Team-BHP - Rat damage to cars | Protection, solutions & advice

i too had rat issues in my 800. The only difference was they used to get their bones and used to treat my 800 as some dining hall :D.

They used to sit just above the front suspension and used to park all the meat there. the car used to stink.

We tried rat poison which worked.

THough i have been thinking about this, how about creating a contraption which has loose wires but has low intenstive electicity running in them, so when the rats try to eat them, they get a shock and they run away / die / burn / get charred to death.

Has anyone thought about this / or has anyone made this ?

cheers,
ac

Oh sorry didnt thought about it , you can then plot the car next to yours

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiophile (Post 1343330)

@passion4cars, Tried this and its a bad idea.

Guys please dont try this. I applied the same concept and the next thing I have every night is the cat sitting on my car. It has put multiple scratches on my car, thanks to turtle wax which took care of it, but the cat has even torn my car cover.

Now its me trying to get rid of the cat.......might have to start a new tread for thatlol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiophile (Post 1343330)

Huh?! You seem to have a real sadistic feline out there! Recently, and also in the past, I'v seen stray cats patrolling near our car at night. Its a sight that always makes me very happy, esp. after reading all the rodent horror stories out here. Recently there is this tom cat that sometimes takes a nap under the car. Never have those fur balls ever scratched anything or done any damage whatsoever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by filcord (Post 1338476)

Please be careful. What we call "camphor" is actually naphtalene. Naphtalene vapour is extremely harmful, and you can suffer long-term damage to your health by constantly inhaling it.
Suggest you do not use this in the interior of the car.

I do not agree with you here. Camphor has medicinal / beneficial properties like: stimulant, anti spasmodic, anti septic, decongestant, anesthetic, sedative and nervous pacifier, anti neuralgic, anti inflammatory, disinfectant, insecticide, etc.

If it was harmful in ANY damn way, people would never visit temples or have puja at home. It is a good method to keep the rats away too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiophile (Post 1343330)

Now its me trying to get rid of the cat.......might have to start a new tread for thatlol:

Mouse problem = Cat = Solved = Cat problem = ? = Get a dog :uncontrol

EDIT: It should be a good idea to get the engine bay washed frequently. Also, if a mechanic / you could dab a cloth in something like neem oil and rub it all over the wiring in the engine compartment, the rats would never want to get that bitter taste!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ankitahuja (Post 1345403)

I do not agree with you here.

In India, the white mothballs sold in stores is not really camphor, and you will find out if you buy a labelled container.

I am quoting liberally from Wikipedia

Older mothballs consisted primarily of naphthalene, but due to naphthalene's flammability, modern mothballs use 1,4-dichlorobenzene

( instead. Both of these ingredients have a strong, pungent odor often associated strongly with mothballs. (dichlorobenzene, p-DCB, PDB) is an organic compound with the formula C6H4Cl2. This colourless solid has an odour akin to that of camphor. It consists of two chlorine atoms substituted at opposing sites on a benzene ring. p-DCB is used a pesticide and a deodorant, most famously in mothballs in which it is a replacement for the more traditional naphthalene.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have determined that p-DCB may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen, although there is no direct evidence.[2] Animals given very high levels in water developed liver and kidney tumors. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum contaminant level of 75 micrograms of p-DCB per liter of drinking water (75 μg/L). p-DCB is also an EPA-registered pesticide.[citation needed] The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a maximum level of 75 parts of p-DCB per million parts air in the workplace (75 ppm) for an 8-hour day, 40-hour workweek.[citation needed]
Under California's Proposition 65, p-DCB is listed as "known to the State to cause cancer".[4]
Mothballs are highly toxic when ingested, causing serious illness or death. In addition to this, using a very large quantity of mothballs in a basement or a living space may cause serious respiratory problems in people living in the space.

Please inform yourself before you use the so-called "camphor" balls.

:OT

Quote:

Originally Posted by filcord (Post 1345415)

In India, the white mothballs sold in stores is not really camphor, and you will find out if you buy a labelled container.

I am quoting liberally from Wikipedia.............

Filcord - I think you need to read the posts again, the suggestion is to use CAMPHOR and not moth balls or naphthalene balls!

Are we even discussing the "white moth balls" here? sigh!

Quote:

Originally Posted by filcord (Post 1345415)

Please inform yourself before you use the so-called "camphor" balls.

Please go out to a general store and tell them you need Camphor tablets (the are not balls and come in small squares) and read the labelled box!

No point in forcing your point without understanding the said!

I got this info in email
Web Site : www.ratocop.com
Ratocop is designed using specialized sensor modules to detect presence of rats, mice, squirrels and other Rodent species which are likely to enter into Cars and other vehicles through openings beneath the bonnet and damaging wires and other parts of the engine.
Ratocop detects the slightest presence of any rats and mice in the engine area and creates random vibrations and noises similar to engine ignitions, hence the rodent is scared away due to irritation and fear assuming the vehicle to have started, thus giving the rat no chance to damage the wiring’s and fittings of the car.
This device will be automatically switched "ON" & “OFF” The entire installation is done by connecting only two wires to the car battery, without tampering any original wires of the car

Quote:

Originally Posted by aka_iitd (Post 1345528)

Hello aka_iitd,

Have you installed this device and do we have this available in Bangalore..

Quote:

Originally Posted by aka_iitd (Post 1345528)

Quote:

Originally Posted by srinath_mys (Post 1348536)

...Have you installed this device and do we have this available in Bangalore..

No, this is NOT available in bangalore. I asked the company and they said the following:

1200 for the ratocop
Courier charges to be borne by you (will be shipped from Bombay)
NO dealer in Bangalore
200 for installation charges
You have to install yourself, they will give a link from where you can get instructions (200 charges for what then???)

Cheers,