Rat caught in cab of truck!

[Motorpsychology]

Next thing you know, he'll be trying to join the Forum. Admin., watch out for any suspicious-looking applicants with names like TRAIL-RAT, RODENT-RIDER, RANGER-RAT, etc.

Does anyone near you own a 348 or 409 cu. in. Chevy?, It might have been looking for a "Rat Motor."

I had mouse that thought it would be nice to winter in a closet off the entry to our garage. I set out a classic 59¢ mouse trap and baited it with peanut butter. It took me several tries to get it set and stay set. I checked on it a couple days later and it was untouched, but all of the peanut butter on the pad was gone. All of it, like I had washed it but the trap had not been sprung ?!?
Then I noticed a fresh spider web halfway up the wall above it.

Rats & mice can compress down to about the diameter of their eyes. Check the plastic scuff guards on the door sills, they can be pried off. There is wiring in there for the rear cab electrics on both sides; rodents can chew the soy-based plastic insulation for the protein.

edit: There are plugs on the underside of the door sills for predrilled holes for running boards-any missing?

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[Doc]

IDK, those buggers can do almost anything !

But yeah, you'll have to go thru the truck. Don't forget the air vents on the rear cab wall.

Good luck !

Where are the Air vents ?
Regards

 

[Chris M]

Is it common for there to be unplugged holes big enough for rats to get into the cabin of the truck? About a week ago I found a bunch of rat crap in the jockey box. I set a trap inside the truck caught a huge freaking rat! This has never happened to any of our other cars.

I'm guessing there's no damper on that trap's door....

 

[humanprimate]

I've seen them get into the AC System where vehicles pull in fresh air from the outside. He may have gotten that fa and then chewed through the rest to get in. Check your in cabin air filter.

The cabin air filter behind the jockey box was disgusting. Soaked in urine and feces. I checked that right away. That filter seems to pull air from inside the dash though. Would you happen to know where I should look for the outside air intake?

 

[HenryMac]

A fella told me the insulation they use on wiring is "soy" based and rodents just love it.... don't know if there's any truth to that?

Jockey Box? Never heard of it. You mean Glove Box?

 

[humanprimate]

A fella told me the insulation they use on wiring is "soy" based and rodents just love it.... don't know if there's any truth to that?

Jockey Box? Never heard of it. You mean Glove Box?

glove box = jockey box, must be a PNW term ? I've heard Toyota, especially the Prius uses soy wiring. I hope ford didn't jump on that bandwagon. I did see a commercial about the F150 being made out of recycled junk so maybe they have. I checked wires under the dash pretty well and didn't notice any chewed wires ??

 

[THLONE]

Clean your truck with pine sol and maybe clean your floor mats once in a while. You baited it you got it. Then put your trap outside the truck. If you have one then you have many more. ?

 

[AutobotXJ]

I had rats crawl in my scion and chew through the cabin filter to get in. There was a fresh air intake along the cowl on that car- i had to make myself mesh cover with rabbit wire and it worked well keeping those pests away. Also, put mesh over your engine air intake because they nest in there as well. I park my ranger in a covered garage and so far, no rats.

 

[Fawnbuster]

I had a mouse in my f150. He ate a whole package of chocolate covered peanuts and stashed a few here or there. Caught him with a glue trap. At first I thought it got in via a partially open window. Then I opened a large bag of dog food in the kitchen and while pouring the bag into the plastic bin, a mouse dumped out of the bag and into the bin so I don't know if the mouse came in a package or what.

 

[HTX1811]

I had one in my glove box that set up shop on the air filter and birthed a few babies on there. The air filter had rat poop and pee on it along with baby rats. Let's just say the babies did not grow into adults! I set up some traps in the truck but the rat was never seen again after being seen in the glove box. I heard it in the AC system making all kinds of noise. Not sure if it was giving birth or got nicked by the fan???? It's been 6 months and no more problems. The rat got in at the beach not at my house.

 

[wanted33]

Check your cabin filter. I’ll be checking mine ASAP.

We always have tons of field mice, and the chipmunk population is larger than usual this year. Our garage is pretty tightly sealed, but it only takes one night parked outside for the critters to find their way into a car. I’ve fabricated steel mesh screens for the cabin air intake for several cars.

Yep, I had a mamma build a little home on the cabin filter of a Corvette. I never figured out she got in there. Damnit.......

 

[painter1]

Where are the Air vents ?
Regards

Sorry for the late reply. Often the rear wall of pick up cab will have a vent to allow air to escape when closing the doors. They're out of sight and thus out of mind. You could prob see them on the outside between the truck box and outside rear cab. Or from inside should be behind the rear seat back / liner. Looks hard to get into but ??? eg

Cabin air system sounds like it might be a better bet, IDK. I had a rat in my house forced air vents. It eventually found it's was to the furnace blower motor. Ugh !

Hopefully for your truck it was trapped inside for a while and not going back and forth. But you can never be too sure with those things !

Chewing wires can be a worry when camping. I know a few guys who set up mice and rat traps when out in the bush. Then there's porcupine ...

 

[painter1]

An earlier thread had a post stating those large vents may be to keep our heads from imploding when airbags expand.

They also let road noise in.

Could be too. I know in the car I usually try to get my window open a bit before my wife closes her door. Seem to improve her success rate of closing the door fully without invoking the dreaded, second attempt slam.

 

[Msfitoy]

Sorry for the late reply. Often the rear wall of pick up cab will have a vent to allow air to escape when closing the doors. They're out of sight and thus out of mind. You could prob see them on the outside between the truck box and outside rear cab. Or from inside should be behind the rear seat back / liner. Looks hard to get into but ??? eg

Cabin air system sounds like it might be a better bet, IDK. I had a rat in my house forced air vents. It eventually found it's was to the furnace blower motor. Ugh !

Hopefully for your truck it was trapped inside for a while and not going back and forth. But you can never be too sure with those things !

Chewing wires can be a worry when camping. I know a few guys who set up mice and rat traps when out in the bush. Then there's porcupine ...

The vents are your maximum water line...

 

[Stangman570]

Is it common for there to be unplugged holes big enough for rats to get into the cabin of the truck? About a week ago I found a bunch of rat crap in the jockey box. I set a trap inside the truck caught a huge freaking rat! This has never happened to any of our other cars.

Welp, you just lost 25hp. Took away part of the hamster wheel, bawaaaaa. Seriously though, I would have freaked out had that sumbeach ran up my leg on a night drive, lol.

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