Rats in my engine compartment!

[Mikie]

What is the theory- it leaves them exposed so they don’t mess with the engine when you prop the hood open?

Yep... With the hood open, there is no nice covered area for them to build a nest. Also, if the hood is open, the engine cools more quickly, so it's not a nice warm area for them to build a nest over night.

In my case (with the hood closed), they had completely covered the top of the engine with grass, leaves, etc., all among the tangle of wires and cables that is our engine! Incidentally, the batch of rats all looked quite surprised yesterday when I opened the hood in the morning (while still dark)! They had apparently been sleeping peacefully until I showed up...

My mouse traps turned out to be too small, the rats messed with them last night, but I didn't catch anything. The rats also messed with lots of other stuff in the garage, including trying to chew their way out thru the wall next to the garage door!! My new larger rat traps are out for delivery as I write this, so in an hour or two I should have those in operation...

 

[surfishjoe]

I wish you good luck With this and I hope you get the bastards!

 

[GaryA]

mouse blocker.com They've got the solution,12V and 110V I had a problem with another vehicle and it got redd of the little bastards. I use it for my camper also.

 

[Mikie]

I actually tried two similar products a couple years ago:
- Angveirt ultrasonic rodent repeller -- Indoor model
- Angveirt ultrasonic rodent repeller -- Under hood model

I can't speak to the unit that you bought, but I found that mine did not keep the critters out of my engine, nor out of my garage -- I still saw lots of little footprints all over the engine compartment, and evidence of their work in the garage. And they continued to occasionally build nests in my engine -- even tho the repeller unit was mounted right next to their favorite nesting spot (the nice soft, warm battery cover!)

[All of the above is WRT my former Jeep Cherokee, not my Land Cruiser]

 

[Sugarloafer80]

Rat traps also deal with chipmunks and Squirrels nicely. Amusing story. I always have mouse traps in strategic places in my garage. One day I was just outside the door and heard the trap snap, looked in garage and saw a chipmunk looking like it had had a real bad night. After 5 it staggered away. Moral is mouse trap too small but peanut butter has always been my bait of choice.

 

[UtahDave]

The bucket traps work great. Just put some water and detergent in the bucket and the mice and rats quickly drown.

If you don't want to deal with a bucket of soggy dead critters or a bucket of live ones just put a piece of dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) in the bucket and it will asphistcate them quickly.

I won't use poison because of pets and lots of raptors around.

there are many types for sale. Amazon.com

 

[ultane]

im just glad i live in a place that is rat free

Welcome to the asylum.

 

[Roonie]

I had rats eat our main engine wiring harness on our 2014 ford explorer as all the wires are soy based sheaths. It seems all wires are this way now so rats and mice eat them easily. It was about 5k to replace the main wiring harness. Little bastards. I use peppermint oil as mentioned and moth balls around the car. Do not put moth balls inside engine compartment highly flammable! I also have rats bait stations around the cars. I will try irish spring soap as that kept the deer from eating our trees when we hung a bar of that on every tree.