1st Gen. Ram - All Topics Discussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.

The critter under my hood

Old Jun 12, 2007 | 05:45 PM
  #31  
rcurrier44's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
It probubly got them....but if he does come back put the trap near your tail pipe, turn on the truck and throw a tarp over the pipe and cage for 10 min or so. It will keep you from putting bullet holes in your cage....
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 01:57 AM
  #32  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
Well, folks, I believe I finally got him. A quite large tree squirrel that ate 1 to many poison bars. Poison did not get him, though, but a sharp drive down onto the skull from the tried and true Victor's rat trap, baited with his favorite: poison bar material. Came home tonight after work and found him humped over the windshield wash reservoir were I set the trap. Sorry to be so descriptive and rated R like, but learn from this. If you don't drive your 1st gen but once a week, take precautions from possible critters feasting under your hood.
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 11:21 AM
  #33  
92DIESEL's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 787
Likes: 0
From: INWOOD, West 'BY GOD' Virginia
Glad you got him, squirrels are cute..... when they are in the parks away for the house and property

Good job, but you should drive the 1st gen at least once a week, just to put a smile on your face.

Michael
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 04:00 PM
  #34  
edwinsmith's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 1,063
From: Commerce, OK
Had a squirrel jump on top of a line transformer once and blew the fuse from the 7800 volt side. It sounded like a bomb went off and we never found any of the squirrel except for some singed hair.

Edwin
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 04:18 PM
  #35  
13ALPHA's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 563
Likes: 1
From: North Pole, AK
Originally Posted by bigragu
My goal is to simulate a rat feeding frenzy.
I am laughing out loud at this, I hope it works. That'd be great
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 05:21 PM
  #36  
mhuppertz's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4,053
Likes: 135
From: Tijeras, New Mexico, 7,000ft up
Originally Posted by srb96bravo
I am laughing out loud at this, I hope it works. That'd be great
Yea, I want pictures of the ceramic rat pack! That cracks me up dude!
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 05:31 PM
  #37  
dpuckett's Avatar
Banned
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau MO
My solution is to drive the truck daily. I have spider webs in my windows if I leave the windows down in the afternoon.

I'm still laughing at the visual of the squirrel falling into the pack of dogs. Pigeons, squirrels, and rats live very short lives in my yard. Partly due to the dogs, part due to me.

DP
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 05:40 PM
  #38  
BearKiller's Avatar
Registered User
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 95
From: KENTUCKY
Unhappy Birds Are Just As Bad

I left my Ford unused for a couple of weeks, while I was gone in a big truck.

When I came back, I raised the hood to find not one, but TWO, big bluebird nests, one on each front wheelwell, with baby birds hatching.

Soft hearted old me, at the insistence of my wife, left the truck alone for several weeks, until that herd of birds was big as young turkeys.

I got fed up with their free-loading ways, one day, and ran them out, too many to count.

I have cleaned and cleaned, and that was about seven years ago, and there are still big clumps of straw, horse-hair, etc. woven into wiring, brake-lines, and such under my hood.
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 07:53 PM
  #39  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
Yeah, squirrels, if not policed around your property, can do extensive, costly damage, especially if access is had through your house attic. When I worked out in the field doing duct changeouts, I saw my share of ductwork torn to shreds, stinkin' of feces and urine, and at that time I assumed rats, but I have seen squirrels come out of broken attic ventilation screens. My damge to the hood insulation, well, is minute, and thank goodness the vac lines and electrical was untouched. I can't imagine having to troubleshoot a glob of burnt wires, done by the critters fangs. Sqirrels are nothing more than rats to me, rats with very muscular builds (skin one out if you ever get a chance, and you'll see their "guns") and tree climbing ability.

I drive my truck once a week for a 30 mile jaunt, and if not, I idle it for 30 minutes to maintain seals and keep stored diesel in check. I am tempted to ask you all, would you all care for pics of the successful trappings under the hood?? Maybe you could print them out and write "WARNING: THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU! Glue them to the underside of your hood, and maybe the squirrels may think 2x before feasting on your rig!!
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 08:46 PM
  #40  
Shark1007's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Let me tell you, these trucks must be tasty. I have an 89 that something ate the entire liner and built a nest by the turbo downpipe, lots of hairs about 3/4 inch long. They ate thru the bottom radiator hose and ate the freon a.c line. I leave it for weeks at a time at a condo at Cape Canaveral.

I fixed the hoses and the little turds came back and ate the bottom hose again and drained all the coolant a few weeks later.

Tried poison bars too, no return yet, the critters even dislodged the throttle from the pump and that's what made me opem the hood.

I did go to sniper school in the Army, but the condo association would freak to see me in the parking lot in an asphalt suit as camo.

Moth ***** are next.
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 09:22 PM
  #41  
mhuppertz's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 4,053
Likes: 135
From: Tijeras, New Mexico, 7,000ft up
I have to but mesh on every inlet or I have a deer mouse nest in the air cleaners by the end of the weekend. On our '93 Jeep one day I heard a buzz in the A/C fan. Thinking it was a leaf I cranked it up on high which promptly queezenarted a mouse sending guts and fir out of all the outlets. It was the middle of the hot summer and it got to stinking. The insurance company paid to have it cleaned out because of haunta virus dangers.
Reply
Old Jun 13, 2007 | 11:33 PM
  #42  
edwinsmith's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 1,063
From: Commerce, OK
Actually I've never had a squirrel do any damage under the hood. I've had cats who like to crawl up under there because it's warm in cold weather. One cold morning I started the car and heard a screech thump thump. I shut the car off and found the fan belt was off. I went to put it back on and I found a still alive cat laying between the fan and the radiator. It's back was broken so it had to be put down. Personally I don't know why people think dogs should be kept on a leash but cats should roam free. Cats cause more damage than dogs and it's only the rare dog that bites. Have you been clawed by a cat lately? A good friend died from a cat bite. My brother used to have a new liter of cats in his boat every spring.

Edwin
Reply
Old Jun 14, 2007 | 01:33 AM
  #43  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
Originally Posted by edwinsmith
Have you been clawed by a cat lately? A good friend died from a cat bite. My brother used to have a new liter of cats in his boat every spring.

Edwin
Wow! Sorry to hear about your friend. That is too bad. I am sorry.
Yeah, cats are on my issue list also. Having a pretty good work ethic in myself, I pride animals that work, such as my 2 german Shepards and the Border Collie. I hate animals that tend to be lazy and get all obese like, lickin' their mittens in a ray of sun after getting up from a long nap, if you know what I mean. Where I live, there are a ton of wild cats, that are pretty much left to roam the country and I tell you, you better have a chain mail suit on if you plan on doin' the "here kitty kitty". When I see these roamin around my gated property, I consider them trespassin', and if I don't do anything about it, they breed and multiply and tear up my wife's garden and flower beds. I don't dare send out one of my dogs out to them; some of these have survived cayote attacks,(maingy and mean) believe it or not. Not alot, but only a few. For these kind, out comes the Beeman.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tchdodg
Towing and Hauling / RV
13
Sep 18, 2010 01:37 AM
roxxx
ABDTR #5
4
Sep 20, 2009 11:14 PM
dodchall70
Other
20
Sep 5, 2008 08:40 AM
Dodgezilla
3rd Gen Engine and Drivetrain -> 2003-2007
12
Feb 13, 2004 03:40 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:09 PM.