rat turd under my car

[look 171]

Finally, I started the 930 after a year of sitting. Well, I did move it out a couple of times just because I had to get to something in the garage. I discovered a bunch of rat crap, but none were under the engine area but only the front half of the car. I got thinking that a rat might need a place warm so he will be near the warm engine? He might have gotten in there when I moved the car in and out the few times. I set a trap in there for the past two weeks and nothing. Nothing moved. I even changed the bait several times, but was only taken just once but I got nothing. I am its a pretty big one due to the size of the turd. What now? No, no guns, not because I don't want to hurt the little bastard, but I don't want to spend the money and ended up shooting myself in the foot. I even have a cage type trap and still nothing has been touched inside. Clever little f'er. What to do?

[slodave]

Hopefully it hasn't found your open heater boxes and made a home deep in the heat pipes running the sides of the car. That's gunna smell! Lesson, always pull the heater boxes closed when parking in the garage.

[KNS]

I have a car in storage and I use unscented glue traps spread around/under the car and around the stage unit. I found one dead mouse caught in a trap a few years ago but none since. You don't want the scented kind because it can attract the little bastards. I put one glue trap on each side of each tire, they'll use the wheels and suspension to climb up to higher parts of the car.

The rat glue traps are larger.

[Nickshu]

Here's the rear end of the rocker on my Corvair, pic from when I was stripping the body. Serious mouse house!

[Aragorn]

For the future when storing a car for a long time: put dryer sheets under the seats, place moth balls in a cloth bag in the engine compartment and trunk, and place some cayenne pepper around the tires (ants/squirrels.) This should deter most small critters.

As far as what to do with an infestation now, I don't feel that glue traps work as well as other traps (plus you usually have to dispatch the creature because you find them still alive.) Try a large snap trap baited with peanut butter or smelly cheese or a live trap. Based on the feces size you are describing, I am guessing you could have a squirrel in your garage though.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

For the future when storing a car for a long time: put dryer sheets under the seats, place moth balls in a cloth bag in the engine compartment and trunk, and place some cayenne pepper around the tires (ants/squirrels.) This should deter most small critters.

As far as what to do with an infestation now, I don't feel that glue traps work as well as other traps (plus you usually have to dispatch the creature because you find them still alive.) Try a large snap trap baited with peanut butter or smelly cheese or a live trap. Based on the feces size you are describing, I am guessing you could have a squirrel in your garage though.

Your car will stink of mothballs if you do that.

Several spring traps and careful monitoring of the traps will help a lot.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

For the future when storing a car for a long time: put dryer sheets under the seats, place moth balls in a cloth bag in the engine compartment and trunk, and place some cayenne pepper around the tires (ants/squirrels.) This should deter most small critters.

As far as what to do with an infestation now, I don't feel that glue traps work as well as other traps (plus you usually have to dispatch the creature because you find them still alive.) Try a large snap trap baited with peanut butter or smelly cheese or a live trap. Based on the feces size you are describing, I am guessing you could have a squirrel in your garage though.

How can one tell if its mouse or squirrel turd? Maybe he comes and goes through the gap between the garage door and the opening on top of the garage? Who knows? I have a few traps in there but nothing's been touched since the first week. I don't know how the bait was taken without getting snapped up by the trap. I went to get a cage type after that.

[JavaBrewer]

What are you using for bait with the snap traps? I my experience peanut butter is a sure thing. If the bait just sits then perhaps you don't have a resident but an occasional visitor? Any other food items in the garage? Place your traps along walls and on the inside of your tires.

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by look 171

How can one tell if its mouse or squirrel turd? Maybe he comes and goes through the gap between the garage door and the opening on top of the garage? Who knows? I have a few traps in there but nothing's been touched since the first week. I don't know how the bait was taken without getting snapped up by the trap. I went to get a cage type after that.

How you can one tell if its mouse, rat or squirrel feces goes to shape and size. Squirrel feces are more barrel shaped than rat feces. Mouse feces are smaller being about the size of a grain of rice.

As far as baiting the snap traps, smear and shove the bait under and around the catch on the trap. When they work to get the bait out, the trap will spring and the animal will die quickly.

Getting to the mothballs, I never put them in the passenger compartment, only the engine compartment and trunk in small quantities. For the good they do, I can stand a few days of the smell until it goes away.

FYI, mothflakes and mothballs are a good deterrent for snakes too when placed around the garage entrances.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

What are you using for bait with the snap traps? I my experience peanut butter is a sure thing. If the bait just sits then perhaps you don't have a resident but an occasional visitor? Any other food items in the garage? Place your traps along walls and on the inside of your tires.

I learned it from watching cartoons as a kid. So it was cheese. I have no idea about the peanut butter. will give it a go. I don't think they are going up the tires, yet?

[Aragorn]

Originally Posted by look 171

I learned it from watching cartoons as a kid. So it was cheese. I have no idea about the peanut butter. will give it a go. I don't think they are going up the tires, yet?

Cheese will work but it has to be smelly cheese and you have to shove it under the catch mechanism (on top.) Peanut butter works the best though. They have to work to get out and always set the trap off.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by Aragorn

Cheese will work but it has to be smelly cheese and you have to shove it under the catch mechanism (on top.) Peanut butter works the best though. They have to work to get out and always set the trap off.

Peanut butter is definitely the best for spring traps. Plus, it sticks to the traps so the mice have to manipulate it more than something just set on there.

I had a significant issue with field mice, but diligent trapping has it down to a minimum now...All with old fashion spring traps and peanut butter.

Here's a mummy mouse I found when restoring my car. It was full of mouse droppings.

[look 171]

going to the market today

[sammyg2]

Glue traps work really well and are maintenance free. Iffn it turns out you don't have rats, you can catch hundreds of them noisy crickets with a glue trap.


Just doan step on it in bare feet. yuck.

[mark houghton]

Ahhhh....rat (or mouse) turds in the 930. BTDT, the little bastards will eat anything rubber, leather, carpets, as well as wire insulation. This is what I did to rid myself of the little beasties:



If you're a 930 owner, I've probably just blown my cover!

[gamin]

Glue boards can work very well. Very useful if you don't want poisons around. Always use the rat size glue board and bait it by pressing a small dog treat in the middle. Place where you find droppings. And who cares if you have to dispatch the critter. Fleas, disease, gnawing, peeing, crapping. Put everything in a walmart bag and throw away and good riddance. And try not to put glue boards where pets and kids can get to them. If kid or dog gets stuck it is easy to unglue using vegetable oil.

[Bugsinrugs]

Just get a garage cat...no more rodents.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by look 171

I learned it from watching cartoons as a kid. So it was cheese. I have no idea about the peanut butter. will give it a go. I don't think they are going up the tires, yet?

Ahhhh..the Rat's in CA are vegetarian's. They won't eat ham nor cheese. They call them Fruit Rats, Roof Rats, Wire Rats for a reason! They love Palm Trees, Ivy, Attics, and Fruit Trees. They can slip through a 1/2 hole...and they need to knaw to keep their teeth from growing too long. And did I say S CA is infested with the little critters...

[look 171]

You know Tabs, I was afraid to hear that its the fruit rats. Only that I do not live in that part of the city where the skinny waste, long legged, vegetarian rats roam. The fruits are here though.

[porwolf]

I had a rat starring at me when I opened the front hood of my '79SC once. First it was not even moving. Tried to shoo it out of the trunk. But it burrowed deep into the crevices. I drove the car into the garage and put a nice snap trap to work using rubber gloves, so not to leave any human smell on the trap. I set it up so the rat had to approach it from the front. Put cheese smothered with peanut butter on the trigger pad, set up a little light and went to bed. In the morning the rat was history. And no signs of more rats. I did not see any signs rat chewing on the car. I guess I got lucky.