Mice in the ceiling - Thor Windsport 29M

[Kjohnson]

Hi all. We opened our motorhome this weekend after it has spend most of the winter at the dealership having warranty work done. Found 3 mice nests, one in the upper bunk with babies- ate through some of the netting surrounding the bunk. One under the bathroom sink and one under the kitchen sink. There was no food in the motorhome. They did chew through all of the toilet paper and paper toweling. There were 2 dead baby mice. We immediately trapped one adult female. But the worse is we can hear them in the ceiling. Any ideas in how they may be getting in? Any unsuspecting hole that we may have missed plugging. It's just so creepy to hear all of the scraping, scratching and rustling in the ceiling. We did leave 2 traps set at this point.
Husband is ready to sell it. Thank you in advance for any suggestions..

[Yvonnemarc]

In the ceiling, ouch. So they obviously found a way into the wall and tunneled thru the insulation to the ceiling.
The key to “herding” mice, food and traps. Keep setting and eventually you’ll get them all. And what little ones you don’t get will starve from not being fed by mommy.
I have three traps set in my RV for just this reason. They’re suckers for easy food. I have been Uber lucky and haven’t got any. I did in my camper before we got the Motor coach.

[Bob Denman]

Try placing some cotton balls that have been soaked in peppermint oil in your RV. They really don't like the smell. See if you can get some into the area above the ceiling too.
Good luck! [

[BradnKaren]

Could they just be in the ceiling duct work? Have you turned on the A/C units? I'd set a few traps in the ceiling duct work.

[Lt Keefer]

Man, that sucks but mice in a camper is kind of normal, but man, that sucks. People swear by their remedies, but trap and remove them then find and seal their entry way. You definitely have to find their entry and seal it up. If you don't, the next preggo mouse that happens along will take up residence.

[dkoldman]

What did the dealer say? On there lot? Warranty work for most of the winter?
I would be reluctant to have RV back at home for fear the mice leave and comeback to RV, now you have mice roaming your property.

I use poison a lot, but would not in your case as they may die in your roof. But since no food in RV it ought to be easy to catch them at night. Long shot is to find someplace where cats are known to roam free and park it there for a week or so.

[Kjohnson]

That's what is so hard is we just don't know where the little Ba$%#$ds are getting in. We didn't turn on the A/C (WI and it's still 30') We have traps on the floor currently.

They are just so gross... actually ate up a plastic spatula and serving spoon...and little mouse turds everywhere. Nothing left in the camper at all at this point. So it's not very homey for them.

We didn't contact the dealer, what to they care at this point??

Thanks for words of wisdom and if anyone can suggest any other entry points we could seal up I would be interested in hearing..

Could they get in off the roof a/c??

[cavie]

We have a house cat. I put him in the RV overnight by himself. He presented us with a mouse present in the am. Borrow a neighbors cat if you don't have one.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Kjohnson

That's what is so hard is we just don't know where the little Ba$%#$ds are getting in. We didn't turn on the A/C (WI and it's still 30') We have traps on the floor currently.

They are just so gross... actually ate up a plastic spatula and serving spoon...and little mouse turds everywhere. Nothing left in the camper at all at this point. So it's not very homey for them.

We didn't contact the dealer, what to they care at this point??

Thanks for words of wisdom and if anyone can suggest any other entry points we could seal up I would be interested in hearing..

Could they get in off the roof a/c??

They only need a hole the size of Nickel and quarter so they can get in most anywhere you see gaps.

I look forward to learn what you find, it will help us all. This has happened to many so you will get past it.

I don't the roof is logical unless nearby tree on the roof? I would think they need a easy way in and out. They are likely getting in from the bottom. Were jacks down? Was shore power cord running? Assuming not of after looking at all of those immediate areas, I would concentrated on the 4 tires. You may see turds around 1? Look where the wearing harness run into the coach, i.e where the generator wires go inside? Look for sloppy cutouts of for plumbing around all of the fittings for water lines and drains coming into the coach ( focus around the cabinets where you saw the nest). Finally look for opening on the cabin/engine wall.

I periodically put the bait poison in various areas around our home, sometimes it is eaten and others times not. I do so to proactively kill any that may be lurking before they find a way in. But if they were in, I would use the traps. I know you are in Wisconsin, so take this lightly, when I bait with cheese I have hard time catching them? I go to peanut butter or any other scratch food I can find. Ants will go after the peanut butter & cheese; so you have to do it at night.

[Yvonnemarc]

How do they get in the ceiling? That’s easy. From the engine day they climb into the dash then make their way up the hollow A-pillar and, Wha-Lah, in the ceiling. Or from in back of the cabinets they find or chew a hole in the wall and burrow up thru the insulation to the ceiling. And there’s lots of styrofoam up there to chew and make a cozy nest. Poison is an option but be careful of neighborhood animals and birds. If they crawl out and die this could pose a problem. You don’t want to be the one responsible killing that endangered spotted owl.

[Solanopete]

Rodents love to munch the insulation on low voltage (12/24v) wiring. They seem to know that line voltage(120v) wiring can be fatal. I had a big repair on a brand new F150.

[Boerne RV]

The roof vent assembly over the refrigerator is one place I have seen rodents getting in. Also the plumbing vent caps. Generator power cord is usually passing through a big hole with foam closing the gap. Exterior shower compartment cuts through the wall and can leave a gap on the inside side.
On one trailer ;
I replaced all of the fresh water pipes
All the P traps under the sinks
Both black water tanks, grey water tank and the fresh water tank
Propane line under the stove
Coax cables
Fresh water fill assembly
And more
I think they had beavers

[PeterW]

Initial entry is often by climbing the tires.
They got into our trailer by then standing on the tire and chewing through the overhead plastic fabric in the wheel well.
Solution was to glue 1/4 “ wire mesh to sign plastic an put in a new ceiling in the wheel well, mesh side up so road debris can't snag it.....

[MLP]

Sticky mouse sheets with a small piece of strong smelling cheese in the center placed against a wall. Another with peanut butter. They generally cannot get loose from them. I even seen them catch small rats where I worked.


I would have a tendency to put them in a box and bring them back to the dealership telling them that they left them in your rig and are returning them.

[rudyhehn]

Sorry for your misery. We had mice in our RV twice but not in the ceiling. Used toilet paper and Q-tips for nesting material. Both times we were successful using traps baited with peanut butter. They have an incredible sense of smell and will be drawn to it from anywhere in the RV. I suspect if you set up a few traps they will crawl out of the ceiling, find the food and then **ZAP. I never found their entry portal. Resourceful little creatures.

[Hoser123]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

They only need a hole the size of Nickel and quarter so they can get in most anywhere you see gaps.

I look forward to learn what you find, it will help us all. This has happened to many so you will get past it.

I don't the roof is logical unless nearby tree on the roof? I would think they need a easy way in and out. They are likely getting in from the bottom. Were jacks down? Was shore power cord running? Assuming not of after looking at all of those immediate areas, I would concentrated on the 4 tires. You may see turds around 1? Look where the wearing harness run into the coach, i.e where the generator wires go inside? Look for sloppy cutouts of for plumbing around all of the fittings for water lines and drains coming into the coach ( focus around the cabinets where you saw the nest). Finally look for opening on the cabin/engine wall.

I periodically put the bait poison in various areas around our home, sometimes it is eaten and others times not. I do so to proactively kill any that may be lurking before they find a way in. But if they were in, I would use the traps. I know you are in Wisconsin, so take this lightly, when I bait with cheese I have hard time catching them? I go to peanut butter or any other scratch food I can find. Ants will go after the peanut butter & cheese; so you have to do it at night.

Don't use poison. Use traps. If you use poison and they die in the walls they will smell for 9 months. I know from experience.

[Coveman2]

We have had the little buggers in all of our motorhomes and have tried everything and the best solution is the sticky pads and can leave them for a month or so in the winter but must be checked every week in all of the other seasons. To find where they may get in is to go into the rig at night and shine a bright flashlight into all of the storage areas and have some outside locating where the light shines through and then plug the entrance spots with steel wool or if you can spray foam. Bob`s peppermint oil is also a great deterrent but has to be re oiled once a month or so
Coveman2
2018 Thor Compass 23 TB
2007 Roadtrek 210 P
1994 RoadtreK190 P

[Bobo]

We fought mice for 3 years, but found that they could get in around the Kitchen Slideout umbilicals. Hard to completely block off, but liberal use of spray foam worked. Ceiling really sucks though.

[Economan]

So I’ve had mice in the ceiling vents off and on for 2 years now. Sealed the front pillars as it did look like a freeway up to the ceiling. Took the cover off in behind the overhead cabinets by the windshield and plugged the sides with steel wool. Checked an sealed EVERY hole and way in around pipes and wiring in the undercarriage and just found another one in the trap. Sprayed peppermint oil in the vents last year and all it did was stink when the air was on. So….where are these things getting in. I’ve made a plexiglass cover that I put a trap in when I remove one of the vents. Then I can see right away if I have another one. Also sprayed in the undercarriage and wheel wells with peppermint oil and still they get in. Slides are always closed when sitting. Checked roof air units and all sealed well. It’s like there’s no end to these things. None in the motorhome….just in the ceiling. Any other suggestions other than burn it!!!

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Economan

So I’ve had mice in the ceiling vents off and on for 2 years now. Sealed the front pillars as it did look like a freeway up to the ceiling. Took the cover off in behind the overhead cabinets by the windshield and plugged the sides with steel wool. Checked an sealed EVERY hole and way in around pipes and wiring in the undercarriage and just found another one in the trap. Sprayed peppermint oil in the vents last year and all it did was stink when the air was on. So….where are these things getting in. I’ve made a plexiglass cover that I put a trap in when I remove one of the vents. Then I can see right away if I have another one. Also sprayed in the undercarriage and wheel wells with peppermint oil and still they get in. Slides are always closed when sitting. Checked roof air units and all sealed well. It’s like there’s no end to these things. None in the motorhome….just in the ceiling. Any other suggestions other than burn it!!!

Did you look at where all the seals are including the AC's. They will chew through them. The AC's give a direct path to the upper vents. It is a long shot, but one that should be checked.