest to figure out how they were getting in. I assumed that they were coming into the "house" from the basement and by putting bait around the basement it didn't take long to see that they were coming in through the "port" where my drinking water hose enters. In our MH the water hose comes through a small port in the floor of the water bay. Since I'm using a reinforced hose from the RV Water Filter Store, the diameter difference between the port ID and the hose OD can't be more than a half inch, if it's even that. Well, for those who may recall articles that said that a mouse could squeeze through a quarter-inch opening, this was pretty good evidence that they can! After another trip to the store I came back with some stainless steel dish washing scruffies, one of which is on the hose below the port while the other has been stuffed into the space between the port walls and the hose from the inside of the water bay. No mouse is going to get past these defenses! Anyway, I guess it's surprising that we've not had such a problem in the 4+ years we've been RVing, but suffice it to say our scruffies will always be in use from now on! Anyone have a need for a few extra mousetraps? PS Don't waste your money on those new-fangled electronic mouse traps. To appease my DW we bought one. The score so far is "hair trigger, modern version of old-fashioned traps": 3 kills; electronic trap: ZERO Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaH Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 We have always used the old-fashioned mouse traps for those few times our RV has attracted the rodents. They work well! LindaH 2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K 2011 Kia Soul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rif Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 Interesting. Our Rat Zapper outdoes the old fashioned traps 10 to 1, and we've had some real mouse/rat problems in some of the locations we've volunteered over the past few years. In fact, I've loaned the Rat Zapper to fellow volunteers when they were unable to get rid of a particularly troublesome visitor. They soon bought their own. 2000 Volvo 770, 500HP/1650FP Cummins N14 and 10 Speed Autoshift 3.58 Rear 202" WB, 2002 Teton Aspen Royal 43 Foot, Burgman 650 Scooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docj Posted July 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 All I know is that our electronic trap has a tasty glob of peanut butter inside it but it seems to have been ignored by the mice who prefered the "out in the open" nature of the conventional traps. I don't really care which one won the competition as long as the mice are gone. Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rif Posted July 4, 2015 Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 Did you use a Rat Zapper or something else? The best bait in a Rat Zapper is dry dog food. No mess and it seems to be an irresistible treat. 2000 Volvo 770, 500HP/1650FP Cummins N14 and 10 Speed Autoshift 3.58 Rear 202" WB, 2002 Teton Aspen Royal 43 Foot, Burgman 650 Scooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docj Posted July 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2015 Did you use a Rat Zapper or something else? The best bait in a Rat Zapper is dry dog food. No mess and it seems to be an irresistible treat. We bought the trap in Canada so I'm pretty sure it's not any standard US brand. It is relatively small and is clearly meant for mice, not rats. The issue is that they don't seem to have any interest in entering it to get zapped, not that it doesn't work. In side by side tests with "snap traps" the modern snappers won out on their ability to lure in the customers and they have such a hair trigger that they offer no second chances. Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 We've been parked for several weeks at a rural CG in eastern PEI. The sites are on grass in the middle of a field a few hundred feet from a river. One evening a couple of days ago we saw a mouse running across the floor as were watching TV. The first time I read this through I saw the word "moose" and while mouse is less dramatic, my first reading was much more fun! I too have found that the old fashioned "snap trap" versions seem to be most effective as long as the trigger is pretty light and you use the right bait. Good to hear that it wasn't a big game hunting trip! Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rif Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 Maybe I'm dealing with smarter mice than the rest of you. 2000 Volvo 770, 500HP/1650FP Cummins N14 and 10 Speed Autoshift 3.58 Rear 202" WB, 2002 Teton Aspen Royal 43 Foot, Burgman 650 Scooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docj Posted July 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 The first time I read this through I saw the word "moose" and while mouse is less dramatic, my first reading was much more fun! Sandie has been dying to see a moose up close, but "moose in the house" would be more than she bargained for! Sandie & Joel 2000 40' Beaver Patriot Thunder Princeton--425 HP/1550 ft-lbs CAT C-12 2014 Honda CR-V AWD EX-L with ReadyBrute tow bar/brake systemWiFiRanger Ambassador Follow our adventures on Facebook at Weiss Travels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2gypsies Posted July 5, 2015 Report Share Posted July 5, 2015 We got our mice when parked near a field, river or sagebrush. Finally figured out they were coming in via our sewer hose which is routed into the bay via a round port hole. We bought a hard rubber sewer hose seal, slit it and fit it around the hose in the hole area. There was about a 1" space after fitting it and we stuffed steel wool in that space. Never had another mouse. http://www.amazon.com/Camco-39313-Sewer-Hose-Seal/dp/B000BQQWKA Full-timed for 16 YearsTraveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.