[yogisays0909]

Here is what the rats did to my 2010 Accord, chewed almost all the wires behind the headlamp and also took a serving spoon of the watchman and hid it below the radiator. Moreover ate all 4 wires of the fuel pump connector and ate the fuel pipe. Had to get the car towed to Hallmark Honda Nerul and get the entire fuel pipe replaced.
Did a trick on the flexible part of the pipe, did a copper wire winding on it and wrapped 3 layers of insulation tape and heat shrink. Hallmark Honda did help here to get the winding and insulation done.

[hema4saran]

Not sure if the solution is shared before. Back home, A family friend told about this solution to avoid rat menace to my uncle. Tie the tobacco whole leaves to the suspected regions under the hood of the car. For those who are unaware of the whole tobacco leaves, it will be available in small betel leaf shops. He did this to his Indica wiring cases and made it as a practice to replace it periodically. 5 Rs stuff and it is working like a charm for him.

P.S. We never tried this as my parents are not owning a car in India.

[diyguy]

My saga with the rat terrorist continues. My swift has been bitten 4 times, three times the fuel return pipe and once the day before the main pipe. I thought I had got it licked by covering the pipe with the cable organizer but last night it went through the cable organizer too and has bitten the pipe but it is not leaking. I had sprayed the pipes with the Nichem No Entry ray spray yesterday and spread the rat poison biscuits on the garage floor too under the car. One rat biscuit has gone so the rat has eaten it.
I have been starting my swift every night so the engine gets hot and pour phenyle under the car too. I missed this one night and it bit the pipe. Next night after covering all pipes and the spray I decided to test the physical barriers and did not start the car and pour the phenyl. It has gnawed through the cable organizer protective sheath as well.
Now taking this to the next level, I am going to attach the flask brushes the sharp ones which should deter the movement of the rat.
From this I've learnt that almost everything is of no use, tobacco leaf, rat spray. I am hoping the poison biscuits will eventually take effect. I am also going to setup the rat trap box. This is all out war now.
I am lucky this persistent creature is only gnawing the fuel lines and not the electricals though.

[Thad E Ginathom]

These sticky pads are effective... but I will not use them, as they are a horrible way to kill an animal. Also, when pest-treatment people put them around our garden, we had a crow caught in one. Yes, it was rescued and freed.

So, I think they inhumane, but... that's up to you. And you must be incredibly frustrated at the damage.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

And you must be incredibly frustrated at the damage.

I am beyond frustration and now am in zen inner peace mode. I know I will burst a capillary if I get worked up so taking it a day at a time .
I have used the sticky but that disappeared and the rat is still around. I have just wired my garage with two led tube lights in a hope to deter the rodent. Going out now to purchase the wire brushes to attach to items inside the bonnet.

[SuGarFree]

I haven't yet encountered an issue with rats with the car(Stilt Parking, Clean Area), but have with the bike: Honda Navi ( Open Parking, Dubiously Clean).

Last Rainy Season, on one occasion the bike just refused to start one day. Walked it to the Honda service station ~1.5km. They detected the damaged wiring and replaced it at a cost of about Rs. 600. In passing, a mechanic there suggested it could be rat related with the way the wire had been damaged. The service advisor didn't venture into causes.

About a month after this one day, managed to start it and about a km away the bike sputtered to a stop. Seemed like it ran out of Fuel but the tank was pretty full, ruled that out. Still topped up the fuel at the nearest petrol station and it started once, sputtered as if out of fuel but managed a few hundred mts more and it stopped. Walked it to the same Honda service station again. Narrated the incident, the service advisor sent the bike to the mechanical bay and they detected the same wire was damaged in the same way as last time.

The service advisor again didn't try to figure out the cause, just went about the repair paperwork and billing. I went to the Bay where the bike was being worked on and asked this young mechanic what could be the reason and what might be a fix.

He told me its rats and change or alter where I park the bike because they seem to encounter a lot of such cases especially during monsoons.( for some reason)
I requested him if there was a more permanent fix to this apart from changing parking places(which I did right after). He turns around to me and says ,"Get me 2 packets of XYZ(Gutka Brand)".

I legitimately thought it was a sort of a bribe and asked which shop he'd like it from. Procured said Gutka packets and handed it over to him fully expecting him to take a break, consume them and add an extra layer of grease on the wire or something and send me on my way( really pessimistic at this point).

He instead proceeds to intricately wire sprinkle and coat the contents of those packets around the said area and intricately make a cable mechanism using string and wire to secure and hang the Packets securely to the inner chassis near the wiring.

He spent a good 20 minutes doing so and explained this was the easiest fix to this problem. When I narrated what went through my mind when he told me to go get the packets we had a hearty laugh. I tried to tip him, he refused and bid me goodbye.

Haven't had that issue in almost a year now. Started parking the bike about 20 feet further away from where I used to(Slightly Cleaner).

Overall, I'd rate that gutka brand as a pretty good rat deterrent.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by diyguy

... ... ... Going out now to purchase the wire brushes to attach to items inside the bonnet.

I don't know how effective those brushes will be. Good results have been reported by people using actual-wire brushes of the decorating/industrial kind. You only have to touch them to know that you would not want to walk on one with bare feet, and it seems the rats feel the same.

Good luck!

[FarPatel]

Thad and Diyguy, you may remember my attempts at thwarting the rats many posts back, using these bottle brushes and 'tar brushes'. I had put up pics too. Touch wood, I've had no issues since then. Of course, I also regularly refill sachets made of old socks, with naphthalene balls which I tie at a few points in the engine bay. So I'm sure this combination has helped keeping them away.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

... So I'm sure this combination has helped keeping them away.

I had forgotten the bottle brushes. Glad to hear that you did use them, with continuing success. Would you describe the wire (tar) brushes as the big guns?

[FarPatel]

Well, the bottle brushes are the first line of defence, since I've arranged them along the lower arms, where they would climb in from and if they did succeed, then the wire brushes, fixed at likely roosting spots, would definitely make life uncomfortable for them, so both lines of attack are probably key to a successful repulse of the invaders.
Cheers

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by FarPatel

I also regularly refill sachets made of old socks, with naphthalene balls which I tie at a few points in the engine bay.

I couldn't find your posts on the brushes but found others and will do the same. I saw these Tar brushes in the hardware tools market yesterday but didn't buy them as they seemed heavy. Makes sense to use them on perches that the rat uses to rest on. Will go get them today.
On the napthalene balls in a sock, am very concerned about a fire situation. My swift is petrol and when the fuel line was cut last time the spray reached the battery. This is a huge risk in my opinion and have now taken to visual inspection prior to starting the car daily. With two 10w leds on last night, the rat trap, bottle brushes and rat biscuits, the innards were ok today. I am throwing everything at this situation and hopefully things improve.
One post mentioned use of a pesticide every week. I plan to follow that as well. I was pouring phenyl under the car every night and the one night I missed, the rat struck.

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by SuGarFree

He turns around to me and says ,"Get me 2 packets of XYZ(Gutka Brand)".

That is ingenuous and it does have a strong odor. In San Diego, I use moth ball packets (Naphthalene Balls) instead as I probably cannot find that Gutka here. They have been working great.

We used to have lots of barn owls keep rats in check. This year I have not seen any owls. We have a owl box that is empty, and lots of rats to deal with. Inside the bonnet, I have a glue trap fixed on the airbox. I have not caught any rats, the moth balls are doing its job.

[FarPatel]

Originally Posted by diyguy

I couldn't find your posts on the brushes but found others and will do the same. I saw these Tar brushes in the hardware tools market yesterday but didn't buy them as they seemed heavy. Makes sense to use them on perches that the rat uses to rest on. Will go get them today.
On the napthalene balls in a sock, am very concerned about a fire situation. My swift is petrol and when the fuel line was cut last time the spray reached the battery. This is a huge risk in my opinion and have now taken to visual inspection prior to starting the car daily.

If you go to posts 1187-1195 you'll see my handiwork. I see what you mean about the napthalene balls and petrol. My car is a diesel so didn't think along those lines. However, you could still tie the naphthalene balls in old socks or similar perforated cloth away from hot areas, like the front and rear springs, if you can reach behind the wheels easily. That's where they climb in from.

[Thilak29]

I have placed wire brushes in engine bay at multiple 'strategic' places and thankfully no more rat bite issues. Before I chose this remedy I tried all other means including, naphthalene balls and tobacco, nothing worked like this one. Actually, tobacco even caused 'beedi' like smell inside cabin much to discomfort of passengers. It's over an year since these brushes are placed , I will inspect them shortly and tighten anything moved out of place.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by diyguy

I am throwing everything at this situation and hopefully things improve.

Try using red hit spray. Spray at night inside the engine bay and around the entry points. Initially spray every day for 2-3 days. After that you can spray it twice a week.

I find it very effective in my car and in my house too.