Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 11:40:05 -0700
Reply-To: Tobin Copley <tcopley@SFU.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tobin Copley <tcopley@SFU.CA>
Subject: Re: MICE: points of ingress in cab area?
In-Reply-To: <413761BA.3090101@fyi.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Thanks for the thoughts, but I am pretty confident they are not living
in the vehicle. How do I know this?
I used live ("catch & release") traps, and they catch mice every night
we camp in certain (mousy) areas. When we camped elsewhere this summer
(in the desert, or in the far north), no mice at all. They get into
*everything* when they are around--food, toilet paper, you name it--but
nothing is disturbed when we are at home (and I leave a few baited
traps and toilet paper rolls in the camper all the time to monitor the
situation). There is not smell of mice (urine, etc) in the bus. So I
conclude that they are *not* residing in the bus, just having one night
stand sleep-overs with us.
They come, they party all night, they leave in the morning. I've never
had a mouse problem like this. Usually, they take up residence, but I
really don't think these one are doing that. All evidence is to the
contrary.
And the mice aren't aggressive, they're just determined and
troublesome. They're kinda sweet and cute, actually, but I'll feel
differently when they've chewed through my ignition wiring and I
discover this in the morning 85 km up a remote logging road...
T.
On Sep 02, 2004, at 11:08 AM, Eric Zeno wrote:
> Tobin,
> I'm no mouse expert, but I can tell you that mice
> are not that aggressive. They are living in your Van.
> They do not like to be disturbed, or areas that have
> constant traffic. You on the other hand have disturbed
> them, by driving your van. For some reason mice like to
> build there nest in the front heater. If your van sits
> for any length if time remove the tires, and put up on metal
> jack stands. They can not climb up smooth steel jack stands.
> Make sure there is no other way for them to get into the van.
> Like having a broom lean up against the van. Make sure
> there is no source of food in the Van. I am suprized you
> can not smell them when you open any of the front vents.
> I've had a few vans like this. total PITA
> Eric
>
> Tobin Copley wrote:
>> At any rate, it seems my camper is one big mouse collecting machine.
>> Last time camping on the coast, we caught 4 mice before we went to
>> bed,
>> and 5 more in the night. There were still mice left uncaught. ...
>> They do not stay in the camper, as we don't have any left in
>> the vehicle when we get home.
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