Straw buildings rodent-proof?

[JoeSP]

I find it hard to believe that critters wouldn't eventually colonize the
walls of a straw building. The stucco covering is bound to crack or be
burrowed through eventually. Why not take the extra step of rolling the
bales in quicklime, diatomaceous earth and sulfur before they are stuccoed?

 

[JoeSP]

Normal houses have gnawable sheathing covering soft, fluffy, warm
insulation, just about heaven for a rodent. But there aren't a lot of
problems with rodents in a normal house.

That's because fiberglass is terribly irritating to the mouths of pests.
Straw is not.

If the stucco cracks in a strawbale house, it'll expose tight-packed
straw. Moisture is probably a bigger worry than rodents there. It's
the same problem as if wood sheathing on a normal house had a hole. On
either type, holes need to be fixed.

Tight-packed straw is a mouse condominium waiting to happen. Just examine a
bale stack after a year or two. It's full of miles of tunnels.

A quick web search showed that the question comes up a lot, and that
it's not a problem after construction. I did find one site that said it
can be a problem during construction, when the bales are open and
there's space between them. They suggested setting traps during
construction.

From what I've read about strawbale construction, getting the foundation
and stem wall right to avoid moisture wicking up into the straw is the
most important thing.

Moisture barriers have got to be just as important in a straw structure as
they are in other structures.

 

[Cosmopolite]

That's because fiberglass is terribly irritating to the mouths of pests.

So, why doesmy cat pull it out with his mouth ?

 

[Bughunter]

What about wolves? They could huff and puff and blow the house down. Just
ask one of the three little pigs.

 

[JerryD\(upstateNY\)]

What about wolves? They could huff and puff and blow the house down.

Obviously anyone who would build a house of straw never heard that story.<

hehehe
I'll bet he has one of those bikes with the pedals up front.