Well I had my first critter invasion in my 2018 GK. I've been full-timing since purchasing my coach in August 2017. I live in a mountain wooded area but have never had a pest or rodent issue which I think is due to my use of electronic rodent repellent devices.
Imagine my surprise when I pulled open my kitchen island trash bin and a ring tailed cat was staring up at me! He immediately ran back through the top of the island to the hole in the floor that the drain and water lies are plumbed through. Apparently he got into the underbelly and was able to get into the island through this opening as well as into the utility bay through the openings for the shower/sink/washer drains.
I have cut some wire mesh to fit the sink island plumbing opening and plan to do the same for the openings in the utility bay but I also need to figure out where he got into the underbelly. I suspect it was at the rear under the rear cap but with the hitch welded to the frame it's difficult to access this area for inspection and to put in blocking material.
Needless to say I am not impressed with Redwood on how well sealed up the coach is. This was no small animal. Luckily I placed a trap under the rear of the coach and baited it with dog food and he took the bait and is being relocated. He was a cute little booger but not in my coach. It's snowing outside today and with the immediate threat gone I think I can wait a few days for warmer weather to figure out where he got in. Does anyone have a guess or have experience on better sealing the underbelly to prevent critter entry? Thank you!
BTW - Ring Tailed Cats are not cats, but are related to Racoons. They are sometimes referred to as Miner's Cats as they were used for rodent control in mines. They definitely like a protein diet. I've lived in Colorado my entire life and this is the first one I've ever encountered.
Rather large, but cute critter you caught. I have seen the openings for the hydraulic rams for main slide outs to be a potential for entry. Also at the rear cap as the cap and underbelly don't transition well.
Rather large, but cute critter you caught. I have seen the openings for the hydraulic rams for main slide outs to be a potential for entry. Also at the rear cap as the cap and underbelly don't transition well.
I’m not sure how to access the underbelly at the cap with the hitch in the way. The hitch is welded to the frame so it can’t be removed. I guess I could try pulling down the underbelly at the end cap and work to seal it from within. I can see wiring coming out of the underbelly but I can’t see if there is any barrier that blocks the underbelly off at the end of the frame. You are correct about the hydraulic ram openings. They are fairly large and lots of critters could enter at these points. Perhaps I’ll stuff them with insulation which I can remove prior to travel. My immediate course of action though is to place wire mesh over all openings (plumbing, mechanical and electrical) between the decking and underbelly to at least prevent intrusion from the underbelly into the interior of the coach.
