I'm looking for suggestions:
- In 2002, rats ate through the main wiring harness of my MY00 S2000 causing about $700 damage. I was living in San Francisco and had a shared garage.
- This week, I noticed it is happening again to the same car and in the same place as was repaired before. I now live in Oakland, CA (house) and recently discovered a couple rats have moved into my garage. I'm working on ridding myself of the rats, I've got one of those sonic thingies that make a high-frequency squeal, and I'm putting moth-ball cakes under the hood. All this is a mahor hassle since I drive the car every day. I also have re-wrapped the casing that has been chewed with two layers of new plastic casing. But I still find the occassional dropping under the hood.

Does anyone have any suggestions on this? Does anyone know why rats seem to have an affinity for my S2K?

My garage and house are clean - but CA homes aren't exactly sealed like East Coast homes, so I suspect I'll always have the possibility of them entering my garage, even if I get rid of these fellas.

My trap of choice is the Rat Zapper 2000 - worked great in SF. Just set it up in Oakland.

Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks!

 

Get a cat. Really.

 

 

rotf, yes the cat will handle them. Just make sure it's not a poosay cat like one of mine.

As for what to do, have you found out how they got in the garage? It's got to be something relatively obvious. They don't burrow and they don't climb.

Also, I know it's lame but try not to use anything lethal, I would suspect that this should work, is it the same one you got?

http://www.pestrepellerultimate.com/

 

time to go shopping..

 

 

I have lived all my life in the rural setting of Western Pa. - On the farm, a good ol barn cat was the best answer to rats. Rats will settle in just about any where there is shelter, food and they are safe. So, look for the way they are getting in, and block it. Also, check out the available sources of food, (garbage cans, open food containers, etc.) and eliminate them). the cat takes away the safety factor. Cats don't like rats, rats don't like cats.

WRONG! they do burrow, they can climb. there is even a hybrid breed of rat (called a Alpha Rat) that will chew threw tin, to get at food, etc. The old Norway rat that first came over on the Mayflower has adapted to modern America, In some major cities where D-con and other worforin poisons have been used, the rats have developed a limited immunity.

Please don't flame me, but this is serious, and , yes I do mean life threatning serious! these rodents are not chewing his wiring up for fun. They are building a nest! Somewhere near you. that means more rats and and increased chance of disease. Rats and other rodents are the principal carriers of a number of rather nasty illnesses. Like Rocky mountain spotted fever, Haunta virus, etc. As there numbers increase, so does your exposure to infection. So if the rat killing cat isn't an option, get a rat killing trap and be sure dispose of the bodies properly in plastic garbage bags, that are seal properly. Just my two cents worth and by the way - good hunting! and my sympathies.

 

Damn man you know too much about rats! I guess I was wrong, so lethal force may be the only answer.

 

The answer...

 

It kind of sucks having the rats die in an unknown place in your house though. Sure it's great killing the bastards, but the smell of rotting rats is horrendous.