What's the best way to seal up the engine bay to keep critters out?

[Beeb2]

I now have my bus parked permanently on my new property. I plan to live out of it while building a home, and then I'll use it as an office and/or guest house. However, I want to keep critters from getting in, which is currently very easy since the engine bay has so many entrances (flat nose bus). I'm looking for ideas for the best way to completely seal it up so nothing can get in. My main concern is obviously mice, but I'm also a bit concerned about snakes since we're out in rattlesnake country, and the shade under the bus will already invite them to come this direction.

 

[ewo1]

Seal up all the holes with sheet metal.
Apply rodent/snake repellant-everywhere you can !

Snake repellent -> Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rattlesn...ad2f2315&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_787axivo7r_b

 

[nikitis]

My bus has been out on my land for 2 weeks now, I'm worried this has occurred already.

Any ideas to test for this other than turn the engine over lol?

Maybe turn it over 1 second, and wait for them to scatter?

 

[Cheezewhiz]

Scaring them off by starting and moving regularly is the best.

Obviously not so tenable in a stationary situation.

You might dig a narrow trench around the edge, and sink sheets of steel into it. Make a tight trailer home skirt, essentially.

Other non-poisonous options to help keep critters out are strobe lights, ultrasonic repellers, and good ol fox piss.

Keeping food in tins or jars and being very tidy is the baseline of course

 

[BamaBus]

If you don't, you'll be sorry!

If you don't prevent mice/rats from accessing the bus you will regret it!

I am in the process of removing a rat infestation from a short bus. In 4-1/2 months of period of bus inactivity, every rat in this county took up residence and may have made this uninhabitable. Next to remove is the dash, dog house, then drill out rivets to remove the first section of ceiling. Those varmints took the insulation from the ceiling and packed it every nook and cranny and did "rat stuff"! If I can't get the odor out, then this becomes a parts bus.

 

[kidharris]

Seal up all the holes with sheet metal.
Apply rodent/snake repellant-everywhere you can !

Snake repellent -> Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rattlesn...ad2f2315&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_787axivo7r_b

most snake repellants don't work. The best Snake and rodent repellant that I am aware of is a feral cat. The smell of a predator is enough for most rodents to stay away, snakes too. If that doesn't work then they will probably wind up as cat food. In addition the snakes will not have as much reason to hang around if there are no rodents to eat.


As far as sealing up the engine goes, just use metal roofing/siding panels and skirt the entire underneath of the bus to prevent winter drafts, hvac losses, and to stop the invasion of all critters seeking shelter under or in the bus. Probably want some insulation glued to the back/inside of the panels. Rodents have a tough time chewing holes in metal.


PS, Make sure that you have no water leaking under the bus as it also attracts pests, especially in the desert or in a drought.
PSS, make sure the stair steps and any decks have side enclosures too. Snakes are well known for hiding under steps and strike you thru the spaces between steps when you walk up the steps. The steps provide protection for the snake from the sun and snake eating birds, mostly raptors. Thats also why you see so many of them curled up at the base of or under a bush.

 

[kidharris]

If you don't prevent mice/rats from accessing the bus you will regret it!

I am in the process of removing a rat infestation from a short bus. In 4-1/2 months of period of bus inactivity, every rat in this county took up residence and may have made this uninhabitable. Next to remove is the dash, dog house, then drill out rivets to remove the first section of ceiling. Those varmints took the insulation from the ceiling and packed it every nook and cranny and did "rat stuff"! If I can't get the odor out, then this becomes a parts bus.

View attachment 81070

rats are well known for tearing up what they can't s..t on.lol

 

[kidharris]

My bus has been out on my land for 2 weeks now, I'm worried this has occurred already.

Any ideas to test for this other than turn the engine over lol?

Maybe turn it over 1 second, and wait for them to scatter?

throw a hungry cat in there lol

 

[Cheezewhiz]

Cats will target birds before rodents, generally speaking.

 

[kidharris]

Cats will target birds before rodents, generally speaking.

In that case I need 2 or 3 cats. The birds here in the desert didn't follow their regular migratory pattern this year but hung around and pooped everywhere there was a place to perch especially around my dogs water bowl and my water hauler trailer with a 500 gallon tank. The dog had fun chasing them, good exercise, but was too slow. I really don't want her catching the birds anyway. The only ones she is fast enough to catch are the sick birds and I don't want a sick dog on my hands.
I keep the dog to scare off the ground squirrels (worse than rats} and rabbits, to try to keep down the damage and attracting so many rattle snakes (mostly Mohave Greens and some Western Diamondbacks) The dog helps keep away the open range cattle too, so I can't get rid of her. Don't think the cats would hang around long with the dog although I did have an episode with a bob cat a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was going to kill the dog before I could chase it off at 3:30 in the morning.. Hope it stays gone. Snakes and bulls are enough to worry about.Snakes are gone now but will be out again soon enough.

 

[kidharris]

In that case I need 2 or 3 cats. The birds here in the desert didn't follow their regular migratory pattern this year but hung around and pooped everywhere there was a place to perch especially around my dogs water bowl and my water hauler trailer with a 500 gallon tank. The dog had fun chasing them, good exercise, but was too slow. I really don't want her catching the birds anyway. The only ones she is fast enough to catch are the sick birds and I don't want a sick dog on my hands.
I keep the dog to scare off the ground squirrels (worse than rats} and rabbits, to try to keep down the damage and attracting so many rattle snakes (mostly Mohave Greens and some Western Diamondbacks) The dog helps keep away the open range cattle too, so I can't get rid of her. Don't think the cats would hang around long with the dog although I did have an episode with a bob cat a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was going to kill the dog before I could chase it off at 3:30 in the morning.. Hope it stays gone. Snakes and bulls are enough to worry about.Snakes are gone now but will be out again soon enough.

PS, i think the dog could catch them if she would just learn to fly, jumping just doesn't cut it.

 

[DeMac]

Basics

I park my vehicles & trailers far apart. I leave wide open spaces between them and keep the grass mowed very short. I do this for the hawks, owls, falcons, osprey, eagles, etc.

I lay a thick pad of limerock under my RVs & buses. Impenetrable by burrowing mammals.

Roosters under the bus. A fast, territorial rooster who has been raised on rat meat & bugs.

Traps.
I use several different styles and designs of rat traps. I also rotate through my various types of rat & mouse traps. I put a trap out for one night then put them away for a few days. Then again for one night. Each time I pull out the traps, I choose a different one from the previous time. Peanut butter has worked best as bait. Cheese sux. I feed the carcasses to the rooster or throw them on top of the shipping containers to keep the hunting birds engaged.

I generally refrain from using poisons so as not to risk the lives of the animals who may consume the rats' carcasses.

I've collected each of these methods from other farmers & exterminators over the decades. I'm looking forward to reading more ideas.