RAT

They frigging love to crap and piss on my gen 3 engine cover. The little bastards don't chew on the wiring thank God. I suspect it's perfect for them when it's cold with the heat shield pad under the hood and the 2 inch gap between the engine cover, so it's cozy in the winter.

This particular a$$hole is smart. He won't go for any bait that has previously worked. (Cheese, peanut butter, slim Jim, berries) though he did trigger one with a piece of banana. The peppermint oil spray isn't deterring him either. I've relented and put out a commercial style bait box, (which I didn't want to do because the poison is a cruel way to die, and I didn't want predators getting poisoned) , but I'm out of ideas.

Oh.. by the way, I'm 6'3" but still have issues reaching all the way into the engine bay to clean it. I saw a little cheap foldable step stool at home depot for $4.99.... looks too little, but hold 300lbs and it's frigging perfect and allows me to reach everywhere in the engine bay. I urge you guys to get one.

Advice on the rat issue would be appreciated.

 

Pine sol soaked rags, snuggle dryer sheets, and bars of pink dove soap live under my hood in various places 24/7/365. Zero issues.

 

So Honda makes duct tape with capsaicin (basically pepper spray) in it. It's designed to be wrapped around wiring and then rodents won't touch that wiring. If I were you I'd consider applying it to any visible wiring, knowing that you're little furry friend is so determined to snooze in your engine bay, it'll only be matter of time before he decides to nibble on some wires.

Alternatively, I've heard good things about electronic rodent deterrent devices that use strobe lights and sounds and you mount these devices in your engine bay.

 

A delightful kitteh.

 

Also keep in mind that rodents are averse to well-lit areas. So perhaps some rope lights or flood lights could be placed under and/or around your truck when it's parked overnight?

 

Bastages! I know you said the bait didn't work, but I've had success with baited

$27 Tomcat Rat Snap Trap- Pack of 4

rat traps with peanut butter behind the front tires and a

$22 Angveirt Ultra Sonic Rodent Prevention Repellent Battery Operated Mouse Repelling Repeller Humane Mice Deterrent for Car Engines Basement Garage Attic Under Hood Rodent Reducer 1 Pack

sonic deterrent under the hood. I've not found essential oils to be very effective - I've tried peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary (good Young Living EOs) in water sprayed liberally around the engine bay. You might also consider blocking the passages into the cabin as described here.

 

I had rat pellets on my engine cowl a couple of years ago. Shortly after I noticed it, my windshield washer lines started leaking. The little bastards seemed to really like the tubing and ate holes in several places. I freaked out worrying that they might have gotten to the wiring somewhere (or would in time). I was on a mission at that point.

I tried all sorts of things. The oils, sprays, snap traps, moth balls, various deterrent totems in the engine compartment and wheel wells, etc. Snap traps had good results, but the rats were still savaging my washer lines. After completely replacing the tubing twice, I broke down and tried bait boxes. (I don't like bait boxes because it is a horrible death, I don't want to poison predators, and I don't want to go on a hunt for rat corpses decaying in my garage).

The bait boxes and snap traps worked and are still working to this day. (I bait my snap traps with a small, rolled up balls of cheese that I smear peanut butter on. Then I jam the ball down onto/into the trap trigger). Those methods haven't worked well for some people, but it is currently working very well for me. I haven't had any evidence of rodent activity on or in my truck since using those two methods. YMMV

I have been using the TomCat brand refillable bait boxes (that I picked up from Home Depot). They state on the box that they are pet and child safe, but I think that refers to the bait box itself and not the poison inside. And I have had to dispose of several little corpses that I've found in my garage and outside areas around the house. So far, I've had to locate 2 decaying rats that died in out of the way places in the garage. FYI

 

You could try sticky traps. All they are is an adheasive strip and when the rodent steps on it, thats it, they can't get off. You just throw the thing away.
Only thing is, you might have to remove them before you start your vehicle.

 

Well I thought i was alone... Yea, I had Rats sleeping on engine cover too. The waste grain from my backyard flock brought them to the area. Caught one in a live trap baited w dog food right under my skid plate. (I wont speak to what I did to him) but thought that was that. Then saw more fresh droppings. Set trap again. No success. Put sticky trap on my engine cover. They were too smart. I relented and put baits out. After a week or so I saw no new droppings or signs of them- till about a month later my buddy was looking my truck over and saw something on my skid plate. A dead decomposing rat. So the bait got him but he was still using the truck.

 

Park where there's light, works better than anything.

 

A friend of mine has been using moist cat food for baiting raccoons. He’s had very good results. You might could try that

 

Try baiting your traps with a partially chewed Snickers. It's the only thing that works for rats in my attic.

 

Tundra Cat?

 

the easiest option ive found for me and rodents is a few large cotton balls placed on each side of the engine bay then i hit them in 100% peppermint oil i put in a spray bottle. refresh every 1-2 weeks. it's super strong and since peppermint i get a faint fresh smell in the cab. only the 100% oil has worked that i get through Amazon. the rodent control stuff in hw stores also some use peppermint but it's super watered down and doesn't last. no dead rodents to clean up. they just go find something else to live in. all my outside cars have the cotton balls.