[RajaTaurus]

My rat problem solved. First temporarily and then permanently. How?
Temporary solution: In Chennai, last few weeks, Rain God helped to inundate the entire neighborhood's low areas, closing out the underground secret tunnels dug by these rodents to reach to my car in the night and escape to their fortresses after feasting. Result? they have to re-do all the tunnels to reach the parking lot which means my car is safe. Yes, After rains started, no more wires cut and the watchman vouches for their disappearance. (That's One Laddu)
Permanent solution? I shifted to a new house in new area, well paved, without any garden or soiled portion. So no chance of rats reaching out to the car. (That is the Second Laddu.!)

[ACM]

Revised set of learnings

1) Park on tilled / concreat surfaces.
2) Do not let any part of the car body touch the side walls such that a rat can jump on while moving corners. - no parking in garages stuffed with junk.
3) Keep a pet Cat - Even the neighbours cat will do.
4) Rats and frogs attract Snakes - We ensure that our society area is free of rats mainly to keep snakes away.
5) Move the car daily - more care required if car is parked for multiple days at an end.
6) Keep rat poison cakes (rat kill) around the car (close to the walls) - let them not get wet / touched by the guys cleaning the car. Also pls dont do this is you have small children at home or around or even cats and dogs - it can then be a serious misadventure. Do also take care to throw away all the remaining rat poison cakes after the rats have disappered - this should not be a permament measure.
7) Keep a look out for rat droppings and step up other activites on seeing them either around the car on in the bonnet area.
8) Keep the bonnet area clean via servicing / water wash as the local spray wash center and the diesel spray that they do in the engine area.
9) Lastly keep the car free of opened food stuff once parked.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Having a cat under the car helps my GV avoid rats. Or so I thought. But couple hours back we found a 6ft python just 20ft away from my GV. I think rats are controlled in my office parking lot mainly by a rat snake and python. The python just got thrown out of the job, to a nearby forest.]

What a shame the python got "the sack."

I can understand if people are uncomfortable at having poisonous snakes around, but I don't think the python would have harmed any person.

[ihrishi]

I was in the same boat, till I found out about Rat Repellent from TufKote. These pests had chewed the ABS wire of my Linea.

This product screws up the rat's sense of smell or something. but it works! I ordered one, and since then there have been no rats around the car since some time.


I have a pdf with the details somewhere, will try to dig it up and post it here. Till then, you can try mailing here: support@tufkote.in, Or call Ryan on 9221059050

[gpa]

Originally Posted by ACM

Revised set of learnings

1) Park on tilled / concreat surfaces.
2) Do not let any part of the car body touch the side walls such that a rat can jump on while moving corners. - no parking in garages stuffed with junk.
3) Keep a pet Cat - Even the neighbours cat will do.
4) Rats and frogs attract Snakes - We ensure that our society area is free of rats mainly to keep snakes away.
5) Move the car daily - more care required if car is parked for multiple days at an end.
6) Keep rat poison cakes (rat kill) around the car (close to the walls) - let them not get wet / touched by the guys cleaning the car. Also pls dont do this is you have small children at home or around or even cats and dogs - it can then be a serious misadventure. Do also take care to throw away all the remaining rat poison cakes after the rats have disappered - this should not be a permament measure.
7) Keep a look out for rat droppings and step up other activites on seeing them either around the car on in the bonnet area.
8) Keep the bonnet area clean via servicing / water wash as the local spray wash center and the diesel spray that they do in the engine area.
9) Lastly keep the car free of opened food stuff once parked.

Just to add one more to this very exhaustive list by ACM.

10) Keep a can of WD-40 at home and use this to spray on a few areas inside the engine bay. Rats hate this smell and although undetectable to us humans, the smell lingers for weeks which serves as a good repellent to rodents.

[RajaTaurus]

^^Caution to Point 3#10 above. - Make sure the Engine are is not hot while spraying the WD40. Its highly inflammable and dangerous to use on any hot surface or any sufrace that could become hot.

[samm]

Originally Posted by gpa

Just to add one more to this very exhaustive list by ACM.

10) Keep a can of WD-40 at home and use this to spray on a few areas inside the engine bay. Rats hate this smell and although undetectable to us humans, the smell lingers for weeks which serves as a good repellent to rodents.

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

^^Caution to Point 3#10 above. - Make sure the Engine are is not hot while spraying the WD40. Its highly inflammable and dangerous to use on any hot surface or any sufrace that could become hot.

Just regular spray of diesel is sufficient to keep rats away. Do it on tyres, engine bay every 2 or 3 days religiously. It works wonders. Some spray below the car, and the rats will never venture near that area.

Absolutely no need of trying anything risky, poisonous or inflammable!

Cheers!

[drjones]

Iam having a chronic problem with rats biting off wiring , tubes, insulation etc. Tried most of the things like rat traps, rat cakes, sticky rat trap, even my dog. My dog actually caused more damage to the car by chasing it and biting the whole car, scratching it thoroughly , making me give my car a coat of paint. Tried tying tobacco leaves as advised by a friendly neighborhood driver. Nothing works. Any ideas and suggestions please. Thanks.
Dr.Jones
P.S- Mods, please move it to a appropriate place, since I could not find a section for "Damages caused by animals" ;-). Thanks.


Note from Support:
Please search before creating new threads.
Thanks.

[Frankenstein]

I have the rat problem in my scorpio . I got lacquer sprayed by the 3M guys recently in the engine bay. They mentioned the smell of the lacquer keeps the rats away , Lets see how far it helps.

[praful]

Ok I have a rat problem. Nothing "visible" is being chewed on yet. But they are leaving rat poo on the seats.

Any tips on getting these guys away in these stages itself?

I've got rat poison (the one that claims that the rats go out and die), wondering if I should use it or not. I dont want anything chewed on :(

[planet_rocker]

praful, please take a look at the following:

1. do you keep the fresh air mode ON?
2. is the rat hiding in the passenger cabin?
3. check the fire wall heat shield / mat for gaps > the area where the wires (bundle) comes out of the cabin.

[Gansan]

When I took my car recently for service, it was noticed the turn indicator on the left side (above the wheel) was not blinking. I told them to change the bulb. But the electrician informed me the bulb was OK, just the wire was chewed by rat.

This had never happened to me before. My car is parked OTS, but on a cement floor. There are no surrounding shrubs or vacant plot. I had neglected to take the car for wash for a few months. I normally do it at least once a month and I believe the polish they spray inside the bonnet will repel rats. I made a silent resolution to resume the monthly wash.

Is there any ultrasound repellant available for rats?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by praful

Ok I have a rat problem. Nothing "visible" is being chewed on yet. But they are leaving rat poo on the seats.

If you have a hole big enough for a rat to get through, you have one that can let in plenty of fumes. Car exhaust is deadly.

[rajeev k]

Originally Posted by Gansan

But the electrician informed me the bulb was OK, just the wire was chewed by rat.
My car is parked OTS, but on a cement floor. There are no surrounding shrubs or vacant plot. I believe the polish they spray inside the bonnet will repel rats. I made a silent resolution to resume the monthly wash.
Is there any ultrasound repellant available for rats?

My Alto had cables for both the sides were chewed off. I had posted pictures in the same thread earlier. The car was kept in covered and cemented shed but the doors have big gap at the bottom through which not only rats but cats can pass in. But these days cats are afraid of rats..
Ultra sound repellants are available. I have seen this in a super market and they say it is effective. Effective not from day one but after few weeks.

[raka1o]

I had wagon R earlier and once when I gave car for regular servicing, they called me in the evening to say that there is snake in my car (Nag). still, I cannot how snake can enter the dashboard. ( I feel snake would have been there under the hood...during servicing....due to fear ...it would have entered inside....the reason service center people told is that it might have entered through AC vent. It costed me 1000 rs extra because it took 3 hours to remove the snake and they have remove car seat, dashboard, etc to locate the snake. also it was nag panchami day so as it got killed on auspicious day so paid Rs.300 for burial. The major reason what service guys told is that rats might be reason for snake to enter....so they covered all the wires will iron mesh ( which used in grills and windows). I stay in outskirts so that might be another reason.

steel or iron mesh covering the wires is good option ( just costs 200rs)