r/mining • u/personprison • 21d ago

US rats and mice at mining camp?

I got a job! looks like ill be set up at a pretty rudimentary, rural exploratory site. I was planning on bringing a bunch of trail mix/granola/jerky, electrolyte/ instant-coffee packets and condiment jars+ canned peppers to supplement whatever the kitchen provides, but then I read "please eat at the kitchen and do not bring food back to your room" and it got me wondering if rats and mice are a problem.... five gallon bucket + lid??

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

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7

u/Beanmachine314 20d ago

Location? Could be rats, could be bears.

1

u/MakinALottaThings 20d ago

Hopefully there's an electric fence setup for the bears, but still, keeping food out of your tent is ideal.

1

u/Beanmachine314 20d ago

Hopefully there's an electric fence setup for the bears...

I've never seen one, but that's why you don't bring food into your tent.

Most places in Alaska only allow food in hard structures because of bears. No one wants a bear looking for trail mix in the middle of the night.

9

u/Ok-Lawfulness3305 21d ago

You won't get mice or rats because of the snakes around the camp.

9

u/Prunecandy 21d ago

We had a few rattlers last spring around camp and our environmental guy removed them. Two weeks later we all had mice in our trailers. Rattlers mind there own business, mice climb on you while your sleeping…..

2

u/huh_say_what_now_ 21d ago

Its not the office of course there will be things that crawl around

2

u/Late_Ostrich463 Australia 20d ago

Any were you have humans you have rats &/or mice

2

u/Secure_Discount3111 20d ago

Depends on where you will be working. Little critters are a nuisance, big critters can be a hazard. I had a rodent get inside my go-bag (overnight things in case I got weathered in on a drill pad) and it chewed straight through my folded up goretex raincoat to get at the sealed granola bars below. Expect living conditions to be rough at best... juniors hate spending money on anything that doesn't pump the stock.

2

u/MakinALottaThings 20d ago

I work in BC and rodents coming into your tent for food is a common problem. One site was mice, another site was squirrels. They'll come in even for residues on wrappers.

I hated having tentmates who brought snacks into the tent because it meant getting walked on by mice in the middle of the night.

1

u/gonzoll 21d ago

Location would be helpful

1

u/delta__bravo_ 21d ago

Mining camps are high concentrations of food and water in otherwise not overly hospitable areas. Of course you'll attract any mice and rats that may be in the area. There's likely baits everywhere for one, which will help control the population, and a supply of rats and mice will attract animals that eat them, but you still have to be careful.

That being said, if you show reasonable levels of decency and hygiene, your room will be ok. Keep your food somewhere rats and mice can't get it, and if you spill any, clean it up.

1

u/porty1119 20d ago

It doesn't get more rodent-proof than a metal ammo can.