First Time "Renters"

[PFLOYD75]

So, I was able to use my Coachmen Clipper back in February of this year when I went down to Daytona, then Atlanta for 17 days (first two NASCAR race weeks) and haven't been able to use the trailer since (due to life circumstances.)

I've visited it a couple of times since to quickly check on it and make sure all was ok--which it seemed to be.

Yesterday, started getting it ready for my trip out to New Hampshire this week and got the batteries turned on, propane started and the refrigerator operating, when I noticed all this dirt and grass on the counter behind the stove burners.


Looked under the microwave and saw the vent filter covered in dirt. Took it off and saw an entire nest of straw had been built in the fan compartment! The birds had gotten in through the vent on the outside wall. I began pulling out wads of nest, enough to completely fill a plastic grocery bag! One one pull, I managed to slice my middle finger on the vent cover latch and the blood came a-gushin'! Had to lock up and go to urgent care and got four stitches for my trouble. Came back and finished cleaning out the nest--carefully!--and even found three little eggs that hadn't hatched. Sheesh! First time I've ever had any critters get into the trailer and now I know I'll have to tape down the outside vent when I put the camper back in storage. Lessons learned!

[DFW Rusty]

That is crazy.... Never had birds build a nest in a vent of the camper.... yet...


Our Wildwood had a huge wasp nest in the vent for the oven. We didn't use it from October until December, then used it for the week of Christmas while staying at the In-laws. Anyways, I was cooking a big breakfast Christmas eve in the camper, when all of a sudden wasps started just falling out of the vent-a-hood. That is when I realized that there was a huge nest and the heat from the stove was warming them up enough to come back to life. Needless to say, that was an eventful morning.

[PFLOYD75]

Yikes, Rusty! That would definitely have NOT been good to bring the whole hive back to life! Dang! Those are not fun insects to deal with.

I imagine if the bird(s) were still using their "home" in my vent compartment when I started rooting around in there, they may not have been too happy about it and maybe would have come at me. But, it was pretty apparent they were long gone.

Glad you didn't suffer any repercussions from those wasps! Whew!

[Iwritecode]

We've had birds build a nest in the kingpin of our fiver a couple of times. We are on a seasonal site so it's not really a problem, just a bit of an annoyance.

This last time momma bird tended to get a little excited anytime I'd walk anywhere near the front of the trailer. We took pictures every weekend and watched them go from 2 eggs, to 3 eggs, to 2 babies and 1 egg, to 3 babies, to eventually empty.

I've now blocked it all off with pieces of scrap wood so hopefully they won't come back again.

[upflying]

Watch for an infection, a cut like that in a bird nest full of micro-organisms isn't good.
Aircraft owners suffer the same nest building problems while their "birds" are parked in hangers.

[PFLOYD75]

Glad you had a happy finish to your bird neighbors, Iwritecode! Nature in action!


You're correct too, upflying. The very second the cut happened, my finger was nowhere near the rest of the nest and I was grabbing paper towels and squeezing for all I was worth. After getting stitched up at urgent care, I had it completely covered before finishing the nest-removal job. The finger is ugly and sore today but hopefully, on the mend...