keeping our tiny 4 legged friends outside

[wagoneer]

Don't want to kill em just let nature take it's course, I have heard ammonia on a rag will keep them out of the engine compartment also moth balls peppermint any unpleasant to the smell of our little buddies

 

[PackRat]

Adrian....you talkin' 'bout keeping mice or squirrels from eating the wiring insulation and/or nesting or stashing their winter "hoard" somewhere in the engine compartment or....about critters getting into the Alaskan?

 

[wagoneer]

I yam had previous issues in Nevada found a little nest under the Turbo, but then there were rattle snakes in the area . How have you been? My very last day on the Job today, entering a different era of my life 71 in March leaving for Arizona on 1/2/19.

 

[PackRat]

I think if you are out and about with the truck/Alaskan enough most critters will be too shy to try to set up camp in your engine compartment. On the other hand, they will seek out garbage if is in or near your rig if not secured, just like bears or other scavengers. If the rig is idle at your place and it outside near any park or woodland space and not used for any length of time not only will they possibly seek shelter from the elements, build a nest and have a small family in there, but you might have the little critters trying to get inside the camper.

Sounds like you are asking about preventing critter intrusions if parked for some length of time though....so those mothballs or other deterrents are probably a good idea under the hood or next to the tail pipe, but using some type of expanding foam in any openings where they can get into your Alaskan is probably a good idea.

 

[klahanie]

I tried ammonia soaked rags, placed in a couple of small, open containers while trying to dissuade the neighbourhood skunk from patrolling out side our bedroom window. Next morning they were all tipped over. Repeated, with the same result. Not sure if a mouse would feel differently ...

I did find a small nest on top the truck engine, that had been sitting in the driveway. Vacuumed it off and stuffed some crumpled up chicken wire in the space. Or maybe could use something like those bird spikes.

Also found 'sign' on top the Daily Driver engine at home. Know it wasn't there the day before. Both cases prob the critter was looking for warmth and a hideaway. All they need is a few hours.

I fully expect the overnight possibility when camping, esp in the bush. If you are camping in a previously used spot, I think the local small mammal population will be pretty tuned into quickly checking out your campsite and rig, at least where we've camped.

One morning, just after leaving camp, had a mouse pop out of the windshield wiper hole and scurry around the hood. No doubt he had had a rude wake up that morning ... and yes, they can hold onto a moving wiper blade very well, thank you !

And then there was the shy one hiding at the back of the trundle drawer. How he got inside there I'll never know.

We've found other stowaways but who knows how many have come and gone unnoticed. So far tho we've had no negative experiences, as long as we've kept the cab and camper closed up.

I know some folks who've had wires nibbled. They tried various deterrents without success before ending up trapping...

 

[Smokecreek1]

Had a problem with a mouse that got in to the camper this summer through an open tie down door! Not sure where I picked the dang thing(s) up-- it could have been either home or out in the woods somewhere. I had a period of a couple of weeks or so, this summer when I had other commitments and didn't go WTWing and did not look in the camper. Well what a surprise I had when I popped the top and started to get it ready to head out! Chewed up paper and cloth every where and had to pull all the drawers and open up everywhere because it seemed like every nook and cranny had mouse crap and chewed up paper/cloth-what a mess! They got everywhere but under the couch, but chewed up parts of the cover! The dang things even got into the silverware drawers and it seemed like I had to disinfect everything. Lucky for me that I had left no food-except for my usual canned/packaged stuff -in the camper.

This is just another one of those problems that you have to face and deal with when you own and use one of these things and also live in the mountains. Hmmm, maybe I need to get another cat and put him in there when I get back home and every so often it is not in use to clear out the critters! That's an Idea -might even work if the cat will cooperate!

Smoke

 

[PackRat]

I think putting your cat in the camper would be of interest enough.....new territory so to speak. He/she might sniff out anything alive in there. I think anything besides a mousetrap is a bad idea. Have you thought about a poisoned mouse carcass stinking up the camper? Phew.....more like you skunk stinking things up when you get it warmed up!

Trying to seal up the camper is the best deterrent against critter invasion....

I'd be careful cleaning up any mouse droppings up in the mountains though, or squirrels....remember the Hanta Virus?

 

[JaSAn]

They may be your friends but they aint no friend of mine. I want to keep them as far away from my rig as possible and I'm game for any method that works. Their feces, urine, blood, and flees carry diseases you don't want to contract. Cleanup is a hazmat operation: you don't want to breathe in the dust or get any residue on your skin.

The beagle alerts me to any invaders into the living spaces (and is probably a big deterrent) and I have have dryer sheets spread around in the cabinets; no problems yet. I am going to put a small LED puck light under the hood and bags of mothballs under there and under the truck by the tires. I have also heard that rubber snakes under the truck is a deterrent.

I'm open to any other ideas.

 

[alano]

I tried rubber snakes. Funny story. At Craters of the Moon NP in Idaho last summer we noticed a few ground squirrels running around the campsite while we enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail. I pulled out several of the rubber snakes I had purchased for just such an occasion and placed them just behind the front tires of the truck. No sooner had I sat back down in the shade 20 feet away than the rascals came back. One even stopped, front legs on one side of the snake and back legs on the other while he looked around. Wife and I had a good chuckle and I put the useless things away when we got up to prepare our meal.

Not planning on taking those freeloaders out again. Maybe I should just make friends with the next rattlesnake I come across and offer him a warm spot under the hood in exchange for keeping the rodents away. Anybody tried this?

Alan

 

[PackRat]

One more thing to add to your Winterization Schedule....remove all bedding/towels/clothing from camper and store in plastic garbage bags in the garage. If you have the space available, bag all the cushions and store them away also....this removes nesting material and helps with any dampness. The old 100-watt bulb in the camper 24/7 if it is truly sealed (new Pirelli seals needed for this) will help unless you are parking the camper outside and its REALLY cold day and night!

Springtime Readiness Schedule....remove/wash all food related pots/pans/dishes/etc and remove all drawers/open all doors to check for mouse droppings....if you don't find any, you are good to go. If you do, time to set 2-3 mousetraps. That way the little critters can't go someplace you can't easily get to and die and start to stink up the camper. If you have the space for all the cushions, when you are ready to get back out there, you can leave them out in the sun to get any stale odors out...Febreze is an option unless you are allergic to perfumes/etc. A good wipe-down with Lysol or a disinfectant of all counter tops, drawers, silverware organizers, fridge, stove, etc. is another good idea anyway, mouse droppings or not...you'll get all kinds of crud on the paper towel or cleaning cloth you use that you couldn't see.

 

[ArtTrek]

So, we have ordered a 7 foot CO, and are selling our Casita trailer. Have had virtually no problem with critters before, even though we park it in an outside covered space, in the hills above Ashland, Oregon. What am I missing here? Is the Alaskan vulnerable to intrusion by the small critters? Can't it be sealed off when on the truck?