Squirrels Eating Wires and Fuel Lines!

[J.J.]

So, I went to drive my car last week, and it shifted hard from 1-2, never happened before. I took it to a shop, and the main wire loom had been chewed thru. The same day, the little beast(s) had done the same thing to my wife's car. Chewed on the firewall insulation and the main wire loom. $200 in repairs total. I went to drive my 200 today, and the fuel line is chewed through where it goes from the frame rail to the fuel pump! After the car's damage, I put down green pellets and that bad smelling spray, it doesn't seem to work.


Any ideas out there? We have 40 trees, and are in a wooded area, so there are 100's of them.


Thanks in advance.

JJ in TN

[scorp1us]

They switched to soy-based wire insulation. Yeah, it's yummy to them.

But is this on the Scout? They only started that in the 90s.

[J.J.]

Originally Posted by scorp1us

They switched to soy-based wire insulation. Yeah, it's yummy to them.

But is this on the Scout? They only started that in the 90s.

Fuel line on my IH. The wires on her Saab and my Infiniti.


JJ in TN

[jeff campbell]

spread moth both's around where you park at,like in a circle.. very cheap fix,or get the .22 out? heck man,they prolly won't do it again now,since they got in your pocket? jeff

[fredsterra]

Moth Balls work. And also you can trap and relocate or????

If you set an animal trap. And they can see danger they will stay away for a while. Or you can feed them away from the trucks. That way they may not see them as a food souce. But I would guess the trucks are outside and they see them as shelter.

[CO-Scout]

Had a problem just like this. I used a trap for a few weeks ...moved around 20 or so to the park down the street. Used peanut butter in the trap. So after the trap i still had a few running around ...bb gun time. It sucks cause the moron renter next door feeds the little aholes. Next will be their nest in the neighbors pos Mazda truck that hasn't moved in eons.

Good luck!

[BIGROTT88]

Sounds like you need a 22 or a 410 if you got the room to shoot where you live. Setting a live trap (as said before peanut butter) will work but it can take forever and will also bring more to the area. Now if you have a dog you can put it out for a few days while its still nice. I do that with the rabbits around here.

[J.J.]

We live in suburbia, so shooting them is not an option. Wish it was. The mechanic told us that he actually encased a fuel line in a metal tube because he personally had the same problem. The slick IH's live inside, and the cars out, so garaging them is not an option either.

Thanks for the reponses so far.


JJ in TN

[Tim Potter]

I have some friends who have several IH's parked out back. They have this little dachshund dog that spends her whole life looking for the little would-be wire eaters. Other than playing fetch until your arm falls off from throwing the ball, she stands vigilant guard over the yard day and night. Great guard dog, bred for hunting small ground dwellers even into their burrows; up trees, not so much but....the little buggers do have to get close to the ground to gnaw on wires and hoses. They'll probably go over to the neighbors house.
I suggest going to the pound and picking out a likely looking squirrel-rat hunter and setting him/her loose in the back yard.....probably won't work very well for the front driveway unless the property is fenced.

[BIGROTT88]

Beagles work great to but if getting a dog is not what your looking for my grandparents use tabasco sauce and cayenne pepper mixed with water and spray there whole garden (live to close to the city to shoot), not sure how it would work for say a drive way. They also use a motion sprinkler for there backyard to keep dogs and cats out. I am sure they would work for squirrels too but they can run you a few hundred dollars for a decent one.