Rod_Montana

Genocide! Extermination! Pack Rats

Imagine opening up the hood on your brand new $35k+ truck, 24 hours after bringing it home and finding the heat dam on the firewall chewed to shreds. Finding a pile of white padding that you can't seem to find the source for piled up on the port-side battery. Nips in wires and wire bundle's covering in several places.

The white padding came from the outside surface of the air cleaner element - it took me a while to figure that out.

I have had eleven traps, baited with peanut butter around the truck and under the hood.

I've left the hood up, with the hoodlight disconnected, and traps on the engine cover, and on both batteries. I've killed 18 rats with the traps and still they attack.

It's gotten so that I have to leave the truck at the shop. The rats prefer this Dodge to all other vehicles. It seems the firewall padding is like cotton candy to them. I've replaced the heat dam just under the windshield wipers twice.

Detroit needs to engineer a rat-proof truck. Especially worrisome is the invasion of the airbox and "eating" the factory filter. Imagine if one of those buggers got sucked down into the turbo.

In fact, the first rat died on the serpentine belt. I saw him scuttle down from the engine cover and promptly started the engine, expecting that he would make tracks and I might blast him with my .41 mag on his way to the woodshed. No luck - for him. Belt caught him and squeejeed rat guts over the alternator drive pulley.

After the third major raid, I've gone nuclear. Electronic electrocution traps. The war is now paused as they have all hibernated. But, by next year, I hope to have a better solution.

crobtex

RATS!!!! I hate rats!

I get a field rat in the barn now and again, but it's a constant battle to keeo their little cousins beat down.

DustyRock

Probably a dumb question. Will cats help ? Do you keep your truck indoors, perhaps in the barn ? I know about common rats but am not familiar with Pack Rats. Know they steal things. Rats do suck. If you have one you have to get rid of it ASAP before they inundate you. Sorry to hear about your loss. I too would be fit to be tied !.

dodgezilla04

And all along, I thought sheep were the troublesome animals in Montana!! Sorry, I have a friend in great falls and couldnt resist.

Too bad about your trouble. I read in a Trailer Life magazine that dryer softner sheets keep mice away, wonder if that works on rats!?!?

Rod_Montana

We have "A" cat. Declawed by the previous owner. Defenseless. Coyote bait. But a Pack Rat has a 12" body and a six inch fluffy tail. This is no mouse. Probably beat the stuffing out of a house cat. They are nocturnal and love dark places like under the hood on cars.

My 95 Jeep quit running on six on the way to an antelope hunt two years ago. Opened the hood and found a Pack Rat making a nest - 400 miles from home. Limped that one home, but needed to replace the computer. Took the jeep into the shop with the rat still resident. Came home without it. Someone else's problem probably.

Second one jumped out of the jeep a week later and ran up on a nearby woodpile. My son was carrying that day, Colt 1911. Got him at thirty feet and we had a laugh. Next one was caught in the airbox and fumigated in situ. They are persistent devils, though.

DustyRock

Dang, and I thought our ground squirrels were bad. They like to chew also but are not tenacious like that. Sounds to me like those rats are possesed Is it typical in your area to have problems with pack rats or is this isolated ? Just wondering cause I may never want to visit Montana if I have to stop the truck ! Your insurance rates must be high ?

SuperGewl

Hey go buy yourself a BOA constrictor or two. Maybe even a King snake. Yes I hate snakes but they would have a feast on those rats

800summit

Get some Rat poison and a pan of antifreeze and leave it around the truck. When they eat the poison they get real thirsty, presto the antifreeze will fix the thirsty roadents

BigBlue

RonsRig

Do you have coyotes? They will eat rats.

bhoeffner

Yeah,

I agree with 800 summit. Poison those little devils. I wonder if you had one of their buddies stuffed and left him by the truck, if that would scare them away, kinda like a scare crow !

Rod_Montana

Yeah, we have coyotes. But they seem to be dying of lead poisoning. This year was bad because of all the rain. Rats breed fast. And rain means food means more rats. They are a forest species. In town, not a problem. I live 17 miles out in the National Forest on the old Teakettle Cattle Co Ranch. They got me by surprise this year, like everyone of the critters decided to make winter nests out of Dodge stuffing at the same time.

Next year, we'll be paring the numbers down from the git-go.

Forrest Nearing

soak the insulation in diesel... rats will go elsewhere, and your truck will smell great!

Forrest

JKE

IMO - I would not poison them. The poison will transfer to the coyotes, owls etc. Do not leave out antifreeze. Your cat will drink it or any other animal for that matter. Try using raisins in the traps and urinate around the truck to mark your territory ...good luck - JKE

Lightman

Funny story and sorry to hear of your issues. I think Forrest's plan may be a good one. Soak them in diesel or some other stinky solution. I know they make sprays to keep household dogs and cats away from certain things because they smell/taste so bad...might be worth looking into! =]