Mice

[KiwiKampers]

Hello,

We are starting to find mouse droppings in one of the storage units. Anyone got advice on how to get rid of them? Or is just about laying mouse traps around the place?



Thanks


Stephen

Isn't the answer in your profile photo? It's black and white and furry.?

 

[Puddleduck]

Don't fanny around with traps, get some glue mats laid out.
Plenty on ebay.

We'd had success with those in the past but this year the rodents are avoiding them. Maybe they have learnt. The traditional traps are working though.

I have found they avoid onions and other really strong smells. Tumble drier sheets (not the cheap ones you want ones that smell!!) in the van appear to put the blighters off. I know they will come in for food but field mice (which is what we have in the garage) will also come in for somewhere warmer than outside to hibernate. They are wee devils for chewing up insulation, I assume to use in their nests.

 

[Puddleduck]

I bought some humane traps once, they were little cages that trapped them. Kept checking them for ages.. Didn't catch anything. Then when I went away for the weekend there was one in the cage when I got home... Dead.. Starved to death. (sorry for laughing but I hate the little sods) This happened a couple of times so I use poison now.

Just don't tell the wildlife people. Believe it or not causing distress to them is an actionable offence under one of the Wildlife Acts. I just let the traps do the dirty deed for me.

 

[Jonesy_103]

Don't fanny around with traps, get some glue mats laid out.
Plenty on e

Mine specifically are in the engine bay so I can't use glue mats

 

[scotzsue]

don't like the idea of glue mats, what a horrible way to go. prefer to use traps, will be looking in the engine bay today.
Never had a problem till storage was taken over by someone else. The original owner had cats , step son has offerred his but it would be a bit unfair to deposit her at the storage.

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[Jonesy_103]

I'm going to resurrect this thread again, its getting close to the time of year when the van gets laid up for the winter and the little b******s, look for some where to hide.

I have been a victim of rodent damage in the past, only in the engine bay thankfully but they still managed to chew through my diesel fuel lines in the engine bay at a replacement cost of over £700 so I'm keen to avoid that again if I can !

Strangely enough this very subject came up in this months MMM magazine (other mags are available), but I can't wait that long for more responses.

Last year I used a combination of
and
which seems to work, (well at least I didn't have any lodgers). Does anybody have any other suggestions ?

The van is parked in a secure storage compound (a field) and it's an organic farm so they are keen that we do not use any pesticides. I believe anything with a strong long lasting smell might do the trick, what about paraffin (is that acceptable just sprayed around the van ?) or Jeyes fluid or peppermint or bleach ?

I've looked at the ultrasonic gizmos but don't fancy having to constantly change the batteries !!

Looking to the knowledgable folks on here for guidance.

 

[movan]

Lavender. Lavender oil. Lavender spray. Lavender tissues in all cupboards.. Spray beds, couches, under table, air spray, fabric spray, lavender, in wardrobes, everywhere.

Since I've done this no more mice despite being stored on a farm.

Leave cloves of garlic in friidge and freezer.

 

[Ernesto]

I had a pest control chap in last winter for a different job - he seemed to know his stuff but his feedback isn't a lot of help.
His view was that all utrasonics, mint sprays, mothballs etc etc were of little or limited use since all are less repellent to vermin (over time) than the alternative i.e. starving to death, freezing to death or being eaten by something bigger.
Only reliable method he said were traps baited with peanut butter - so thats what I use and so far (touch wood), I've caught maybe 10 last winter and no damage - but thats not much use if you can't check and reset them regularly .....

 

[Carpmart]

It’s a perennial problem for me in one of my sheds. After years of creative approaches to control them, I’m back using little nipper traps and ‘green and blacks’ dark chocolate and hazelnut as bait. Literally a deadly combination. I catch loads!

 

[Coddywompler]

I leave tumble drier sheets tucked all over when in storage. I’ve had no mice ( touching wood) and the van smells beaut!!!

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[Scotch mist]

As Carpmart says , traps are most effective , poison is also good as you can put it in a thin sealed plastic bag , this way it’s doesn’t go off & always ready when they arrive

they are usually a winter problem (sept-may) BUT this year I have been catching them right through the summer , probably over 500 this year , one mouse can do a lot of damage if left uncontrolled

 

[March Hare]

Ref the ultrasonic rodent deterrents, I truly believe they do work....

My parents live in the Chilterns (Herts/Bucks border), and for 10+ years have had a really bad problem with a Glis Glis infestation. Glis Glis are aka "edible dormice" and are between a mouse and squirrel in size, and they simply took over the loft, and the contents are completely trashed. My father had the pest control officer visiting at least every fortnight for a couple of years to no avail he was trapping them and then "dispatching" them on site.

Until the last few years they were a protected species (according to Wikipedia they were released by mistake in the early 1900's from the Rothschild estate at Tring Park and slowly spreading across the Chilterns and leaving a trail of destruction). They got through the house and particularly liked electrical cable and ate through the electrics inside dishwashers etc. If you opened the airing cupboard door, there was a good chance you'd see one sitting in there looking at you as bold as brass!

Anyway, despite being a bit sceptical, we read up about the ultrasonic rodent deterrents and my father bought about half a dozen online and had then installed in the loft (he had to have extra mains sockets installed).

Since they were installed approx two years ago, there have been no Glis Glis in the house - amazing!! The professional Glis Glis traps remain in place but haven't been been tripped. Apart from just having the house clear, there's been massive saving in the cost of the post control officer!!

 

[Shrimp]

We had a rat in the engine bay of van.
Ousted it then used Peppermint oil- worked!

 

[SpikeH]

I should add that they are only in the engine bay and air filter housing and not inside the van.

Our Moho was a total loss last winter due - fire service and insurance co suspect - to rodent chewing through cables and causing a short under dashboard. We had a low wattage heater in the Moho to avoid frost damage! The little b...s probably liked the warmth. Yep, they can do untold damage

 

[pandas]

Cure and then prevention. Traps to catch the blighters first, then remove all sources of food from the van, if there's no food they won't come. For the traps my bait of choice is peanut butter, had great success using it.

They also like paper like toilet rolls, kitchen rolls etc to make their nest nice a cozy.

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[movan]

They also like paper like toilet rolls, kitchen rolls etc to make their nest nice a cozy.

And someone once posted they like candle wax ansd non-scented soap!

 

[pandas]

And someone once posted they like candle wax ansd non-scented soap!

and the radio left onto Smooth - not too much volume though!

 

[scotzsue]

We have them in the eaves, have put down 4 traps, the one with cheese is now bait free but didn't spring
3 others, chocoate spread and peanut butter, have not been touched. Need to sit up tillthe early hours to see if I can still hear them, neighbours have also set traps as they are getting form one house to the other. never had this problem when we had cats.

 

[Don Campbell]

They love peanut butter and we catch them in a trap regularly but keep the trap a bit away from the camper. We also use two Pestbye electronic repellers, one in the engine area and another near the rear axle. We haven't had a repeat of wire chewing in the engine area which we had in a previous RV. We think we have wiped out the current mouse family, but our storage is rural so are never quite sure whether the peanut butter is the big attraction or the repellers are doing the job they are supposed to do. I think we'll stay safe and continue to use both as it seems to be working.

 

[Jonesy_103]

Lavender. Lavender oil. Lavender spray. Lavender tissues in all cupboards.. Spray beds, couches, under table, air spray, fabric spray, lavender, in wardrobes, everywhere.

Since I've done this no more mice despite being stored on a farm.

Thank you

They love peanut butter and we catch them in a trap regularly but keep the trap a bit away from the camper. We also use two Pestbye electronic repellers, one in the engine area and another near the rear axle. We haven't had a repeat of wire chewing in the engine area which we had in a previous RV. We think we have wiped out the current mouse family, but our storage is rural so are never quite sure whether the peanut butter is the big attraction or the repellers are doing the job they are supposed to do. I think we'll stay safe and continue to use both as it seems to be working.

Great reply many thanks

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[Diggerdi]

We're going through this at the moment. Last Thursday morning woke up to a text that the alarm had activated. Went to storage, it was the internal sensor. Couldn't see any problem so reset it and left. Same thing Friday, went again, nothing apparently wrong. Rang Vanbitz to ask their advice and was told to get mouse traps. Ordered two humane ones for Saturday delivery. Put them in on Sunday baited with peanut butter. Sure enough went off again Sunday night, when we got there, there was one in a trap. Not wanting to transport it in the car, we went to the far end of the yard, a good quarter mile, and released it into the long grass. No alarm Monday, but back again Tuesday. Trap not activated this time. Last night no activation and today I have liberally scattered cotton wool balls with peppermint essence inside, in engine bay and on chassis adjacent to wheels. Fingers crossed. If this doesn't work it will be traditonal traps. Thank god for Vanbitz Strikeback and the Metatrak app otherwise we wouldn't have known tbe alarm had activated.

 

[dabhand]

Hello,

We are starting to find mouse droppings in one of the storage units. Anyone got advice on how to get rid of them? Or is just about laying mouse traps around the place?



Thanks


Stephen

Bucket traps, make your own about 10 mins apiece, the only thing that is guaranteed to do the job, a very thin smear of peanut butter on the Ramps (one each side) and a thin lump on the can in the middle, never fails, one outside each side of the van, nothing and I mean nothing works as well trust me

 

[Casper46]

Bucket traps, make your own about 10 mins apiece, the only thing that is guaranteed to do the job, a very thin smear of peanut butter on the Ramps (one each side) and a thin lump on the can in the middle, never fails, one outside each side of the van, nothing and I mean nothing works as well trust me

Are bucket traps just what the name sounds like. If they are buckets with ramps don't they get full of rain water? I have never heard of them.

 

[JP1889]

The RSPCA is opposed to the use of glue boards as they cause severe suffering.

 

[ManTheVan]

These are the most effective traps I’ve ever used. They are pre-baited with a paste and there’s never a need to touch the business end of the trap, as it sets/resets by a simple finger and thumb action. Mice simply cannot resist the attractant and they are despatched very quickly and humanely.

Ultra Power Mouse Traps - Twin Pack

Ultra Power Traps from The Big Cheese® are performance tested to ensure effective control of mice – just like the traps that professionals use. Ultra Power Traps are also easy to set and supplied baited ready-to-use. Simply remove the bait cover and squeeze the trap to set – the traps are...

www.stvpestcontrol.com

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