[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by tharian

Trying this method to see if I can keep the rats away from the car.

I have had great results with random LED strobe lights like this one. It also emits ultrasound. I have installed this on all the cars we park outside our garage. For the last 5 years, great results.


The objective is to just cause enough distraction for the rats to look at a different place to nest. If the light is constant, they may get used to it.

[livelyyoungman]

Has anyone tried CARCAT? The manufacturer claims that its efficacy is above 90%.

[vamship]

Originally Posted by GutsyGibbon

I have had great results with random LED strobe lights like this one. It also emits ultrasound. I have installed this on all the cars we park outside our garage. For the last 5 years, great results.
Attachment 2585520

The objective is to just cause enough distraction for the rats to look at a different place to nest. If the light is constant, they may get used to it.

May I know where I can buy these strobe lights?

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by vamship

May I know where I can buy these strobe lights?

This is what I have installed
https://www.amazon.in/Loraffe-Repell...dp/B07LCKBGY8/

[yogiii]

Originally Posted by NST440

Dear Bhpians

I have this strange odour from my sparingly used safari dicor when I turn on the AC and blower. It is a foul smell which does not give up no matter what ever solutions I have tried.
Now that I have got the entire AC cleaned via opening the dashboard which had some rat droppings removed thoroughly by the cleaner and sprayed dettol disinfectant over it , what is missing that I need to do to eliminate this pungent smell.

Is the smell still there? Even I'm facing a similar issue, but not related to rats. Sometime last to last year I would hear water/liquid splashing on breaking. I took the car to service center they said coolant has leaked and cooling coil/heating coil is damaged. They replaced it under warranty but the coolant smell has not gone till now. Every time I switch on the AC, especially heater that smell is there. The service center had cleaned it with diesel/similar chemical as per them but the smell remains.

Someone suggested to get the the whole AC pipes cleaning done with surf or similar detergent, like you got it done. Not sure how effective and costly that will be.

[saisree]

There seems to be a nice article on the smells that Rats dislike.

1. Peppermint Oil
2. Moth Balls
3. Garlic
4. Household Ammonia
5. Clove Oil
6. Cayenne Pepper/ Chilli
7. Citronella
8. Citrus
9. Bleach
10. Vinegar
11.Eucalyptus
12. Coffee
13. Raw Onion
14. Black Pepper
15. Lavender Oils
16. Sage

I have used 1,8,11&15 with cotton swabs/balls saoked in these oil and found to be good. They smell great.
For some reason, this threads King "Tobacco leaf" did not feature

Source

[Innysta]

I would rather recommend a traditional approach of placing a wooden catcher (use fried coconut or vada as a bait) along with placing rat cakes in frequented areas. I've observed that once a rat falls in to the wooden cage, you can be rest assured of no attack till few weeks further. Rats seem to leave warning signals to inform fellow rats look like!! but is true.

[niwrej]

Originally Posted by tiagoatrix

I have had fair share of rat intrusion, after rupturing the main fuel tank line resulting in loss of about 30 Liters of petrol.

Since then I've started using this car cover which protects the car from bottom to top. Has been the best remedy so far.

Thanks for the information you provided in the next post about the cover. I bought it for my Honda City. Total cost was Rs. 8500 (5500 normal + 3000 under cover stitching).

The car cover quality is very good. The only problem is putting the cover on and off. I'd only use this if the car is going to be in shed for more than a week. My personal experience in a tight parking spot has been a hassle. This would be a breeze if you have ample space like how you show in your pic. The total weight of my cover is nearly 8 KGs. Definitely need at least 2 people to put on the cover. I have thought about putting the cover permanently in the ground but recent rains and insects accumulating is a problem. Plus, did you face any scratches in car because of your cover?

Good for protection not the best when it comes to practicality.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by niwrej

My personal experience in a tight parking spot has been a hassle. This would be a breeze if you have ample space

I don't use a cover these days, but I did, and I advise...

Fold the cover from each side towards the middle of the car. I used to take two folds each side. Roll the folded cover from the rear to the bonnet. Pick up folded/rolled cover.

You want to avoid sliding the cover on the car, which will cause scratches. You will soon learn to put your roll in the right place to unroll then unfold it. Mine was a thick tpi cover, but I could handle it easily this way.

This procedure is easily done by one person and requires only enough space to stand in all around the car.

[The_Road_Rover]

I tried the following methods to keep rodents away from my cars: But none of them worked.

1. 3M rodent treatment failed:
I got this done by the JP Nagar 3M store. But rodents arrived the very next day. They didn't chew anything. But they urinated, excreted, and left foot marks everywhere. I didn't want any rodents under the bonnet at all, even if it was a nice rodent that didn't chew anything.

2. Tobacco, peppermint oil, moth balls: failed
I spent thousands of rupees on this. But it is just a matter of time before rodents get accustomed to these smells. Actually, once a rodent urinates in your bonnet, it considers it a territory that he occupies. It will be a permanent visitor. Trust me.

3. Keeping the bonnet open and exposed to light failed.
I kept the bonnet open and parked next to my security guard's room at the apartment. He assured me he would take care of my car's safety. I left the car there for two days. On the third day, I visited the car only to see rat droppings on the switch box, on the battery, and some on the ground under the car. Guys, rodents are braver than we think. Trust me.

4. Keep the surrounding area clean: failed.
There is no trash in the parking lot. There is no food for the rodents, either. But they are still there. Especially during the monsoon. Rodents just like to hide under the bonnet; they see it as a safe haven. They are not expecting any food there.

5. Use the car every day: failed.
There is a popular belief that rodents only infect cars if they are parked in the same place unattended for a long time. But it is not completely correct. Rodents are wiser than we think. Even if the car is used every day, rodents learn the pattern—what time the car goes out, what time the car comes in, when the engine is hot, and when the engine is just fairly warm—so that they can go and feel the warmth. Both me and my wife use our cars every day and park them interchangeably in two different locations. But still, rodents don't leave the cars alone.

Solution I found:

I never liked rodent droppings and urine under the hood of my car. But all my measures to keep rodents away failed one after the other, leaving me frustrated and hopeless.

That is when I decided to take a ruthless step. I decided to declare a war on rodents. I had two options.
1. Poison the rat.
2. Catch the rat, dead or alive.

I ruled out option 1 because I knew it would contaminate the surroundings with poison.

While thinking about option 2, I found this rat trap, which has a 4.5+ customer rating on Amazon.
It is called the "black cat rat trap.".
Without any hesitation, I placed an order for two.

I placed it next to my car's front wheel, using Gobi Manchurian as a bait.
The next morning, I saw that big, fat rodent crushed to death by this very powerful rat trap.

I have decided to inspect both my cars' bonnets once every two days. If there is even the slightest sign of rodent entry (like rodent droppings, urine smell, rodent hairs, or marks of foot steps), I will keep this trap again.

For me personally, this is the only foolproof method to keep the rodent away from entering the car bonnet.

[nomad47]

My Seltos has been wrecked by rats last week. My parking is in the open and the car was not driven last week.
Yesterday I changed my headlamps to Osram LED and took a quick drive in the society compound. As soon as I slotted the reverse, I felt a jerk which I didn't face in the lifetime of the car. The car felt sluggish and jerky. I was the Engine Management light lit in the cluster. Immediately took it to my nearby service center. The entire way the throttle response was not like before and a jerky ride.
Service guys looked under the hood and behold, 2nd cylinder injector wire was chewed off completely. The wiper fluid tubing was bitten off and some bite marks on 1st stage injection also.
Left the car there and still waiting for repair estimate. Hopefully it's not very heavy on wallet.
Meanwhile can anybody please guide where and how to put tobbaco leaves? And also are the rodent repellant sprays effective?

[The_Road_Rover]

Originally Posted by nomad47

Meanwhile can anybody please guide where and how to put tobbaco leaves? And also are the rodent repellant sprays effective?

Please go through my latest post. I have explained how ineffective tobacco leaves and rodent repellant sprays are.
My post is just one before your post. Take a look.

[nomad47]

Originally Posted by The_Road_Rover

Please go through my latest post. I have explained how ineffective tobacco leaves and rodent repellant sprays are.
My post is just one before your post. Take a look.

I have. Some people have reported positive results. Right now am grasping at straws and will try all solutions

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by nomad47

I have. Some people have reported positive results. Right now am grasping at straws and will try all solutions

Have you tried the LED strobe lights with ultrasonic sounds? The issue with repellants based on smell is that the smells fade away after a few weeks or months. I have had these strobe lights for 10 years, and they still work the same as they were installed today. When we bought a new car for our daughter, and I was lazy to install this, they built a nest within a month. In my case, this product definitely worked. I have installed something like this in the US, but this product link is from Amazon India. Try it out.
https://www.amazon.in/Loraffe-Repell...dp/B07LCKBGY8/

[AB10]

Originally Posted by livelyyoungman

Has anyone tried CARCAT? The manufacturer claims that its efficacy is above 90%.

Yes, I have installed it in both my cars. It is pretty effective and rat menace had reduced drastically post its installation. Just need to ensure that the car is driven frequently to ensure that the battery does not drain.