Nesting wire chewing squirrel protection

[Cherokee]

Anybody have any ideas ?
I definitely don’t want to add a load to my battery.
Anybody see anything we can plug into the wall and drive over it and park to repel chewing tree rats ?

I thought I read somewhere that Ford added something to the wiring to deter the Chewbacca’s ?

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[ArizonaBillLariat2025]

Well, I can't say for sure it works, but we use a rat deterrent flashing lights pack. Ford sells them in their parts department but they hook up to your battery, so we opted for a very similar device from Amazon which is battery operated. Batteries last about one month. I have zip tied it inside engine compartment in the past but currently I have it attached to a pizza pan and drive over it. We have used these in our home's crawl space as well with positive results....but could be coincidence? Definitely less than before 100 percent. They strobe flash 3 colors intermittently and have an inaudible tone (allegedly). The downside of the battery ones is they will beep when battery is low and this seems to happen at 4 in the morning. Not terribly loud but loud enough to hear outside. Worth a try. Lastly, not recommended but out west lots of guys leave their hood open during certain times of the year and attach a work light.

 

[Cherokee]

A small bowl of antifreeze under the vehicle, critters love the taste. It will kill the tree rats but not wise for the neighbors cat.

 

[gjallen3]

A small bowl of antifreeze under the vehicle, critters love the taste. It will kill the tree rats but not wise for the neighbors cat.

Also not wise for the Coyotes, Bob Cats, and raptors that feed on squirrels and other rodents that consume poisons placed out with good intensions and then pass the poisons down the food chain. I have had pack rats actually build nest on top of those devices with the sounds and strobing lights. I guess they like to disco.

 

[ABTremor]

I've posted this in other threads.

An old prescription bottle, a piece of sponge, some peppermint extract and a zip tie. I retreat the sponge every 3 months or so and so far haven't had any rodent issues.

And yes, it's parked outside. Sadly there's no more room in the garage

ETA: I've been doing this for many years on all our vehicles

 

[dochawk]

Anybody have any ideas ?

 

[Cherokee]

Round here outside cats are coyote food,
Bob cat food,
And yes we have wolves. A big blue eyed Lobo was seen by two people last summer.

 

[Grand Nat.]

If your vehicle is housed in a garage a radio on a timer to turn on at night might work for a while.

 

[RR - All the way]

I understand an electric bug zapper used in conjunction with corn for attraction works well and tree rats are even fried for your culinary pleasure. Of course, I have never tried it; my wife will not let me!!!!!!!!

 

[Escapologist]

Round here outside cats are coyote food,
Bob cat food,
And yes we have wolves. A big blue eyed Lobo was seen by two people last summer.

Well there you go, just walk up to one of those and ask it nicely to piss in a bottle and spray around your truck with it.

But seriously if you've got any buddies with ferrets, some ferret nuggets in a ventilated pill bottle or similar might work. Domestic cat if not.

 

[Ben2023L]

just saw an article saying they switched to soy covered wirings for environmental reasons a few yrs ago - has caused way worse rodent issues; I couldn’t believe the article at first until i read a similar piece in car and driver - sounds like something made up as a joke…

 

[Ben2023L]

I've posted this in other threads.

An old prescription bottle, a piece of sponge, some peppermint extract and a zip tie. I retreat the sponge every 3 months or so and so far haven't had any rodent issues.

And yes, it's parked outside. Sadly there's no more room in the garage

ETA: I've been doing this for many years on all our vehicles

I’ve been told cedar works; but you’re trick is pretty easy

https://www.howtopreventratsfromeat...odents/#:~:text=Rat King Dave June 24,221-222

 

[grandpa_disney]

Honda used to sell a wire wrap to deter rodents. Hondas were particularly tasty to vermin. I have also used dryer sheets when the peppermint oil did not work. Although Peppermint smells better IMO.

 

[Exranger]

Yes I was victimized when my Mav was 2 weeks old.! They chewed the ac wiring…$700 bill. I got rodent spray from Home Depot and spray it into the wheel wells behind the tire regularly. Also the areas the chewed on in the engine. So far. No reattacks

 

[KenR]

I have a LED shop light that have been parking over for the past 5 years in order to stop rats eating the wiring in my 2020 F150. Before the LED shop light the rats cause $1,000 damage in less that 3 months. After the LED shop light zero damage. My new 2025 Maverick Hybrid now is parked over the same light every night with zero damage. A simple timer turns the light on @ 5 PM then off @ 8 AM.

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