Rats! In the engine bay (not a horror movie title).

[PowPow]

Lights!

Around here, people with pack rat problems leave on a light either IN the engine bay or under it. And yes, the hood up helps, too, especially with lights. You can even buy expensive lights at the hardware store specifically designed for that.

Also, most comprehensive insurance covers the damage done by pack rats, so if it is a common problem, you may want to lower your deductible.

And to all the people who recommended cats and terriers, that's probably a good idea in a garage, but you can't really have small outdoor pets in the areas around here with pack rats. Those areas also have bobcats and coyotes who frequently eat small pets that are outside.

Circle of life.

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[Bronc-itis]

Mount a rat trap in that area

 

[Wolfie272]

More aggressive, and a lot bigger. Pika are like big rats. Marmots are like really big rats - up to two feet long and ten pounds in weight. On popular trails, they'll literally try to steal food out of your pack or even your hand while you're eating.

Evil Rats. Sounds like the Brakleen or cayenne ideas are the best bet. I wonder if something like bear mace would deter them?

 

[BrentC]

Trunk Monkey! Spray the undercarriage with cat-nip! All kidding aside, outside of parking in a garage I got nothin.

LMFAO at the trunk monkey comment! That brings back some laughs….

 

[Ryuk]

Speedracer never knew how lucky he was that Chim Chim always hid in the Mach 5

 

[Bd2008]

Ok guys. We have this problem with squirrels in Central Texas. My wife hits the outside vehicles with coyote urine scent once a month. Works a charm. Don't know the brand

 

[DaBronCo33]

Get a sexy female rat doll, smother it in peanut butter, put it a few yards away.

 

[sjp]

Evil Rats. Sounds like the Brakleen or cayenne ideas are the best bet. I wonder if something like bear mace would deter them?

I've heard of people using cayenne pepper with good results, but I've never tried it myself.

 

[Who iz]

Ok guys. We have this problem with squirrels in Central Texas. My wife hits the outside vehicles with coyote urine scent once a month. Works a charm. Don't know the brand

What a woman. Texas you are blessed.

 

[Vantcrst]

Not that this will help when parked outside but I just thought this group may appreciate this. European cars are notorious for having the wiring eaten by rodents. I had heard that the European Union passed a law that required car manufacturers to use more green products so they thought it would be a good idea to use a soy based insulation for the wiring. Don’t know if it is true but makes a good story. What I do know is that I have heard a bunch if horror stories of very expensive repairs to Mercedes wiring harnesses. A few years back I finally bought my dream vehicle (4x4 van). Knowing that it was going to be spending a lot of time in the barn with the bats and mice I came up with this.

My wife thought I was absolutely nuts but 4 years later not a single mouse or bat poop in or on my van.

 

[Tilzbow]

I live in pack rat country and have an expensive motorhome parked outside. I use dryer sheets and Fresh Cab inside and in all the storage bays. I also use rat deterrent pellets that I spread underneath. I refresh all three every 3 - 4 months.

On top of that I have four MouseBlocker Pro ultrasonic rodent deterrents. One in the engine compartment, one in the generator compartment, one inside and one in the storage bays. These require 120v and have flashing LEDs.

Lastly, I have a bait station against a rock wall at the back of the motorhome. I think the bait station is the most effective.

On top of all that, we had a bobcat move into the area last spring and since then we’re seeing almost no rat or mouse poop around the house and the rabbit population has seriously declined.

To date I haven’t had any mice or rats in the motorhome in over a year.

 

[nminus1]

I live in the high desert of So Cal north of LA. Mice and Rats have disabled and damaged all of my cars/trucks and 2 ATVS over the 34 years here and there I have lived here. I HATE THEM. They have cost me $2000 or more in repairs including just a couple moths ago..
Here is what I have found that works from research and experimentation:

1. Bounce dryer sheets stuffed in places under the hood where they cannot catch fire, the mice and rats hate the smell. Bunch several together at a time and stuff them everywhere especially next to wires, like computer cables. Change out every 1-2 months.
2. Leave the hood open part way and block it with a piece of wood, etc. Just 6-12" is good.
3. Wrap vital wiring with extra electrical tape. They chew the wires to get to the copper and sharpen their teeth. Especially computer cable wires.
4. I use some flashy things that upset them: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PYWBW3N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
5. Block the airbox (they love the one in my Duramax) with a small piece of plywood, They have nested and had babies in mine.
6. Set traditional external traps around the vehicles, bait them with peanut butter smeared into cotton from cotton balls. Mice are very clever they can lick the PB off a trap and never set it off. When cotton in mixed in they tend to pull on it and set the trap off more often. JMO.

Good luck I have been fighting these bastards for years. If you don't drive the vehicle often then start it every few days for 10 minutes to make it hot and help keep them out.

Hank

 

[Tilzbow]

Also, I think the soy based wiring insulation is less of an issue than people think. Not that rats don’t like it but bears and rodents like to chew on petroleum based products and I’ve seen this in cabin wiring in Alaska and have also seen plastic boat paddles that got chewed to nothing over the winter.

 

[mikedege]

Had this problem in both my vehicles. I got these electronic gizmos, and these rodent repellor packs, and so far so good, been about 6 months. Good luck!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CV2Q15G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SVHTDZM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mike

 

[mpeugeot]

Phosgene gas... LOL

Sticky glue traps where they are likely to start the climb up.

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