Why do rats nest in cars?
Rats are always looking for warm, dry places to nest and breed. Cars offer rats an easy nesting place providing both shelter and nesting material. Cars with empty food packets on the floor are even more tempting to rats, and some car parts are now made with soy ingredients which some say can also attract rats.
Cars that aren’t being driven regularly are an easy home for rats, and once they’ve moved in, they’ll cause a lot of damage and can be difficult to get rid of.
Do rats damage cars?
Chewed wires in cars are often the first sign of a rat infestation in your car. The insulator coating on car engine wires is very likely to be chewed if rats decide to nest in your car, which can lead to short circuits and potentially expensive repairs.
Rats love making nests and will use anything they can find. Cars are a great source of nesting material for rats, and they’ll chew plastic, carpets and seating as well as wires. You’ll notice larger chewed areas if rats are living in your car and becoming established.
If you notice rodent waste in your car, it’s worth remembering that rats do carry disease. Weil’s disease and Hantavirus are both diseases transmitted in their waste so personal hygiene is extremely important – we’d always recommend contacting a reputable pest control professional treat and remove rats living in cars.
Getting rid of rats in your car
There are various rat repellent products available on the market, including ultrasonic rat repellent devices. These emit an ultrasound that can be uncomfortable and confusing for rats but can’t be heard by humans. Some come with flashing lights which can disturb rats as they prefer dark quiet nesting places. There is potential that rats will get used to these devices, so it’s recommended that they’re supported with other methods.
Peppermint oil is a natural rat repellent and putting peppermint essence on material or cotton wool throughout your car can help. A peppermint spray made with water and peppermint essence sprayed liberally all around the inside of your car may also help.
Rat tape is available to wrap around wires, which is flavoured to discourage rats from chewing, so can be another way to help remove rats from your car.
It’s important to make sure there’s no waste food in your car, and keeping the inside of your car as clean as possible will help, as rats are attracted to easy food sources. If you store anything rats might eat, such as dry dog food or wild bird seed, near where you park your car then it’s worth removing these also.
Traps are another option, which you can bait with raisins or peanut butter, but you’ll have to be comfortable emptying the traps and re-setting. They also need removing whilst driving or if people are in the car.
At the end of the day, rats can cause serious damage when nesting in cars – the sooner they’re removed from your car the better. To guarantee swift and safe removal we’d always recommend the services of a local reputable pest controller.
