Rats!!!

Greg F

Fortunately not in the camper but some info that might help others.

Recently we traded in our truck on a new one. Everything was working great, we have about 1500 miles on the truck. 2022 Ram diesel. The truck is a beast.

We were staying at Organ Pipe National Monument which is located in AZ near the border of Mexico. First morning after arriving the check engine light came on as soon as the truck was started. Weird for a new truck.

We diverted back to Gilbert AZ after our 2 week stay where we bought the truck and they found some wires that were chewed on apparently by pack rats. The park warns about this and we took the normal precautions of leaving the hood open and even had some little solar lights I put in the engine bay every evening. Apparently that wasn't enough though. From now on I will be flooding the underside of the truck with much brighter lights!

The little buggers even took the cords that connects our wheel chocks on both sides! :smirk:

The dealership, Earnhardt Ram in Gilbert is taking care of this under warranty even though they certainly aren't obligated. So far I have been very happy with them both in sales and service. In retrospect I feel fortunate that the truck still ran with chewed wires and we were able to get from the park into town.

Anyway highly recommend the park, absolutely beautiful but watch out for the rats!!

Ray

Thanks for the warning, been there several times and haven't had any problems with just the hood up but have some bright LED Christmas lights I can use.

Greg F

↪Ray

Same with us. We love this park.

Here are the wheel chocks that used to have a cord between them. Gone on both sides. A little easier to fix. :smile:

Ray

↪Greg F

I always take a walk around the camping perimeter too and see if I can find any evidence of nests. Usually, those pack rats live at the base of a cactus and pile up a bunch of fallen cholla arms. If one is right nearby, I imagine their risk is more significant. I also leave a layer of dust on the engine to look for the little bugger's footprints.
Was your truck used every day, or did it sit for a few days? I think they prefer the colder vehicles vs. a hit engine.
Make sure to pull the AC cabin filter and look as I hear they like to crawl up the passageways. My 2018 has the filter behind the glovebox.

For others reading this, here is a video I did a few years ago https://www.loveyourrv.com/pack-rats-aka-wood-rats-rving-tip/

Greg F

We arrived in the afternoon. The following morning is when the check engine light was on. Very first day. I really though having three of those little inflatable solar lights on blink mode would have kept the little buggers away.

Ray

↪Greg F

Wow! I wonder if there has been a population explosion due to the rainfall.

https://ktar.com/story/4708724/phoenixs-2021-monsoon-season-ends-with-second-most-days-of-rain-in-history/
It was a rainy monsoon season not just in Phoenix but across the state.
Tucson recorded 12.78 inches, 7 inches above average and third-wettest in city history.
Flagstaff got 10.82 inches of rain, more than 2 inches above average.

Tracey Cummings

Do you have to incircle the bottom of your rig with lights or just a strip? Do you just turn them on when you go to bed? I would think a place like that would have beautiful night skies to see without the light :(

RossCo

I have not had the rat problem but I recently read that dryer sheets stop the problem, Bounce or Fabreeze. I was looking because my mom’s Toyota had the issue. I also found this comment on Driving
“ I’ve always been a fan of using aromatic peppermint oil (mixed with warm water in a spray bottle) as a remedy for infestations. The odour it creates is pleasant enough for humans, but is absolutely abhorred by most animals. A once or twice a month spritz under the hood, seats, dash, and in the cargo area is usually all it takes. But if you’re looking for an immediate hack with something you might find around the home, disinfectant sprays such as Lysol can help as well.”

Herb

I've heard to use a cotton balls with peppermint oil in the engine bay. Even spray a bit around. Several say it works. I've been using some very small teardrop bright lights I got on Amazon. They are attached to a small solar screen and charge during the day. You can select solid, blinking or several patterns of light. I use the blinking so they will last thru the night. For mice I use the water bucket and pop can "walk the plank". This has NEVER failed me. I caught 17 in one night and about 30 over a 4 day outing. Not tried it for rats yet, but will this next trip down there.

Rats!!!

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