Rabbits in the engine compartment

Sdedeker · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 6:38 pm

Is there anyone else here on the board had/have problems with rabbits or any other animal getting up in the engine compartment? This has happened about 5 times now. Yesterday we had two get up there and upon starting the engine, the serpentine belt was destroyed. Needless to say both rabbits were also destroyed and now the engine has a new rabbit fur coat.

I am trying to figure out how to prevent this either by some kind of repellent or even a netting of some sort that I can attach to the undercarriage to keep the things out of there.

This is one a 05 Jeep Liberty. Getting these guys out took me over an hour because of the tight quarters in there.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

I know someone who has had problems with wood rats getting into the hoses/belts on his cars. But he parks them at a remote cabin for weeks at a time. He ultimately had to build a garage to take care of the problem.

Are these wild rabbits, or tame ones? They are probably getting in the engine compartment to enjoy the warmth coming off the block. What do they do if you lay into the horn a few times before starting the truck?

One other thought... might want to check and see if you have any kind of anti-freeze leak. Glycol will lure all sorts of animals in (and when they drink it it will kill them).

onthehunt · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:07 pm

Get rid of the carrots under the hood! :lol:

Is this a serious question? Too funny.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:19 pm

So far my CRD has been ok, but my old Jetta TD had the timing belt slip a few teeth and stall out from nuts getting into the timing belt from squirrels. I have found birds nests and cats under the hood of cars over the years. Take a looks what google coughed up on squirrels.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz= ... ls&spell=1

Sdedeker · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:34 pm

onthehunt wrote:

Is this a serious question? Too funny.

Funny to the tune of $54.00 for a new belt and that is with me installing it. They slipped the belt one other time but it didn't chew it up like it did this time.

Here if you want to see the rabbits after they were pulled out go here. (dont click if you dont want to see dead rabbits!!!!! http://www.coflying.com/gallery2/main.p ... temId=7898

You will also see the belt after I got it out.

Sdedeker · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:38 pm

Threeweight wrote:

But he parks them at a remote cabin for weeks at a time. He ultimately had to build a garage to take care of the problem.

Are these wild rabbits, or tame ones? They are probably getting in the engine compartment to enjoy the warmth coming off the block. What do they do if you lay into the horn a few times before starting the truck?

One other thought... might want to check and see if you have any kind of anti-freeze leak. Glycol will lure all sorts of animals in (and when they drink it it will kill them).

We park ours in the garage as well but these little boogers will get in if you just keep it out for an hour or so. They are definitely looking for the warmth, that is not in question. We have a ton of these darn things all over the place and yes they are wild.

We will not get into the debate on how to get rid of them here, I just want to keep them out of the darn engine compartment.

clackclack · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:50 pm

I left my Honda at my folks house when I went to Grad school in Europe... Their land had some woods and that was where I ended up parking before I threw on a cover and left it. When I got back and openned the car it was like watching the openning sceen to Bambi... Chipmunks, mice, squirels.... you name it. The car was all but destroyed. They had tore up the carpet and everything else to make nests in every corner an crevis. For the life of me I couldn't get rid of that funky smell, drove it for a few months and then had to sell it because i couldn't stand it anymore. Sold it to some kid who didn't speak english. He paid me $4000 in cash for it... Saw him a few year later and he was still driving it... he showed me some of his mods, but the thing I noticed the most was that funky smell... it still smelled like rodents :shock:

bugnout · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:52 pm

Believe it or not

DC uses peanut oil to lube the wiring harnesses. Its biodegradable, but rabbits, squirrels and mice love it. More than one CRD has had its wiring repaired due to animal damage.

Someone suggested hanging some moth balls in a couple of spots near the wiring.

Uffe · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:05 pm

Full skid plate armor?

ASFIR type, that will cover most entry holes under the CRD engine...

DocB · **Posted:** Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:18 pm

Tight quarters, front quarters, hind quarters.....

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

How about pepper juice/spray? Some harbinero juice ought to convince them to find other places to rest.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:02 am

Pablo wrote:

How about pepper juice/spray? Some harbinero juice ought to convince them to find other places to rest.

Or make some nice spicy rabbit, cook it up on the exhaust manifold driving down the road.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Perhaps you need to contact a specialist.

Sdedeker · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 2:29 am

Threeweight wrote:

Perhaps you need to contact a specialist.

Funny thing is. We have those. At night they howl up a storm. We see them all the time in the late evening. I think that is why the rabbits hang out around the house as the coyotes will not come up to the house.

onthehunt · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:18 am

Zip tie one of those fake owls under the hood! :lol:

JIMMY JEEP · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:17 am

New Mopar part is available to cure your rabbit problem, part number -FUD KILLALLRABBITS

Uffe · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:47 am

I just love those images guys!

chrispitude · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:25 am

I found mouse pellets under the hood the other day. Does anyone have any effective repellent measures?

- Chris

honey_don't · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:06 am

For the rabbit you could try some *coyote urine concentrate* under the hood (google it). Make sure maintenance is up to date first because you won't want to be working on the engine anytime soon...

chrispitude · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:23 am

honey_don't wrote:

For the rabbit you could try some *coyote urine concentrate* under the hood (google it). Make sure maintenance is up to date first because you won't want to be working on the engine anytime soon...

Thanks! I will give this a shot.

- Chris

Rabbits in the engine compartment

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