Pack rats in engine compartment...solutions?

[Wabbit]

HDR, that looks like a great dog. Had a family lab when I was growing up. He was mellow, but I do remember him getting protective. Perfect mix of mellow and protective when it was called for.

 

[Ballenxj]

my dog Scout is a great ratter and he weighs 60lbs.

here he is and my old prospecting buddy Robert.  R.I.P.  Robert.  highdesertranger

And riding the rails no less. You just opened three lines of conversation for me with this post, but in the interest of not derailing the thread, I'll just agree with the others on leaving the hood open.

 

[DannyB1954]

They may not like the smell of moth balls. Finding something that holds their legs apart may be tricky.
Really, the fumes from mothballs is toxic.

One reason I am told they like engine compartments is they are warm. Even without running the engine it will adsorb heat during the day. opening the hood lets it cool quicker. 

An acquaintance used to use corn meal mixed with plaster of Paris, and a plate of water. Not humane, but effective. Rats eat the cornmeal and plaster mixture, get thirsty, drink the water, and when the plaster hardens get dead.

 

[Wabbit]

...but in the interest of not derailing the thread...

If you ever hear me\read me say BACK ON TOPIC, please slap me...lol. I'll post results in about 5 days or so, but other than that, derail away! Chaos has always been good to me.

 

[vtwinkicker]

Supposedly peppermint oil is deterrent.

 

[Wabbit]

Yeah on the peppermint oil on cotton balls, NOT the extract if anyone tries this.

 

[LMTLMT]

Supposedly peppermint oil is deterrent.

On point ^^^ and Bounce (fabric softener)

 

[caretaker]

shotgun,,with the added benefit of increased air flow in the engine compartment

 

[ArtW]

^^ you just earned your spot in the 'you ain't right' club

 

[closeanuf]

I like the cornmeal and plaster of paris.  If rats are invading my territory I don't care if I'm being "humane".  An old man told me one time coke will work too because rodents can't burp.

 

[rvpopeye]

I guess so.....I was thinking shotgun too !
Didn't post cuz it is probably worse than the rats....

Most places I've been the preferred method is rope lights on the ground surrounding the rig.

Hood up helps.
Or lights under the hood.

Moth balls are toxic to you too.

I've seen some people spread out used kitty litter.

My all time fave was a pet weasel but I had a cat once that was capable of catching them too so I'll conclude with a well honed attack cat !

(He would leave at least a part of everything he killed on the door step.
Including a cat that looked just like him which upset my gf greatly until he showed up for dinner!! . His name was Coco but I just called him CO , a jet black Maine Coon Cat with 7 claws per paw.
He loved to follow my on my walks in the woods and terrorize all the beasties in the wild , but chipmunks were his fave toy. I've even seen him stalking a flock of wild turkeys...)

 

[Wabbit]

/\/\/\ That cat sounds awesome. I'm a dog person, but only because the cat I had was a terrorist.

 

[Ballenxj]

shotgun,,with the added benefit of increased air flow in the engine compartment

And I was going to suggest a paltry little pellet gun. You win!

 

[Stargazer]

Just the thought of rodents under my hood gives me the shivers!  Been there, done that.  Tried everything from leaving the hood up, lights, setting traps, used a commercial product that stank to high hell, etc., and that pack rat (I saw it) just laughed at my efforts.

One important note is that their urine scent attracts others.  It is imperative you get rid of their scent.  I took my van to a car wash and power washed under the hood.  Removed the battery to get under the battery box, which seems to be a favorite place for the little boogers.  In the end, I left where I was, drove 500+ miles in the Summer heat.  Don't know which of these attempts worked, perhaps a combination of efforts did it.  Especially relocating.

I eventually sold that van and recently bought a Class B.  Weeks after, I had someone replace the batteries and when I picked it up, he told me there was a nest under the engine battery box!  Nooooo!!!   He cleaned up what he could before installing the new battery, I washed under the hood when I got it home, and once a week I go out there with a flashlight and check for signs of rodents.  I HATE the little bastards!!!  As for a "humane kill",  bull!!  Quid pro quo -- it made me suffer so I don't care how it dies, just so it's dead!

Just thinking about that battle raises my heart rate and blood pressure.  Have I said how much I HATE them??!!  Lemme at 'em!

 

[Wabbit]

On Thursday, sprayed engine compartments with 50\50 pine-sol\water, rubbed Irish spring soap\water all all tires, and left both hoods open. As of this morning(Sunday-3 nights), seems to be working. One vehicle is Ford Windstar minivan that has quite abit of dark crawl spaces, the other Dodge b3500 doesn't have as many dark hidey spots with hoods open.

 

[Belinda2]

If Van Tramp's superior "leave the hood open idea doesn't work", which always did for me, I would try also removing/popping off the firewall on the hood for a few hours. They will surely leave.

 

[Wabbit]

I think leaving the hood open helped the most.

 

[Adventuregurl]

Buy and install a "Rid-A-Rat"

 

[GypsyDogs]

gee, and here I was going to suggest FlameThrower...

Had persistent squirrels in an engine once.. rotten little beasties...

 

[Wabbit]

And its back. Although this one looked smaller, hard to tell. Woke up @3am to some scratching noises under the inside the vehicle engine cover(bonnet?), grrrr. tired and didnt want to deal with it but better now than after damage done to wires, fire hazard, what not. Went outside and sprayed pine-sol\water mixture under hood and vehicle. Hear an exclamation from inside van. Guess the smell chased the lil b4stard into the interior. So that was funny. Started vehicle to heat up engine, figured I turn on heat and defrost to see if that did anything. It kinda did, on heat setting it blew some debris into my face. Grrrr. Now I can hear something being blown around the heating vent. I'm guessing its nest crap.

Leaving this morning for New Mexico. Hoping I can outrun it... So hood open and other remedies seemed to help for almost a week, but prob have to spray mixture every few nights to keep "cleaning" odor around.