[kaiserketkar]

I have a suggestion/ query.
Point of entry for rats into a vehicle would be to climb up the wheels.
Can we not tie the repellents somewhere near the wheels where they would not obstruct free movement? This way the cannot climb into the vehicle in the first place.
Any suggestions on how to do it?

[GTO]

*Problem Solved*

My earlier posts covered the miserable experience with Tufkote where rats ate up the Tufkote bottle itself! I didn't bother trying the tobacco pouches as BHPians reported mixed results.

There was only one way out : To rid the building of rats.

Called in Pest Control India and got the entire building treated (three visits up already by their technicians). They put up repellents and rat poison at all vulnerable spots in the building. Signed up for an annual contract with them.

Then, I called the BMC to clean up & treat the gutters. Their response was equally prompt. They've visited the site twice in 6 weeks.

The group of servants who sleep down swear they haven't seen a rat in the building in over a month.

None of my cars have been damaged in the last 45 days.

I honestly didn't want to kill any rats, this was my last choice. But there was clearly a matter of hygiene in the building, as well as the severe damage to cars.

Hopefully, the little troublemakers now stay away for good.

[Thad E Ginathom]

They got me. Or rather, they got my poor Polo.

Looks like we, too, have to go the pest-control route.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh dear, we called the pest control people and missed them because we went out. Most embarrassing. They'll be back next week.

Whatever it is they are going to spray around the garden, would it be ok to squirt some around under the bonnet?

[kaiserketkar]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Oh dear, we called the pest control people and missed them because we went out. Most embarrassing. They'll be back next week.

Whatever it is they are going to spray around the garden, would it be ok to squirt some around under the bonnet?

Now that's a great idea. I don't think there should be an issue with spraying the underbody of the car with it. On the flip side you'll get protection even when you park your car elsewhere!

[chinmaybaikar]

The Maruti Suzuki service center guy from Spectra motors, Borivali (W) said me to use baygon spray every 4 days inside the engine bay. Will this help? Need your views regarding this.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Now that's a great idea.

Actually, they didn't spray. They set a trap, which caught one rat that day, although it hasn't caught any since. They come every week and put down poison, either seed or blue lumps. A couple of other dead rats have been found Whilst I'm not sure this is worth what we paid, and we still have some evidence of rats, I'd admit that the situation has improved.

[kaiserketkar]

Originally Posted by chinmaybaikar

The Maruti Suzuki service center guy from Spectra motors, Borivali (W) said me to use baygon spray every 4 days inside the engine bay. Will this help? Need your views regarding this.

I'm not sure baygon would be effective against rats. If at all, it might work because of its repulsive odor.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Actually, they didn't spray. They set a trap, which caught one rat that day, although it hasn't caught any since. They come every week and put down poison, either seed or blue lumps. A couple of other dead rats have been found Whilst I'm not sure this is worth what we paid, and we still have some evidence of rats, I'd admit that the situation has improved.

Yes, I contacted PCI and asked them about this treatment. They said it's an annual treatment contract. They would do it like you've mentioned, including drainage manholes. And the cost starts from about 12k and goes up depending on the size of the society.

[nutmello]

it takes lot of time and effort to overcome the rat menace. we protect our cars/ factories and house by doing this
1. regular use of rat cakes ( even if the rats are not to be found) in frequented areas.
2. placing sticky mat ( Rs 35 per mat, easily available in market) all around the car and at door entrances
3. excellent rat traps are available ( made of metal) which is also placed in and around car.
4. keeping the house, factory, office and surrounding free from food garbage ( we remove food garbage daily)- this is very important- deny the food
5. the above suggestions must become a part of our daily chore, just the way we do our other routine things.
only then we will notice considerable eradication of rat menace. any other way is only temporary in nature.

[MAS]

The little rodent has been troubling me for the past 5 months paying regular visits to the engine of my Endeavour and my Fiesta. Evidence - their paw prints on the engine and tubes when it is dusty or their poop on the battery (only on the battery) when the engine bay is clean.

I have spent over a 2500 bucks on Mortein and similar "rat cakes" in the past 5 months. These seemed to work well and the cakes used to disappear overnight and so did the paw marks and the poops in the bonnet.

All was well until last four days, when the rodent has taken the battle to the higher level. The rodent now seems to pick up the cake, enter the bonnet, sit on the battery and eat half-the-cake, leaving the other half for later?

I think, the rat has taken a liking for the Mortein Rat Kill Cake .

This morning, i made 3 bags from thin cotton cloth and put 4 Naphthalene balls inside the bags and have tied it at "strategic" locations inside the bonnet. I hope this will work!!!

[pcpranav]

additionally, you could try:
make a concentrated liquid of desi phenol and kerosene, spill this on the ground around your vehicle once you park for the day. the pungent smell would be a deterrent for rodent to come near. a routine of this activity would surely give results, eventually altering the path of rodents away your vehicle / garage. ensure that your neighbor's pet doesnt lick it accidentally ! and now keep the cakes outside this liquid boundary, for him to eat and stay away.

[Varaman]

Originally Posted by speedsatya

guys,
my car has all its cables replaced everytime during the monsoons.as the rats in my building have taken a liking for my car.
i have tried everything from rat poison,napthalene balls,now the only option left is keeping a cat inside the engine bay.
plsssssss *lease:tell me as to how can i solve this.
i also tried confusing the rats by parking my car in different places and in different directions ,but of no use.
even ur cars might b having the same problems,wat do u do.

also,is applying a wax polish like turtle wax better than going for either a polymer or teflon coating .
as a good quality wax paste can cost around 500-1k depending upon quality .and u can do it urself throughout the year after maybe 2-3 months.
while a teflon or polymer coating costs around 1-2k depending on the make.and this is done only once .
so please advice.

satya

Here is a simple, inexpensive and very effective way to prevent rats from ruining your car... sprinkle finely ground pepper powder generously on the flat surfaces under your bonnet and a little bit under the carpets. The pepper keeps away the rats since they cannot stand the smell. Do this once every month and you will never have the problem again. I follow this and it works like a charm.

Nowadays, my Linea shuttles between Bangalore and Chennai. I under-estimated the rats at my Chennai home, which made a meal out of my Linea's fuel overflow filler tube during August 2012.

From Chennai, we drove to Pondicherry. When my Linea had tankful of petrol at Ashram BP pump there, even before the auto-shut off was activated, petrol started leaking from the under-body. I knew, something wrong with the overflow filler tube. Ditto at TVS BP pump at Trichy. Immediately, I drove to VST near Trichy railway junction. Since the SA was not found even after waiting for more than an hour, I decided to get it done at Concorde Motors, Mysore Road, Bangalore and continued my journey to Kundrakudi/Pillayarpatti, and then, to Bangalore. At BP COCO outlet near Thoppur ghats, my Linea had 3/4th tankful of petrol only to prevent wastage.

After reaching Bangalore, I took my Linea to Concorde Motors, Mysore Road. When I told the problem to Somu, he immediately replied that filler tube required replacement. My Linea was hoisted and he showed me the damages done. My next worry was availability of spare filler tube. But, my fear was unfounded: it was available. The entire unit costing 8,168 was replaced within 1 hour. Later, I tested it by having tankful of petrol at HP COCO outlet near my home. Now, it is fine.



However, as a precautionary measure, whenever my Linea is in Chennai, we used to sprinkle phenol-mixed water surrounding my Linea on the parking area daily in the night, to ward off the rats, which is very effective till today!

[faustus77]

Hi everybody.
As posted earlier by me I hardly drive in Bombay and so my beat is parked for days at a stretch.
On 2nd Jan I parked and did not start for 9/10 days.
Rats had a feast chewing all the wires.It wouldnt start and nothing worked.Took one and a half day for the FNAE(friendly neighborhood auto electrician) to splice all the wires.
So far so good.
Now the prevention.
Tobacco pouch,napthlene balls(in the cabin)
Which pepper?Black or red?
Anything else?
Regards

[speedsatya]

Originally Posted by Varaman

Here is a simple, inexpensive and very effective way to prevent rats from ruining your car... sprinkle finely ground pepper powder generously on the flat surfaces under your bonnet and a little bit under the carpets. The pepper keeps away the rats since they cannot stand the smell. Do this once every month and you will never have the problem again. I follow this and it works like a charm.

Might be effective , but then I will have to carry pepper along with me to wherever I go.
I use the long brushes used to clean glasses to solve this problem. Have tied them inside the engine bay. The pricky bristles ensure tht rats don't dare enter the car anymore.

Has been effective since 2005 when I posted this thread. Also it's plug and forget. Don't need to do anything to these brushes even during service 👽