Took out the frunk and found droppings that are typical of what you see on Tesla forums and YouTube tutorials.
[...]This week I went ALL OUT on rat prevention. Took out the drunk and thoroughly cleaned, disinfected with a wet-dry vac, multiple times. Installed repellent diffusers, sprayed peppermint oil nightly, and installed TWO Ultrasonic audio emitters as well as double sided tape. Additionally I emptied my whole garage, cleaned and disinfected, decluttered, and installed chicken wire around the entire interior perimeter about a foot high, over some holes in the Sheetrock that I assumed were the entry point.
Great - you've chicken proofed your parking spot.
I thought your had problems with rats, not chicken?
After a week of busting ass on this today I walked in and there was a fresh rat turd under the car [...]
[...]Absolutely at my wits end. The shed is old but I cannot afford to tear it down/rebuild another. I have absolutely no clue how it got in, unless it jumped down from the ceiling?!
First of all - sorry for your problems.
Second of all - you need professional help. I think you will agree that amateur DIY approach has proven to be insufficient.
Option 1: Get a cat (as others recommended, though some feline are more effective at this than others).
Option 2: Get a professional exterminator, and pay the man.
Rodents habituate in colonies.
If you have a sudden influx, it's likely because you neighbors have started employing Option 1 or 2, and rats have relocated to your property now. They are not leaving, unless someone or something forces them.
The only thing I can think is that the rat(s) never left the car for the entire week it took to do all this work? Where else do rodents go in the car? Can I easily remove other panels to access common problem areas?
Adult mice can squeeze though holes size of a DIME.
Rats - size of a QUARTER. Worse yet, if a hole is too small, they use their sharp teeth to enlarge it. They can cut through everything, including concrete. They can also climb vertical surfaces.
Get professional help, or get comfy living with your new neighbors!
Also, is it possible to let the car sit somewhere “cold” and unplugged so the rat(s) lose interest b/c there’s no heat generated? Or will it still kick out a heat source?
Rats don't care about your car.
They care about your shed/house, and the car just happens to be in the way. And if you keep parking your car in their shed, they will keep exploring your present for them.
If "cold" was a deterrent, there would be no rats in NYC. Google to find out if that's true.
If possible, seal the structure, with steel wool, Great Stuff, etc.
Go wild with traps. 10-20 traps, snap, glue, bucket, etc.
I feel for you. Those rats are almost invincible.
You can NOT seal a human habitat from rodents. They will find a way in and around.
You can only incentivize them to relocate, in this life or the next one, through professional encouragement by way of Options 1 or 2.
BTDT,
a
P.S.: It will take time, patience, and 4-figure annual expenditure to keep your rodent problem under control. But it can be done.
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