Mice in the van!

[Vanda]

Crap!!!!!
Found some shredded paper in my van 2 days ago. Then when I looked closer, mouse droppings!
I have a fully converted camper van, seats, wardrobe cooker etc.
The more I looked behind drawers the more I found droppings.
Trap down. Next day 1st one caught. Cleaned trap, and snap. Cleaned and laid again, snap. So far 3 quite good sized field mice.
Trap just set again, moving the position each time.
So far, I have not see any damage. I’m hoping they have not found any tasty wires or pipes. They did have a good nibble at a pillow.
But other than that I’m hoping nothing serious.
Anyone else have any experience of this? I’m hoping there aren’t many more!!!!!
Any help or advice would be appreciated but I think I’m slowly but surely wiping them out.
Thanks

 

[Pete C]

How do you think they are getting in ?

Pete

 

[Vanda]

I have no idea. I went to wales for 2 nights 2 weeks back. Not used the van much since. I was wondering if I brought them home.

 

[Paynewright]

How do you think they are getting in ?

Pete

Anywhere you can poke a pencil!

We get them in our garage loft and I’ve no idea how they get in - its 8ft high!

I use Screwfix easy set plastic traps and peanut butter.

 

[Vanda]

I have heard stories or up to 10!!
The first one I caught looked to have longer darker fur so I suspect it was the mum or dad. The second 2 have been same size but shorter fur. That’s why I suspect I have more of the buggers.

 

[Bargy62]

They love our log store when we realize their back might catch 20 over a period of 3 days we use sultanas as bait and the wooden snap traps

 

[Vanda]

Peanut butter is working for me. But I may try sultanas when leaving the traps long term as the peanut butter goes off.

One thing for sure, when I get through this spell I’ll be leaving traps down always.

 

[N13LRO]

Nice are a nightmare! I would also check in your engine bay for chewed wires..vw in their wisdom have made the plastic wire coatings from soy based plants!!
I have traps set in my engine bay full time cable ties in!

 

[Vanda]

Good idea. I’m hoping not engine bay as the droppings are all wardrobe/conversion part of the van. Nothing round the footwell. But will get traps in the engine area too

My first thoughts were that they remain in the van. I’m now wondering if they are going out and coming back in through a known entry point. If that’s the case I have a bigger problem.
Anyone experience this where they are coming and going?

 

[Ads_Essex]

I’m now wondering if they are going out and coming back in through a known entry point.

There are slam-vents on both rear sides just below the line of the rear bumper. That would be my first guess

 

[Paynewright]

I also set traps outside in ice cream tubs with a hole cut each end (with a hole saw). I regularly catch mice. I put them in boxes so the hedge hogs cannot get to them.

 

[Bargy62]

I also set traps outside in ice cream tubs with a hole cut each end (with a hole saw). I regularly catch mice. I put them in boxes so the hedge hogs cannot get to them.

That's a good idea years ago down our old yard we had a rat problem but the mice kept eating the bait off the rat traps so I used sultanas on mouse traps and the first thing I caught what we used to call the yard Robin I felt so bad about it I never set a trap where a bird can get to it

 

[DXX]

As long as the skull fits through the rest of it’s body will follow so anything bigger than 8mm.
Sliding window seal?

 

[AdL]

Peanut butter is working for me. But I may try sultanas when leaving the traps long term as the peanut butter goes off.

One thing for sure, when I get through this spell I’ll be leaving traps down always.

If you have traps you need to check them regularly - off peanut butter is one thing, but off mice is something else!

 

[Bargy62]

If you have traps you need to check them regularly - off peanut butter is one thing, but off mice is something else!

We leave ours out on the log store roof and always wondered what took them turn outing was the local magpie family

 

[denz1968]

Chocolate as a bait works well.

 

[Paynewright]

Nutella sticks to the trigger well (like peanut butter) requiring a bit of effort to remove!

 

[Sabre]

You can't kill them, it's not their fault. Trap and release. Take them for a drive and let them out 50miles away

 

[Garyf123]

Think we are talking about mice here, not elephants or zebras. I thought they were seen as rodents, any found in my van chewing wires and sh***ing on my worktops certainly won’t be released and escorted 50 miles away!

 

[ChrisBell]

Funny. My wife has ordered little Hessian pouches and seems to have raided Tesco for cinnamon sticks and cloves. Making nice little pouches that should keep or is meant to keep the little feckers at bay! I have traps set and also seem to pick up a number of cats prowling at night on the blink CCTV! I will put a 'pouch' in van, sure it will smell sweet!