Rodent damage - any ideas or tricks to prevent?

[Aerospace2061]

I’m thinking the lack of fear abnormal behavior of the rodents running around in front of me after I pulled up some plants they were in is due to being sick or dying from eating the poison my pest control service put out. I haven’t seen them since that day. But just to make sure, I finished installing the Grid Guard electric tiles/flat fence on my driveway in addition to the other measures folks are recommending. Hopefully, it can up the rodent deterrence level a few notches.

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[Crissa]

Ouch, sorry. The service center replaced my front wire harness and the front license plate camera wash tube, $400. However, they said they don’t clean up droppings etc… and gave my tips how to remove the frunk via the maintenance manual to get in there and clean it up if I wanted to. I’m planning to put some bars of Irish spring soap and repellent pouches in there as folks suggested. So that’s next on my to do list. I haven’t had luck with the sonic devices and a mouse ran out from the bushes as I was pulling plants during the day on to the sidewalk in front of me. Pics attached. Not scared of me at all. Also, I’ve found droppings on the driveway and side walk. I removed most of the thick plants/bushes on my property, been using Grandpa Gus sprays, increased my pest control service plan, and parking down the street. It seems to be working as the rodents may have finally moved on but I decided to go one more step with the electric flat fence border from Grid Guard so I can park in my driveway again. It’s pricey but the peace of mind and avoiding future expensive repairs should pay for itself. I pick it up later this week. Fingers crossed…

That's a black rat, roof rat, or harvest rat; as their name implies, they like to climb and eat stuff in trees.

They're pretty weasely little guys, harder to get rid of than the big norwegians, although easier to block with physical measures.

-Crissa

 

[roadrunner32]

Lights in the garage always on, radio always on, and a couple of electronic repellant devices that flash lights and make High freq sounds. And I spray peppermint oil nightly around the front bottom. front.

 

[roadrunner32]

Try placing a soap bar called Irish Spring inside behind the Frunk cover or around inside the garage to keep the critters out. Smelly but does the job. Putting the soap bars out in the yard works too. Just keep them out of reach from pets.

I keep a soap bar on my work bench to remind me of the rat intrusians. The soap bar has rat teeth marks on it was found in the frunk along with some bird seed. The dead rat smell eventually went away.

 

[Kryptek]

spray cat urine on the underside of your CT

only rats with a self suiciding parasite will enter your CT

 

[Bobo_LaDouche]

Peanut butter on a string. They pull the string. Put this on continuous duty.

 

[subterreign]

Since moving full-time to the Sierra Nevada mountains a few years ago, I've learned the hard way that many things attract rodents to EVs: Seeking warmth and shelter, attraction to wires with soy-based shielding, and just surfaces and textures that have resistance. At first, when I noticed the chickaree squirrels up here had attacked not just my Model 3 but also a canvas grill cover and even my house, i.e., scratching up some of my deck's fencing, corners, and edges in select spots, I asked my pest control company if they maybe had some kind of viral neurological condition or something. They schooled me on how the squirrels don't need to be hungry to do damage because their teeth and claws grow like fingernails, so they need to be regularly worn down on something to prevent overgrowth. And just like cats with their claws, once they get used to a spot, they'll keep coming back to it.

When I had the Model 3, its wires got badly chewed up. Not long after I finally took delivery of my CT and switched to that last year, its tonneau cover's rubber seal got attacked and right through a cover I had on it, one of those lightweight ones made specifically for the CT with the convenient openings for the driver's side door, charge port, and tailgate. I don't have a garage or even a car port so since then, I've been using these (2) products:

1) For when my CT is uncovered...

https://www.imustgarden.com/squirrel-repellent-1-gallon

I work from home, so each morning, I pop out to my driveway to quickly spray the bumpers, wheel wells, and the tonneau cover's rubber seal.

2) For whenever I won't be driving for a few days or more, either out of expecting snow or just not needing to run any errands for a bit...

https://www.getcoverseal.com/

Their products are expensive, but I got covers for both my CT and my gas grill, and so far they've been working well. Another upside has been that they stand up to high winds, which eventually took out the other of my two previous CT covers.

It's taken discipline, but this combination of defenses has been working so far.

Good luck, all!

 

[Cybersurfer88]

Braided steel cable wrap or maybe the synthetic braids made for pets.

https://www.amazon.com/UNICRAFTALE-...ing-Protector/dp/B0CLGP6CYW/ref=sr_1_5?sr=8-5

 

[roadrunner32]

1. No food, or food wrappers in garage in or around the car (I see trash cans in your garage)
2. Keep the garage lights on overnight, all the time.
3. keep a radio on overnight. talk radio is good
4. A flashing light and sound rodent device is placed near the front of the car.
5. A gallon jug of Peppermint Spray is good to use. spray under the front of the car every night.
6. Do not bait rat traps in the garage. They attract rats and usually don't work.
7. A cat would work best. Grandpa had one but one cold night "Tommy" climbed up in the engine compartment near the fan and that was the last of "Tommy".
[/QUOTE

yeah, I used that green stuff in our "walk-out basement. A week or so later the dead rat aroma was through out the house. One has to endure the smell for a few days or start ripping out sheet rock. We have done both.

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

yeah, I used that green stuff in our "walk-out basement. A week or so later the dead rat aroma was through out the house. One has to endure the smell for a few days or start ripping out sheet rock. We have done both.

Yeah but it works. . I use this stuff too. It’s awesome!

 

[CyberGus]

 

[roadrunner32]

When Elon was soliciting design ideas from r the Cybertruck I said "Make it rodent proof". Sigh. He didn't listen.......

Speaking of Elon, and I do love my cybertruck. I was just wondering how much damage was done to the marketability of the cybertruck because of the soap on the accelerator pedal and the Wrong glue on the cant panels?

 

[Sjohnson20]

I opened the top part of my frunk plastic and found one of those insulation nests. I don't see any wire damage though. Where do they get that white insulation from and does it need to be replaced?

 

[Aerospace2061]

I opened the top part of my frunk plastic and found one of those insulation nests. I don't see any wire damage though. Where do they get that white insulation from and does it need to be replaced?

At the time I asked the Service Center about replacing it and they didn’t know where it came from and also pushed back saying it would difficult to get back in there to figure it out. Since they we’re charging me a lot per hour just to replace the wiring I backed off and later pulled the frunk out myself and it appears they got most of it from a thin insulation blanket the covers the front right wheel well toward the back of the wheel well near the front passenger side. I tried to get behind the glove compartment to check there but haven’t figured that out yet. Not easy to see, used a flash light at night with the frunk pulled out and saw some chunks missing. Eventually I want to search the parts catalog to figure out more details and fix it up, thinking it could help with sound proofing but haven’t got back in there since. Thinking a little chunk of the insulation can make a big puff of a nest when expanded so hopefully thinking they only took a little bit of the insulation, but need to confirm. Let me know if you find any replacements, etc… I’ll hopefully get back in there this summer sometime to find out more.

 

[Sjohnson20]

At the time I asked the Service Center about replacing it and they didn’t know where it came from and also pushed back saying it would difficult to get back in there to figure it out. Since they we’re charging me a lot per hour just to replace the wiring I backed off and later pulled the frunk out myself and it appears they got most of it from a thin insulation blanket the covers the front right wheel well toward the back of the wheel well near the front passenger side. I tried to get behind the glove compartment to check there but haven’t figured that out yet. Not easy to see, used a flash light at night with the frunk pulled out and saw some chunks missing. Eventually I want to search the parts catalog to figure out more details and fix it up, thinking it could help with sound proofing but haven’t got back in there since. Thinking a little chunk of the insulation can make a big puff of a nest when expanded so hopefully thinking they only took a little bit of the insulation, but need to confirm. Let me know if you find any replacements, etc… I’ll hopefully get back in there this summer sometime to find out more.

Thanks I got it out I had to use tongs to reach in where the little devil put the insulation nest. Not sure what the part is that the mouse used as the bed area but it's a metal part that is like a bowl behind this fluid tank.

I did find that the outer plastic on the cable that disconnects the battery was chewed on. It's the one that has the tag for the fireman to cut. Luckily it's on the outside plastic and not the wires inside so I taped it with electrical tape.

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