Rodents & Vehicles

[oosik]

Most of you know I live out in the country and I certainly seem to have my share of rodents. Pocket gophers, chipmunks, mice and THIS year a new participant - pack rats. Where as the mice will occasionally build small nests in the engine compartment - pack rats will build a palace. Chipmunks - they like to store seeds in unique places in the engine compartment. Fortunately, none of these critters have done any chewing anywhere and none have ever entered the passenger compartments.

I think I have tried just about everything to keep them out of the engine compartment - most are a dismal failure. Moth balls, dryer sheets, various repellents, etc, etc.

Most recently I have done something that does work, and works 100% of the time. Its going on ten days now and no rodents in any of my three vehicles - tractor, Jeep, pickup.

I open the hood on the vehicle and leave it open. It appears the mice and rats like the engine compartment because its a closed environment.

Easy to do - costs nothing - all you have to do is close the hood when you want to use the vehicle.

Give it a try. Let us know how it works for you.

 

[MacLawn]

Wow, that's a good, simple method! Just open hood! I just wonder if that might make raccoons or something else want to set up housekeeping there! My trucks sit for a couple of months sometimes.

 

[JPRambo]

I have a '92 Jeep pickup I rarely use (not legal). I had rats making homes in the engine compartment. When I did raised the hood they would be gone before I could see them go. So I started to block open with a 2 x 4. I thought it would Make it easier to scare the rats out and hit with .22 varmint rounds. But, they never came back. I removed the nest and not had another since.

 

[ericm979]

We have a rat problem this year here in central coast CA too. Not in the vehicles but in the garden and chicken coop. At first I thought it was because I'd cleared a bunch of brush around the house and tore down a number of rat's nests (they like to set them up in poison oak). But many other people in the area report rat problems so it's not just us.

I drive all the vehicles once a week. That seems to discourage rodents. Especially if you drive them somewhere and park them for a while, like at work.

 

[oldnslo]

Mice will still build nests in area not totally exposed like under the intake manifold, in the fuse box, in the air cleaner, etc.. I know because the have done this on Tundra which sits a lot. 08 with only 23,000 actual miles.

Also have the same problems with my tractors so hood up, shrouds off when ever possible. Dogs & coyotes got rid of all the cats so mice are going strong around here.

 

[oosik]

This is the first year in 36+ years out here that I've had rat problems. I am sure they have always been out here - they just never came in out of the woods and camped in my vehicles. Those who sip their tea, promptly at 3:00 pm, call them wood rats - its a PC thing. Sounds nicer - but they are pack rats. Harder than h e l l to catch in a trap. I've killed four in the last 30 days and have not seen any more signs of them. No idea why the rats this year. Do nothing different than in the preceding 35 years.

I trapped one and shot the other three with my 22 pistol. They are either dumb as a stump or absolutely fearless. Out around 11pm so the dog can do his business and there on the porch sits a rat. I shine my big 'ol Mikita flashlight on him and he just blinks. So I stomp back in the house get the pistol - back out on the porch and 'el ratto is still sitting there in the same place. Walk up within about eight feet of him and blow his sickening guts all over my porch. Its too late to bother with a "gutts detail" at that time of night. Besides he will be there patiently waiting for me in the morning.

Rambo - many, many years ago I had coons - lots of them. I also burned my garbage and had a dozen fruit trees. My nearest neighbor about 4.5 miles away burned his garbage also. About ten years ago I quit burning garbage - all my fruit trees quit producing and died - the neighbor passed away. I have seen neither hide nor hair of a coon since that time.

When those buggers were around - I always would share about half my fruit crop with those little bandits. Out late at night with the big 'ol flashlight - eyeballs in the tree tops. The wife thought they were so cute - wouldn't let me shoot them.

Quite honestly - I don't think hood open or hood closed - - if a coon wants to be in your engine compartment - he'll be there. The only motivation I've ever seen for coons is food.

Owls and coyotes got all my cats. Pocket gophers have turned my east lawn into a WW3 war zone. I just got to get more cats.

 

[oosik]

Somewhat embarrassing - I've driven my Jeep into Spokane and when parked at a parking lot - a little field mouse will jump out and head for cover. Had it happen a couple times. Its called - spreading the joy.

 

[Jstpssng]

On two different company trucks I've been driving down the road at 55 MPH and had mice come out from where the WS wipers come up through in front of the windshield.

Edit: 45 minutes after posting this I went out to put two roasting chickens on the grill which I had preheated then shut off. As I turned the heat back on a mouse ran out of the burner chamber. Roast mouse is NOT what I had planned for supper.

 

[oosik]

Jstpssng - I had the exact same thing happen on my Jeep as I'm boring down I-90 into Spokane. A little field mouse pops out of the windshield heater vent opening. We were both surprised. He waited to exit the vehicle until I parked at Walmart. Ugg - roast mouse. Shades of the practices of certain groups in India. Only there its rats.

 

[Will_C]

Had trouble for the first time ever with mice this year. Packed the blower motor housing on my Tundra so tightly with insulation that it vibrated so bad I though my truck was going to shake itself apart. Did the same on the car, but no insulation, just a nut. Had to replace cabin filters on both.
Trapped 7 and haven't had one in a trap for over a week. Maybe I have exterminated them!

Will

 

[Jstpssng]

Jstpssng - I had the exact same thing happen on my Jeep as I'm boring down I-90 into Spokane. A little field mouse pops out of the windshield heater vent opening. We were both surprised. He waited to exit the vehicle until I parked at Walmart. Ugg - roast mouse. Shades of the practices of certain groups in India. Only there its rats.

Have you ever watched Farley Mowatt's "Never Cry Wolf"? It's a rather comical piece of fiction, unfortunately purported as research.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Out around 11pm so the dog can do his business and there on the porch sits a rat. I shine my big 'ol Mikita flashlight on him and he just blinks.

Once this happens, you have a big problem, much bigger than you may think. Why don't the coyotes take the rats too? Too many?

 

[Oldpath05]

Wonder if this stuff works>>>Stay Away Mice Repellent Pest Control Scent Pouches>>>>> stay away mice repellent | eBay

 

[oosik]

The coyotes DO take the mice, chipmunks, rats, etc, etc - as far as the rats - that may be one of the reasons I'm seeing rats this year. There has been a dramatic increase in the coyote population. The coyotes will come in close but not where the yard light shines. The rats are coming in close to get away from the coyotes.

Whatever - four rats in 36+ years isn't that bad. And I just continue to set, check, empty and rebait the traps. Been that way for 36 years - isn't about to change. For every mouse, rat, chipmunk I trap there are probably several out there in the buck brush just waiting their turn. Just a part of country living.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

For every mouse, rat, chipmunk I trap there are probably several out there in the buck brush just waiting their turn. Just a part of country living.

Chipmunks, seriously?

 

[oosik]

Yes - chipmunks also. I trap the little bastards because they also get into the engine compartment and pack many little nooks and crannies with seeds. Winter food storage - I guess. A chipmunk is just as capable of doing damage as any mouse or rat.

I can't believe people live trap rodents and transport them to other places. I suppose they also stop along the way and hug a tree. Jesus - get a life and face reality.

 

[jfh28]

I've noticed this year that the food scrapes I put in the compost bin have been disappearing rather quickly and not because they are turning into rich soil......lol......the other day I saw some rather large hawks diving down by the bin so I suspect I will not be having this problem much longer...... .........Jack

 

[AchingBack]

A friend's grandson was using his tractor to cut brush. All went well until after the young man returned from lunch and resumed cutting. Before he realized a ground squirrel had chewed through a coolant line and drained most of the anti-freeze, it was too late. Engine had to be replaced.

Oosik has the right idea. If you leave the hood down and a rodent makes a nest in the engine compartment, cats aren't able to easily get in there and dispatch them.

 

[Doofy]

Yes - chipmunks also. I trap the little bastards because they also get into the engine compartment and pack many little nooks and crannies with seeds. Winter food storage - I guess. A chipmunk is just as capable of doing damage as any mouse or rat.

I can't believe people live trap rodents and transport them to other places. I suppose they also stop along the way and hug a tree. Jesus - get a life and face reality.

oosik,

If you hurry, Anchorage Animal Control is running a $15 cat adoption special. You could get a whole herd cheap!

 

[oosik]

Thanks Doofy - just what I need down here -- a bunch of liberal, left-minded cats from Anchorage - ha,ha. True story - friend of my son goes into Spokane Animal Control and says he need a sack full on barn cats. Word is - they darn near put him down and cuffed him right there. Like he said - they won't have to provide the sack - he had a burlap sack with him.

I think - honest to God - some people where born in front of the plow. At least up where you are Doofy - you only have to face that crap if and when you want to drive down into Anchorage. All you have to do is learn to hold your breath long enough to get your job done and be back home as far as Palmer. At Palmer you can start breathing normal again.