Under the hood invasion by squirrels/rats

[spetro]

So fall is setting in.  Here in the north GA mountains we had a nice crisp day a week or so ago. Went for a drive with the windows down.  Once I got back to the house I catch a whiff of what smelled like burning grass.  I popped the hood to find out that the engine was covered with sticks, leaves, and acorns.  Took about 45 minutes to clean it out.  After further inspection I found a sensor wire that was chewed through.  I was able to fix it and now its time to keep that from happening.  Here is what I've done.

I searched squirrel repellents and found that peppermint runs them off.  I tried this in one car first.  I dipped a cotton ball in peppermint oil and waited. So far so good.  I then checked the other truck without the peppermint....NEST!!!  So I devised a permanent solution since the peppermint worked.  I took an empty pill bottle drilled several breather holes in it and put 3 or 4 cotton balls in it.  I then poured peppermint oil on them.  Took the pill bottle and wire tied it to a bracket in a cool area under the hood.  After a week or so I take a turkey injector, suck up some peppermint oil and inject it through the holes to re-energize the pill bottle.  Works like a charm in both vehicles so far!

Update:  If anyone else has a solution that is different to the one I described...please post it.
I do get a little peppermint smell through the A/C...FYI

[Princeton_Man]

Great tip spetro! Several decades ago, chipmunks or squirrels built a nest in my mom's new car. Even worse, they chewed the main wiring harness to shreds. Warranty doesn't cover that!

Last year I began to notice the AC and heat in our 06 Corolla wasn't blowing as well as it used to. I finally got around to replacing the cabin air filter this year and found that rodent had built a nest on top of the filter! That car never sits more than a week!

You can bet I'm going to break out the peppermint oil! Thanks! Might put some in the boat as well.

[LgMouthGambler]

Step 1: Open hood.
Step 2: Unload 10 round clip of .45 ACP.

[Oldfart9999]

Give them peanut butter wrapped percocet or oxycodone, they'll be happy little rodents as they pass.
Rodney

[Kris]

I have been told that craft netting with moth balls hung in several places will work also. I think I would rather smell the peppermint once in awhile instead.

[Smallie_Stalker]

Peppermint. Who woulda thunk it!!! Simple and effective. Excellent tip. 

[Donald Garner]

spetro

Tks for the tip.  I had to replace the battery in the wife's Silverado last week.  While taking the battery out I found a nest between the fire wall and battery.  No wiring damage done just a big mess of leaves etc.

[Princeton_Man]

Did a little reading on the subject and found that there are several different oils that will work including eucalyptus oil which has a stronger smell, so I picked up a small bottle while during some grocery shopping. Tucked small pieces of saturated shop clothes in the engine compartments of all the vehicles and the battery compartment of the boat.

Now the garage smells like a bag of Hall's cough drops. 

[Lipripper]

Thanks for the tip spetro and them dang tree rats can be a pain in the ass for sure 

[SteveTX]

Step 1: Open hood.
Step 2: Unload 10 round clip of .45 ACP.

I like your methods.. A little crude, possibly expensive, and results may varry but definitely worth a YouTube video.  

[big g]

I have heard that a few dryer sheets will act as a repellent in cars and boats.  I have used moth balls for snakes and frogs.

[spetro]

Update:  Since I posted this I found that the "pill bottle" plastic is to thin and warps under the heat.  So I got a can of "Sea Foam gas treatment" which is made of metal.  Copied what I did with the pill bottles.  We'll see.

Since this issue is under the hood, the A/C picks up the peppermint smell a bit.  I would not want to smell dryer sheet/mothballs in the cabin of the car.  Shooting them won't work since I will not get into a "rat stand" and wait them out.  I do not want to poison them since there are eagles that might ingest the dead ones.  So for weeks into this issue, it seems resolved other than a better container.  The Sea Foam bottles are BIG so I'm still on the hunt for the perfect container.. 

So fall is setting in.  Here in the north GA mountains we had a nice crisp day a week or so ago. Went for a drive with the windows down.  Once I got back to the house I catch a whiff of what smelled like burning grass.  I popped the hood to find out that the engine was covered with sticks, leaves, and acorns.  Took about 45 minutes to clean it out.  After further inspection I found a sensor wire that was chewed through.  I was able to fix it and now its time to keep that from happening.  Here is what I've done.

I searched squirrel repellents and found that peppermint runs them off.  I tried this in one car first.  I dipped a cotton ball in peppermint oil and waited. So far so good.  I then checked the other truck without the peppermint....NEST!!!  So I devised a permanent solution since the peppermint worked.  I took an empty pill bottle drilled several breather holes in it and put 3 or 4 cotton balls in it.  I then poured peppermint oil on them.  Took the pill bottle and wire tied it to a bracket in a cool area under the hood.  After a week or so I take a turkey injector, suck up some peppermint oil and inject it through the holes to re-energize the pill bottle.  Works like a charm in both vehicles so far!

Update:  If anyone else has a solution that is different to the one I described...please post it.
I do get a little peppermint smell through the A/C...FYI