Beware rabbits and other rodents

[9secondko]

Hurray for garages! Roswell, NM is surrounded by pecan trees, and the area produces more than any other state, even Georgia! As a result, squirrels abound, and they like soy-based products too. I prefer the peppermint oil, but in the pellet form. Less messy than the sprays and they just hang like a bag of sashay

I agree about garages. However, my vehicles was chewed through in the outdoor parking lot while I was at work. Had no idea until I started to drive away and saw a dark liquid streak on the ground in the rearview mirror.

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[S650Mustang]

Is your car parked outside 24/7? I just had rodent damage to the wiring harness of my 2024 F150 causing almost $800 in damage. The F150 lives outside and the Mustang in the garage. Hopefully it’s a non-issue in the garage.

 

[SSuperDave]

Some of the worst ones I've had were in a garage, especially when it got cold outside and the rodents were trying to stay warm. Cats will get under the hood as well, boy do I have stories about that!

 

[smurfslayer]

I don’t think Ford uses soy based wiring. Rodents do this to all car/truck/etc. wiring
UPDATE: The vehicle manufacturers were victorious

Rodents will eat pretty much everything. I’ve had bike harness chewed through partially and had mud dawbers build nests in my bikes air intakes.

It’s a painful expense for sure.

 

[Decio]

Found a nest right on top of the engine cover when I took it out of storage last spring. Took a while to clean, but I lucked out with no damage.

Installed this Ultrasonic Mouse Repellent w/ Flashing Lights with a battery tender this year. So far, so good 5 weeks in. Hood closed fine with wiring down the headlight as described elsewhere in this forum.

 

[Zig]

I began using mothballs in engine compartment after my F150 got violated a few years ago. The sprays (peppermint) were too messy.
To the OP, insurance cover the damage????

Do you just leave an individual laying about or a breathable pouch attached somewhere?

 

[RLE55]

Do you just leave an individual laying about or a breathable pouch attached somewhere?

Mesh lint traps used on washing machine drain hoses'. Zip-tie two lint traps, one on each side of engine bay, add 2-3 mothballs per trap, check monthly. Box of mothballs at Menards, Walmart, etc., are very cheap. Much cleaner process than sprays, etc.

 

[REV745DH24]

A rabbit crawled into my 2024 Gt and chewed into the wiring to the tune of $1700 in damages. Still under the hood when I pulled into the dealership with just over 5000 miles. Apparently the new environmental friendly insulation is tasty, recommend putting irish spring soap or other deterrents if you have rodents around.

Save the fried rabbit for dinner!
Lol!

 

[UncleTed]

I was in Tucson recently and when walking around a neighborhood I noticed most cars in carports had the hood up and a light hanging and pointed in the engine bay. My buddy said for rodent deterrent. Can 50 Tucsonians be wrong?

maybe this and install some led floor /garage baseboard lighting. LED strips are not expensive these days

 

[Logan]

HeyMoe;
Please don't depend on the spray that smells like evergreens ( Xmas Trees)
My house has 23 mature EG in the front and 15 in the back. If I don't put Irish Spring, cinnamon pinecones, mice come in my garage. The spray I use, forgot name, but it has a Black Cat on label. These things work. I had to put the BL bait boxes out front and under the central air conditioner and within 2 weeks I was refilling the boxes. Not one mouse at all. I'll attach a picture of my house so you can see the EG trees. This last spring because of the traps I found mice carcasses in the front and back of the house. Now I will say that I have corn fields on 3 sides of my house. So that is a major contributor to creatures. Heck I even had an opossum, and a very large snapping turtle in the backyard last spring.(of 23').
Irish Spring works, and so does dryer sheets. That's what I put in my work truck. Within a couple no more passengers.
Good luck

 

[Supraman]

There's lots of videos online showing them ignoring all sorts of repellents to get at food. I think that may be the kicker. If there's any food, or rodent sex, on the other side of the barrier, the repellents won't work. Keep all the trees and vegetation away from the building too. They don't like cross out in the open very far if they can avoid it.

 

[junqdawg]

I don’t think Ford uses soy based wiring. Rodents do this to all car/truck/etc. wiring
UPDATE: The vehicle manufacturers were victorious

Rodents will eat pretty much everything. I’ve had bike harness chewed through partially and had mud dawbers build nests in my bikes air intakes.

It’s a painful expense for sure.

Probably a bit late to reply on this subject . I have a 2018 Mustang GT 5.0 , live in country and have had mice /rat problems in the past on other vehicles . Luckily The Stang has been spared {SO FAR } ' I USE various remedies .. Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and stuff them around the engine bay , also Those clothes dryer sheet with the powdery scent , tie them around some of the hoses . MY sister owns a SPICE CO. and sends me pounds of Black Pepper from India . Snip opening in A TEA BAG , pour out tea leaves , replace with pepper and "Stuff,Tie " around engine bay . They HATE BLACK PEPPER !!! moth balls have a use too , but I'm comparing a 2018 with 32K to you guys with 2024's. the "SOY" info is good to know , Hope they come up with something to address THAT PROBLEM > !!! Hell to give 60-70K for a great ride and rats eat it ! IF anyone got INS.CO to pay for this type damage let me know what co . THNX ..Junqdawg

 

[SSuperDave]

Over the years, I've had every insurance co pay for repairs for rodent damage, even when a rat dies in the dash and we've had to pull it for repairs.
The thing they cover that I don't get is when someone puts gasoline or DEF in the diesel fuel tank, on an F-250 that is a $15K repair, and its just dumbassery. But I'll take them all day long.

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