Team-BHP - Rat damage to cars | Protection, solutions & advice

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 3188982)

Was the engine hot?

The trapdoor is closed with a spring which pushes it from inside the trap. To get to the bait(peanut butter laced bread),

Remember, there is no such thing as rat repellant. Such a device does not exist. If it did exist, the inventor will be a legend.

Thanks tsk1979. I will scout for a good rat trap over the weekend. The engine was not hot when I left the glue trap. Infact I did not take the car outside at all yesterday. So there was no engine heat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kash_pegasus (Post 3189294)

Forget the repellants- did you try Mortein "rat kill". It indeed is effective!

This is exactly what I am off to buy right now. Thanks mate. My Punto goes to service two months ahead of schedule on Aug 1st. I am determined to get rid of the rat before that time. But looking at the way things are turning out, it is not going to be that easy. I just have to park my car at office I guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb (Post 3189386)

But looking at the way things are turning out, it is not going to be that easy. I just have to park my car at office I guess.

If the ones tormenting you are higher up the evolution ladder- they will definitely make a good meal of those rat kill cakes as put by other members already. But no harm in giving it a try.

On a lighter note- Try rearing a cat. :P
Sure shot way that the rats won't come back again. I have seen with my own eyes how swiftly cats catch mouse.

Hope people at your home are OK with a pet. ;) good luck with the hunt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom (Post 3189565)

And I've seen, with my own eyes, cats sitting and watching them. :D

We used to call one of our cats the nauralist, because she took a great interest in wildlife, but no interest in eating it!

:D Witty as always. But cats do have a liking for anything that is moving(usually) and they can be lazy/afraid at times too. They definitely are more curious compared to dogs. Looks like we are going :OT. Hope "gopikb" gets rid of the menace!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kash_pegasus (Post 3189489)

If the ones tormenting you are higher up the evolution ladder- they will definitely make a good meal of those rat kill cakes as put by other members already. But no harm in giving it a try.

Earlier I had placed the glue board completely flat and as said before I could see the rat's foot print on the board. Yesterday night, I gut the glue board in V-shape with a piece of bread placed in center. The idea was to see if the rat could get stuck from both sides on the body. When I checked this morning, I saw that the idea did work the way I thought it to be. However, the rat still managed to wriggle out free from the board. I am sure this is one hell of a big rat.

I also kept three pieces of rat kill cakes in three different parts on the engine bay. I saw all three of them missing this morning. Not sure if it was eaten by the rat. I have put three more pieces of rat kill cake again today in the engine bay. Will update tomorrow

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Ravi (Post 3189403)

I have been using a wooden mouse trap with a piece of burnt coconut or masala vada as the bait at my Chennai home successfully. There were many victims already! :)

Ravi, Thanks. That brings back memories of what my mother used to do decades ago. I will scout for both rat trap as well as rat cage over the weekend. Any idea where they sell these stuff in Bangalore

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb (Post 3190540)

I also kept three pieces of rat kill cakes in three different parts on the engine bay. I saw all three of them missing this morning. Not sure if it was eaten by the rat. I have put three more pieces of rat kill cake again today in the engine bay. Will update tomorrow

You have a headache at hand gopikb. Rat trap looks like the only way. Astonished the cakes were ineffective! :-O looks like they have just got immune to them. Good luck with the hunt and keep us posted about the updates.!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb (Post 3190540)

Rat cake alone takes a long time to kill.Combine the rat cake with a rat killing paste such as ratol and it's a certain kill in a day or two.
The fumes of the paste such as ratol are not healthy and should not be inhaled.Also avoid skin contact with same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumeethaldankar (Post 3190579)

Hi sumeeth, Guess you were very correct. Yesterday night also i left rat cake at three locations in engine bay and all of them went missing this morning. This is one big rat and I guess it digests just anything. I am going to scout for rat cage / trap today. I will include ratol also in that list.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gopikb (Post 3190543)

Any idea where they sell these stuff in Bangalore

I bought it some decades back at K R Market, Bangalore, which is still working. :thumbs up The only nasty job involved is, after the rat is caught, it is to be killed and its corpse disposed! I used to plunge the mouse trap into a bucketful of water, keep it for a few minutes until the rodent breathed its last, then put the mortal remains into a bag and hand over it to the garbage collector, who visits our home every morning.

Damn those rodents. They again chewed up my Audi's harness within 3 months from the last incidence. Kept a kilo of tobacco at different places, removed the airfreshner, dropped rat poison on the chassis cover, but all seems useless.
Have scheduled a flatbed pickup, but the earliest they can do it is on Wednesday 31st july.
While discussing the repeated occurrence of this problem and the same not happening to any other car around mine, the service advisor hinted that he had a few more Audi's with the same problem.
Another 10,000/-( estimated from last time repair charges) down the rathole!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by riteshritesh (Post 3190972)

Have scheduled a flatbed pickup, but the earliest they can do it is on Wednesday 31st july.
Another 10,000/-( estimated from last time repair charges) down the rathole!!!

Man, you have got a serious problem in hands to tackle. Its insane to spend 10K everything the rats have their lunch. Did you try the rat mesh? I think they are much more effective than any other means. You can also try using 3-4 mesh at a time at different locations. Many times the case may be of multiple rodents.

Quote:

Originally Posted by riteshritesh (Post 3190972)

Damn those rodents. They again chewed up my Audi's harness within 3 months from the last incidence.

Ouch, that sounds expensive. Do rats like German cars? :eek:

I never had this problem with my Swift, but they love to nibble my Polo :Frustrati