The patter of tiny feet - Topaz

I've discovered a few little black presents inside my T4 Topaz over the last few weeks! Obviously a mouse has been able to find its way in there somehow on the cold nights and left its mark.
I could set a trap but I'd prefer to find the hole that it's managed to find to get into the van.
Has anyone had this problem with a T4 or any thoughts on where to start looking for holes to block up?
I know that a mouse can squeeze through a hole the thickness of a pencil so perhaps checking for perished grommets under the bonnet may be a good start. Any ideas welcome.

John

Hi there,

Traps are better than poison because you then know where the little beggar died! (As opposed to poison where it could die somewhere nice and secret and the stink the place out for a few days!)

We once had a slight (very quickly cured) problem with cockroaches on our boat. We had brought them onboard ourselves; inside a carton holding six bottles of wine!!

Is it possible that the "poor wee timorous beastie" arrived the same way?

Best regards,

I'm fairly sure it must have gained entry via a hole somewhere. My parking area is at the edge of our plot and has fields to two sides so I suspect the culprit appeared from the field. My garage is also down there and I've previously found similar evidence in that.
If that's the case, trapping one may not be the end of the story - others may follow so I'd like to find the answer.
PS - Like the Burns Night quote - very timely!

John

I've discovered a few little black presents inside my T4 Topaz over the last few weeks! Obviously a mouse has been able to find its way in there somehow on the cold nights and left its mark.
I could set a trap but I'd prefer to find the hole that it's managed to find to get into the van.
Has anyone had this problem with a T4 or any thoughts on where to start looking for holes to block up?
I know that a mouse can squeeze through a hole the thickness of a pencil so perhaps checking for perished grommets under the bonnet may be a good start. Any ideas welcome.

I had a visiting mouse in my van a month ago. Noticed mousey liked the paper on a water bottle, by my seat, shreading up paper in a cupboard, and removing a tiny layer of vinyl off the backing of an out door blanket.

I put a trap down under the driver' seat & got mousey the next day. No problem since.

Who knows how they get into our vans, but I suppose they must climb up a tyre first, then run along the chassis bars until they find an entry point.

On my van, (yours may be different) there are a lot of pipes etc exiting through the floor of the van in the area of the water heater and the space heater. If you also have these perhaps one of the grommets around a pipe is a bit loose leaving enough space for a mouse to crawl through.

squip

Yes, pipe grommets were what I was thinking of too. Particularly if there's a handy chassis rail for them to trot along. The waste water tube was always the favourite access point on touring caravans; led (most conveniently) into a kitchen cupboard of course.

It's a week now since I started this so thought it's time for an update.
I still haven't found the hole - last week I set my trap and caught the beast on the first night. Since then, I've reset the trap twice but not finely enough on the first occasion as the bait just disappeared. Last night I caught another one though.
I've tried blocking the heater air vents inside - didn't realise till then that there's a rotating vent cover on the bottom one. I think the carpetted areas must be ok so that leaves the cupboards and the drawer under the bench seat. I'll have to look for holes there I think. I suppose it might be an idea to close the bathroom door to exclude that from the investigation. I'll let you know if I manage a mouseless week!

John

Hi John,
Keep up the 'big game' hunt! But remember, mice being mice, for every one you see there is probably 10 you dont. (House mice) However if they are field mice they are less prolific, except during harvest time. (Aug/Sept)
And to think I have to buy frozen mice to feed my snake!

Mike D

Mike,

It can get grisly!

I once caught a mouse's leg in the trap; then two days later I caught a three-legged mouse!

Enjoy the hunt - but remember, we hunters eat everything we kill!

Best regards,

Dutto wrote:Mike,

It can get grisly!

I once caught a mouse's leg in the trap; then two days later I caught a three-legged mouse!

Enjoy the hunt - but remember, we hunters eat everything we kill!

Best regards,

Hi Dutto,
But can you stretch your jaw and swallow 'em whole?
My pet snake 'Sweep' can, he gets through about one a week. Cheap to feed, 5 for a £, frozen from pet shop.
Mike D

That's terrible!

Convenience food for a snake!!

I can remember when they invented Dog Food in a tin!!

"It'll never catch on!" I said; but invested £5,000 in Pedigree Pet Foods anyway. (The last bit's a lie of course! If it had been true I would now be sat on my own island in the Maldives!!)

Best regards,

It's now 2 weeks since I started this.
I closed the bathroom door securely and also put the covers on the outside air vents on the driver's side (should have done that anyway).
Still not solved it though - caught my 4th culprit last night - with just the one trap set every night.
I had a good look under the bench seat last week but could see the ground in only one place and that was covered by mesh too fine for a mouse. I may have to dismantle the bench/drawer to get a better look.
My latest effort though is to try to rule out the bulkhead area as a means of entry so I've laid a length of cotton on the floor between the front doors in the hope that any crossing of that point will disturb the cotton - the trap is in the living area. I think the front is the most likely, but we'll see!

John

WOW! That's some infestation you have there!

I think you need cheering up a bit so here's a nice statistic for you.

If the mouse that entered the van was pregnant and gave birth to the average litter of 12 baby mice you may need to trap another 25 million mice before the end of the year!!



Considered buying a starving cat yet?

Best of luck,

John,

How did the hunting go over the weekend?

Solved it yet?

Best regards,

Well, no change really!
It's nice that the weather has become milder but I think that's why I've had no litle visitors since my last report - or at least the trap hasn't been sprung and my cotton detector hasn't been disturbed.
They say we're about to get more cold weather so maybe they'll be seeking shelter over the weekend. I'll add another note if so.
It's my final day at work next Wednesday so perhaps mouse hunting will become my retirement project!

John

It's 4 weeks now since I started this. No more catches to report but noticed today that the bait had gone from the trap so the latest culprit must be a bit more cunning. My cotton detector was not disturbed so I think that means I've narrowed the point of entry down to the area beneath the sideways bench seat near the fridge. I'll do a bit of dismantling to check that area. I thought that I'd be able to remove the boards under the bench seat but I can't slide the seat out far enough to enable the boards to be lifted so I think I'll have to unscrew the fixings that hold the cushion to the sliding mechanism - unless anyone knows an easier way. The fun continues!

John

There is a mouse problem in my T4 trooper as well. As it is a trooper the drivers side has the sink unit and cupboards, its definitely this side as an interior panel in the gas stop locker had been knocked down and the nest was in that locker. I haven't noticed anything in the van just the lockers and so far have caught two and released them back into the fields. Perhaps when I start using it this month my visitor will look elsewhere.
Before we had the van we had an MG TF, used for summer, so they lived in the boot or under the bonnet of that for a while, now that is my everyday car the mice have moved into the van!

DaveSedge wrote:There is a mouse problem in my T4 trooper as well. As it is a trooper the drivers side has the sink unit and cupboards, its definitely this side as an interior panel in the gas stop locker had been knocked down and the nest was in that locker. I haven't noticed anything in the van just the lockers and so far have caught two and released them back into the fields. Perhaps when I start using it this month my visitor will look elsewhere.
Before we had the van we had an MG TF, used for summer, so they lived in the boot or under the bonnet of that for a while, now that is my everyday car the mice have moved into the van!

Funny you just posted on this thread, I was about to, too!

I have a new mouse back in the van. I was cleaning out the bottom cupboard when I found his little cocoon of torn up J-cloth & paper.

Baited the trap yesterday, but have not checked it today.

Here we go again!!!!!!
I didn't share my final conclusion at the end of last Winter (did it end?). I covered up the Carver vent on the side of the van and didn't get another unwanted visitor. However, I couldn't be sure if this was due to my efforts or the improvement in the weather.
About a month ago, I had the van Mot'd and then parked it up - not bothering to cover the Carver vent. Big mistake. Three weeks later I opened it up to find the dreaded droppings. Not only that but there had been considerable chewing of upholstery. If I can figure out how to add photos, I'll add some below.
I've now covered the Carver vent and set traps inside but caught nothing which seems to imply that the vent is the access point (unless I discover otherwise in the next few nights).
Now I need to address the upholstery repairs. Autosleeper tell me they don't have fabrics but told me who their upholsterer is - I've contacted them and they don't have the fabric either.
If anyone has any of this fabric due to good planning or a previous reupholstery job, I'd be very interested in purchasing it!
I don't think an insurance claim is in order due to excesses/No Claims Bonus etc - I just hope that it doesn't come down to a full reupholstery! The damage is to two of the upholstered fillets which were stored in the under-bench drawer and also to the two rear corners of the bench seat squab.
Does anyone know of any breakers yards with a 2000'ish Topaz awaiting dismantling?

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John

ssjohnl wrote:Here we go again!!!!!!
I didn't share my final conclusion at the end of last Winter (did it end?). I covered up the Carver vent on the side of the van and didn't get another unwanted visitor. However, I couldn't be sure if this was due to my efforts or the improvement in the weather.
About a month ago, I had the van Mot'd and then parked it up - not bothering to cover the Carver vent. Big mistake. Three weeks later I opened it up to find the dreaded droppings. Not only that but there had been considerable chewing of upholstery. If I can figure out how to add photos, I'll add some below.
I've now covered the Carver vent and set traps inside but caught nothing which seems to imply that the vent is the access point (unless I discover otherwise in the next few nights).
Now I need to address the upholstery repairs. Autosleeper tell me they don't have fabrics but told me who their upholsterer is - I've contacted them and they don't have the fabric either.
If anyone has any of this fabric due to good planning or a previous reupholstery job, I'd be very interested in purchasing it!
I don't think an insurance claim is in order due to excesses/No Claims Bonus etc - I just hope that it doesn't come down to a full reupholstery! The damage is to two of the upholstered fillets which were stored in the under-bench drawer and also to the two rear corners of the bench seat squab.
Does anyone know of any breakers yards with a 2000'ish Topaz awaiting dismantling?

John

Hi John,

Sorry to see what Mr M Mouse has been upto in your van. Good luck with the search for upholstery.

Just out of interest, what / where is the carver vent?

Best, Ian

The trouble with mice is, they can get through a hole the size of a pencil, also, young mice, will not set a trap off as they are to light, chocolate is better than cheese on a trap, each mouse can give birth to a litter of up to 12 and be pregnant with another litter before giving birth to the ones about to pop.
I would use some bait as well, put it around the edges, they don't like open spaces, when you see that the bait has been taken, follow the trail of seed and you will find the hole.

If I sound bitter and twisted, I am, a house (terraced) two doors up was renovated and it was like a plague, on the plus side, my mother in law woke up one morning, to find one on her pillow (I DIDN'T LAUGH (MUCH) HONEST)

Pete

On the Topaz, the Carver water heater vent is on the driver's side about 2 feet from the ground between the driver's door and the fridge vents. It's a white plastic square vent which protrudes about 3 cm and has Carver imprinted in the moulding.
John

Hi John.

There is no access to the inside of the van through the carver water heater terminal.Or shouldn't be. It is a balanced flue appliance what it does is draw air into the buner from the outer part of the terminal and exhaust flue gasses out of the inner part of the terminal. This means no air is taken from the inside of the van and no flue gasses can enter .
You need to look elswhere to find out where they are getting in. Drop vents where gas pipes are in cupboards are a suspect. if you have a truma heater there is usually a gap between the floor ond the air intake that is normally way to big.

Good Luck. Whisky.

Agreed - I have my Carver water heater on the kitchen table at the moment (no, not extreme frost protection measures - I'm working on it) and can confirm that there should be no possible route in via the external vent.

In addition to the gas locker vents, I would be checking the vents under the fridge and any other gas appliances - AS usually fit metal mesh to these, but on one of our previous vans this fell off under the fridge. Also check around waste/water pipes - AS put sealant round, but again this often fails if the pipework is moved for any reason, and holes tend to be cut much larger than they need to be.

John.

Always one to try and cheer someone up so I hope you realise that the damage done to the upholstery has been done for a reason; and it's not because the mouse got bored or decided to eat it!

The thing is it would be chewing at the upholstery to carry it away somewhere to make a nice nest! That means the patter of very, very tiny feet may come about in the very near future unless you find the nest!

I knew that would cheer you up!

Best regards and good hunting.

Ian