So What the “EEeeeeeeeek” Happened???!!
I’ve kept you in suspense long enough and it’s time to open the can, so to speak, and let it all out. Our story starts just over a week ago at our boondocking site at Goosenecks State Park. To set the scene just imagine a typical relaxing morning at wheelingit headquarters…a calm breeze, blue, sunny skies, a wide-open space of nothing and a world of calm . Yours truly was lounging in the sofa while hubby was lazily whipping up a morning brew…
“I just saw something” said Paul, sounding rather strange
“Huh?” I mumbled, my usual early-morning plucky self. I turned to see Paul frozen over the kitchen drawer with a haunted look in his eye.
“I just saw something” repeated Paul, apparently zombie-like.
“Erhmmm….What????” I managed, suddenly feeling wide awake ”A UFO? Microraptor Gui? Purple Elephants?” Something about the way he was looking told me I would be happier if said object was not actually real.
“It was brown” he replied “furry…and it might possibly have had a tail”
“EEEEeeeeek!”
Within microseconds I was standing ontop of the sofa in karate-chop stance (not that I have any actual karate experience you know, but mentally it was helpful).
“NO, NO, NO….it’s not possible” I reasoned “I mean we have TWO CATS, for fricks sake!” (keeping it PG here)
I looked over at our furry killers who were both currently lounging in their cat bed by the window. They raised their heads nonchalantly, laid back down to sleep and flicked their tails in indifference. “The puny schemes of mice of men doth not us import”…was the obvious retort.
They could at least have got the quote right, I thought.
“Argh!!!” Paul gurgled, snapping me back to the present and general kitchen area “I just saw it again”
“OH SH*T” (we harmonized on that one), followed by various other very-non-PG swear-words. This was NOT good. I immediately had visions of teeny mice-teeth chewing their way through the entire underbelly of our rig…tasty wires, yummy fuel lines, sumptuous RV connectors. We were no longer “the beast” -> we were a mobile mouse dining-al-fresco restaurant, and the invitation for all-you-can-eat dinner was out. I suddenly envisioned an entire family of mice-happy feet scrambling in our walls and munching on the RV while the cats enjoyed the TV show from the comfort of their afternoon sunning spot.
“Seriously cats” I threw at them “WHERE is your killer instinct???!!”
Flick…flick…still no response.
I tuned to Paul and our brains did a Vulcan mind-lock….or perhaps the bleeding obvious just came to light. Clearly we needed to get rid of this beast and clearly it had to be NOW. We were 100 miles from the nearest purchasable mouse-trap so we needed to do some serious brainstorming. Our engineering training clicked into gear -> debug the problem, contain the issue and eliminate the threat. Or, something to that effect.
We engaged the enemy like mice-marine-killers on the move. First course of action was to take apart ALL accessible areas of the RV and follow the clues. Every drawer, every piece of wood and several hundred screws later we discovered lots of happy mice droppings and a neat little trail to a “nest” underneath the bathroom sink where said invader had been enjoying the fruity delights of Paul’s Peruvian seed-necklace. Found you, you furry menace. Thankfully no chewed wires were apparent.
Next we cleaned, scrubbed and disinfected everything and then moved onto plan B. This involved leaving everything open, giving free access to our mice-killer cats (as you can see I am an eternal optimist) and putting in scent deterrents that I had read about on the internet. Apparently mice hate the smell of Irish Spring Soap (as do we, which is naturally why I’d bought a Costco-load worth 2 years ago and stored it for never-use later…duh!), and Peppermint Essential Oil (which I just happened to have in stock for use in my home-made deodorant).
We proceeded to load up everything we could with both items placing fresh bars of soap and containers of cotton-soaked oil in each and every corner. I even toyed with the idea of leaving a cheese-trail to our boondocking neighbors who had blasted outdoor music the entire previous evening (who does such a thing??), but alas my better nature prevailed.
The final result was a complete transformation. I can honestly say that NEVER, in the history of RVing, has a “beastly” rig EVER smelt so minty fresh. We had created a 40-foot Peppermint garden, a minty Eden, a leafy green vision in RV. The odor was so strong it made us dizzy, and gave us an overwhelming urge to chew gum…or drink Mojito’s depending on the hour. It’s possible my application de Mentha had gone a tad overboard, but I was on a mission and there was no way I was dialing back on this baby.
We maintained said situation, renewing the scents twice daily for several days, and then crawled around inside and under the RV to plug up each and every hole we could find with gap filler. There were several, surprisingly and it was not a pretty fix, but at this point we didn’t care.
It’s been over a week since “the incident” and so far no more mice-poos and no more furry sightings. I am hopeful the threat has been eliminated. Either that or the darn animal has decided to re-hibernate until better days. Of course since this time we’ve managed several other masterpieces -> our vacuum motor has burnt out and we’ve discovered a major plug in one of our sinks, all events bound to happen when you’re out in the deep boonies (and thus with zero access to hardware stores…universal RV rule #3 I think?). But all of this pales in comparison to the horror of little furry feet and sharp teeth. As long as the mouse is gone, I’m happy to hand-wash outside and live with a bit of dirt. And to think some people think boondocking is just sitting around and relaxing.
Oh and bloody cats too….
Nina! You’re too funny! The situation, however, is not funny. We had a mouse family reunion a few years ago and I can tell you we spent a lot of time and effort to make them feel very unwelcome. I lay the blame squarely at the feet of dear Paul…..a Peruvian seed necklace – a fruity one yet – what mouse could resist?
Yeah, I blame the Peruvian Necklace…or maybe I should thank it…seems that’s the ONLY thing the little furry terror ate.
Nina
Sorry, but I couldn’t stop laughing. What a funny story you made from a miserable situation. I love your perspective and resiliance Nina.
It’s just one of those things you gotta laugh about. Either that or cry LOL
Nina
Oh Paul and Nina! I know the feeling – total violation! Too have such a small area tainted by disease infested rodents- AGHHHH! Strangely enough, the only problem we ever had was very short lived (gone by the time we found the damage). Some little rat/mouse got into our “basement” and into a Rubbermaid storage container where we were keeping winter clothes. Ate through a bunch of woolens – so I was very angry, but in never came up into the rig – thank goodness!
I say go for the mojitos regardless of the time – you deserve them! Hang in there.
Oh, FYI unless you have central vac – we use the “ergorapido” vacuum in our rig and LOVE it. I just bought a new one after 2.5 years. Costco has them for $70 less than Target.
I’m amazed at what they eat…clothing!! You wouldn’t think there was anything tasty in that, but mice will eat ANYthing! Glad they didn’t make it into your rig.
Cheers for the tip on vacuum. We’ve had a central vacuum since we got the rig, but I’m thinking we may switch to a portable.
Nina
I just love your story. Thank you. Yeah, I kept mice as pets as a kid, but last year when a mouse took up residence inside I too pulled apart the stove, the cabinets, closets, the electric piano. Frustrating that something so small could out-smart me! Finally had him holed up inside the foot board of the piano which I carried outside and the mouse dashed away (laughing I’m sure). Took me a couple hours to put the place back together. The idea of a minty-fresh Beast home coming out of the boondocks is a hoot! Good goin! I hardly wait for the sequel!
GOOD job tracking down that mouse! They’re tricky creatures and can hide (and squeeze) just about anywhere.
Nina
Hi Nina and Paul. Funny story. But then, you haven’t lived until you are sitting with a glass, watching TV when all of a sudden 4 furrry critters come racing towards you all at once from beneath the dash. What a few days that event started! We counted 20 mice removed humanely and relocated outside by the time we were done. I really think as soon as we let them go down the road, they shook themselves off and high tailed it back to the motorhome, arriving before we did.
Oh MY!!!! 20 mice…man, I feel almost ashamed now. Our one little creature is nothing in comparison to that epic adventure!! You are waaay more resilient than me LOL!
Nina
Nina love it. How many other hints do you have stored up? Peppermint who would have thought get rid of mice and make deodorant? Do you still have that recipe, and can you share? Thanks. Jan
YES! I have the deodorant recipe. In fact I’ve been meaning to post about it for a long time, but just haven’t gotten around to it. I discovered the recipe from my friend Lu (from paintyourlandscape) and have been “deo-free” for over 6 months now and absolutely love it!! Here’s the link to make it:
http://wellnessmama.com/1523/how-to-make-natural-deodorant-beating-the-b-o-with-natural-deo/
Nina
I’d love to have the deodorant recipe… I seem to have an allergy to the normal stuff.
Just posted the recipe link in the comment above. I most definitely recommend it. Absolutely love it!!
Nina
Thanks… like the blog, too!!! Definitely looks useful.
Made me LOL so loud, had to stop and explain myself to those around me:)!
Also made me think of two things:
1) Snakes, nice friendly and preferably not poisonous snake. Makes a snack out of mice. Side benefit, is the cats are put on notice to start earning their time in the sun!
2) Aliens “Take off and nuke them from space, the only way to be sure!”
And to think, we thought that strange noise we heard from the East was the wind… Now we know you can be heard when standing on the couch!
Be safe, and brown fur free:)!
Smitty
Snakes and aliens…why NOT! LOL!
Nina
Great story!This won’t help this time but these days most RV dealers sell a treatment they spray on the bottom of your coach that repels rodents and bugs from your rig. Or for about $20 Walmart sells gizmos that you plug in that do the same. Ours are made by Bell-Howell. We’ve had them for about 3 months and immediately saw fewer spiders. Larry
How interesting! I’d never even heard about that treatment. I’m curious so I’ll have to look it up now. Thanks for sharing!
Nina
Oh my goodness that is so dang hilarious. The bright side is that after you turn the Beast upside down, you got a sweet and minty smelling house.
We also had a visit from those little critters, and since we were near town Steve got the old fashioned wooden rat traps and bang, we got it.
We also heard from other folks to use fabric softener and use it to plug some holes. Not sure if that works.
So Taggart and Rand did not move an inch to sharpen their killing instincts?
Yeah, “the beast” definitely got minty fresh in places that have not seen the sun in several years haha.
I think the cats were amused, but not motivated enough to actually go after the little furry menace. I guess we feed them too well.
Nina
LOL, it’s all the fault of the fruity necklace!
I, too, experienced a rodent invasion in SE Utah two summers ago, just six months after acquiring my brand new fifth wheel One moment I was enjoying my stay outside Moab, then clumpity clump—the unmistakable sound of two mice chasing each other between the rafters.
My cat Bosco was as ineffectual as yours, but did deign to eventually dispatch a single critter. In the mean time, mouse traps in strategic places did their part. But not before one highly nefarious individual noisily built a nest in the 100% completely inaccessible furnace assembly.
I had thought the underbelly was well sealed, but alas, found six unprotected openings all larger than nickels. But since painstakingly sealing them with hardware cloth, I have not experienced any reinfestation—knock on wood.
But, there’s always this summer!
Ouch!! A nest in the furnace!! See, those are the kinds of things I worry about with mice in the rig. They can get into spots where you just can’t get to them! Glad you managed to track it down & seal those openings.
Nina
Oh I feel your pain! Mice almost ended our rving life soon after it started. Now carry a supply of mouse traps. I also heard dry sheets work.
I’ve heard about dryer sheets too…I have a good stock of those so that’s a good tip.
Nina
Glad to know I am not the only one who would be on the chair screaming…I hate those furry things and they terrify me….Knock on wood have never seen one in our rig or casita…
Considering how LONG you guys have been RVing that is amazing! I guess your rig is pretty well-sealed.
Nina
Long ago, the dog and I were staying in Lucerne CG at Flaming Gorge (Northern Utah) in my 1978 Pace Arrow. We had stayed there numerous times before, with no problems…. However this night, when the lghts went out mice had found their way into the MH, and they aptly communicated the route to all their acquaintances. Some of them would run wildly up and down the middle of the MH while shreaking loudly.
I had a couple of mouse traps on board, so began setting them baited with jelly (once baited and dried, you rarely have to rebait with jelly). Long story short, when morning came, there were 17 mice on the ground outside the door where they had been unceremoniously deposited throughout the night. Needless to say, Tazzie (the dog) and I got next to NO sleep that night.
Strangely, a fifth wheel and 2 MH’s later, I’ve never had another problem with mice!….. But I still carrry mouse traps with me..!
Yikes…I can just imagine the sound of those little mice-feet scurrying around. Gives me the hubbie jibbies! And 17 in total…OMG!!!
Thanks for sharing the story!
Nina
That’s a really good post…..LOL…..will keep me laughing for the rest of tonight. We always had to prepare for the fall infestation of critters in upstate NY, while the RV was parked. We did the clean everything, no morsel is left behind, and then the dryer softener sheets in every drawer, cupboard, etc. The other thing we learned was to get steel wool and stuff it any place we thought they could come in. I guess they won’t chew through that…….it’s about the only thing. Too bad there’s no photos of you perched on the couch….LOL…..I can relate…..would have been right there with you!!!
Steel wool is a tip I’d heard, but we had none on-hand. I’ve also heard copper wool works. I’m hoping our gap filler does the job.
Nina
I thought you were going to say you had a snake. I will never forget the day I went to our RV and opened the door to a snake laying right in the doorway. I grabbed a broom and tried to scoot it out the door but it went in an open section under the pantry. This is the place I think it came in since the water fill spout and pump are under there and I never resealed under the RV after doing some work there. I have looked all over since then and not seen a snake so I assume he is gone. Mice…..are a constant battle since we have the RV stored in the country.
Now THAT would scare the life out of me!! We’ve never seen a snake in the RV, thankfully and hopefully never will. What a story!
Nina
Nina,
Your writing style is so great, makes me laugh! Thanks for sharing your experiences and hopefully no more mice to play while the cats just stay!
It’s still quiet in the bowels of “the beast” so I am hopeful we’re mouse-free.
Nina
I believe you might be in error with your final statement containing the refrain, “bloody cats”.
Had your felines done their proper job, they would have been bloody from the mice carcasses (and before they gave themselves a tongue bath). But alas they were blood-free….
LOL…indeed. I stand corrected 🙂
Nina
Yes, eeek! Thanks for sharing your safe, fragrant and effective rodent repellents. It must be an ‘open road’ feline attitude and/or cuisine palate phenomenon. Neither of my feline travelers are mouse watchers or catchers. They just say, “Mom, there are some freeloaders on board and don’t look to us for assistance!”
What is it with these cats? I think mine are just too well-fed and too well-petted. The life of feline luxury has completely eliminated their killer instinct.
Nina
Cute story. I’m curious as to whether you think the peppermint actually did any good. We had a similar situ last summer while camping at Highland Ridge COE. We went searching for peppermint oil high and low — ended up at a healthfood store in Eau Claire — and put it out in the RV on little cotton balls.
Didn’t seem to help after a week. Had much better luck with a mixture of peanut butter mixed with D-con on a regular mousetrap. Now I don’t know what to do with a nearly full bottle of peppermint oil. :-
Cheers,
Peter
A retired photographer looks at life
Peter Pazucha dot Com
Life Unscripted on WordPress
You know it’s hard to know for sure. I “think” the peppermint made a difference only based on the fact that we didn’t see any furry apparitions after we installed the scents. Then again, I really did put ALOT of oil out there AND we disinfected AND sealed all the open holes. Either way I’m just glad something worked.
Nina
Thank you so much for this post. I lost three pounds reading it. I know it wasn’t funny at the time, but I laughed so hard my belly jiggled off three pounds. Anyway it should have.
I hope they are gone.
Blogging and weightloss…I love it!!
Nina
So sorry for the infestation, but I LOVED your descriptions and thought the “leaving a cheese-trail to our boondocking neighbors who had blasted outdoor music the entire previous evening” could be very appropriate!
I was sooooo tempted to do it, I tell you. I’d politely talked to the neighbors the day before, but they STILL blasted their music. Sometimes I just don’t understand people.
Nina
EECK!!! It’s a mouse invasion! I just left this on “Me and My Dog’s blog this morning.
“See, yet another reason to live in a mobile cottage. When you get a mouse, just leave it behind!! My house is in the country so battling mice seem to be a part of life. I would think that they would not like to hang out with us as I have 3 mouse terrorists, (read kitties) but they seem to think they can outsmart the furkids. I certainly like the idea of just moving to get rid of these bad little neighbors.”
As evidenced by your cats…. maybe I should include a little last minute shopping for traps before I take off!!
I say it’s time to leave those mousey critters behind.
Moving is always a good idea, but I was worried we’d be carrying the little monster with us. I’m not even sure we picked him up in Goosenecks! Seems he’d made a nice nest inside our rig and was probably enjoying himself there for a while.
Nina
Well Nina we think we have our home sold and we will be able to hit the road and become fulltimers soon. We were wondering how we would be able to find you and Paul.
Then it came to me use your nose and see if you smell any pepperment or Irish Spring.
Hope to hook up with you guys in the future.
PS are the mice enjoying the cats?
Joe and Murlene
Congrats on the house sale!! That’s awesome.
Yes, you can always smell your way to us haha
Nina
Nina & Paul, Gari & I picked up our 5er earlier this month, and after 2 weeks fulltiming we are getting the idea this Irish Spring & Peppermint example is just another regular day. It appears that there may be no end to the adventures 🙂 It’s a new surprise everyday! We enjoyed hearing about your situation (now we know it’s not just us) and absolutely appreciated your excellent description of your solution.
Congrats on your 5th wheel! I knew you guys were just on the cusp of getting your rig, but wasn’t sure if you’d actually picked it up. How awesome!
Hope to see ya down the road.
Nina
This post is sooo funny! I usually read a nice, calm, relaxed post about solar, or where to boondock etc. I was NOT expecting an Eeeeeeek! We had our time with little mouse or meece a couple of weeks ago. Thank goodness, we carry mouse traps with us…and peanut butter. Cannot forget the peanut butter in the traps….gets ’em every time!
Traps are good things to keep on hand, so I’ve learnt! Seems we’re not the only ones who’ve had our micey encounters on the road.
Nina
Hats off to you Nina! This is a super story about a not super at all situation. You should get a plaque in the Boondocker’s Hall of Fame, hereafter known as BHF. I put both Irish Spring and Peppermint oil on my shopping list right after I spent 15 minutes laughing so hard at this that my sides hurt. Thanks a lot!! Not a good advertisement for cats as traveling companions BTW. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the story. I find it fascinating how these things always happen when you’re waaaaay out in the boonies. Just another day on the road LOL
Nina
So sorry for your furry situation but I really got a great laugh out of your story!! Hope this was the last of them!! Cats I discovered are useless in these situations!
We’re feeling hopeful that we are mouse-free….for now anyway 🙂
Nina
Next shopping trip, pick up some basic mousetraps. Keep one to two baited with peanut butter for a while. Better than renewing the peppermint and soap odors.
We definitely need to buy some traps and keep them with us. The peppermint & soap worked well, but you can never be too prepared!
Nina
At least you weren’t sitting on the throne when one of those little beasties darted out from behind the commode ;-D Thanks for the hilarious read. Our Mickey fell for the peanut butter/trap “trap” as soon as we set them out again … none since then, and we do think we’ve plugged up the most accessible holes … only time will tell.
Oh yeah…THAT would certainly have been worse. I tell you what though, I’ve never woken up quite so quickly without coffee. Talk about an adrenalin rush!
Nina
Comedy Central has a position for you, Nina—roving rodent reporter!! As for the cats…assertive training maybe?
p.s. glad to know Irish Spring is good for SOMETHING.
The RRR in the RV on the road…I like the sound of that!
Nina
We have been following your blog for over a year. When we saw you were at Goosenecks State Park, we both said – hope they don’t have the same problem we did…MICE. We were there 4 nights. Our cat killed a different type of mouse (small to a kangaroo rat with a really long tail) each night. After we left, no more mice problems.
Thanks for the great entertainment and providing incredible information on campgrounds and boondocking locations.
Dianne and Randy
YOU had mice too!! In the same location!! That is just too much of a coincidence. Seems like it’s a furry party out there at that spot.
Nina
They can get in through the smallest holes evah. Do the cats like peppermint?
Yeah, those little menaces will squeeze through a 1/4 inch I swear. I remember when we had an infestation many years ago in our stix house. Couldn’t believe the places they were getting in.
As for the cats, don’t think they were overly thrilled w/ the peppermint. They tolerated it, but that’s about it.
Nina
Clearly your cats need to spend some time with our Kiki – she will teach them how to be proper mouse hunters!
Sorry you guys had to go through this, but thank you for sharing it in such a humorous and entertaining way!
Clearly our kitties need the training!
Nina
Wow sounds familiar! Right down to the lazy felines. In our case we tracked the entry point to the condensate drain for the dash A/C unit – they apparently climbed in there and followed the ductwork to the dash vents. Put a screen over the drain and that seemed to work – so far! Check out our story at http://myquantumdiscovery.com/blog/happenings/eek-battling-with-the-critters/. Love your blog site and all the really interesting and useful info you provide! Someday I hope ours will develop into something even remotely as useful!
The ductwork…now there’s a spot I wouldn’t have thought about! Thanks for sharing the story and blog-link!
Nina
Been there, done that!
I hate those meeses to peices…Inside my shop with traps and tasty food-stuffs..(not)..all around the inside areas…Getting ready to head out on the road..YUP!!..laughing at my treats and traps..The “cute” rodent sat there smiling and saying..Thanks for the chow…sucker……I hope I won this time.
Jeez..I’m paying the owls by the hour…Can’t they do their job??
I hope you have won!!…I’m waiting to see..
No kitties here, the wiley coyotes have won that round..
(pieces)
David
They’re sneaky little buggers those mice! I’m hopeful we’ve won this round, but I know it won’t be our last fight.
Nina
I hate furry little critters! As Terry and I sit looking out over a field that is soon to be planted with corn, we live in fear of this very thing. I had read some time ago that dryer sheets deterred rodents and I have them stuffed into most of our drawers and cabinets. I’m not sure if that is doing the trick or if they haven’t found us yet. Terry has flashlight in hand, ready to scour the underbelly of the rig after reading your post. I had heard about peppermint oil as well, but didn’t know how long the scent would last. We laughed reading your post, all the while having somewhat of a sick feeling inside.
Another trick I’ve heard from old-time RVers (esp. folks who don’t move their rig much) is to put a ring of LED strip lights around your rig. Apparently the mice don’t like the light. Worth a try I’d think?
Nina
We have been doing that since we were in San Elijo. I’m hoping that these couple of things are warding off rodents. When the farmers start planting corn we will see what visitors it may bring.
Erma Bombeck is back! Love it when you look at life through humor colored glasses. Sometime toward the end of your “journey,” a book must be penned… “The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Black Water Tank.” 😉
Box Canyon Mark
The perfect title…cheers my friend!
Nina
“I Hate those meeses to peeces”….I always use meese sticky paper, its scented like peanut butter and you can catch 2-3 at a time.
Great post as usual Nina.
Good tip…Nina
This is the 3rd or 4th time I’ve had a mouse – hopefully this one is gone. I killed one, the others left and I didn’t hear them again. I think this one is gone – no noises last night. Thank Goodness! I’m glad your mice are gone, too. I hate the thought of them chewing up my wires and pipes.
I couldn’t believe you were blogging about mice the same time as me! I guess this is a common issue in the SW. Pack rats & desert, eh?
Nina
HAHAHA! We feel your pain (which is why I’m laughing). Six natural-born killers in residence, and we had to buy mouse traps. A LOT of mousetraps.
It’s important to keep your mous-tial arts skills sharp, though.
See, I was SURE you ducks were mouse-free with your caravan of cats. I’m glad my felines aren’t the only lazy ones out there.
Nina
We had to laugh at this post, mostly because we just had a mouse in our house a few weeks ago. He traveled with us for a few days before my husband found him in the oven, trying to get into a box of chocolates. He outsmarted us for another day, eating the peanut butter without setting off the traps. We finally caught him the next night, with a better trap. And now our trailer smells like Bounce dryer sheets.
Jackie, Peter & Ella
Travelling mice…that’s what I was thinking too. And in the oven of all places! The little devil. Glad you managed to catch him in the end.
Nina
We just evicted a furry family from our walk-in pantry, also omitting months of foodstuffs. Hubby kept muttering, “Hanta virus! Hanta virus!” Two cats apparently not on duty. Love your stuff!
Oh the Pantry! Those little critters must have thought they’d won the mouse dining lottery.
Nina
We just started full-timing in Feb and have had that experience. Went to the country grocery to buy traps and the checker says you dont have to kill them..oil of peppermint…it works and the trailer smells great.
Yup, I can attest to peppermint oil…or at least it seemed to work for us. I’m keeping a bottle on-hand forever now!
Nina
We use a product called CAB FRESH sold online or in hardware stores. The bounce sheets did not work, the cab fresh has worked. It is all natural and drives mice packing for the hills.
Never heard of the stuff…cheers for the tip! I will look it up.
Nina
my gosh! you two took that job seriously!! We’ve had 2 encounters with those critters during our 3 years, but we only set traps and waited. Im happy to find out about the peppermint!
I’m actually surprised this is our first encounter in 3 years. Guess we’ve been lucky so far. Still, it’s been an interesting week 🙂
Nina
Try stuffing steel wool in any openings and sprinkle clove oil all over it. Mice hate cloves for some reason..
Clove oil…interesting! That’s one I didn’t know. Cheers for the tips!
Nina
Here is what we use. We had a problem in our old Pace Arrow. We threw about a dozen of these inside and in the basement area. That PA is parked out in a field. We have gone out twice and no sign of mice in it anywhere. We cleaned it very well before parking it and loading it with this packs. http://www.earth-kind.com/
Cheers for the link! Looks like a product well worth trying.
Nina
Hey Nina, Paul….97 comments so far!!!…Just for Meeses!!…..Upriverupdate..
I found a nest inside the cooling area of my onboard Onan generator today.I never woulda thought….Everyone may wish to check theirs..I had them get behind the fridge and eat the wires to the inverter/converter 2yrs ago and cost me some $$$..At least I didn’t catch on fire….
Enjoy Moab..I’m headed in that direction next week, If Mighty…Mickey,,Minnie don’t have anything else in store for me..
David
Ouch! Glad you found the Nest. I’m pretty sure we checked that area, but gonna do it again just to be sure!
Nina
We also have a few mice stories, but this one is funny(now). We leave our northern Colorado home for six months in the winter and store the coach during the summer months. In order to get the coach ready for our winter adventure we bring it over to a local campground for cleaning and loading. We parked the coach and opened the slide and I went about my cleaning, etc. I was passing through the kitchen and noticed a “string” on the floor sticking our from under a cabinet. I thought to myself “where did this come from??” bent down to pick it up and screamed! I knew right away that I had made a mistake! Yuck!!
Oh nooooooo….the “string” tease. That would most certainly have freaked me out!
Nina
I just remembered we’ve had TWO mousy incidents: This is the first one.
Hehe…I’d forgotten that story. Thanks for posting it!
Nina
We opened up our motor home after winter and saw signs of unwanted guests. This was the first time that we had a mouse problem in our RV. Yuck! First, I freaked out, then we started cleaning and disinfecting. Duh, I had made the mistake of leaving a s’more box in my pantry. Well, the mice enjoyed the graham crackers immensely and went on to make a nice winter nest out of an oven mitt, expensive RV toilet paper and my favorite around-the-fire poncho in our drawers. So it was war – sticky mouse traps, Original Irish Spring bars, and Peppermint oil on cotton balls! The mice have not returned. A friend of ours says that Bounce dryer sheets (the really stinky kind) work, too. He puts them on the RV tires because mice can get in that way. Also, no more leaving food of any kind in the motor home over winter.
Mice are quite a problem here in the Dakota’s especially for campers who unwisely store their rigs in the shops on their farms, a true invitation to the local mouse population. Those in the know around here recomend filling any gap in your rig’s bottom with fine steel wool as mice just hate biting into that stuff. It is very common to see steel wool around the rigs that are stored for the nasty winters around here, they claim it works great. I just called my wife’s attention to the pepper mint solution, she said it would probably work as she gets violently ill at the smell of peppermint herself. So if I were to try that in our rig, I would be camping alone, and after 46 years with the old gal, I think I would miss her quite a lot.;
Eyes are watering 🙂
Hilarious!! Just love reading your posts after just finding your site a few weeks ago. This one started my day off with out loud laughing which I don’t do all that often. Thank you.
Glad you liked it. After the initial horror wore off it was actually very funny to write it. What a time!
Nina
I’m on my way to walmart for irish spring and peppermint oil. have a problem in sunny north central florida with small rats or BIG mice in my 5th wheel, under my double wide,in my garbage. the 4′ black snake can’t keep up.
Right after purchasing your groceries people should put their cardboard food into plastic containers and Tupperware. People should have an animal control program in place as well. I read about the Irish
Spring Soap trick in one of the RV books that I read.
Putting food into air-tight containers (especially any food that you leave out of the fridge) is a really good idea. Those mice are experts at getting into small spaces!
Nina