Rodent Problems

I don't need to drive much any more so my truck sits a lot. Went to town yesterday and got a "check your charging system" warning light. Turned around and went back home and checked the battery voltage with engine off and running. Looked just fine but light was still on.

Since I deliberately bought this vehicle, new spring of '11, from the nearest dealer I went to see him. Service guy came out and checked the codes, asked me some questions and in doing so we were standing in front of the truck and he touched the connector on top of the alternator where the sense and idiot light wires were SUPPOSED TO BE but weren't......completely chewed off length of about 4" of wires. I ordered a new connector and pigtail and he said I could install it and not void my warranty.

Looked at the battery and tray and gnaw marks were on the + terminal plastic cover and acorns and shells plus what looked like rat poop were in the battery tray.

I know that I have at least 2 squirrels harvesting my pecans so I know they are here. I doubt rats would leave the nuts; never have in the past and even though the poop looks like rat, I guess since a squirrel is a rodent too it looks pretty much the same.

I bought some rat poison and put it under all my vehicles, farm included which has worked in the past for rats.

Does anyone know if the rat poison (currently using the bar type that you break into pieces) will kill squirrels? I really don't want to kill them but considering what they or rats could do to a modern day, computer controlled vehicle wiring harness, I don't need that problem.

Thanks,
Mark

Years ago I had problem with pack rats and mice in my cars trucks and tractors. I now have a good many barn cats and the problem has gone away.

Either lots of cats or seal the building so rodents can't get in.

Or a big old rattlesnake would clean out those rodents. Course then you have to worry about where that snake is!

I can suggest that when it comes to a situation like that, they have to go.

I've had that problem for years, field, deer or white footed mice, just don't go away and there are cats around that I have no idea where they come from and I still get them, probably a lot less, but nonetheless I check the live traps or here them, got rid of a bunch this summer, had another round move in, got all of them, traps are clean. I also bait 5 gallon pails, 2/3 with water, coat the top and a piece of plaster wood lathe with sunflower seeds, make a trail, set several out for mice and chipmunks, squirrels are too big, and I've been able to put a big dent in both the mice and chipmunk populations.

Live traps for mice work well as I can get more than one without resetting the trap.


You have to get rid of the food source, that is priority. I would not use poison, as if one of those dies in the wrong place, there is no getting rid of the odor until you get the body, clean the general area and remove any nesting material. My '09 chevy aveo, fuel saver Daewoo really, one of those field mice, made a nest in the intake for fresh air on the fire wall, it literally died of old age in its nest just as the hot weather started, turn on the A/C, smells like a corpse. I took the duct work apart inside, cleaned, changed the cabin air filter, but no nest, looked under the hood, along the firewall, bingo, nest and dead mouse. Cleaned that, not a trace of that odor, and I put a hardware cloth screen over the screen that mouse chewed through, will never get in there again.

In my situation, I have wood piles, some clutter in the yard, though I have cleaned most of it out, and there is a bird feeder, nice to see the birds but you have to clean up after them or this will draw every kind of rodent that lives here, they can smell sunflower seeds like no tomorrow. My elderly mother likes the birds and resides on one side of the house, so I leave it, but if a person gets busy and is not around, rodents add up quick.

I've studied these kinds of mice, they are worse than anything else we have here as far as intrusion, climbing, nesting in vehicles and so on. You don't want airborne dropping or urine matter from these.

The squirrels here are wild and will run if you make a loud squeak, I've learned to root out rodents by making noises they hate, it works. They don't make nests in bad places often, had one get into my old F600 once, and under an eave to an attic once so far. Chipmunks are ground dwellers, but will get into the house if they smell food. If you have problems with either, dispatch them immediately, I don't like killing all the critters around either but you have to do something when problems arise.

Dad spent about $2500,multiple trips,and months having the dealer chase down chewed up wiring in his new Yukon.
For that kind of hassle we lost all reluctance to poisoning squirrels.
Squirrels will eat the Tom Cat pitch packs like candy. The whole pack just disappears.

Squirrels...
Rats with prettier hair on their tails.

you have got rats not squirrels i had one in my great-grand mother's car about ten years ago got it trap in the fender and i give him the old starting fluid treatment

Use Mothballs to keep them away from the interior and engine components..
I buy "Havoc" by the Bucket and use it in all my attics and the barn..

Seems to work well..

For Groundhogs..the Large Double-Sprung Conibears are the Perfect weapon..!!!

Ron..

Thanks all for the replies. Seems at least a couple of you supported the squirrel notion. As I said, I never saw food in a rats nest/place he calls home.

Truck is no way near food sources and I have them well covered with bait. I got my new connector from the dealer yesterday and got her fixed up.

I bought some more of the bar bait I had and this time the owner of the feed store waited on me. He said he takes a piece of wire and attaches the bait to his truck ....like just over the spare battery tray in GM trucks. There is a hole in the center of the bar bait and this worked great. We'll see how it goes.

Mark