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Since the coyotes killed my barn cats, I started using using poison bait pellets (Ramik Green) in my closed barn where I keep my newer equipment and my truck.
However, I have one yard dog who does a pretty good job on the field rodents and nearby rabbits. Unfortunately, I've noticed he's also been getting a few birds that nest in the tall grasses.
Is your vehicle parked outside? As if inside, you need to locate and cover all entry points - after you put TomCat granules inside.
I had this happen to my Ridgeline. It was parked outside and I landed with $350 in repairs.
Set TomCat animal safe poison dispenser, even several of them, next to your car. Yeah, I know, animal protection here will start a riot, but nothing else really works. It's either a predator that keeps rodents away - cat, dog, or else or poison. Trapping? Meh... tried that. They are awfully smart with traps. Besides, you kill what - one? 2? Poison, they take back to their nest as food, so impact is much better.
I have chicken farm, I know a thing or two about them.
All the wiring insulation now is soy based and rodents love it. The best method is to trap them. My wiring has been fine, but they steal insulation from the firewall. I have tried all of the various remedies such as dryer sheets, Irish Spring Soap, and various predator scent sprays with no success.
Another reason I hate new cars. Another idiotic "feature".
You've been suggested trapping and poisoning. And there cats and varmint dogs like Russell terriers. Personally, if I had a real problem, and could manage a varmint dog, the dog will do a better job. Unless you have a whole passel of barn cats. That's to keep the population down. In my experience, my car isn't a preferred housing solution for the mice until I have an overpopulation - but I don't have the modern-car-tasty-wiring.
But I will share what is absolutely, 100%, guaranteed to get the mice to leave your car. Ammonia. Get a couple of old pots - not aluminum. Ceramic or steel. Take two. Pour a cup of ammonia in each, and put one on each side on the floor. Close the doors and leave. The next morning, before you start the car, open the doors for a half minute, and leave open to air out the car. Remove the pots with ammonia.
The fumes will pretty much have already dissipated by then. It might smell a bit for a few hours, but that won't last long. All the ammonia in that cup or so of liquid is no longer there. It evaporated into gas and drove the mice - and their odor - out. If the mice aren't in the air ducting or interior at all, just put the ammonia under the engine compartment. If they are nesting in the trunk, put the ammonia there.
That liquid ammonia evaporates as gaseous ammonia, which is a deadly poison, and it stinks, as you know. The mice will leave the premises. Generally, for me, this takes no more than one or two nights and the mice will stay away - at least until a new generation comes along that needs to be taught where not to stay. The ammonia has an added benefit of removing some of the mouse odor, as well.
What is left in the pan in the morning isn't much more than water. Throw it away. If you have lilacs, they will appreciate it, although other garden plants probably won't. If you have a mulch pile, throw it there. Or down the drain. Every time you do this treatment start with fresh ammonia from the bottle.
My grandma used to swear by ammonia, and for the longest time I didn't get it. But it is cheap, easy to get, harmless with a little bit of sense, and a great tool in some circumstances.
When we moved to FL awhile back I had built a pole barn to store my restored 65 Mustang convertible in and my restored 65 Fast Back.I sold both because of storage and humidity.We had moved from CO.
I had a concrete block building under construction which was not available,I never knew that the field rats would be a problem,they pee'd etc and chewed wires before I knew of problem,pole barn had no food.I tried moth balls.
The farmer across the road had lean to shelter with an occasional used car parked under and no problems.
In his corncrib he rigged a 5 gallon bucket of water with a piece of wood with corn on the end,they would walk out for food causing them to drop in water and drown.
I’ve been doing some research.... My car is a newer model and most wiring is being made with a plant based coating which is a delight to the rodents and of course the dealership. I was told to call the insurance company to see if they’ll cover “animal related damage” which will do in the morning. I was surprised when the service tech told me that rodents has caused damage to the electrical wiring system of my car. I figured as long as I had the no eating rule in my car, the rodents would stay away. Although occasionally, I had left cans/bottles in bags to be taken to store for deposit. I live in one of the few States where cans have a money back deposit.
Some of the things I read was...
Leaving the hood propped up a few inches.... Sounds stupid imho for different reasons
Sprinkling cayenne or any kind of HOT pepper around the tires
Using pure peppermint oil under the hood or using those altoids peppermints
What are your ideas to keep rodents away? I’m nervous about putting something under the hood that can become a fire hazard
Fresh cab works well (Amazon). I buy boxes of them & toss in all the ranch vehicles & equipment. Rabbits don't seem like them either & they chew wires, too.
Also I throw mice bait bars under anything that is parked for the season.
I’ve been doing some research.... My car is a newer model and most wiring is being made with a plant based coating which is a delight to the rodents and of course the dealership. I was told to call the insurance company to see if they’ll cover “animal related damage” which will do in the morning. I was surprised when the service tech told me that rodents has caused damage to the electrical wiring system of my car. I figured as long as I had the no eating rule in my car, the rodents would stay away. Although occasionally, I had left cans/bottles in bags to be taken to store for deposit. I live in one of the few States where cans have a money back deposit.
Some of the things I read was...
Leaving the hood propped up a few inches.... Sounds stupid imho for different reasons
Sprinkling cayenne or any kind of HOT pepper around the tires
Using pure peppermint oil under the hood or using those altoids peppermints
What are your ideas to keep rodents away? I’m nervous about putting something under the hood that can become a fire hazard
Get a cat. I had a cat whose favorite sleeping refuge was on top of a tire on my van. There was no rodent problem with her on the job.
All these suggestions sound way too iffy, and way too much trouble. I want deadly poison that I can spray or paint directly onto the wires: eat it and DIE.
By the way, does "all new cars" (have this ridiculous wiring) include Lexus and Rolls Royce?
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