Rats in the engine bay

[Richard Conley]

"...used both" before the critters moved in ? Or after the damage ?

After - seemed to prevent recurrence. Also got a couple of those hypersonic tone generators that you plug into an outlet.

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[JimJa]

Try these non-poison bags:

https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Cab-Bo...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Had mice eating the inside fabric fender liners on my Focus RS and the sponge rubber head liner in the right rear of the Ranger. Kept seeing the remnants on the ground and on the truck floor. Mice are a way of life in the wilds of Wyoming and the wife ordered some of the above on line. Put them in the vehicles...end of problem. Smell is pretty strong immediately after opening but is of no bother in a day or so.

Gimplers sells a spray for rodents that lasts about 3-4 months. I've used it successfully for everything from mice to squirrels. ...BUT, truth be told its 100% Castrol, yeah, the stuff your mother made you take when you were a kid (guess I'm dating myself). It has no smell to speak of.

Neither of the products above kill the critters, only drive them away.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Try these non-poison bags:

https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Cab-Botanical-Rodent-Repellent/dp/B07CZSL88M/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=LB92Z6JVCZAC&dchild=1&keywords=botanical+rodent+repellent+4-pack&qid=1589840542&sprefix=botanical+roden+repellent,aps,1408&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyTUwwNUNHTjcwOUlOJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTQ2Mzk5M1JOVzNEVTAxVkkxTCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODU4NDU4REhBTFhISlJWUjBGJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Had mice eating the inside fabric fender liners on my Focus RS and the sponge rubber head liner in the right rear of the Ranger. Kept seeing the remnants on the ground and on the truck floor. Mice are a way of life in the wilds of Wyoming and the wife ordered some of the above on line. Put them in the vehicles...end of problem. Smell is pretty strong immediately after opening but is of no bother in a day or so.

Gimplers sells a spray for rodents that lasts about 3-4 months. I've used it successfully for everything from mice to squirrels. ...BUT, truth be told its 100% Castrol, yeah, the stuff your mother made you take when you were a kid (guess I'm dating myself). It has no smell to speak of.

Neither of the products above kill the critters, only drive them away.

Hi Jim,

When we travel in the RV and park in various RV parks, we encounter rodents on occasion. Was told to order Fox Urine from Cabellas and dip cotton balls in it and place around the areas where rodents would be seeking to hole up. Seemed to work for us.

A bit of a back story,

We purchased a new Motorhome in Michigan with the intent of leaving Michigan in a few months. So part of the deal was to negotiate temp storage at the RV sales place for 3 months. We were assigned a space in the storage lot which was adjacent to and open field. We were so inexperienced to RVing and the rodent problem. So we newbies headed out in the RV for weekend travel to get familiar with the motorhome and the RV lifestyle. Then it came time to leave to head to Arizona as our house was to be built and we wanted to be there for the start of construction. So we headed out for Arizona to the Green Valley RV park. What we did not know was a field mouse hitched a ride to Arizona. When I opened up the basement bay door this Michigan field mouse shot out of the compartment and out into the desert. I can only imagine this mouse going WTF??? ? Bet he did not last long in this strange environment for a Michigan field mouse....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[JimJa]

Phil, When I first moved to WY 17 years ago we had a real problem with the Mountain Pine Beetle. There were a variety of "cures" one of which was marketed and sold with the name "Wolf Piss." It actually is. I bought some but never used it. I'm very sure it would work against rodents, however the smell is such to warrant against my trying it.

When I first moved in to our place it had not been occupied for about three years. There was one of those sonic noise makers plugged in next to the wood stove. The stove is backed by a natural rock wall from floor to ceiling. Mice were running up and down those rocks like a freeway. They were running right on top of that sonic noise maker - I question their usefulness. Sort of like those sonic things on your bumper to frighten deer. I set two traps and while watching TV I caught six mice in 10 minutes, at one point catching two in one trap at the same time!

 

[Motorpsychology]

? Bet he did not last long in this strange environment for a Michigan field mouse....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Might've doubled back and hitched a ride with someone heading east.

 

[Noseoil]

1 cup flour (white or whole grain), 2 tablespoons of Portland cement (quick fix, plaster of Paris), salt, 2 tablespoons sugar. Place dry flour mix out in a jar lid. Place water container nearby. The rats will eat the flour, then they get thirsty. Takes about 6 weeks to remove all the rats in the area, but it works!

 

[THLONE]

Might've doubled back and hitched a ride with someone heading east.

Hell No, mouse said I am in Gods Country right up until Wiley ate, him.

?

 

[Robert Jay]

Like many of us, my Ranger isn't getting driven these days.
I've actually been evacuated out of my work location in Ghana, and I've had to leave my XL supercab, a truck I love, and plan to keep forever.
I've given a set of keys to someone local who comes and starts it up every week for 10 minutes, but he's not driving it.
Last couple times he's noticed a rank smell coming from the AC system and the engine bay. This time he opened it up and found that a rat had chewed up the cabin air filter, and based on the smell, had probably died somewhere in the engine bay. No major damage yet.

My question: anyone have any good remedies? This guy is not a mechanic so I don't want to have him take more stuff apart, so I'm inclined to leave the dead rat in there until I can do some work myself post-corona, but I'd like ideas for things I can have him do until I am allowed to go back. Anything to prevent major damage.
We used to have poisonous snakes in my compound, so we never had rats. The grounds keeper killed the snakes, and now we're dealing with unintended consequences.

I had squirrels chew through my wires In my driveway in New Jersey USA. Cost $550 and I got off easy.
I now keep a box of mothballs on the ground under the engine where I park.

 

[rooster]

I get chipmunk and mice ... one time on the way to work in my VW a mouse was running back and forth in the windshield wiper tray, I was crusing at 70 mph. It jumped off once I parked at work ... 30 miles relocated I guess! Another had babies in a nest in my door jam.

The other day I found the chewed up acorns of a chipmunk on top of my Ranger battery.

The battle continues...

 

[jeffe]

Had a a stinker... Need to do some clean up and deodorizing. Gonna try Simple green. I have a battery powered, motion detecting device that will emit ultrasound and flash strobes on the way. I'll let you know...

 

[egilbe]

I now set traps outside my truck. I've killed three mice so far. Traps are sprung daily, probably due to the chipmunks and squirrels. I may graduate to rat traps to take care of those critters.

 

[IdahoRanger]

Had a a stinker... Need to do some clean up and deodorizing. Gonna try Simple green. I have a battery powered, motion detecting device that will emit ultrasound and flash strobes on the way. I'll let you know...

What a dipstick!

 

[BlueBoost]

Had a a stinker... Need to do some clean up and deodorizing. Gonna try Simple green. I have a battery powered, motion detecting device that will emit ultrasound and flash strobes on the way. I'll let you know...

That is an awesome dead rat picture. Truly artistic, with the back-lighting. Of course, many of us being old Ford drivers the Dead Rat moniker has anti Chevy resonance.

 

[Motorpsychology]

That is an awesome dead rat picture. Truly artistic, with the back-lighting. Of course, many of us being old Ford drivers the Dead Rat moniker has anti Chevy resonance.

Can't tell if it's a 348cid or 409 Rat Motor

 

[Motorpsychology]

Dryer sheets work, I hear. Rodents don't like the smell and they could be taped or zip tied under the hood. Would smell better than mothballs, too!

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