Keeping critters and rodents out

[pros80]

Greetings,

After one week where I kept no food items in the van due to fear of critters and rodents and to get comfortable overall, I was thinking of keeping dry foods in a closed bucket. Will this be a safe bet for the most part?


I was also contemplating keeping a food box in the cargo carrier outside at night.

The reason I'm a bit paranoid is I read the Ken Ilgunas book about van living and he told stories of having Mice in his ceiling upholstry. Now I'm guessing he also didn't keep his van in the neatest condition and didn't clean up food properly.

 

[LeeRevell]

If you keep any food in your vehicle, keep it in a metal container. Rodents can chew right through any plastic.

 

[Donedirtcheap]

I dont see a problem inside. A vehicle is tight compared to many RV's but they sometimes will have gaps or holes around the rubber boots on the firewall where wiring etc go through. Have a helper shine a light under the dashboard in different areas and look in the engine compartment for light.

My concern with storing stuff outside is raccoons. I guess it depends on the construction materials of your cargo box but have seen them chew through the floor of a travel trailer. Some states have had year round open season on them as they can be very destructive. Porcupines can chew into buildings and rv's too.

 

[cyndi]

Plug any possible entry sites with steel wool

 

[LeeRevell]

A possum can make a real mess of things too. .22Colibri makes short work of Mr. Possum. Then "Bag and can" him......
Squirrels can ruin vehicle wiring too. But at least they are edible. "Yummy!" ;-)

 

[SoulRaven]

A few months ago my next door neighbor here in the Pocono’s a weekender from Philly did not carry out his trash.

About 11pm the country bear jamboree starts next door, I turn on the outside lights and grab my rifle. They went nutz for over a half hour there were making so much noise and growling I thought they where inside his trailer ripping the doors off the cabinets.

When the dust cleared the next day they took a locked cargo carrier that fits on top of a car that had bird food inside. They dragged it a good 75 feet into the woods and were jumping on top of it. They did not have lock-picking tools so they just ripped the metal hinges right off.

 

[caseyc]

Dang, that's nuts. All that for bird food??

 

[MrNoodly]

Where are you vandwelling, pros80?

I've taken no special precautions and I've had no problems with critters -- except the one time I left a bag of trash out during the night and a fox got into it. The only non-human things to get in the van have been flying insects.

 

[66788]

Greetings,

After one week where I kept no food items in the van due to fear of critters and rodents and to get comfortable overall, I was thinking of keeping dry foods in a closed bucket. Will this be a safe bet for the most part?


I was also contemplating keeping a food box in the cargo carrier outside at night.

The reason I'm a bit paranoid is I read the Ken Ilgunas book about van living and he told stories of having Mice in his ceiling upholstry. Now I'm guessing he also didn't keep his van in the neatest condition and didn't clean up food properly.

I stored a 60 day supply of emergency food in a warehouse and when I visited it the last time I found that rats had chewed through the plastic buckets that it came stored in, though the containers, and feasted on the entire contents. Where there was once nice mountain house packages of food, there were rat droppings.

I traced the entry point to a corner of the drywall that had been chewed through to enter the warehouse room.

Rodents are disgusting filthy creatures and this won't happen again.

 

[akrvbob]

I get mice in the van once a year or once every few years. If you boondock long enough it's going to happen. I always carry Dcon mice killer and put it out at the first hint of them.

I very good trap is a 2 1/2 gallon bucket with 2-3 inches of water in the bottom. Put a stick or something they can climb up. In the desert the water is enough motivation they'll jump in for it. Anywhere else you may have to hang something down the center and put peanut butter on it. They'll jump toward the PB and fall into the water and drown.
Bob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I stored a 60 day supply of emergency food in a warehouse and when I visited it the last time I found that rats had chewed through the plastic buckets that it came stored in, though the containers, and feasted on the entire contents. Where there was once nice mountain house packages of food, there were rat droppings.

I traced the entry point to a corner of the drywall that had been chewed through to enter the warehouse room.

Rodents are disgusting filthy creatures and this won't happen again.

The really interesting thing about this - to me - is that they were able to smell the food through the pail and through the individual packages. Amazing.

Regards
John

 

[pros80]

Aghh, So 5 gallon Bucket will not work for storage. I guess I need something metal.

I usually park in Parking lots, and Big box stores so I assume I'll be ok for the most part.

The biggest paranoia is that they crawl on me in the middle of the night!!!!!

I guess if I wonder into the wilderness and natural type areas there is more of a chance.

I was thinking for peace of mind to always set a trap under the wheel of the van, but that could be an attractant? But they will go for the poison in the trap then run away possibly.


I've also heard on RV sites of people putting blinking wire lights under the vehicle to scare off rodents.

 

[Zil]

You asked for it. Two rodent stories. I had an apple cyder press and made cyder and vinegar. I took a jug of vinegar home in a plastic jug as I used all the glass. I decided to keep it in the spring house, next to the pump. Some mouse or rat chewed through the bottom of the jug, leaking all the vinegar to the floor. The only satisfaction for me was to picture the critter when the juice hit her face.
The other, while roadside sleeping in my Chevy rusty van, along some California Joshua Tree desert I was woken by some thing scurrying, and sat up to a strange little mouse on my chest just as frightened of me as i was of her.

 

[user 423]

Depending on the brand of van you have, they can enter through the cowl vents and into your AC/heater ducts as the little buggers can climb and jump like crazy. I had to put 1/4" square screening over mine and it looks funky but I don't care. One still found a way in though. Finally, I figured out that they could get in by squeezing through 1/2" openings on either side of the hood hinges. Had to attach small squares of screening to cover those areas and it has worked so far.

 

[highdesertranger]

well I have had rats try to set up residence in my vehicle many times, my dog takes care of them he's a great mouser. he will work at it all night long until mr. rat is gone or dead. as far as containers go I like the aluminum military containers. waterproof, light weight, and very tough. here's an example of what I am talking about, they are available at most surplus stores.
http://store.colemans.com/cart/medical-transport-chest-us-gi-aluminum-p-1279.html
the best ones I have found are the flat top ones.
highdesertranger

 

[LeeRevell]

I found a nifty galvanized steel mini trash can with tight fitting steel lid at either Walmart or Tractor Supply - forget which I got it at. But it's fully rodent proof and small enough to be easily 'vanable' - about three gallon size or so.
Lowes also has gallon and quart size steel 'paint' cans. The grey inner coating is not food safe, so put your food into Ziploc bags first.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I have had good luck using dryer fabric softener sheets in my classic truck when stored. Mice don't like the smell, haven't had a problem since I started using them.
When backpacking, extra food stored in vehicle is in metal containers. Those large metal cans that cheap popcorn comes in (found at Christmas time) are a good size. Will keep any critters except bears out of your food (if stored inside vehicle).
If you are good at sewing, automobile air bags are made out of spectra cloth (the same stuff used in bullet proof vests). I can get as many as I want free from an auto salvage yard just by asking. The guys usually get a chuckle from my telling them what I want them for. I use them to make food bags for backpacking. Supposed to be bear proof, but no bears have been accommodating and attacked them, but small critters cannot chew through. This is the same material that Ursack uses. -- Spiff

 

[SternWake]

I am of the belief that small critters, if they cannot smell food, will not investigate.

Before I increased my roof vent exhaust CFM, when In Baja, I would awake to hearing scratching sounds, and the war was on.

I'd do the 5 gallon bucket with peanut butter trap( has to be hydrogenated oil PB, they do not seem to go for the natural stuff) and would depopulate the area, a few less every night until nothing and no more rodent tracks in the dirt. I'd feed them to the Ospreys and seagulls the next day with the help of an old tennis racket. The first night there would be so many drowned in the bucket that I bet more were able to jump out off their drowned brethren's backs.

After I increased the flow through my roof vent I'd see all the signs of rodent activity round my camp, but never had to deal with them attempting to enter the Van at night, or trying to, that I know of.

Before parking turn the Hvac system to off and give it time for the vacuum operated vents to close. Hopefully the fresh air mix blend door closes.

I have installed some fine mesh chicken wire at the air opening by the front passengers seat. They most definitely found the easiest path inside through the Hvac.

I've not had to deal with bears. Got a few raccoons that cruise the area, but they have been good neighbors.

 

[decodancer]

And all I can think of is the little field mouse that I fed with an eyedropper.... Hopefully the dogs will keep them at bay because I could not kill anything.

 

[akrvbob]

When they keep you up all night with their chewing and find their poop everywhere, I suspect you will look for a solution of some kind.
Bob