Hi All! I'm contemplating a big change - renting out my home, then buying an RV and living in it full time with my gliders.

I know that we have at least a few RV travelers on this forum, and so I'm looking for your advice on keeping gliders happy and healthy in that lifestyle. Any tips are welcome!

Some specific questions I have in mind...

How do you glider-proof the cockpit?
Any special concerns elsewhere for proofing? (vent systems, etc.)
How is the nocturnal noise level sharing close quarters?
What size/type of cage do you use, and how do you secure it for travel?

Thanks!

##1 Answer: We travel with a 33' 5th wheel 3 slideouts. As far as a class "A" - class- "C" motor home - I have no clue. The cockpit is definitely hands off for gliders. There is no way to keep them out from under the dashboard. And they do chew wires.

#2 Answer:We didn't have to do much proofing. Had to fill in around couch, keep all cabinet doors and drawers snapped shut. It will depend on the individual camper.

##3 The cage is upstairs on a dresser in the bedroom. We are accustomed to their noise. We prefer to hear them. Since they live in our bedroom at home, I see no difference.

#4 We do have a smaller cage. It is about the Size of the Cottage Glide-r-ium. We have it screwed into a curtain valance. It doesn't move.

RV-ING is not for the faint of heart. We had 5 years under our belt, in the most extreme conditions of heat and cold before we decided to get gliders.Our 5th wheel is a 4 season with an added weather package. It was rated to 20+ with Temps above freezing during the day. We tweeked that to below freezing for up to a week. We have been in -20 degrees up to 115 degrees. We have back up plans in place for either extreme.

Break downs will happen. We have found support groups on FB: Living the RV Dream and RV Tips and Helpful hints.

Comrade Fluffy can clue you in on more as he is a newbie.

Hope this helps.

Hey guys...
Ok...finally settled in at the new camp.

I love the RV life. But there are some downsides. For instance you have to become a lot more conversant with handling your own poop.
Cleaning is easy, but frequent, since you are in a small space.

For the cage I have the Critternation 162. I don't secure it full time--only for travel. Bungee cord around it--connected to a couple stays in the wall. For RV walls small drywall anchors work well for creating an attachment point.
I would say get the biggest cage you can comfortably get. They don't care if you are in an RV--they still need their space.

IMHO, the best thing about RV living with gliders is that it's a small enclosure. So it's always tent time.

Glider-proofing the cockpit of a land vehicle would be difficult. Ultimately I didn't need to, because I went with a 5th wheel as oppsed to a class A or C--so Like LadyMac, I don't have a cockpit.

Here's what I was going to do.
Materials..

1 razor knife.
1 Roll duct tape.
A bunch of cardboard boxes
3x small, telescoping curtain rods from the dollar store.
! appropriately sized sheet of "Coroplast" plastic or similar rigid plastic material.
Zip ties.


Sharpie or other pen that will mark on plastic.

Best done with the floormats/carpets out of the vehicle.
Get your doors open and basically start cutting the cardboard, to create a diagonal barrier between the bottom of the dash and the floor.
Duct tape pieces of cardboard willy nilly and cut any wild shaped pieces you need.

You should end up with a frankenstein hunk of cardboard and tape that (if it would hold together for any time) is just the right shape to tightly enclose the under dash area.

Throw this shape down on the Coroplast sheet and make an outline of it.

Cut it out.

Shove the sheet into place.

Here, you may have to strategically make incisions in the plastic so that it meshes up tight against the dash and floor.
Make the cut--let the bend/cut in the plastic form into the right place, then STITCH into shape/position with Zip ties.

Now you have a wild looking plastic cover, custom fit for the space under your dash. It's tough and effective--but it's a storage nightmare (doesnt fold up and flatten well)

Or depending on how messy you want to get, you can do the same thing with Chicken wire--paper mache' (sp) and spray-on truck bed liner.

Use the curtain rods to wedge the cover into place against the front of the seats. I never found any tape or other affixment that would keep it tight in there.

(Curtain rod also handy if you need to jam the gas pedal down to ram your truck into a bad guy structure or something. The small telescoping action of the curtain rod keeps it tight)

Clearly you probably can't drive with this--but specifics of the vehicle make a lot of difference.

As for the rest of the RV...it's just about finding places you don't want them to be able to get to and making them inaccessible.

A brillo pad wrapped in tin foil and then pounded down into a flat patch makes a good plug for gaps that you want to keep them out of. Secure with silicon calk for a good--SEMI permanent bond to hard surfaces.

If your heater registers are plastic, replace them with metal.

It's an ongoing process though. They are always showing me new things that I should patch up.

Noise level hasn't been a problem.

Hope this helps!

I am considering a 5th-wheel instead of Class C for a lot of reasons, but that is harder to drive/park with one person and budget is a definite factor in purchasing a truck as well. However, living space separate from driving space would give me much better peace of mind with the gliders. Still pondering options!

Thanks for the advice, Dawn. My heart is strong, and I think I'm up for the challenge. (Although I'd rather head south for the winter than deal with that kind of cold!) My parents have been RVing part time for the last 25 years, and I know how often their rigs have been in the shop. I'm hoping that buying an RV with less bells and whistles than my parents' rigs will mean less problems.

LOL, Comrade! Yes, I've been told about the need for frequent... waste management. Just one of those trade-offs for freedom, right?

My plan is to buy a rig with enough space to accommodate my current Large Sturdy Cage (22"x32"x52"), but I wasn't sure if that was realistic. I appreciate your advice not to cramp the gliders' space to match my own.

Stef hey...

sounds like you are in the same place I was about..10 months ago.

I agonized over the setup for a long time, weighing different factors. And for ME (your needs will surely be different) I'm happy I went the way I did.

***If I could go back in time, here is what I would tell myself***

Size: Don't be afraid to go large (But OVER 40 feet gets prohibitively hard to park.)

I have never had an RV before and never pulled something this big. Plus I even have another trailer I tow BEHIND that. (check the laws in your area...triple tow is not legal everywhere)
I was really nervous at first...but it's not that bad. It's doable. And it gets easier as you go.
And if you are like most people you'll only have to do it every-so-often. I like to set camp in a place for several months at a time, and then radiate out from there exploring with Bianca, or Bunny. Only have to white-knuckle the big rig around when I have to move camp.

Furnishings: If you are not in LOVE with the interior, you will probably end up gutting it and starting over eventually. (actually quite easy in such a small space) Don't get hung up on the interior--consider it a blank canvas.

Purchase Advice: Reserve DAYS at a time to shop for RVs--it takes a long time because there's lots to test on an RV.
Don't limit yourself to your local market. LOTS of great deals on the internet. TONS of markup in RV dealers RVs. And they don't give jack for trades, so they have plenty of profit built in. Weep not for them.
If they have it up for 60k you can probably get it for 39k, and still have room for them to fix anything you find that is broken.
When you find one you like, go make an inspection of it. Call ahead and have them get it ready for you. They may have to charge the battery, put water in tanks, and give it some propane before you get there. So you can test the systems. It's not out of line--they expect this.

Make them show you how it fills with water, and dumps gray and black tanks. Make them demonstrate that these systems work. And that the tank valves articulate EASILY and COMPLETELY and don't leak. Demand that the tanks be drained and rinsed. (If I am hauling a load of poop across America, I want it to be 100% MY poop.) Confirm that tank level gauges work.
Repairs on the road are a PITA. You are spending a lot of money here, so they can step up--you are going to be living in this thing after all.
Make sure all the ACs blow cold.
Look for water leaks--look for any evidence of water damage near the windows, ceiling seams.
Don't take it until they have fixed everything. MAKE them fix anything you find that is broken before you take delivery.
Don't assume it works unless you have personally seen it work. Also, on the inspection, bring a little pad and write everything down. It beats the salesman down psychologically--de-valuing the vehicle in his mind. Will save you money at the negotiation table later. Don't even tell 'em what you are doing just frown concernedly, as you jot down everything WRONG you can find on the unit.

Watch for this common trick and don't fall for it:
They had the unit listed online for 60k (example).
The first pass they come down with lists it at 80k with some handwritten notes about a 20k 'discount' This is bs. 60k was the list price--the inflated fake 'sales price' gimmick is to try and keep you from beating them down. It's crap. Ignore it.

Then glare at the salesman and jot something down on your pad.

Haha...and THIS JUST IN...consider making them upgrade the tires!

Class A, VS Class C, vs Trailer.

I went with the trailer. Specifically a 5th wheel Toy Hauler. It's like a 5th wheel travel trailer except it has a smaller living space, but features a small vehicle garage. Let's me carry Bianca (the bike) back there. Once I set camp, the bike gets deployed, and I can use that space for a workshop, or storage or whatever.

Also, the ability to detach the trailer and take the truck into town is awesome. You get the living space and all the bennies, and you still have something to drive in town. Ever need a truck when you lived in a sticks-and-bricks house? You still will.

So since I already find I like to have a truck in my life at all times--a trailer setup was a natural choice.

If you go with a class A or C you will almost surely end up wanting to tow a car behind it. The ability to break the rig up into smaller vehicles allows much flexibility.

Slides--yes...love em. Some people will tell you they don't like slides because it's just one more thing to fail. True. But it doubles your living space, so...I say yay for slides. No problems yet with my slides. (knock on wood) Make sure the seals on the slides are good--they are meant to be airtight, so they should be glider-proof. (NOTE--this is barring gliders actually chewing through the rubber seals to get to the outside.)

**Mine don't like to go outside...Justin tells them scary stories...**

Awnings: It's funny everyone tries to sell you on awnings. "Oh it's got a GREAT electric AWNING syetem. Look at that beautiful AWNING! And it goes in and out so easily! And you can hang Christmas lights on it!..." and on and on.
I have never used mine. Every time I put it out, the wind kicks up and I have to pull it down before it ends up in OZ.

Awnings OVER your slides: Yes. You might flinch at the added cost, but this will cut down the HEAT your RV absorbs, by a lot. Also--the over-awning slides are moored to the awning--pretty much wind-proof, so you don't have to worry about them crushing some munchkin farmer down the road. Once installed they just go in and out with the slides automatically.

Insulation packages: YES. Even consider a good, portable fabric skirting package if you can.

Fighting the temperature costs you money. Either in propane or gasoline or electricity.
Go *NUTS* up front on insulation options for BOTH cold and heat. There is no such thing as too much in the insulation dept.

Refrigerator: Dometic or Norcold are the big manufacturers. Don't let someone woo you with a "RESIDENTIAL" fridge. You WANT the ability to switch that fridge from propane operation to electric, and back. Fridge--bigger is better. Must have big freezer to hold much frozen glider food.

Washing machine: If you have the space, consider a small stackable unit like for a small apartment (make sure it's not 220 of course--your RV will probably only support a 110) Or a RV washer-dryer unit like the Splendide'. Laundry on the road adds up. Unit pays for itself quickly. Craigslist good source for this. I find the gliders generate plenty of their own laundry.

Having a cage that size on the road is totally doable. I have my Critternation 162 up with plenty to spare--just like before. And because the back folds down into a RAMP, I can just roll the whole cage outside through the back and hose it off if I need to.

It's a big scary move. Unhooking your identity from a place and suddenly carrying your whole life on the road. You definitely give up any sense of routine. No such thing as routine anymore. Every day is something new to see, to learn, or to fix. And new places to clean glider poop out of.

But totally worth it.

And new people to meet. Wild, crazy cool people. And a few authentic nut-jobs. It takes a village.

And it's sooooo CHEAP.

It's the Spacer life. Moving whenever you want, making a buck where you can--with new characters coming in and out of the show every episode. You are Malcolm Reynolds, Han Solo, John Crighton, Peter Quill...

Hey, where are all the female spacer heroes? Hmm. :-(

You give up some luxuries.
My butt, for instance, longs for the feel of a real toilet. (Don't get me started on the toilet.)
I have to wait 30 min for hot water to heat up. I have to clean a lot. The shower is small.

Some luxuries come at a cost...the price of freedom, as you say. You get used to not having those luxuries pretty quick. And then you don't really miss 'em.

Glider-proofing goes to the next level--since it's always tent time in an RV (unless you have the space to actually set up your tent) you have to glider-proof everyTHING.
Not just where they can get to but WHAT they can DESTROY with their PEE! (the TV is acting funny now....PLEASE not the tv!)

But all things considered: RV life ROCKS, and I'm never going back. :-)

(NSRB Warning: Individual experience may vary during online play)

That's my brain dump on that. I hope you find it helpful...

(geeze I talk too much)

Gliders are totally doable as RV pets.

Damn Dave, you almost make me want to become an RV'er. (Almost.)

Wow, thanks Dave! That was a very informative brain dump.
I'm now pretty much set on a 5th wheel, something around the 30' range.

I think I will still take my tent with me in the RV, perhaps so I can enjoy some outdoor play time with the gliders on occasion. Do you take yours out for fresh air? I can only imagine how Yoda would go into turbo-sniffle mode checking out all the different scents outside.

In my early 20s I drove from Chicago to Seattle in the middle of February, towing a U-Haul trailer behind my Ford Escort sedan. That was mildly harrowing, especially with snow and ice through the midwest and then flooding up the west coast, but I arrived safe without hitting anything and that's what counts. I'm hoping that bodes well for my ability to successfully maneuver a 30' 5th wheel (with lots of practice and deep meditative breathing). Like you, I'd also prefer to plant myself for at least a few months at a time rather than go through all the stress to travel frequently.

I hear you on making the dealership go over every system and leave the tanks spotless, but would you ask a private seller to do the same? One unit that I'm strongly considering is being sold by a pair of snowbirds who are retiring from the lifestyle.

I'm excited to make the interior my own! I've been living in the same condo for nearly ten years and am just itching for a new space to get creative with, especially since home decor now includes making fun spaces for the gliders.

Yup, this is definitely a big scary change, but this is exactly the direction that I need to go. Last year I quit my comfy corporate job of nine years and took off to travel around the world for six months. I got home in September and have been trying to figure out what next since then. And then inspiration struck!

I can't wait to meet all those wild crazy cool nut-jobs out there.

Comrade is quite right slide out awnings help with rain noise and shade for slide outs. Many campgrounds don't have a lot of shade. Especially in the dessert. Now that our 5ver is paid off we are installing them.

Our first camper was a 2001 Salem Light 27'. No slides. I call it a camper because it didn't have the extra weather protection, and we roasted and froze in that thing. 42 degrees and you watched the curtains move with the wind.

We have an 2008 Denali made by Dutchmen. 33" with slides. These 2 5th wheels were world's apart in the comfort category.

Stef hey....don't get me wrong here. I'm not a super expert. Just passing on my time travel advice fantasy. :-)
But what I have heard (and after 5 months of living in this thing I am tending to agree) is that RVs in general are not made to be lived in full time.

Everything is cheaply put together with the idea that you are going to use it on the weekends only, and then trade it in for a bigger, better model later. (for people who have the money to do that...)

Just like living on a submarine, or a small spacecraft: (Hey it's MY fantasy and MY rig--don't judge!)
Small living space means things get dirty quickly, so cleaning regularly is important. This was/is a problem for me, because I am Slob-zilla. Still it's not bad. And I find I am getting less slobby every day.

If you are going to be living in it...you want to be the FIRST person actually living in it. Otherwise there are potentially lots of hidden wear and...hygiene issues.

For instance anyone who buys this unit will be finding mysterious, spontaneously generated, glider poop, dog hair, rice and beans somehow appearing from nowhere--forever. And I'm sure the place is never going to smell quite right again.
But who cares--they are gonna bury me in it! (Seriously...like an Egyptian mummy. Just dig a big hole and drive the whole rig down into it. Then build a subdivision on top of me and I can have fun terrorizing the locals for eternity.)

But that's not a rule. You could be looking at a REALLY nice unit that people took really good care of while they were living in it. Certainly don't rule it out just because of that.

A private seller should be prepared to at least demonstrate that everything works. Or point out to you the things that don't.

However, as I a private seller I would tell you to rinse the tanks 'yer-dam-self'. ;-)

I have taken Justin out on occasion for short walks to open dump valves and such...but then right back inside. We haven't done much public carry training yet (for lack of a better term) so I don't feel comfortable yet taking them out. It's on the list though.

Don't be afraid of driving it. You can do it.

Comrade is right about cleanliness. Our second 5th wheel was sold as used, but it never left the dealership parking lot till the dealership went bankrupt. Then it was sold in auction to a used dealership where we bought it.

And yes, we hanging on to this one.

I didn't have time to read through all of the long posts here so I went with searching for "heat" and "hot" and didn't find anything. I'm thinking about traveling this summer for about a week in an RV. Since it's the summer it might get quite hot inside the RV. What do you recommend for the suggies dealing with the heat? Should I ask to have the air conditioner running a lot or is it ok for them to get pretty hot? I'll definitely bring some cold packs... I made the mistake of buying a 20 pack and nobody wants my extras, but I'd rather know how other people deal with the heat in an RV so I can do it better than just giving them instant cold packs all the time (or at least know when that'll be necissary)

There are more factors with heat and hot IMO than cold.

Cages should never be placed by a window that gets sun. While traveling, they should be in the same environment as humans. Place grapes or apple slices in their pouch for hydration.

If in an RV, they can get hot like a car. So A/C is necessary, unless it's in the shade with windows open and a nice breeze. I haven't been with them in extreme dessert heat that would be Comerade's department.

In extreme heat, a small fan (personal desktop) to stir the air at Temps above 90deg. I would place ice packs in front of the fan, but don't aim the fan directly on their pouch. So far we haven't had to deal with inside Temps above 85deg, but I am prepared with the above essentials just in case. Never use an ice pack directly or in directly on their pouch. They can regulate their body temps. I use a clean spray bottle with water to spritz the outside of their pouch and cage for humidity. Also if it is really hot, move the cage to the floor where cooler air is. Give them more options for sleeping. On cage floor too.

Gliders do not have sweat glands all over their body like we do. They are located near their wrists ,ankles, mouth, can't remember where else.

I might have forgot something, but does this help?

Everybody, thanks so much for sharing so much of your knowledge and experience! That really helps with my planning and decision making.

I am delighted to announce that I have just purchased our new home! Yoda, Winky, and I will be living in a 2002 Fleetwood Southwind 36ft Class A motorhome.

That is a really nice rig! Do you have a toad yet?

Where are you heading first?

Please keep us posted on your travels!

Wow! Nice rig, Adventure Girl! (that's what I'm calling you now.)
Congratz on pulling the trigger to a scary-amazing life without limits or convention.
She's a beauty! Lets have some pics of the interior!
Have you let the girls sniff around in it yet?

I find that RV life spills over with little improvement projects. What is going to be your first modification?

What fun! What's your first destination?

On the same day that I bought my rig (yesterday), I got a job offer! May 1st will find me settled into a site at Thousand Trails Leavenworth (WA), surrounded by majestic mountain forest. *blissful sigh* I'll be working in the welcome center for minimum wage (a far cry from my corporate past), but it's my entry into the wonderful world of workamping and I'm grateful for it!

The rig is still with the dealership getting checked out (it was a brand new arrival), but I'll be picking it up next Monday and taking it to my parents house because they have space (and tools) to accommodate the RV during renovations. First up is the floor - replacing old stained carpet with beautiful laminate that will be far easier to keep clean of glider debris. I've never done flooring before and I'm not usually the handy type, so wish me luck!

I'm planning to get a tow dolly to take my Kia Sportage along, but haven't gotten that far yet. Once I've got the RV parked at my parents' place next week, then the gliders and I will spend a few nights in there while I'm working on it, before I fully move out of my condo and hit the road in less than a month. (Eek!)

Adventure Girl, signing off.

OK, "before" pics are uploaded to photo bucket! Now I embark on the adventure of teaching myself how to do renovations.

http://s44.photobucket.com/user/stefwarren/slideshow/

Hoping that the slide show link works...

Wow! That is a beautiful RV.
Luxury...
....doh....I have RV envy. :-(

Seriously though--that is a really nice interior. Someone either took really good care of that, or just didn't use it much.
Congratz!

Thanks, Karen! Overall I'm really pleased with it, and it''s going to be an awesome and cozy home for me and the gliders. But it is a used vehicle in need of some care. Brakes and tires had to be replaced. Transmission service, lube, oil, and filter is next, then windshield chip repair. My dad (an RVer of 25 years experience) keeps telling me all sorts of other things I need to do to it, but if I even get around to doing half of his list I'm sure it'll be fine.

Thanks, Comrade! And the interior is only going to get better! I'm pretty sure that nobody lived in this RV before, but the previous owner certainly did get around - 103,000+ miles on the odometer. But since I'm planning to sit still far more often than go for long hauls, that's not a big concern for me.

Wow...your dad is a 25 year RV'er?
I might want to ask him some questions too!

I'll be happy to relay any questions you have, and my dad will be delighted to answer. It really is one of his favorite topics.

I finally got to view your slideshow! (Had to wait for data on my phone). Wow. That is really nice! You did good!

The gliders and I have been going back and forth quite a bit, spending a few nights in the RV that is currently parked at my parents house, and spending a few nights in my condo about 2 hours away. I think that waking up in a different location too often is beginning to cause some stress for all of us.

This morning for the first time, there were some... digestive troubles... apparent after play time. I found a bit of a mess in my suitcase, where they had both been climbing this morning. (Maybe that's their way of suggesting that we should be done with the back and forth by now.) Being the more anxious of the two, I'm just guessing that it was Winky's delicate constitution at fault.

I did just give them Happy Glider pellets for the first time a few days ago, but the digestive problem didn't show up until today. That's the only change in their diet, and I wouldn't think that should cause problems.

But by next weekend... we will all be living full time in the RV, and the trauma of waking up in a different location than they went to sleep in will be only a memory.

So, how's RV life so far?

Yesterday I finally drove it a significant distance to my first RV park - about three hours, including morning traffic through Microsoft territory. I had no idea that stop and go traffic can actually be soothing! It seems that going slow in that rig makes all the difference to my stress level.

I've suffered trials and tribulations in my attempts to replace the flooring. The carpet is gone (yay!), and the new vinyl is covering most of the floor... just not all of it (*sigh*). I encountered technical difficulties with the slide-out functioning after all the flooring was laid. But after removing some of the planks, the slide pulls in, I can drive the rig, and I can live in it. The problem isn't urgent (or so I keep telling myself.) For now, I'm focusing on moving in instead.

This first RV park is just 15 minutes away from my condo, so I can make multiple trips to and from with my stuff. I'm also preparing for a moving sale at my condo this weekend.

Tonight I have a friend coming to help me move the big glider cage into my rig, at which point the critters and I will take up full time residence. I still haven't gotten the glider-proofing of the cockpit done, but the temporary fix of throwing a big blanket over everything has been working so far (combined with my vigilance of herding them out of the area when they get curious).

I'll put up some more pics of the renovation process soon. Thanks for asking!

I am so excited for you! I'm glad that handling your rig is relaxing. It should be. We find we love the travel (even if it's only in Mom and Dad in law's driveway for now). Home is always where ever we are. An escape so to speak, yet our scenery out the window changes.

You have definitely an advantage over us and Comrade (yes I know you are reading this) having your Mom and Dad to help transition you to RV life.

It will be fun!

Hey how do you *know* I'm reading it. I might not be reading it at all.

You can read? I always figured Ms Frisby or Justin was helping you. Huh, who knew?