Tent campers (additionally known as pop-up tent campers and tent trailers) are a pleasant go-between for those who nonetheless love tent tenting however wish to be off the bottom after they sleep. The factor is, all types of critters additionally love pop-up tent campers.
As a result of many folding tent campers function screens and fewer laborious supplies, they’re simpler for pests to invade – and so they love chewing via the screens. That mentioned, a few of these ideas apply to holding critters out of all sorts of RVs.
Easy methods to Critter Proof a Pop-Up Tent Camper
Listed below are just a few ideas that will help you critter proof your pop-up tent camper, whether or not you’re placing it away for the winter or getting it prepared for a visit.
Retailer Meals Correctly
Meals is the most important cause critters make their manner into your camper. Be it bugs, mice, or one thing bigger, the aroma of one thing scrumptious will convey them out in droves.
Maintain meals sealed in hermetic meals storage containers or zipping plastic baggies. As a result of house is restricted inside most pop-up campers, think about using a hard-sided tenting cooler for sealed meals storage. In case your campsite has a meals locker, use it.
When tenting, it’s additionally a good suggestion to prepare dinner exterior when you’ll be able to. This retains meals odors from lingering inside your tent camper and attracting curious critters.
Moreover, take away all meals out of your RV fridge and pantry if you happen to’re placing your camper away for the winter. Then, do an intensive cleansing to take away aromas. Bear in mind, plastic containers received’t cease a devoted animal from moving into your RV.
Examine Your RV for Entry Factors
Almost each RV, together with motorhomes and journey trailers, has gaps for water and LP traces, electrical wiring, and metal cables to function the carry mechanisms. These gaps are sometimes bigger than essential to make set up simpler.
Sadly, these make glorious entry factors for mice and different pesky creatures. Discovering gaps requires crawling beneath your pop-up tent camper with a flashlight. You’ll additionally want a accomplice inside to establish entry factors as you shine the sunshine.
As soon as you discover the gaps, it’s doable to fill them to cut back the possibilities of critters coming into your camper. Nevertheless, it’s vital to acknowledge that modifications can void any current warranties you will have. So you could start by contacting your guarantee supplier to inquire in regards to the phrases of your coverage earlier than you proceed.
That mentioned, critters can completely whole a pop-up tent camper in just a few brief weeks, so mitigation is crucial. Minimal increasing spray foam blended with metal wool is an previous, albeit efficient, answer for filling potential entry factors.
Putting in a full stomach plan or small wooden or steel plates over the person openings have to be completed with the utmost care to keep away from damaging plumbing and LP traces, electrical wiring, carry mechanism cables, or your camper’s suspension.
Make the most of Rodent and Insect Repellents
Dozens of previous house cures appear to work for that fortunate man on the message board. Some are literally price a shot. Listed below are just a few examples:
Discover Tenting World’s full collection of insect and rodent repellents.
Lastly, poison can be utilized to mouse proof a camper if you happen to train excessive warning. Utilizing protected bait stations is a good suggestion if you happen to select this feature, as they limit the dimensions of the animal that may get to the bait.
These have to be strategically positioned and monitored, particularly when RVing with youngsters or pets. The most secure selection is to position these inside or in beneath compartments when your camper isn’t getting used for an prolonged interval.
All the time seek the advice of the producer’s security warnings and use correct protecting tools when dealing with poison for the aim of critter management.
Take away Cushions and Retailer Your Camper in Journey Mode
For the price of changing a large number of chewed screens and mattress pads, it’s in all probability price your time to take away the tenting and cushions and retailer them in a protected place for the offseason. Mice love to make use of cushions to steal insulation for his or her winter houses, so eradicating them definitely beats repairing or changing them later.
Whether or not you take away cushions or mattresses earlier than storing your pop-up camper or not, it ought to at all times be saved in journey mode. Meaning with the pop-up down and locked in place. Even then, opening and inspecting your camper as soon as a month is really useful to deal with points earlier than they progress to some extent the place costly repairs are wanted.
Clear Out Storage Compartments
Talking of the offseason, it additionally received’t damage to scrub out your camper’s storage compartments. We’ve seen rodents create shelters inside ski boots, watersports tools luggage, and nearly wherever they’ll discover a supply of insulation.
It takes a little bit additional time, however emptying your camper and storing your tenting gear inside a storage can eradicate the temptation for critters to create a seasonal house. If you happen to do hold your gear in your camper, it’s a good suggestion to pack every little thing into hard-sided storage containers.
Superior Pop-Up Tent Camper Trailers
Small pop-up campers are an incredible choice for brand new RVers. They help you expertise the advantages of RV dwelling with out overpaying earlier than you discover out if that is the correct selection to your journey wishes.
Listed below are just a few common pop-up tent camper trailers:
Forest River Rockwood Freedom 1940LTD
- Open Size: 20’2”
- Dry Weight: 1,608 kilos
- Sleeping Capability: As much as 5
The Rockwood Freedom 1940LTD is as light-weight and compact as they arrive. It encompasses a two-burner range that may be closed and carried exterior if you happen to don’t go for the out of doors griddle add-on. Cooking exterior is one other nice method to cut back the temptation for critters to discover your tent camper.
Store Forest River Rockwood Freedom pop-up campers at Tenting World.
Forest River Rockwood Arduous Aspect A213HW
- Open Size: 21’2”
- Dry Weight: 2,670 kilos
- Sleeping Capability: As much as 3
The Rockwood Arduous Aspect A213HW eliminates most of the problems with pop-up tent campers by eradicating the tent partitions and changing them with hard-sided partitions. That design gives further insulation, however you will see barely minimized headroom on one finish of the camper due to the A-frame fashion.
Try Tenting World’s Forest River Rockwood Arduous Aspect pop-up camper stock.
Livin Lite Quicksilver 10.0
- Open Size: 20’2”
- Dry Weight: 1,190 kilos
- Sleeping Capability: As much as 5
If you happen to’re searching for a used pop-up tent camper to dip your toes into the RV life-style, the Livin Lite Quicksilver 10.0 is among the most inexpensive choices on the market. It’s additionally light-weight and off-road succesful, designed to comfortably sleep a big household within the two 60” x 84” beds plus a convertible dinette.
Store Livin Lite pop-up campers at Tenting World.
Use Tenting World’s Towing Information to find out the towing capability of your present automobile. That’ll help you select a pop-up trailer you’ll be able to tow safely with out placing an excessive amount of put on and tear in your tow automobile.
Try this tutorial to find out about RV weight rankings to make sure protected towing.
Do you’ve any concepts for pest-proofing a pop-up camper? Depart a remark and tell us.