BEWARE! It’s winter and pack rats may be seeking sanctuary from the cold inside your vehicle! Keep an eye out for visible signs of pack rat activity in and around your vehicle like footprints, rodent droppings, or bits and pieces of vegetation or nesting materials.
Pack rats are little desert hoarders and can quickly do thousands of dollars of damage to your vehicle! They like to nest in the same place over and over again so once they mark their territory, the risk of having them return increases dramatically. There are some misconceptions that if your vehicle is housed in a garage that it is safe from invasion, but not necessarily. Vehicles parked in garages may be even more attractive to these little critters since it is warm and most likely safe from predators. Throughout the pandemic, you may not be driving your vehicle as often which can create a perfect opportunity for a pack rat to invade it.
Here are some preventative measures you can put in place to reduce the chances of a pack rat moving into your engine compartment or vehicle.
- Leave the hood up. Rodents like a dark place to nest.
- Do not let the car sit. Drive it once in a while to discourage rats from doing mechanical or electrical damage.
- Store your dog food, cat food, and birdseed in sealed containers or in another location altogether. Dog food is the gold standard of rat society. Rats will stuff pounds and pounds of it into open spaces in your car.
- Remove or seal off rat hiding places near the car. Clear away nearby shrubbery where they can hide. If you have a garage, block rat-sized entrances to the structure.
- Block small entrances to the vehicle engine compartment. Some car owners place traps around the vehicle or on top of the wheels since rats climb wheels to get into the engine. Wire screen is also effective to block their invasion.
- Install electronic deterrent devices. Rodents can hear ultrasounds that we cannot, and it can help repel them although some learn to ignore it. Some blockers also have strobe lights that disrupt the darkness that rats prefer.
If you confirm that you do have a rack pat residing in your garage, you may need to contact a pest control company or attempt to trap them in order to remove them permanently.
If your vehicle has suffered pack rat damage, give Primarily Japanese Auto Service a call today and we can help! We will thoroughly inspect your vehicle for damage and assist you start the claims process with your insurance company. All of our services include a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. Contact us if you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment. Our auto mechanics will get your vehicle back in motion in no time. Primarily Japanese is conveniently located near downtown at 600 N. Stone Ave., Tucson, AZ 85705.
