Newbie pest control question

[We B Glamping]

Hi we are new to RVing. Picked up our new 2024 Reflection 297rsts a week ago We want to proactively protect again critters getting into the RV. Can anyone tell me specifically where I need to use either steel wool or copper mesh to plug wiring and plumbing holes from inside the coach. This information could save me a lot of time if I don’t have to dismantle all the cabinets, counters and fixtures to find those holes. TIA

Greg

 

[jkwilson]

No point wasting time inside. The floor of the trailer and the underbelly are intentionally connected in several places. The belly opening serve as air returns for the furnace. Once mice are in the belly, they are in the trailer.

You really can’t easily seal up the outside access points either. Several spots are moving parts, so it’s difficult to seal. A Chore Boy scrubber in the port where the hose enters is a good idea.

You really need to start outside and kill every mouse near the trailer with traps, cats or poison.

 

[lineman1234]

Some use lighting, and now a days with led lighting its cheap to run, it is said, rodents dont like the light. LED can be bought by the foot with cut and install ends as needed, peel and stick. Some can be dimmed to be able to leave on for under the camper wile abiding by the no bright lights on past X time rules.

There are sound makers, but im not sure if that affects pets or not.

My last camper i had for 8 years and it was my full time home, as now this one is also. I have to my knowledge not had a mouse, rat, or squirrel anywhere, as there has been no sign of them. Having had to replace a fitting and or do something i have been in places and not seen signs.

 

[el Rojo]

We use blue led lights underneath.

 

[We B Glamping]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Txdabj1]

Hi we are new to RVing. Picked up our new 2024 Reflection 297rsts a week ago We want to proactively protect again critters getting into the RV. Can anyone tell me specifically where I need to use either steel wool or copper mesh to plug wiring and plumbing holes from inside the coach. This information could save me a lot of time if I don’t have to dismantle all the cabinets, counters and fixtures to find those holes. TIA

Greg

Greg, I agree with the other comments about starting outside the trailer.
An RV tech recommended to me to use Great Stuff Stone and Pond foam to seal any holes around plumbing or other voids you find in the underbelly. This foam is black and waterproof.

Before you spray the foam, you may consider adding rodent mesh to the holes. Then spray the mesh with the foam. The mesh I used is Xcluder Rodent Control mesh. You can get it on Amazon.

The best advice I got on this forum regarding pest control is to be sure to check the chloroplast above the spare tire. If your spare tire is mounted to the underbelly check to see how big the winch opening is for the spare tire. Mine was an 8” crisscross. I sealed it up with chloroplast tape.

Good luck!

 

[coglesby]

I surround my trailer with rat poison and put a rat and mouse electric trap inside just in case.

 

[SGT ROC]

I have the LED strip light under mine. I put them on when we bought the rig. We also use FreshCab repellant inside the trailer. No issues in 6 seasons (probably just jinxed myself...). The lights are on a timer to come on just before dark, and off when daylight.

 

[bigjake392]

I use bait boxes at the recommendation of our exterminator and they seem to work well. For sure crawl around underneath and seal everything up but the baited boxes work for us. You can buy them cheap on Amazon and I refresh bait every couple of months. Under my 2600 I have 7 boxes next to the tires and the jack. Went from catching 5-6 mice in traps in the winter to nothing now for 2 years.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

I use fresh cab like stuff, traps, and bounce sheets inside, a .22 outside.

 

[Steven@147]

Yup check under the RV coroplast and use the expanding foam and wire mesh, and check the spare tire hole for the cable and each frame hanger for places the 4 legged rodent critters can get in.

We haven't had a problem with rodents, but the ladybugs, stink bugs, ants and spiders, that's a different story. Tried lots of things, spraying home defense, peppermint oil, zevo, sticky ant traps and such to keep them at bay. Even saw a lady owner spreading comet sink cleanser around her power cable and water hose entrances.

 

[WandJS]

Some use lighting, and now a days with led lighting its cheap to run, it is said, rodents dont like the light. LED can be bought by the foot with cut and install ends as needed, peel and stick. Some can be dimmed to be able to leave on for under the camper wile abiding by the no bright lights on past X time rules.

There are sound makers, but im not sure if that affects pets or not.

My last camper i had for 8 years and it was my full time home, as now this one is also. I have to my knowledge not had a mouse, rat, or squirrel anywhere, as there has been no sign of them. Having had to replace a fitting and or do something i have been in places and not seen signs.

Can you tell me the brand name for the lights you used? There are so many out there, and not sure what to get. Big problem with chipmunks and mice in RV. Don't want to kill them, just want them to move on. Try many items, asst. sprays, asst. balls and etc. nothing working. I even have mice and now a rat at home. Try the baking soda 4 different ways with: peanut butter, parm cheese, corn meal and flour. Added bird seed to the last one. Have not seen the mouse, but the rat is still hanging out.

 

[WandJS]

We use blue led lights underneath.

Can you tell me the brand name for the lights you used? There are so many out there, and not sure what to get. Big problem with chipmunks and mice in RV. Don't want to kill them, just want them to move on. Try many items, asst. sprays, asst. balls and etc. nothing working. I even have mice and now a rat at home. Try the baking soda 4 different ways with: peanut butter, parm cheese, corn meal and flour. Added bird seed to the last one. Have not seen the mouse, but the rat is still hanging out.

 

[Riverbug]

If you decide to close up as much as you can, I suggest the following:
-It's easy enough to close up the belly with black silicone caulk from the local hardware store and a can of spray foam. That will take care of 90% of the belly.
-A bit more challenging is closing up around the slides. Pay special attention to the corners. Brass wool rather than steel wool is good as it doesn't rust if it gets wet. Open the slide about 3/4, put a light in the corner on the inside, then go out and look at it from the outside. You'll see the opening and then decide how you want to close it up best you can. I've used dense foam from Amazon packages cut to fit snugly in the space and butted up to the bottom of the slide floor. I've held them in place with good duct tape for the first year and that worked fine. I then removed the tape and "buttered" over the foam and onto the framing with the black silicone caulk. That adds a layer of protection, holds it in place, and although I still find acorns sitting on the I-beam ledge from critters, they have not chewed into the silicone/foam or made their way inside.
-If the rubber gaskets that close in the slide rails where they go into the belly are not very tight to the rail, you can get flat rubber pieces, cut them to fit closer around the rails, then adhere them to the existing rubber with glue/cement.

Just depends on how far you want to go to seal things up. I agree with others with not bothering to try sealing from the inside. Better to just make sure you close up as much as you can from the outside to keep them from getting into the belly in the first place. Good luck!

 

[We B Glamping]

Thanks again to all that have responded WTH some great suggestions. I went with copper mesh in the larger holes and great foam for all holes in the underbelly. The only thing that didn’t get done was the spare tire hole. Snow got here before I could get that done. We also used electric sound devices and dryer sheets inside the coach. Lastly my wife placed small open jars of Vicks vapor rub in all the basement bay openings. They supposedly work like mothballs. So far so good.

I’m also interested in a brand name suggestion for undercarriage lighting. Would like lights that allow color changes and are dimmable. Thanks again, folks.
Enjoy the journey,
Greg