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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:06:40 PM EST
[#1]
They like to make nests in vehicles and eat wiring.
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:10:47 PM EST
[#2]
Yes. Mother fuckers lived in my Volvo's air box. They climbed through the cold air intake (ha! Doesn't work so well in AZ in the warmer months) like a Habitrail.
Hoods are always popped in the garage. eta: little garage king snake is slacking on the job. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:11:25 PM EST
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They like to make nests in vehicles and eat wiring. Yup |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:15:50 PM EST
[#4]
My fear is the hantavirus they spread in their urine and poop.
A guy in my off-road club caught hantavirus and died from it. The story is that he caught it exploring an old abandoned home full of pack rat nests. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:17:40 PM EST
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My fear is the hantavirus they spread in their urine and poop. A guy in my off-road club caught hantavirus and died from it. The story is that he caught it exploring an old abandoned home full of pack rat nests. It is serious and not a joke. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:19:29 PM EST
[#6]
Newer vehicles (post 2003 or so?) Have soy based wire insulation that rodents love to chew on.
Pack rats like enclosed spaces, propping the hood up makes them feel less secure. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:20:19 PM EST
[#7]
Big problem in just about any country environment, especially in dry weather. I have seen insurance companies total cars and trucks due to rat damage in short amounts of time.
Some people around here swear on spraying under the hood and underneath the vehicle with Peppermint oils to deter the rats. Hoods open on most long term parked vehicles is the norm, especially when parked in barns or under covers. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:22:13 PM EST
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Big problem in just about any country environment, especially in dry weather. I have seen insurance companies total cars and trucks due to rat damage in short amounts of time. Some people around here swear on spraying under the hood and underneath the vehicle with Peppermint oils to deter the rats. Hoods open on most long term parked vehicles is the norm, especially when parked in barns or under covers. Hoods are always open when in the garage. So far so good. Knock on wood. The snakes are useless here. 
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:24:54 PM EST
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Big problem in just about any country environment, especially in dry weather. I have seen insurance companies total cars and trucks due to rat damage in short amounts of time. Some people around here swear on spraying under the hood and underneath the vehicle with Peppermint oils to deter the rats. Hoods open on most long term parked vehicles is the norm, especially when parked in barns or under covers. Cost me (well, my insurance company) almost $6k to replace the engine harness in my truck when a rat gnawed the crap out of it. All told, in the first 4 years we lived at my current home, rats cost us over $10k in vehicle damage. (finally built a shop, now all the cars live indoors) ETA: Leaving the hood open (even with a light shining into the engine bay) did nothing to thwart them. Once they leave their piss trail to what they think is a good spot, they keep coming back. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 3:26:15 PM EST
[#10]
Packrats? Thats a separate species of a rat?
Also I keep my nice car out of garage in the winter and drive it regularly cuz of mice/rats. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 4:18:50 PM EST
[#11]
An older woman at my old apartment complex used to put small plastic dishes of mothballs under her new Subaru, claiming it kept them away so they didn't eat the soy based coating on her wiring.
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Posted: 4/28/2021 4:53:12 PM EST
[#12]
Had one get under the intake on 6.4L Hemi and eat the wires off of an MDS solenoid, as well as under the fuse block and did some eating. Another time at an injector wire off.
My norcal brother says they are really bad there and recommended some ultrasonic repellers. I put one on and have had no more issues.$20ish bucks from Bezos  Attached File |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 4:56:27 PM EST
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: An older woman at my old apartment complex used to put small plastic dishes of mothballs under her new Subaru, claiming it kept them away so they didn't eat the soy based coating on her wiring. |
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Posted: 4/28/2021 7:15:25 PM EST
[#14]
Why don't they just put out rat poison or bait station?
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Posted: 4/28/2021 8:37:19 PM EST
[#15]
Seems like an easier problem than rust.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 9:49:59 AM EST
[#16]
I just opened up the air box in my car.
Mother fuckers are nesting there again. This time with a newborn piece of shit nestled up in there. Fuck! Mothballs do NOT work as a deterrent. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 9:54:32 AM EST
[#17]
They are here in western Montana as well. If I go into the back country for an extended time, I leave the hood open. More than one person has had them gnaw through wiring or get into airboxes.
They got into a shed of mine and pissed over everything. Shot him with a TC Contender 410. I now live trap them with using an onion or apple for bait. They get to be a problem in late summer and early fall. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 9:56:53 AM EST
[#18]
Have you guys tried the plug in sonic repellents? I had a garage with a huge nest in it due to animal feed bags being stored there and since plugging a few of those in have not seen evidence of them since. They still hit my outdoor chicken coop for feed but steer clear of the garage.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 10:00:12 AM EST
[#19]
The Tomcat traps are out now.
I don't like the sticky traps since they sometimes catch other cooler critters. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 10:00:52 AM EST
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Have you guys tried the plug in sonic repellents? I had a garage with a huge nest in it due to animal feed bags being stored there and since plugging a few of those in have not seen evidence of them since. They still hit my outdoor chicken coop for feed but steer clear of the garage. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 10:01:41 AM EST
[#21]
My dad had a huge pack rat living in his grill on the second floor balcony. It was very light gray and huge. We dispatched it with the pellet gun.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 10:52:52 AM EST
[#22]
Yes, I lost a off grid cabin to them. We just let it rot away after.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 10:58:49 AM EST
[#23]
I have a couple of Rat Terriers, it's hilarious to take them to the barns and let them loose to hunt. Move a few hay bales, buckets or junk and the fight is on. Love watching them fight over a rat, stretching him out until they pull him apart...
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Posted: 4/29/2021 11:15:41 AM EST
[#24]
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Posted: 4/29/2021 11:21:49 AM EST
[#25]
They're also a huge problem here in the forests of AZ. They get into everything, and destroy wiring. I'm still trying to find what wire they ate on one of my quads.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:14:47 PM EST
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Packrats? Thats a separate species of a rat? Also I keep my nice car out of garage in the winter and drive it regularly cuz of mice/rats. Desert packrats are in fact a separate kind of rat.  Note the furry tail. The mountains also have Woodrats AKA Packrats  The desert also has Kangaroo rats  Similar furry tail, but with a tuft. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:38:53 PM EST
[#27]
They're a very real problem. I lived in the real desert on the edge of Tonto national forest for 30 years before moving recently.
I've had to repair wiring harnesses of 3 vehicles, and it's the only reason I built an enclosed garage. They love to nest in vehicles and chew on wires. They also burrowed their way under the slab of my house and found the one opening in the slab big enough to get through (under the tub) and fucked with things there. The nests are super annoying because they grab bits of cholla and staghorn cactus and create a ball of cactus needles surrounding them, so cleaning them out almost always means getting poked by rat urine and feces coated needles. They're incredibly smart animals. They're probably at a genius level among rodents and avoid traps or figure out deterrents aren't a threat very quickly. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:39:16 PM EST
[#28]
One of the worst parts other than the wire eating is the haul teddy bear cholla into the nest. That's the worst of the worst cactus thorns ever! Fuck pack rats. I use those Tom traps year round!
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:51:37 PM EST
[#29]
They are the nastiest,filthiest animals.........
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:52:35 PM EST
[#30]
Had a few get stuck and die.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:55:18 PM EST
[#31]
I've seen several Full dress Harleys come through the Harley shop with all the wiring in the fairing wrecked. It must happen quite often as I don't even work there to see as many as I have. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 12:56:22 PM EST
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes, I lost a off grid cabin to them. We just let it rot away after. I bought a cabin in the boonies, in places the packrat shit was 6" deep. Had to gut the entire place and still am not done. This was a typical find when moving furniture, mix of feces, plant material and stuffing/insulation:  Attached File |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 1:04:50 PM EST
[#33]
That is horrible and disgusting.
How the fuck do you keep these things out? |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 1:09:11 PM EST
[#34]
There is a very large Sonora king snake that lives in my yard. He does a good job but I still set out traps. I feed their little corpses to the ravens.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 1:16:49 PM EST
[#35]
Are they purely nocturnal? Could you set up with a 22 a kill them during the day?
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Posted: 4/29/2021 1:26:35 PM EST
[#36]
you guys need a terrier.
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Posted: 4/29/2021 1:32:17 PM EST
[#37]
Quote HistoryI just picked up a bucket of the bait packets from Ace. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 2:31:05 PM EST
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Are they purely nocturnal? Could you set up with a 22 a kill them during the day? Yeah, you'll only see them in the day if you disturb a nest. I can't overstate how smart they are. This isn't a sit in a chair with a .22 and NVG kind of thing, if they know you're around they will hide until you go away. When they were inside my tub, they'd start moving at 2-3AM, and literally when my foot hit the slab getting out of bed 30 feet from where they were they'd stop moving to hide themselves, and not move again for 15 minutes. Traps are the best bet, but they figure them out fast. You're better off putting unset traps out with bait like peanut butter and actually feeding them that way for a few days, then setting the traps. If they trigger a trap and it doesn't kill them, they will never make that mistake again. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 2:37:20 PM EST
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yeah, you'll only see them in the day if you disturb a nest. I can't overstate how smart they are. This isn't a sit in a chair with a .22 and NVG kind of thing, if they know you're around they will hide until you go away. When they were inside my tub, they'd start moving at 2-3AM, and literally when my foot hit the slab getting out of bed 30 feet from where they were they'd stop moving to hide themselves, and not move again for 15 minutes. Traps are the best bet, but they figure them out fast. You're better off putting unset traps out with bait like peanut butter and actually feeding them that way for a few days, then setting the traps. If they trigger a trap and it doesn't kill them, they will never make that mistake again. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Are they purely nocturnal? Could you set up with a 22 a kill them during the day? Yeah, you'll only see them in the day if you disturb a nest. I can't overstate how smart they are. This isn't a sit in a chair with a .22 and NVG kind of thing, if they know you're around they will hide until you go away. When they were inside my tub, they'd start moving at 2-3AM, and literally when my foot hit the slab getting out of bed 30 feet from where they were they'd stop moving to hide themselves, and not move again for 15 minutes. Traps are the best bet, but they figure them out fast. You're better off putting unset traps out with bait like peanut butter and actually feeding them that way for a few days, then setting the traps. If they trigger a trap and it doesn't kill them, they will never make that mistake again. They learn. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 2:45:00 PM EST
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yeah, you'll only see them in the day if you disturb a nest. I can't overstate how smart they are. This isn't a sit in a chair with a .22 and NVG kind of thing, if they know you're around they will hide until you go away. When they were inside my tub, they'd start moving at 2-3AM, and literally when my foot hit the slab getting out of bed 30 feet from where they were they'd stop moving to hide themselves, and not move again for 15 minutes. Traps are the best bet, but they figure them out fast. You're better off putting unset traps out with bait like peanut butter and actually feeding them that way for a few days, then setting the traps. If they trigger a trap and it doesn't kill them, they will never make that mistake again. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Are they purely nocturnal? Could you set up with a 22 a kill them during the day? Yeah, you'll only see them in the day if you disturb a nest. I can't overstate how smart they are. This isn't a sit in a chair with a .22 and NVG kind of thing, if they know you're around they will hide until you go away. When they were inside my tub, they'd start moving at 2-3AM, and literally when my foot hit the slab getting out of bed 30 feet from where they were they'd stop moving to hide themselves, and not move again for 15 minutes. Traps are the best bet, but they figure them out fast. You're better off putting unset traps out with bait like peanut butter and actually feeding them that way for a few days, then setting the traps. If they trigger a trap and it doesn't kill them, they will never make that mistake again. They were in your bath tub 
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Posted: 4/29/2021 2:46:45 PM EST
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They were in your bath tub Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Are they purely nocturnal? Could you set up with a 22 a kill them during the day? Yeah, you'll only see them in the day if you disturb a nest. I can't overstate how smart they are. This isn't a sit in a chair with a .22 and NVG kind of thing, if they know you're around they will hide until you go away. When they were inside my tub, they'd start moving at 2-3AM, and literally when my foot hit the slab getting out of bed 30 feet from where they were they'd stop moving to hide themselves, and not move again for 15 minutes. Traps are the best bet, but they figure them out fast. You're better off putting unset traps out with bait like peanut butter and actually feeding them that way for a few days, then setting the traps. If they trigger a trap and it doesn't kill them, they will never make that mistake again. They were in your bath tub |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 2:52:35 PM EST
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They were in your bath tub Under my bath tub. They burrowed under the slab and found the hole cut out for the bathtub drain was big enough for them to fit through. So the came up through it, built a nest under the tub and in any walls they could get in. The only way to get rid of them without removing the whole tub was to open the wall adjacent to the tub, toss in a bunch of traps, red pepper and the like, and wait. Once they were out, I was able to get some patch material in around the drain pipe to keep them out. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 2:57:43 PM EST
[#43]
Those fuckers are smarter than shit. I'm dealing with one now. He's been taking the poison I've put out but I haven't seen any signs of him stopping yet.
This one must have learned from a past trap because he hasn't fucked with the traps I put out for him. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 3:00:17 PM EST
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: We joke about hantavirus whenever cleaning the garage floor. It is serious and not a joke. Yep. Whenever people tell me they're worried about Coronavirus, I tell them I'm much more concerned about hantavirus. Covid 0.00001% chance of death? Well, with hantavirus, it's more like 35%. Luckily it's been a while since we had any (relative) outbreaks around here .... but it's always in the back of my mind, whenever I'm messing around in a haystack or shed or something and find a nest full of rodents. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 3:01:50 PM EST
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Those fucker are smarter than shit. I'm dealing with one now. He's been taking the poison I've put out but I haven't seen any signs of him stopping yet. This one must have learned from a past trap because he hasn't fucked with the traps I put out for him. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 3:11:19 PM EST
[#46]
If you can find a place that no kids or pets can get to, a small dish of antifreeze (ethylene glycol) will kill them dead.
We had a TPS43 radar that had a slow coolant leak that just wasn't solvable. We put a small bucket under the leak. Every Monday we'd come in and there would be dead rodents on the floor. They just couldn't resist the sweet smell. They'd drink it and die. |
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Posted: 4/29/2021 3:15:12 PM EST
[#47]
My comprehensive "What works and what doesn't" list.
What doesn't work: Lights Ultrasonic repellers Dryer sheets Noise Relocating vehicle Leaving the hood up Honda "rat tape". I wrapped any of the engine harness I could access with the stuff (capsicum impregnated tape). I guess we have Mexican rats, they found it to be delicious. Rats are pretty damn smart and wary critters. All of the above worked for a short time but they soon learned that the changes were not a threat and they resumed their ratty activities. What does work: Physical exclusion. I built hardware cloth screens over the HVAC air intake on my truck. Why Toyota didn't put one there is beyond me. Blowing the whole dash apart to clean ratshit, nest and rotten fruit out of your HVAC ductwork and air handler SUCKS. Engine bay cleaning and/or repellant sprays (both work until the next piss dribbler finds their way in there, then it is game on again). Death.... Traps, pellet gun backyard rat safaris, rat terriers (boy was she good at her job, miss her). Knock their numbers back and they tend to keep to less risky places to find food and to nest. Building a shop. The final end to the rat problem cost 6 figures but it has worked so far. Funny enough, we accidentally introduced a mouse/small rat into the garage when we brought home a secondhand freezer. Got lucky and smashed the little fucker against the wall putting the feezer in place. Found his corpse a while later. |
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