1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Rats in my car

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Kahn Khan, Apr 5, 2017.

  1. Kahn Khan

    Kahn Khan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2017
    3
    1
    0
    Location:
    Stockholm
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I just noticed a big hole in the middle of the back seat of my Toyota Prius 2007. I park my car in garage. And I have seen rats in the garage so probably it is eaten by a rat. I put a small tomato there in the hole to confirm it that it is a rat. So on the next day the tomato was disappeared. Can someone tell me how to open the back seat completely so I can see the damage made by rat in my car? And also can you please tell me is there any hole on the floor of the back seat from which this rat is entering in my car? How can I stop this?
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    16,470
    8,383
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Put poison tomato next time
     
    FA6 likes this.
  3. Kahn Khan

    Kahn Khan New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2017
    3
    1
    0
    Location:
    Stockholm
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    What if it dies in the car somewhere inside the seat? It will be really bad smell in my car which I don't want
     
    bisco likes this.
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,995
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    mice get in from under the hood, through several points to the cabin air filter. i think there may be entry points in the back as well. not sure how much space a rat needs.
    check out the mice threads here, for advice on sealing the car with wire mesh.
    check you engine and cabin filters for evidence.
     
  5. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,674
    6,495
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It's probably a mouse rather than a rat.
    In the US we have glue traps.
    They're about 10 x 15cm and smell enough like food that rodents are attracted to them.
    If you have a pair of pliers, they're even re-usable, although sometimes their little feet will stay on the trap afterwards.
    If the trap is missing the next morning, then I am probably wrong about it being a mouse rather than a rat.
    Get a larger size.
    [​IMG]

    As mentioned above,
    Be sure and examine the car under your hood and in the cabin air filter.

    Rodents LOVE to do three things, roughly in this order:
    1. Eat
    2. Make baby rodents.
    3. CHEW ON WIRES.

    It's the third activity that causes the most problems for Prius owners.
     
  6. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    415
    308
    0
    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    A friend's used Gen2 Prius had a rodent problem -- point of entry was via the center console, I'm told. (No firsthand knowledge.) Apparently there had been an undisclosed hole somewhere in the undercarriage and it chewed through the plastic bottom of the console.
     
  7. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    1,135
    1,560
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    An expert in mice in the Prius -- rats no experience. But, search around, there are detailed instructions on this site on how to screen out MICE.

    Personally, I don't see how rats could get in, but anything is possible....I suppose.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,995
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    i can get in.:oops:
     
    Mendel Leisk and cyberpriusII like this.
  9. WilDavis

    WilDavis Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2014
    2,489
    2,153
    49
    Location:
    Top RH Corner of RH Coast on L side of The Pond
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    II
    1) MOTHBALLS! Suitably distributed in garage's nooks and crannies! Mousies don't like the smell!
    2) CATS
    3) ..er, that's it!
     
  10. FA6

    FA6 Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2017
    45
    150
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Leave your smart phone loudly playing cats meowing:whistle: or better yet fighting:mad: inside your car with all doors and hatch open...also leave the garage door open....stay away and make no noise outside....come back in a couple of hours. Problem solved:D!
     
  11. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    1,135
    1,560
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    If you can smell the mothballs, you are poisoning yourself. If you can't smell them, the concentration is not high enough to bother a mouse.

    Health Effects of Mothballs


    I tried peppermint on the Cabin Filter years ago. That made me sick.

    Personally, glue traps are cruel. I would never use them. I use snap traps for mice, but rat snap traps are capable of breaking fingers or hands.
     
  12. FA6

    FA6 Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2017
    45
    150
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Agreed, that is why I like my solution the best;)
     
  13. stockdaddy

    stockdaddy Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2015
    208
    56
    0
    Location:
    Missouri
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Some people are suggesting snap traps, i suggest snap fireworks with peanut butter on them. It will explode when it eats it yet not be powerful enough to kill or seriously hurt the mouse. That should be enough for the mouse to get the message to get the F out your home.
     
  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,796
    48,995
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    check out todays thread on the new class action lawsuit.
     
  15. trentofdestiny

    trentofdestiny Master Finagler

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    1,104
    225
    0
    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    A mouse can squeeze itself though a hole the size of a pencil. That being said, I have had good luck catching live mice (by accident) using a 5-gallon bucket. When we had glue traps, we put peanut butter on them. The mice ate their way through the PB, the glue, the cardboard, everything. I guess they figured if they ate enough glue, they would get free lol.


    iPhone ?
     
  16. milkman44

    milkman44 Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2011
    591
    386
    0
    Location:
    Ky
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I have a huge mouse magnet somewhere i my Prius, I've caught seven mice in the last 2 months, one got away.
     
  17. Currahee

    Currahee Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2016
    103
    33
    0
    Location:
    CT
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Just don't use poison (i.e. coumadin) because they die slowly and can crawl up into some inaccessible spot like the headliner, or bleed onto the cabin air filter. If you have a garage use baited snap traps.
     
  18. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    1,135
    1,560
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Bleeding on the Cabin filter is the best case...:p:p

    You can buy them from Rock Auto for $3.33.
     
  19. trentofdestiny

    trentofdestiny Master Finagler

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    1,104
    225
    0
    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Also, the poison will let them live long enough to stockpile it inside the car, like on the cabin filter or engine air filter


    iPhone ?
     
  20. ♡myPeeus

    ♡myPeeus Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2017
    61
    57
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It all sounds nasty. Ew. Put a cat in your car hungry maybe the stupid rodent will get a drift his live shak is now under new management.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.