Rampant Rodent

[MoToad]

Just returned from my last camping/fishing trip up the lake. Kootenay Lake, that is. But this time I brought home a hitchhiker. As I was packing up I noticed popcorn like bits on the driver side floor. Close examination showed chewed up insulation. Popping the hood I found a 3" sq. section of firewall had been gnawed at. I hoped he was gone but when I got home he poked his nose out at me. A goodly sized pack rat. Had the hood open and ran the engine and heat at full blast to try to drive him out. When I looked at the engine compartment I saw him run into one of the square holes just ahead of the firewall and just aft of the wheel well on the passenger side. It seems he was easily accessing the interior from there. Has anyone any diagrams of these accesses? I am thinking of screening over any such openings like these for future prevention of this catastrophe. A quick trip to the hardware store for a couple of rat traps baited with peanut butter and set on the driver side floor produced results in an hour or two. Unfortunately it had given him enough time to chew the aforementioned insulation plus a dash speaker wire and the wifi antenna cable. The cable was the big pain as Mopar is on strike but I finally found one at a wreckers many miles from here. First attack on my brand new 4 mounth old Ram 1500 Classic.

 

[Jeepwalker]

This is that time of yr when they're looking for winter housing. It was probably attracted initially by the warm engine. And warm interior (solar gain). Did your vehicle sit a few days? Usually if ya drive a vehicle every day, or frequently, they don't like the movement and will not habitat it. They can fill the little vibrations in their little legs. But he/she probably just liked you!

 

[Jeepwalker]

For guys who don't drive their vehicle very often, or store for the winter, bounce dryer sheets are a good defense (and cheap). They don't like the smell.

 

[KKBB]

That is a cute mouse with the long white tail!!! Seriously though, I feel bad for you. Those stupid things do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. We had 1 or 2 or who knows how many get in our 5th wheel a year ago. Insulation everywhere. We have taken so much chewed up insulation out I'm not sure there is any left in the walls. Haha. Never saw any sign of the little ******** this year, but the damage has already been done. I would keep the traps going...just in case there is more!!

 

[Burla]

RIP lil ratfink you little ******.

 

[MoToad]

For guys who don't drive their vehicle very often, or store for the winter, bounce dryer sheets are a good defense (and cheap). They don't like the smell.

Mos def gonna try those.

 

[MoToad]

That is a cute mouse with the long white tail!!! Seriously though, I feel bad for you. Those stupid things do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. We had 1 or 2 or who knows how many get in our 5th wheel a year ago. Insulation everywhere. We have taken so much chewed up insulation out I'm not sure there is any left in the walls. Haha. Never saw any sign of the little ******** this year, but the damage has already been done. I would keep the traps going...just in case there is more!!

Back home now (Creston). No rats or mice here. A million cats.

 

[MoToad]

This is that time of yr when they're looking for winter housing. It was probably attracted initially by the warm engine. And warm interior (solar gain). Did your vehicle sit a few days? Usually if ya drive a vehicle every day, or frequently, they don't like the movement and will not habitat it. They can fill the little vibrations in their little legs. But he/she probably just liked you!

Night before leaving went to town to gas up. That's when I parked overnight with a nice warm truck. Damage discovered in morning.

 

[MoToad]

So just pulled the cab filter. Rat turds and pissed on. He was lying on top of the perforated filter compartment where he could just let go whenever he wanted. Looking up towards the passenger side engine bay/ wheel well I can see light so there is easy access in thru there at least. May just go ahead and screen all the holes I can find with a light use of caulk as glue.

 

[Redfisher1974]

Moth balls work well

 

[Jeepwalker]

I did that with my old land rover which sits outside. Fabbed up the air intake with some 'hardware cloth' (metal screen) with 1/4" square holes. Most cars have an open port under the cowl unless there's a cabin filter. Mice can just 'walk' in. But they usually can't get past the blower blades. Then you turn on the blower and it blows nice-smelling and fragerant nest material all throughout your heater box! Mmmmmm yummy.


Here's a great formula to remove mouse smell if you have to dig into the fan area. Brush or spray it on. You have to wisk up some settled baking soda now and then. Let soak, repeat & rinse. It breaks down the pee crystals. I got it from Mythbusters. Have used it over the years. I assure you it works better than purchased products (I'll spare you my famous heater box stories):

Mix a solution of 10 ounces of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and 2-3 drops of dish washing detergent. Let soak for an hour.

.

 

[MoToad]

I was lucky. Short term residency. And the bugger conveniently used the cab filter as a cat box. I can't see using mothballs in there and using the heater at the same time. The Bounce dryer sheets sounds like a plan. But, for those who have had a late model 1500 grill off I was hoping someone could tell me whether the square tube sort of sub frame that contains the cab access hole and runs horizontally above the wheel well to the front, is sealed off at the front or open. It might be open to bring in direct clean air to the cab also. And that may mean I'll be pulling the grill and possibly headlights to cover those too.

 

[cdn cj]

For guys who don't drive their vehicle very often, or store for the winter, bounce dryer sheets are a good defense (and cheap). They don't like the smell.

I’d be leery on the dryer sheets ,
I’ve read on an RV forum where mice have used the sheets as nest material.
Could be an urban myth either way.

 

[Jeepwalker]

I’ve read on an RV forum where mice have used the sheets as nest material.

I have never seen that. Not in 20 yrs. And I have dryer sheets in all my outside and inside vehicles that aren't DD's. I change them out 2x a yr. I suppose anything's possible with crafty rodents. Maybe those were the "Super Rodents" lol. Or maybe the dryer sheets were a couple yrs old and lost their 'fragrance'? Classic car owners in the know, know dryer sheets work. Just search it out on Google. Put one sheet under each seat or cab corners. If it's a classic car, put one under the rear seat too before storage, and the trunk (both classic mouse areas!). I put one on the transmission tunnel of CC's right below the HVAC heater outlets.

Pepperment oil works too, but it's more expensive and messier to work with. Smells a little pugnant to me after a while. I bought some to try, but in the end didn't use it. You can even buy some anti-mouse product from Menards. That works too. I have that in my plow vehicle for 10+yrs (new box periodically). That vehicle only gets used in the winter, otherwise it sits. I thought I'd try it. Like I say, it works but has a slightly odd, mildly old-people-smell. It's ok in a seldom-used plow vehicle but I wouldn't want it in a classic car or DD. Passengers would be like, "sniff-sniff-sniff ...hey what's that smell?".

Mice might still enter a vehicle with any of the above solutions but in my experience, they won't *inhabit* the vehicle or make a nest if it smells terrible (to them). Dryer sheets smell more 'fresh' than the other solutions, to me. People say Bounce (brand) works the best. I've bought the Aldi sheets too and they seemed to work.

But hey, whatever floats yer boat.

 

[Jeepwalker]

My seldom-driven snow plow vehicle is a Jackson Pollo¢k's olfactory canvas of many smells mixed together. Let's see if I can describe it:

The initial grippy fragrance is a bold earthy mix of sagy pedals, cinnamony dried-flowers, with an overtone of old-people smell (that rodent repellent). This is nicely counterbalanced with, crisp, full-bodied, springtime freshness (dryer sheets). Yet there in the background lie mild earthy, oaky-mildewy undertones like that of, possibly, wet carpeting. Further beneath is an intellectually-teasing tapestry of cheap vanilla freshener, aged 80's plastic, structured organic compounds which point towards a mild industrial approach (new headliner), and a slightly chedder'd aire of dry mice pee with a lemony twist. All background, mind you. Subtle notes like the flats and sharps of a Lenon/McCartney ballad work together to invite one to parse out additional layers. Such as the mineraly notes and ozone-ish aire of welded metal (new floor pan) and a complex of toasted polymers. And maybe just a little leaked gasoline from years prior.

Yep, forget about fine wine...this rig's got it all! None obtrusive. Can't wait till plow season starts!

.

 

[KYPOTLICKER]

Pine sol soaked cotton balls work well as a rodent deterrent. Pending nasal preference that or the already mentioned moth balls

 

[blue ghost]

I found spraying eco rodent defense, keeps them away, if you spray often.(once a month)

 

[NCRaineman]

Moth balls work well

Good advice for anybody with a vehicle which doesn't get driven regularly over winter.

 

[Dusty]

I was lucky. Short term residency. And the bugger conveniently used the cab filter as a cat box. I can't see using mothballs in there and using the heater at the same time. The Bounce dryer sheets sounds like a plan. But, for those who have had a late model 1500 grill off I was hoping someone could tell me whether the square tube sort of sub frame that contains the cab access hole and runs horizontally above the wheel well to the front, is sealed off at the front or open. It might be open to bring in direct clean air to the cab also. And that may mean I'll be pulling the grill and possibly headlights to cover those too.

Some of the air access openings are to allow air movement to prevent moisture build up in hard-to-get-to body areas.

Moth balls do work, but most people (especially women) object to the smell on their clothes.

My daughters Veloster (parked outside) was viciously attacked by rodents who chewed through wiring causing a check engine light, and totally preventing the air conditioner to work. Total cost to repair: $1660. Dryer sheets were used in several openings of the wind screen just below the windshield which seems to have so far prevented access, at least to the heater box.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 100870 miles.

 

[MoToad]

Moth ball smell has never bothered me much but I'm not about to try them out in my truck heating system.