Bush Rats

Cats don't usually like the underbonnet, but yes, shoot them if inclined.
They're nesting prior to dropping a litter. Somewhere safe and warm.

Are they the native bush rat?
Remember you are in their territory, not they in yours.
And if they do litter, it's a great life cycle story for children.

Yeah..Try to ID them first...They might be locals...:)

Try weeing on it - that is weeing in the engine bay. You might find it easier weeing in a bucket then pouring that in the engine bay. Or just wee on the ground around the car...If that fails, take a couple of vitamin B tablets wait a few hours and then wee.

And don't forget to wash your hands afterwards :)

GOODAY, I found that leaving the bonnet up so that the engine remains cool during the night keeps rodents from nesting. They may run about the engine but do not stay for a gnaw or nest as it is too cold.



Regards


Mike R

Friends of ours that live just north of Townsville didnt know that rats had built in their RAV4 until they attended a BBQ and the owners dogs literally tore at the car to get to the rats. Over $2000 damage to the car from the dogs. Lesson learnt.

BJ & Reen,

They like warm dark places. I agree with advice to leave your bonnet open but also leave a light on. Small led of course.

Skull

BJ & Reen - The Yanks have this problem endlessly - and you should know automatically, that YouTube has all the answers! [;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKcCEMVh7Rc

I can remember the brothers FIL (a farmer) had his TJ Bedford truck sitting for months at a time in his shed. It only got used at seeding time and harvest time.

One harvest he went to crank the Beddy up and the starter did a couple of turns, then everything stopped turning over!

Investigation proved the engine would turn, but the starter wouldn't. Removal of the starter found a mangled rat that had made its nest in the V between the starter pinion teeth and the flywheel ring gear teeth!
Hitting the starter wound the rat around the starter pinion, and stalled the starter out! [:-)

Cheers - Ron.

Buy some of those cakes (of whatever the substance is, not sure) that are put in urinals. You know, the strong smelly stuff.

Put a few of them under the vehicle at night, at least 6 of 'em, and use gloves when you handle them.

That is what QLDers use in their houses to keep white tailed rats out.

FYI - The old-style urinal cakes contain a chemical known as para-diclorobenzene (more correctly known to chemists as 1,4-dichlorobenzene).

This is the same chemical as used in mothballs. Originally, mothballs contained Napthalene. Napthalene useage in mothballs was abandoned due to high flammability. Both Napthalene and para-diclorobenzene are known carcinogens, and care in handling is advised.

Para-diclorobenzene is gradually being phased out in urinal cakes in favour of cakes containing microbial spores, which are much more environmentally-friendly.

These microbial spores are more effective in urinals, in that the spores break down the chemicals that gives urine its offensive odour - rather than just mask it, as para-diclorobenzene does.

If you buy the environmentally-friendly urinal cakes, then they won't have the strong smell as the cakes that still contain para-diclorobenzene.