Advice on pack rats

NeHomesteader · #1 11/27/04, 05:14 PM

We went to cut wood today and when my son and I picked up the first cut batch we must have been really close to a pack rat nest. Our dog noticed him and before we could even pick anything up to get him with, he headed right under our pick-up. It is a 77 ford so it does not have all the extra stuff on but i'm still really worried that it will get in there and make a huge mess. We finished loading that pickup and filled another one and then headed back to our place a good 20 miles away. We were in canyon ground so it was mostly trail the first 5 miles or so then highway. When we got home we didnt' even unload the wood. We parked it in the pasture clear away from the buildings and put the hood up. We're hoping that it leaves or fell out. I've never been around them so don't know their behavior. Do you think it would have ridden that far or how long will it take to leave the pickup? Any advice would be really helpful. Thanks much, Dawn

Bruce in NE · #2 11/27/04, 07:48 PM

Pack rats will make a disaster of an engine compartment. They will nest there and also chew electrical wires. When I first moved to my place, they were everywhere, including under the house and in engine compartments. I finally got a cat and it does a good job of keeping their numbers almost to zero now. I recommend a cat -- traps just won't do it.

insanity · #3 11/27/04, 08:07 PM

I doughty he rode that far.But just encase have a look inside the breather in a few days.Thats there favorite place i here.
My dad has them bad in NM.They use mesquite thorns on the out side of there nest which makes them a real pain (pun intended!

) to get cleaned out.But they do tend to only get in the cars that are parked for a few days.Hot engines dont make good living quarters.

There for they usally dont like daily drivers.

gobug · #4 11/28/04, 02:26 PM

I had a friend that went boating on Lake Powell and brought a pack rat home in the engine compartment, some 600 miles! Once he got home the rat moved out.

Generally, pack rats are easily controlled using rat sized snap traps. Bait them with dried prunes, raisins, or nutmeat and tie them to the trigger.

They can be a nuisance, especially if they get in the home. They are nocturnal and good climbers, so they might gain entry through the roof level. It would be difficult to not know the critter was living with you.