Mice in the van - help

[ChrisUK]

I went to change the caravan (2008 Odyssey) battery today at the storage farm, and was disapointed to find a small number of mice droppings on the seats, having a good look round I then found that it / they had been chewing the foam rubber that acts as a sound deadener on the water pump. No other damage but I am very worried. I rushed out to buy 3 spring traps + cheese and set them in the under seat lockers. Any more advice please? Will the smell of cheese in the van actually attract them in? Should I have set the traps outside by the legs?

Chris

 

[Kitty1]

Hi Chris

We used to get field mice coming into or loft space and found traps set with peanut butter worked more successfully than cheese. We then bought a plug in ultrasonic pest repeller and we've never had any bother since. It emits a little clicking noise which you can only just hear but its on a frequency that mice can't tolerate.

Apparently it works for insects as well if you change the setting. Unfortunately I can't remember how much it cost but we bought it at a hardware store and the beauty is after a short while we didn't need to keep checking, we just knew it was doing the job. Of course you would have to have electric to run it.

Sophie

 

[steve007_374385657]

Hi it has been posted in the past that putting moth balls in the van will keep mice away. I do not know if it works or not perhaps someone can respond who has tried this in the past.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Stephen_374341239]

Hi

YES Moth balls do work I have been using them for three year and it has stop the mice. Place them around the caravan in small plastic container so when you wish to use the caravan they can be colleced up easly and put in a seal box for re-use.

 

[Bigfoot]

Firstly...they shouldn't be able to get in so that needs to be adressed.

Secondly...Mice don't like cheese ! (only in Tom & Jerry) Use sweet things like glace cherries or peanuts, apple etc.

Best of luck, I had the little bu6637s in my attic last year, by the time I had finished it looked like an abbatoir.. Heh Heh !!!

 

[ChrisUK]

Thanks for the advice, the cheese was a panic measure. Apparently they are fussy bu!!ers and prefer chocolate. I have seen on E Bay a PP3 battery powered sonic device, anyone used one? Traps are going to be a pain as an inspection trip is probably an hours trip home to home (only 1 mile away but VG security.)

 

[ChrisUK]

Oh, and yes big foot, finding where they get in is important. I've had a quick look and can not see anything, but it will require a much more careful look.

 

[xtrailman]

chris

yes chocolate is the bait to use, i have culled many in the past in my green house.

I used a little after 8 mint choc.

Also dont penney pince on the traps, get the retokil plastic ones from wilko, about

 

[David.O]

Chris

If it is of any help a mouse can get through a hole as small as a pencil width. they love plastic, so look for damaged vent hole grills

 

[bear1]

hi we had one in our van once after a trip to devon ,we placed frosties in a humane trap which does not kill them we released it into woods about a mile away it took two days to catch .remove all oyher souces of food from low cupboards check all air vents under van place very fine mesh over all holes with staples ,you wont get any more.

 

[MikeJE]

Moth balls are often recommended here as being effective against mice. Also Argos list - or used to - Rodent Guard, article No.0423096, uses a 9v P.P.P. battery which lasts up to 6 months, price at May last

 

[Ian341]

Hi chris, We had the same discovery this time last year.

We bought a rodent deterant from Argos for

 

[hgv dave]

hi all

mothballs...........its camphor in the mothballs that mice do not like

what i would like to know is how moths get the camphor?

have a think about it

hgv dave

 

[Carol2]

Hi Chris

We used to suffer with mice getting into our house, we have farm land at the back of our house, and when harvest time started, field mice did a runner and came and found sanctuary. We bought an electric sonic device, just plug it in and away you go. For the last three years we have been safe from the small furry things so they must work. We have also got one in the van I think B&Q have them, we got ours from a Factory Shop

 

[colin_5079068]

put chocolate on the trap works all the time.

 

[MikeJE]

The problem with any trap, humane or otherwise, with chocolate or peanut butter, is that the traps have to be checked for victims on a regular basis especially in warm weather when they can bacome rather aromatic. O.K. if the 'van is stored nearby; no fun if it is miles away. Mothballs and electronic gizmos keep them out altogether.

 

[MikeyW]

We had mice in our last van when it was in storage. I used clear silicone to fill any holes/gaps from under the van, places where pipework and wires go through mainly, it's surprising how small a hole mice can get through. Obviously be careful not to fill any air vents. I think they were getting in around the the water drain pipe which was directly below the pump. Anyway the silicone sorted it.

Sealed the new van before it went into storage.

best of luck

Mike