I was warned "Don't pick up hitchhikers".

[arctictraveller]

It's 0230hrs and I'm suddenly aware there is a strange noise in the van. Crunch, crunch, crinkle, crinkle, scratch, scratch. It sounds like a branch is scraping across the top of the van, so I get up, find my spotlight and go outside to have a look but, there's nothing there. A few minutes later its back to bed and just as I'm almost back to sleep, crunch, crunch, crinkle. What the hell? This time the spotlight just catches a movement between the dog house console and the dash pad. Then, all is quiet but it starts again a few minutes later. This time the spotlight catches Mr Wiskers chowing down on a granola bar. SOB, that won't do. The granola bar is removed, and a small piece is placed at the bottom of a coffee cup in hopes he will fall in and not be able to get out. Quickly, he comes out from behind the dash and circles the rim of the cup, first one little paw goes in, then two, then three. He's hanging there by one rear leg, but can't quite reach. Then he finally drops in and I'm ready the with lid, but he's damn quick, launches out of the cup and disapears behind the dash again. Crap, crap, crap. About an hour has passed and I'm tired, so I give up, hoping he hasn't made a home in the A/C ducts while snacking on my wiring. The next day I get some traps, baited with peanut butter, but no luck. Finally I try blasting him out with some Ozzy Ozborne at full volume. I think that worked as I've seen no further evidence of him. So, the question is, how did he come and go so easily into the interior of the van? What do I need to seal to prevent further stow-aways?

[daveb]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

It's 0230hrs and I'm suddenly aware there is a strange noise in the van... the spotlight catches Mr Wiskers chowing down on a granola bar.

So, the question is, how did he come and go so easily into the interior of the van? What do I need to seal to prevent further stow-aways?

I've heard is they can get their nose through a hole they can squeeze through it. I hate to kill them but I've had a few nightmares with those little invaders. I had a bunch coming in, and they left a scent trail that stayed with the van for months even after washing everything I could reach. I finally figured the smell was coming out of my walls. I had like 20 mice in a few hours come through. At first I used a humane trap and they were tripping every few minutes. I marked one of the guys with a red marking pen and sure enough he was back a half hour later. At one point I saw 3 running around my pop top rails. I had to get out the RatZapper.

I wonder if there is a spot in the tail light that has access where they can get into the body walls. I've stuffed some of that copper scratch pad stuff (steel wool burns and rusts) into some questionable spots but I still get em from time to time.

[rallypanam]

Mice can fit through a dime size hole.. will also feel free to come on in if you leave the door open for a minute.

Spent a few hours last weekend emptying furniture out of my cabin to let the dog get the two mice who had moved in. Good job Ella!

[gcvt]

^Good girl Ella!


Jeff, he's (yes, I'm assuming its gender) still in there. They love good music like Ozzy. Try some Nickelback or Greenday instead.

Sorry to tell you this but in the eight months I owned my first van, my mouse would go silent and poopless for weeks at a time. No smell, no nothing. I would declare victory! Then...more poop and acorn shells.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by gcvt

^Sorry to tell you this but in the eight months I owned my first van, my mouse would go silent and poopless for weeks at a time. No smell, no nothing. I would declare victory! Then...more poop and acorn shells.

Oh great, just what I needed to hear. I wonder if I could borrow Ella for a few days?

[Jsweezy]

Originally Posted by gcvt

Jeff, he's (yes, I'm assuming it's gender) still in there. They love good music like Ozzy. Try some Nickelback or Greenday instead.

[Zappo]

I've gone to battle with mice/rats,I had one rat make my jacuzzi his foam his condo damaged a bunch of tubing(got him with the d-con pellets!).had one in my garage that me and the dogs knocked all kinds of stuff over tryin to get it,We had it cornered behind a shelf and stabbed it with a sword while trying to peel my pups and that injured sob to my surprise in a last ditch effort for survival tried jumpin through us and I racked my head on the shelf above(yes I was a pussy for a split second),let's just say we stayed out there until job was completed! Last incident was a miniature/colorful parrot type bird I had about 4" tall with wings clipped I was letting it cruise around the backyard heard a bunch of squawking,ran out and just missed saving it's life as a rat was dragging it in a hole in the ground.i went caddyshack on that sucker flooding it out but it wouldn't surface probably cause there was air pockets so I started applying spray paint/water and about ten minutes later I saw air bubbbles but I couldn't hit it fast enough when it jumped out so chasing it around back yard finally finished it of and screwed it to the fence with my Makita warn off the rest of the gang...

[simplesez]

Glad I'm not the only one constantly dealing with mice. 3 different ones this year alone.

[rallypanam]

Critters are part and parcel with being outdoors..

I don't like to kill them, but have a rule with them: stay outside the van and cabin, and you can have a happy life. Move inside and we have an issue.

And I won't poison, since that can kill the hawks and other predators that eat them as well, which just exacerbates the problem. So traps or the dog it is!

[JackTuppVan]

Turn this guy loose in your van ... Bada - Bing... no more mouse problem.