Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thought I’d be adding this to my list of reasons why I don’t live in the city. I have no advice, but damn that sucks. Sorry.

eh, squirrels and field mice do the same thing in the burbs and rural areas.

There’s no escaping rodents of some form or other.

PP here.
Can someone, for the love of God, please explain how rodents of some form of other get under the hood of a car?
I come from a huge and 'vibrant' city in Europe and I have never ever heard of rats getting into people's vehicles. And there're plenty of rats there.

Yep, same here and my dad drove the car maybe once a week. Maybe because it was very cokd? But our rats were nothing like the rats here. These are huge.

Been there. It's disgusting.

My advice:

1) put traps in the car (I put some under the bottom panel of the trunk where the spare wheel lives)

2) clean the inside of the car, and never leave food or crumbs in there.

That's cute.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you have a Prius or other hybrid car?

NP here. I drive a hybrid. Are they more susceptible to rodents??

I’ve heard some manufacturers’ wire coatings are yummy soy-based.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thought I’d be adding this to my list of reasons why I don’t live in the city. I have no advice, but damn that sucks. Sorry.

eh, squirrels and field mice do the same thing in the burbs and rural areas.

There’s no escaping rodents of some form or other.

PP here.
Can someone, for the love of God, please explain how rodents of some form of other get under the hood of a car?
I come from a huge and 'vibrant' city in Europe and I have never ever heard of rats getting into people's vehicles. And there're plenty of rats there.

Have you ever looked under a car? The rates don’t have to go in from the top - there is no “hood” on the bottom of an engine and there are plenty of ways a rat, cat, squirrel, etc can get up in your engine. It’s warm after you drive it and animals love it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thought I’d be adding this to my list of reasons why I don’t live in the city. I have no advice, but damn that sucks. Sorry.

eh, squirrels and field mice do the same thing in the burbs and rural areas.

There’s no escaping rodents of some form or other.

I’ve never heard of that either, but I’m infinitely more creeped out by rats.

Another resident of the high desert -- we keep our car hoods up, wedging a piece of firewood vertically between the hood and the frame of the car.

The rats are less likely to take up residence if the engine compartment is as cold as outside and they're not hidden from view.

Also try moving your car around occasionally - back it in sometimes.

PineSol supposedly gets rid of the rat pee scent.

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you have a Prius or other hybrid car?

NP here. I drive a hybrid. Are they more susceptible to rodents??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thought I’d be adding this to my list of reasons why I don’t live in the city. I have no advice, but damn that sucks. Sorry.

eh, squirrels and field mice do the same thing in the burbs and rural areas.

There’s no escaping rodents of some form or other.

PP here.
Can someone, for the love of God, please explain how rodents of some form of other get under the hood of a car?
I come from a huge and 'vibrant' city in Europe and I have never ever heard of rats getting into people's vehicles. And there're plenty of rats there.

When I was living in Baltimore, I saw a rat crawl under a car then stand on its hind legs, presumably to crawl into the undercarriage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never thought I’d be adding this to my list of reasons why I don’t live in the city. I have no advice, but damn that sucks. Sorry.

eh, squirrels and field mice do the same thing in the burbs and rural areas.

There’s no escaping rodents of some form or other.

PP here.
Can someone, for the love of God, please explain how rodents of some form of other get under the hood of a car?
I come from a huge and 'vibrant' city in Europe and I have never ever heard of rats getting into people's vehicles. And there're plenty of rats there.

They climb up from underneath. Not rocket science.

The ideal is of course not to park outside (but that isn’t always possible)

This is a common problem in my area (AZ, mountainous area) with packrats. So gross.

There are a few things people do if they must park outside; an under the hood blinking light, spraying a pepper tasting or mint spray under the hood etc.

Sometimes it works. Key is to remove the odor because they pee everywhere...and then the scent of the pee attracts them back! That is why some people (most) will never have a problem, while others have this problem over and over again.

Google packrat and car and you will find lots of useful info

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“just part of living in a vibrant city”

Sure do love the helpful chipping in from those out in Ashburn or Frederick

I posted this from Ivy City

OP, do you have a Prius or other hybrid car?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:*shudder* I would just give them the car. Sorry, OP, I have no idea.

This. Massive rodent phobia. And now second guessing parking at work...close to Logan, in a very ratty alley. Eeeeeeeeee

It’s usually a problem when the car is sitting for a while. It’s gotten worse since the pandemic since a lot of people have been letting their cars sit. It’s not unique to DC- my friend in Chicago has a newer luxury car and paid $5k to get the car fixed from this! Gross.

Anonymous wrote:*shudder* I would just give them the car. Sorry, OP, I have no idea.

This. Massive rodent phobia. And now second guessing parking at work...close to Logan, in a very ratty alley. Eeeeeeeeee