Rat in Engine Compartment of Charger

[MoparMotel]

Wanted to see if you guys have any experience with this. I went to drive my Charger a couple weeks ago and noticed rat droppings on the intake manifold, also an old piece of torn carpet that was on the intake as well like he is trying to make a nest. I put out the big spring traps, and it went off without getting him. Next I put out the sticky pads, which also got him but he rolled off it, pad was full of hair. Next I got the live cage trap and baited it with peanut butter, dog food and bacon. Never went near it. Next I put out the poison bait station, never went near it.

Any tips? I called a few local pest control companies yesterday but they have yet to call me back. The car has new wiring harnesses in it and I do not want him tearing them up, so far he hasn't chewed on anything I can see.

[lukedukem]

I have a cat. A female cat, for this purpose only. She's big and bad. I hardly have to worry about her. And she was a rescue cat. But she patrols the shop area and keeps the unwanted guests out

Luke

[RallyeMike]

At first I was thinking you should be banned (or worse) for putting a big block Chebby engine in a Charger.

But I agree. Get some cats. Only rats around here are dead ones deposited on the door mat.

[polywideblock]

sounds like the sticky trap might have scarred it off 

[johnnycharger]

Rats don't like new things. They get nervous when things change. I would stick with the snap trap (I like the black tomcat ones) and wait a little longer. I bait mine with what they are already eating. Look around your place- are they getting into birdseed, dogfood or something else?

[MoparMotel]

Only thing he has gotten into is the dog food, but I've got 5 different traps that have been out for about a week with dog food, bacon, and peanut butter and he has yet touch them.

[johnnycharger]

If it were me I would put only dog food in each of them

[Homerr]

I had a rat in my garage soon after I moved in.  The rat was there getting in to a bag of fertilizer the previous owner left.  I used poison pellets and the problem went away.  And now no food or fertilizer are in the garage.

[67440chrg]

I don't have rats but I do have mice. I put a trap under the car at each tire with American cheese and 4 paper plates in the car with moth balls on them. I also throw a bunch of dryer sheets around in the car. Last winter I killed 13 mice. My car is in a barn that is not very sealed. No harm has come to it in all the years I have lived here.

[Moparman01]

Don't have rats either, but for the first time this year i had mouse trouble in one of my cars, '71 Demon. I hadn't had out in about a week, took the cover off and could immediately smell something dead, opened the door to car and about tossed my cookies, it was bad. After tearing out the interior, i eventually found 2 dead mice and a huge nest up inside the headliner over towards the C pillar. Headliner is ok, but they tore a some stuff up and i ended up with some electrical issues. Anyway, there have always been quite a few feral cats around, never had a mouse problem before, then i found out my neighbor has been trapping the feral cats and taking them somewhere. I thought it was strange i wasn't seeing any cats roaming around lately. I'm really pissed about it, maybe it's just a coincidence but have a feeling the feral cats were keeping the mice population under control. Now i too have to find some good mice defense for the winter to keep them out during the cars hibernation....        

[ACUDANUT]

Cats. You feed them cat food they won't hunt. You don't feed them anything, they take off. 

[triple_green]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Pest-A-Cator-Plus-2000-Electronic-Rodent-Repeller-12200/100617624

I have used something like this with good luck for the last 10 years.

[bakerhillpins]

I had a rat in my garage soon after I moved in.  The rat was there getting in to a bag of fertilizer the previous owner left.  I used poison pellets and the problem went away.  And now no food or fertilizer are in the garage.

I'm going to suggest avoiding the poison at all costs. It's rarely effective (they tend to carry it off and store it) and almost always results in secondary deaths, such as the cat you might end up getting who ingests the poison via the carrier rat. Around here the poison for mice ends up killing owls, which normally help control the populations.

I always use the good old snap traps but I put them inside a "galley-way" so that the mouse/rat can only enter the trap from the deadly end. This typically ensures that when they show up they get waked and dead rather than springing the trap from the opposite side and simply going for a ride.

I also agree on using the same stuff they are getting into for bait.

YMMV.

[odcics2]

Leave spray paint caps around with antifreeze in them...

Problem solved.

[PlainfieldCharger]

Did anyone ever try something like this?     Looks like it could work.

https://www.raticator.com/products/

[Charger_Fan]

These are pretty effective, the "bucket of death". Put water or antifreeze in the bottom, peanut butter or processed cheeze on the spinning can & wah-la!

[Kern Dog]

A Chevy engine in a Charger??? Really    

[ACUDANUT]

A Chevy engine in a Charger??? Really    

No we are talking Rodents. Nothing to do with Chebby.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Cats. You feed them cat food they won't hunt. You don't feed them anything, they take off. 

So true lol

Our 2 house cats woke me up at 3 am a few weeks ago. Thought they were playing with the bath tub plug. Nope chasing a mouse around but wouldn't kill it.

[feeeighteefee]

yes the rats will bring food into the engine bay.had some dirty rats  sneak chunks of meat into engine bay.freaked me out one morning when i went to pop the hood.. good to hide some mothballs and put some bounce sheets around engine bay