Hey everyone!
I parked my SUV for a weekend camping trip, only to return and find a rat family nesting in my air vents. The damage:
- Chewed wiring: $3,200 repair (insurance denied coverage—“rodent exclusion clause”)
- Biohazard cleanup: $1,500 for urine-soaked seats (CDC guidelines required)
- Infant rats in engine: 6 pups died, triggering a maggot infestation
Now my car smells like a dumpster, and the DMV flagged it as a “public health hazard.” How do you ethically (and affordably) reclaim a rodent-infested vehicle?
State Farm paid $8k for rat-chewed Lexus wires BUT only with comprehensive coverage + proof of monthly deterrent use. Denied 90% of claims due to ‘preventable negligence.’
Never start the engine! Sucking pups into fan blades = 4k turbocharger replacement.Useborescope cameras(150) to ID nests first. PSA: Rats love soy-based wiring!
Live-trapped 9 pups with heated gloves + rice sock incubator. Wildlife rehab refused them—‘invasive species.’ Had to… you know. Traumatized but legal.
Abandoning cars = misdemeanor dumping in CA. Fines up to 10k. Sellittoa Junkyard With biohazard disclosure, they’ll crushit for 500. Still cheaper than repairs.
Rat urine = leptospirosis risk. Clean seats with hydrogen peroxide + UV-C lights. Avoid ammonia, reacts with urine to create toxic gas. Almost died testing this!
Dry ice fumigation killed rats in 20 mins. Saved $2k but cracked my windshield.
Rice socks? Pups need 98°F! Used USB-powered seat warmers ($30) as incubators. Rehabbed 4 via YouTube tutorials. DM me for the rat CPR guide.
Soy wiring = rat buffet. Dipped my engine in capsaicin-infused dielectric grease ($80). Rats fled, but I cried for weeks changing spark plugs. Worth it.
Dry ice in enclosed spaces = felony reckless endangerment in some states. Cops thought you were making meth! Always check EPA Section 13(b) before DIY gas.
Capsaicin corrodes rubber hoses! Used menthol crystal sachets in air vents. Rats hate the Vicks vaporub smell.