Brambles Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Hi, Anyone else noticed this on their Motorhomes. I have just climbed up on my Motorhome roof and all the sealant on the fixing screws and the silicon around one of the vent frames has all been pecked off. It seems to be the Polyurethane sealant (Sikoflex) they have gone for rather than the silicon, picking of silicon to get to some of it. Made a right mess. Also loads of scratches in the gell coat from their claws. I have never had this before in 6 year, although we do have a few gulls nesting in the area and seem to have adopted a nearby lamp post as their lookout. Wondering if the gulls are responsible. The sealant I can replace, but the scratches are really terrible looking, although none look too deep. It is like course sand paper has been rubbed randomly over the roof. Only one vent at rear is affected and not the one on the overhead cab for some strange reason. Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 what part of the country are you in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 In East Tayside, a coastal town, and live 1.5 miles from the sea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 do you get squirrels that far north? as they are a real pest down here in the south chewing cables and damaging roofs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duetto owner Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 poison bait left on the roof might kill the offender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Daft question, but I don't suppose anyone has thrown any bread up there? If they had the birds could certainly do damage in the process of fighitng over it ... you don't live near Tracker do you! (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 Squirrels, there are a few in the woods but I don't think they come down around the houses and no trees along the road, so can't see it being squirrels although is a possibililty. I have removed all the old sealant and resealed with silicon..just back in from doing it. Also did the stove chimney as that looks like it has been pecked as well. I get the impression it is the old Sikaflex sealant they like and it is looking very perished looking. I wonder if they think it is bread or food of somekind. Anyway, have removed what I can and put silicon over it all. Maybe that will stop them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 14, 2009 Author Share Posted June 14, 2009 Tracker -- wait till I catch him ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Brambles - 2009-06-14 8:44 PM Tracker -- wait till I catch him ;-) He will do anything for a free meal............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Magpies.................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkc Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Snowbirds..... Swifts........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I used to have a bird that kept s******g on my motorhome roof. I found a simple solution, I locked the roof ladders to stop her from climbing up there :D :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Hi everyone. An update on my sealant. I replaced the sealant with a silicon neutral cure al around the flange for the vent, and the chimney. Just half an hour ago I spotted 4 rooks on the van pecling away at the sealant. I chased then off and inspected teh damage. They have devoured parts of the silicon... not even left any shredded bits on the roof. So it is definitely rooks, which we have loads of here which fly over every morning and evening. So now I need to find something to repell the Rooks but not attract or harm the smaller birds. I don't think my neighbours will appreciated a farmers gas gun bang thingy. Suppose I could tie string across or a mesh to keep them off for a while...just two weeks to go. Ore maybe I could make upo some spikes from wire and place around teh vent and chimney -- anyone got any ideas....... got to think ratically here --- picture of an eagle with fierce eyes maybe stuck on roof.???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Hi we have the same problem with crows, they go for the rubber on the windscreen wipers as well. we have green netting on top of the van and pieces of drain pipe on the windscreen wipers.they are an absolute nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 Ahhhh! so I am not alone then. I have resealed AGAIN, and this time put a picture of a falcon in attack flight on the rear ventf. It seems to work, they did not go for the rear vent this morning but did go for the front vent. What I have done now is spray Mosi-Guard on the vents - apparently birds do not like the citronella smell. Quite fun now watching the rooks, they fly down to land on van and at last second abort and fly off. So it it the picture or the smell I wonder. having searched the Web, it appears it is actually quite well known birds go for sealant and there are some types more bird resistant than others. However it is not known why they eat it, they just do. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 How about just taping some polythene sheeting across it temporarily, while it's parked ? :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesy Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 I,ve seen somewhere someone using a plastic model of a barn owl to keep other birds off. Or a model of a cat (my preference would be to tether a live cat to the roof but I'm sure I'd get complaints :D :D :D ). Let us know how you get on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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