[Ed Scherer]

Some of y'all probably have seen my 928's nice engine bay before:



Well, for the first time ever, I haven't driven the car for four or five months. Sometime over the last week or two, a rat has moved in. I've got to admit, it's somewhat entertaining, but I'll have to deal with this over the next day or two.

And what's with this critter's behavior? It's moved all sorts of weird stuff in there: bark chips from some artificial plants in the garage, little wood blocks, and wood shims. What the heck is it planning on building? A complete structure?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUysdZkgTF0

[worf]

Aw shit.... man. You need a garage cat. (At least one that patrols the exterior.)

You'll need to pull your HVAC blower and clean off the top of the evaporator. Check the recirc box for debris. If you find debris you'll need to pull the under-dash air tubes and clean that crap out too.

Pull all your wheel well splash guards and check behind them and especially up high on the left-side rear where the fuel vapor expansion tank and hoses sit.

Engine valley may be full too.

And alternator shroud and fresh air tube.

[Ed Scherer]

I don't think there has been time to do much damage yet. I think it has moved in within the last week (since I moved out another vehicle).

I do know that it's built some stuff on top of the rear muffler. I'll get that cleared out within the next week.

At least I now know what the rat snake was interested in...

[worf]

At least I now know what the rat snake was interested in...

Hmm... might be better than a cat. Of course, it won't leave as fast when you start the engine.

[worf]

At least pull your intake tubes and filters and check'em.

On the other hand, that fucker was so big he might not have been able to fit in the intake tubes! Yikes.

[linderpat]

is that a rat or a very large mouse? :shock:

[Ed Scherer]

is that a rat or a very large mouse? :shock:

It sure looks like a rat to me. :)

And it was easy to trap. Now just a little cleanup and this chapter will be behind me (until something else moves in). I think I need to start driving the car again!

[Ed Scherer]

Industrious little thing.

Looks like the blue paper towel was the main bed.

I have no idea what the wood fetish is all about. I've never researched rat psychology, and am unlikely to so in the near future.

[linderpat]

Ed - now seeing a good shot of it, I think it is a monstrous mouse! Giant. Rats have more elongated heads, and are usually gray. Tail too short for a rat too.

[Future928Owner]

I love your sense of humor about this. That guy sure did set up house in there. (Or maybe a she getting ready for babies?)

Looks like you are giving him some free room and board at the moment, too. Are you going to release him outside?

[Charlie]

That is really something. Good thing you caught it before it had the whole lumberyard in there. IMO that is definitely a rat with that thick tail.

Earlier in the summer I had a possum get in the garage while the door was open and it went nuts trying to get out, eventually expiring (probably from thirst). In the meantime it climbed every shelf, tore up anything tearable, and pooped all over the place. It left pawprints and guck on the outside (and on everything), but did not penetrate the 928.

[SeanR]

First thing I thought of while reading this. Bonus points on what movie it's from.

Rodents of unusual size.

[worf]

First thing I thought of while reading this. Bonus points on what movie it's from.

Rodents of unusual size.

You’re not telling the story right Grandpa!

[Ed Scherer]

Are you going to release him outside?

Yeah, following our house rules for critter relocation: Critters (e.g., snakes, cool spiders, etc.) that are unlikely to reenter the house are just moved to the woods in our backyard. Critters (and that certainly includes rodents) that would be likely to get back in the house if we just dropped them out back are instead relocated to a riverfront park (literally called "Riverfront Park" on the Kansas River) about 0.8 miles away.

Lots of hawks and owls at that park. So... those critters either live out their little rodent lives happily or turn into meals for other critters.

[Ed Scherer]

Got the debris removed from the engine bay. Most of it was easily accessible, although I did need to remove the intake tubes and filter housing from the passenger side. Some debris (small, light stuff) fell down under the fuel rail, but was easy to blow out with a leaf blower.

So... I'll take rats over mice any day: the rats are big enough that they can't get into and mess up small, hard-to-clean-up spaces.

The quarter was added to provide scale; it was never in rat's possession. :)

[Shifted]

   

[worf]

What do you supposed he was putting holes in the wood for? Are you missing your drill or any drill bits?

It appears to me that the rat was preparing to rebuild the air pump...

[Ed Scherer]

While I was in there, I removed a couple of mud dauber wasp nests that had been placed on the HVAC blower a few months ago. Had to hit the bigger one with a chisel; couldn't break it free with hand strength alone.

The mud daubers are a nuisance. Our garage has those damn mud nests all over. I think I need to put higher priority on replacing the seals under the garage doors. One of them has been chewed away on one end, which has led to easy passage for rodents, wasps, and even birds (we actually had some wrens build a nest on top of a gasoline-powered post hole digger a few years ago).

[Ed Scherer]

As I saw "evidence" on the floor under a couple of spots, I'm going to get under the car and inspect the exhaust system. I'm pretty sure I will find some more nesting material in at least one more place (top of rear muffler). Don't want to risk a fire...

[Ed Scherer]

Rodents of unusual size.

Get it while you can:

[Ed Scherer]

So, to close this one out, I managed to get everything (including the garage floor) cleaned up yesterday, the car is washed, and I drove it for the first time in many months. Nice having it back on the road.

There were a few nice things like this to clean up:



This one was especially appetizing:



A few minutes with a sponge mop, though, and all was good again. These are the times when I really appreciate the easy-to-clean epoxy floor coating.

[SeanR]

Timely that this has come up. I've had a mouse issue for the past month in the garage, put the traps down that have a tunnel and bait inside. Mouse eats it, goes out and dies. Worked well. Until one went missing the other day. We've got some acreage behind our house and they are starting to build on it and a family of coyotes have lived there for decades. Since the building it seems the pest control is moving on and we are getting more rodents around the house. Seen a few rats in the back yard that are not scared of anything, had one mosey on by me while enjoying a cigar the other night. Well, apparently one got in the garage and took off with the bait trap it couldn't fit in. So I put another one down last night and heard him munching on the plastic last night and this morning. Brave little fucker. Going to monitor him and see if he can get to the bait and go die somewhere. If not, my approach will get more aggressive. I sprayed him with carb cleaner last night and that didn't deter him this morning. Cute little (big) guy. Hope he gets smart and just leaves.

[Ed Scherer]

I just got done ordering the replacement seals for the garage doors. Hope to have things nicely sealed up within a week.

BTW, Sean, it's cool that your rats are sophisticated enough to enjoy the occasional cigar. ;)

[worf]

When I was a kid - in Texas - big efin’ rats and coyotes got lead poisoning. I guess D/FW is just more ‘civilized’ than the panhandle.

[SeanR]

I just got done ordering the replacement seals for the garage doors. Hope to have things nicely sealed up within a week.

BTW, Sean, it's cool that your rats are sophisticated enough to enjoy the occasional cigar. ;)

Got new garage doors being installed next week, guy said rodents are going to do what rodents will do and not to expect them to abide by seals or barriers.

It was funny when one of them came under the fence, walked right up to the patio watching me the entire time, walked up and went right under the chairs and moseyed along the wall heading to the garage. Care free dude he was. So far they have not tried to build any condos in the cars. I'm amazed at what they did in your car.

When I was a kid - in Texas - big efin’ rats and coyotes got lead poisoning. I guess D/FW is just more ‘civilized’ than the panhandle.

Told the wife I'd sit out here in the garage with a cigar and a pellet gun, both her and the daughter got the "that's gross" face. They yotes have been good to have around and enjoyed watching them over the years. New pups each spring, not scared of much and don't mind the howling some evenings. The pack leader looks like a well fed German Sheppard, never seen one like him. Not scraggly like most. They've had a good life back there. Sad it's coming to an end with 135 houses being built. I aint in the country anymore.

[Ed Scherer]

I don't think I shared my previous rat experience in another vehicle: our old minivan (now gone) a couple of months ago. That vehicle also had been sitting undriven for at least a month or two. It was outside, though, so a bigger target for things moving in (including some wasp nests in some voids left by rotted out rocker panels).

This rat moved into the hood insulation pad.







That one was a little smaller...

[SeanR]

Oh dang, he had fun in there.

I'm sitting here in the garage watching the Chiefs game (about the only NFL I'll watch) and my new rat pet is about 1.5 feet from my chair, behind the trash can eating away at a mouse bait trap that I put there a few weeks ago. So this guy is trying to break in to all 3 of them I set out. I pulled the trash can out so I could see him and he just sat there and looked at me. Not a care in the world. I'm going to get one of those traps and re-home him unless he gets in to the poison first.

[Ed Scherer]

I'm going to get one of those traps and re-home him unless he gets in to the poison first.

I've got three live traps. I get the most use out of this one (which was used for the rats shown in this thread):

https://www.havahart.com/x-small-1-door-trap

[SeanR]

Thanks, should be delivered by 8am via Amazon. What bait are you using? I've got a ton of peanut butter.

I'm going to get one of those traps and re-home him unless he gets in to the poison first.

I've got three live traps. I get the most use out of this one (which was used for the rats shown in this thread):

https://www.havahart.com/x-small-1-door-trap

[Ed Scherer]

What bait are you using? I've got a ton of peanut butter.

In-shell peanuts and miscellaneous leftovers from (our) meals. A little cap of water is good, too.

[SeanR]

So my little friend has been visiting and I put the trap out tonight and it didn’t take 30 minutes for him to walk in to it.

Now to figure out what to do with him.

[Ed Scherer]

I checked to see if they'd make good pets. Not recommended.

Are there any restaurants around that you've got a serious grudge against? Just wondering.

[Charlie]

Hi again. City kid here. Recommendation: Get rid of those beasts as quickly and painlessly (for both of you) as possible. They sextuple in quantity every 6 weeks. They can fit through a hole the size of a quarter. They can do a 9 foot standing broad jump. They eat 928s.

Loathing of rodents may be the one thing city and farm people have in common. (Have you seen Pizza Rat?)

Be humane, yes, certainly. But use a BFH, figurative or literal.

[amdavid]

Man do I love the 928 crowd, you guys are the fun1's.


Both rats and mice avoid the scent of mint. Plant mint outside in your garden and rub peppermint oil indoors along attic beams and other areas where you’ve experienced rodent problems. Even leaving some dried mint leaves can help.

....I use a couple of these in power strips around the garage.

[N_Jay]

They don't call them "Pack Rats" for no reason.

They love stealing things to decorate their homes.

[Crumpler]

I’ve gone the other direction gentlemen.
A little cheese or blueberry muffin and these little proletariats will hustle for you all day long!
Just tell them what you expect.

[N_Jay]

I’ve gone the other direction gentlemen.
A little cheese or blueberry muffin and these little proletariats will hustle for you all day long!
Just tell them what you expect.

They are surprising nice pets.

My son has had many. The first was a compromise instead of the lizard he wanted. (Wife's rule, no feathers and so scales on pets.)
Since then he has had many. They are much smarter and more social than most other small animals.
They are also really clean (as long as you keep their diet vegetarian).

[Charlie]

@Crumpler Now I feel a little bit terrible. If you like them and can keep them away from the food and cars, good for you. Many others feel the same way and I am happy for them.

To each his own. This board is really attracting a diverse set of people.

Having said that, I'm usually pretty flexible but I am going to be hard to budge on this one. Rattus norvegicus is IMO the apex vermin. It's hard to see them swarming in dumpsters and on subway tracks and think "Cute!"

Anyone remember "Willard"? ;-)

[SeanR]

I kinda feel bad about the friendly little guy, I released him in a field hoping it wouldn't return and then napalmed the area with some poison blocks. Can't have them around the cars for sure.

[Crumpler]

My post was tongue and cheek, lol. I know it’s hard to read sarcasm online.
Those rats are my daughters. Actually they act like little dogs in terms of wanting attention.
What’s funny is the dog got into her room one day and got the rat cage open, trail of blood down the hall. I was like oh shit, that’s the end of them.
The blood was from the dogs face, they did a number on her. The rats one, dog zero.