Rodent in the engine
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Quatre Coureur
New member
Get the 'green blocks' they sell at Home Depot. I think they're called Contract Block or somethin like that. Place 'em near where they're feeding. Is this in ur garage? How are they gaining access? Find their entry point and bait n trap there. Good luck!
having fun
New member
Those are rats or mice, they use the insulation for making beds for babies. Or if you have food in the vehicle, they find ways to get in to get to it, that spot looks easy for them to do in there eyes.
Get a spring loaded trap with a metal holder on it for bait. Put a peice of bacon on it before you go to bed. Take a torch and heat the bacon on the trap, and put in a spot close to there, but, stable not to fall off if touched by mice.
Get a spring loaded trap with a metal holder on it for bait. Put a peice of bacon on it before you go to bed. Take a torch and heat the bacon on the trap, and put in a spot close to there, but, stable not to fall off if touched by mice.
downpour11
New member
lol I'd be livid! At least they are just eating at the insulation rather than chewing up a bunch of wiring. Carl, kill em before they start! Good luck
TechWrench
Senior Member
You might want to check the cabin air filter over the glove box. If you are having a problem with rodents in the engine compartment, it is very likely they might have gotten into the interior HVAC ducts via the fresh air intake under the wiper cowl. I have seen this in many vehicles in the Northeast. I had that problem years ago, and had to make a wire screen cover for the fresh air intake to keep them out (My anti-chipmonk mod).
having fun
New member
Killer mod there.
TechWrench
Senior Member
If I remember correctly, there are some openings down the side of the body, that the critters can crawl up to get access to the area underneath the wiper cowl. Once there, it isn't very hard for them to get into the fresh air intake and inside the HVAC ducts and set up housekeeping. A long time ago, I worked for a Honda dealership, and we saw this problem all the time. There were a lot of pine trees in certain areas, and people came in with their HVAC ducts packed full of pine nuts that the critters had stored there. We had to take apart the entire dash to get to the ducts and empty them out. Once in a while we even came across a critter still in there. We used the steel mesh screening with 1/4" holes to make a cover for the fresh air intake to keep the critters out, and it worked well. I have also seen instances where critters can get up into the engine air intake and fill the area under the air filter with their 'winter supply'.
philsey
New member
I used to live in the country and mice (rodents) were a continual problem getting into vehicles. As you have discovered, they eat the shite out of everything, and WILL eventually cause serious damage.
Worse, they breed like crazy, worse still they pee in their nests and will really cause your truck to stink. Finding a nest can be very problematic. I encourage you to find it. It likely has babies in it.
So far, you've been given good advice. I much prefer spring traps, as they are most effective. A glue trap can be drug off into places you really don't want them to be dieing. Do not use poison - they will indeed go to their nests to die - not good.
As to bait, I prefer peanut butter to bacon. Bacon can be gotten off the trap, whereas they will continue to lick at the PB.
For a car kept outside, you have got to stay preventive, and keep traps set beginning in the fall. Discovering them after the fact is bad.
Worse, they breed like crazy, worse still they pee in their nests and will really cause your truck to stink. Finding a nest can be very problematic. I encourage you to find it. It likely has babies in it.
So far, you've been given good advice. I much prefer spring traps, as they are most effective. A glue trap can be drug off into places you really don't want them to be dieing. Do not use poison - they will indeed go to their nests to die - not good.
As to bait, I prefer peanut butter to bacon. Bacon can be gotten off the trap, whereas they will continue to lick at the PB.
For a car kept outside, you have got to stay preventive, and keep traps set beginning in the fall. Discovering them after the fact is bad.
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NJshadow93
New member
Be happy you don't have a Prius. I heard the chemical(s) used in the wiring and hoses of the Prius actually attract mice. I saw a Prius at a local body shop being gutted because hundreds of mice were found eating at the wires. That shop had a lot of work on their hands.
Techsan
New member
I had RX-8 a few years ago that rats LOVED! The car was in the garage for a week one winter when I was on vacation, and was surprised to find microfiber towels from the garage that were stuffed in the corner of the engine by the firewall. Those suckers managed to carry 4 towels up there.
I checked the cabin air filter & it was disgusting! Couldn't believe I was breathing in that air!
I ended up putting out poison in the garage & they chowd down on it---didn't see any further evidence after that.
I've heard of peppermint oil on a few cotton balls in the engine compartment works well too.
I checked the cabin air filter & it was disgusting! Couldn't believe I was breathing in that air!
I ended up putting out poison in the garage & they chowd down on it---didn't see any further evidence after that.
I've heard of peppermint oil on a few cotton balls in the engine compartment works well too.
TechWrench
Senior Member
Would never work for me, our dogs don't need any more 'toys'............:madgrin:
duckrunner
New member
when i bought my 4runner the previous owners (family friends) had it sitting for about 2 years and of course i test drove it all was fine till i gave them the money, 3 days later at the dealer, mechanic said something had chewed the whole wiring harness
RiFF RaFF
New member
Lots of Honda Goldwing owners have a similar problem. Mice just love to build a home in the air box. Best solution seems to be moth balls.
My best solution - mouse bait/poison. I even make the cubed bait more enticing by smearing some peanut butter on them.
Also helps that we have a family of black snakes living under our back concrete steps. Keeps the vermin down to a minimum.
Just as a preventative measure every fall I place the bait/poison cubes where ever I think a mouse/rat/vole will try and winter over.
Must be working - no nest in my Pontiac Solstice (garaged for the winter), or any of my other vehicles.
:hungry: :becky:
My best solution - mouse bait/poison. I even make the cubed bait more enticing by smearing some peanut butter on them.
Also helps that we have a family of black snakes living under our back concrete steps. Keeps the vermin down to a minimum.
Just as a preventative measure every fall I place the bait/poison cubes where ever I think a mouse/rat/vole will try and winter over.
Must be working - no nest in my Pontiac Solstice (garaged for the winter), or any of my other vehicles.
:hungry: :becky:
Carl_G
Member
This afternoon I noticed very, very small mouse droppings on the console by the gear shift so I decided to thoroughly inspect the interior of the vehicle.
Upon lifting the rear seat cushions here is what I found:
Obviously a mouse nest. Can anyone tell me where the mouse would have obtained these types of fiber/threads from? The only one that looks familiar is from the yellow firewall insulation.
Maybe the insides of the seats? Under the carpet?
Thanks
Upon lifting the rear seat cushions here is what I found:
Obviously a mouse nest. Can anyone tell me where the mouse would have obtained these types of fiber/threads from? The only one that looks familiar is from the yellow firewall insulation.
Maybe the insides of the seats? Under the carpet?
Thanks