Thor Forums

[morningglory]

I understand why you are looking for openings - mice leave a scent trail that other mice can follow once they establish a path into your rig, so even if you catch all the mice today, you will still have a neon sign welcoming a new generation next week. (btw - checked this information and found a university study that confirmed it.

For my 2014 Thor Axis 24.1, the biggest mouse door was somewhere under the sink... can't remember exactly, but the manufacturer did a horsecrap job of sealing holes. Some where not completely filled, and some just had the foamed in sealant that seems to encourage mice to chomp on it. I filled gaps with steel wool and then foamed or siliconed around it. They don't like the little wirey stuff. After storing for our first season, we had to do a full cleaning and caught a bunch... then found we kept catching them until I did the fill every hole possible patrol.

We still have to worry about packrats, now that we store the rig in the desert all winter. Even if they don't find a way into the rig, they can chew on the wiring an cause considerable damage. They actually seem to like chewing on wiring - like it sharpens their teeth or something.

We use a combination of a product called Mouse Proof - buy it in big jugs and my wife makes lots of cheesecloth little bags with twist ties so we can put it in every compartment and toss around the rig... and can refill them as needed. I also take some plastic coffee cans and toss in a rock and some of the mouse pruff smelly stuff and punch holes in the lids... and set them around under the rig in the engine area and under the sink/kitchen area that still might be a problem area. Finally, I surround the rig with solar lights that shine underneath.

None of these are 100% effective, but since we are storing where there are other rigs during the winter, it is the old story about not having to be able to run faster than the bear, just having to run faster than your buddy. We just make sure that there are other rigs around us more friendly to packrats than ours. This has worked the last 4 years.

In Minnesota in the summer, we also use solar lights to shine underneath. We also leave all cupboards and drawers open - mice like dark spaces... and I put a solar light or two to shine inside the rig as well. Some people also put lights in the engine compartment if wire chewing there is an issue.