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A little background. Please humor me.

I know that you old-timers believe I have completely abandoned my CC. Completely untrue...... The Boss loves it and being the horse riding, tight Levi wearing Country girl that she is, appreciates the oohs and awes, from our local redneck boys, when she bails out of it alone.

I think that I got 2 compliments over the last 7 years with it. That being neither here, nor there, I ran across a strange situation, lately.

I'm attempting to have a small 2 rig garage built, by a contractor that is attempting do it in the time constraints that would make the great pyramids appear to be completed over night!

Anyway, I have had to relocate the thing from one end of my Ponderosa sized 1/4 acre to the other end in the attempt to stay out of their way several times. That is when they decide to bless me with an actual appearance. Relocation times are just a few days apart but, this last time something had built a nest in the engine compartment. How the critter did such a great job is beyond me. No vegetation components were shorter than 10 inches and when I popped the hood the "mass" completely filled the engine compartment. I spent an hour picking the crap out by hand. I then sprayed it off with a water hose and left the hood open during our current monsoon. There was enough leftover that a grabbed a fire extinguisher out of my heep to meet a fellow club member that was buying some used tires off of me today.

It sat, maybe four days. Anyone have luck similar to mine?

We have some pretty industrious pack rats up at the dam. I have seen instances such as you describe. My solution is to add poison bait in the engine compartments. The Dodge trucks seem to be the worst as it is easy for them to travel up the fender into the air cleaner. makes a toasty warm home, I guess? Those rigs all get bait sticks every service.
If you are looking for a more humane system, perhaps the ultrasonic pest repellers? I have seen them at the local farm supply here. They use them in barns. Little battery operated stick on devices.
I am currently testing the same sort of unit in the form of a ground stake. I have a gopher problem in the south lawn. I have baited, pelleted, smoked, flamed and flooded those devils to a no win on my front. I am now in the process of either deafening them to ultrasonic waves, or making them insomniacs.
The jury is still out. I have had the noise makers out only a couple weeks.

I have no aversion to using poison and may give the stick type a try. I had "birds" on my mind because I have been battling them for years. My dryer vent and heat pump drain line exits the roof flashing on the in ground side of my house.

I didn't even think of the four legged vermin. I've never even seen a field mouse around here but, I guess it's possible. I'm within a quarter mile of a state park and have seen wild turkey in my back yard. I know the stuff got there in under four days because I religiously use the cut off switch under the hood. Thanks for the suggestions, Brule!

I think that I might give the Ultra sonic pest repellent a shot. It will work on birds too.

You should be able to find some evidence of the animal species looking for scat, or footprints. If you figure out what works now, it will be easier to protect the new "man-cave". You can bet that they will be moving in there as soon as you get it ready for them.

I've constantly had to battle field mice and such living in the country as I do but the last real run-in with vermin came in the form of common cottontail rabbits. They climbed up on and around the motor of my mini-van and proceeded to chew off all the sensor wires and any similar wiring they could get at. Not the first time I've seen this happen. And before anybody poo-poos this I caught the little ba*^^$ds in the act so no doubt who was responsible. I've since put poison under the hoods of all vehicles intended to stand without driving for any extended periods of time and gotten 20ga serious about the bunny problem. Several have gone to Easter heaven thus far.

Bunnies, I have!!! My dog hates 'em. I have a whole new appreciation of her finding them in the fenced in front yard before dawn. I can hear them hitting the chain link fence from 3 sides while she is hot on their cute little cotton tails. No more trying to save them from her.

Well, I had to run to Lowes today to pick up some of the contractor's supplies. Popped the hood to turn on the battery "cut-off" switch and "SUN OF A BEECH" if, I wasn't back to square one! Those "fuggers" had rebuilt bigger and better, in less than 2 days! One of the contractors told me that he had watched "black birds" go in and out of my front wheel well.
He caught me aside and recommended "greased lightning" that was available at TSC.
The war is on!!!!!

Hey Reed ya sure them ain't black "ducks"? lol

roadrunner wrote:Hey Reed ya sure them ain't black "ducks"? lol

They might as well be!!! Upon getting back into the CC at Lowes, it wouldn't start. Another "red top" Optima "fail" in under a year. I only tried them again because a good friend/club member, who works at Advance, told me that the failure rate had greatly decreased. He also cut me a smokin' deal for this one. He is the one that I called for a jump. Won't charge past 69% so, the next time I am up in the big city I'm getting what I should have before, A Diehard Platinum.

F9K9 wrote:...Another "red top" Optima "fail" in under a year.

Sorry to hear that. My luck with the new Yellowtop was the same. Johnson Control did "no good" for the new AC Delco batteries too. I am seeing the same sort of failure rates in them since the purchase.
Johnson control is getting higher on my avoidance radar.

...next time I am up in the big city I'm getting what I should have before, A Diehard Platinum.

I still think it is a good choice. I am still a little unclear as to their supplier. Rumors abound. The Diehard flooded cell batteries are made by Johnson control. My best information says the AGM Diehard Platinum is made by Enersys. I have three Diehard Platinums now. Two in the Avalanche and one in the offroad trailer.
Believe it or not I still have Four Optimas. Redtops in the Maxx, HenryJ and Vega. A Bluetop in the boat. The youngest is probably closing in on a decade old now. Wish they still made them like those

HenryJ wrote:......Wish they still made them like those

Amen, Bro!!!!

Pick up some fox urine critter repellant and spray the tires???

I thought I had killed my Red Top this winter, had not driven the crew all winter but had charged the battery in about December then truck got buried under snow for the rest of the winter. Battery flatlined and froze. Two weeks ago I went to get it running, brought the still mostly frozen battery inside let it sit overnight and hooked the charger to it, it immediately cut off and I was afraid the thing was done for but I set it at a 2 amp trickle charge and left it for 24hours and by god it actually came back from the dead and seems to be fine for now.

04crewvt wrote:........... I set it at a 2 amp trickle charge and left it for 24hours and by god it actually came back from the dead and seems to be fine for now.

For **its and giggles, I am going to try that right now, Brian.

I found in tact locusts behind the grill and tow hooks. I thought they were leaves at first, so I pulled them out by hand. If you never touched a dead locust, I wouldn't recommend it.

Well Reed it's official now. I'm in the critter fight too. A second vehicle has been attacked by my local wire eating cottontails. Other than the 20ga or similar solutions I don't know what else I can try. I try to keep the vehicles parked on open bare ground to discourage the little buggers but they are getting in anyway. I'm afraid one of these days I'll come out and the vehicle I want to use won't start due to their activities.