Rodent Deterrent?

AngelaRick

Jan 28, 2026

Yesterday at 2:56 am

I'm looking for rodent deterrent options. I just purchased my Bronco Outer Banks on Friday and I'm looking to be proactive. I live out in the Antelope Valley/Kern Co California in the middle of the Mojave Desert in a sparsely populated area. There is open desert behind, to each side, and in front of my house. We've taken steps to reduce things that could entice rodents to our property, but car wiring is apparently a tasty treat according to mechanics. My husband has had to have wiring replaced in his electric car twice now, and both times the mechanic let us know that wire covers are soy based and are a draw for rodent munching. Since that was a couple thousand dollars worth of damage over both repairs I'd like to be proactive and purchase something to help mitigate that. He drives his car 4-5 days a week and mine may only be driven a couple of days a week so won't see the frequent use his does.

Does anyone have an electronic rodent deterrent? Brand recommendations, etc? I don't want to purchase something that may potentially damage my Bronco. They all claim to have a very small draw on the battery. Just looking for some suggestions or help. Thanks so much!

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Yesterday at 3:58 am

I hear peppermint oil thinned with water and sprayed all around the engine compartment tends to keep them away.

BN 1100, Desert Sand Everglades. Reservation 7/30/20. ordered 1/22/21, reordered 10/15/21 dropped tow and hard top, reordered 3/9/22 changed to Everglades. production date 9/7/22 rescheduled 9/14/22 completed 9/26/22, shipped 10/7/22, arrived 10/31/22, delivered 11/03/22

Unicorn, TK1215

Yesterday at 2:50 pm

Heard these work fairly well....

Lots O Fords, BuckYeah

Yesterday at 3:48 pm

Unicorn
Heard these work fairly well....

I didn't want to say it for fear of sounding too much like a joke but we have several cats (we live on a ranch) and lots of these critters that seem to keep the rodent population in check. this guy was about 6' long. I was laying on the ground working on the Bronco when one of his friend wandered into the shop, right next to me.

Lots O Fords, BuckYeah

Yesterday at 10:25 pm

Jakob1972
I hear peppermint oil thinned with water and sprayed all around the engine compartment tends to keep them away.

I put some of these in the dash of my tractor, no mice chewing on wires so far.

Mouse repellent

Joined May 29, 2020 Member 546
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BuckYeah, Unicorn

Yesterday at 10:26 pm

Unicorn
Heard these work fairly well....

They are very effective.

Joined May 29, 2020 Member 546
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Unicorn

Today at 12:18 am

We store our Motorhome in out pole barn half of the Winter and mice have been a problem. I solved it by going to the hardware store and buying scent packs. They are either Balsam or Spearmint. They come wrapped in plastic six to a box and I open them and throw the packs in drawers and compartments. Warning, they are strong and will give you a headache so watch where you place them.

Unicorn

Today at 12:23 am

Another thing we had a problem with is we would put poison pellets in our barn for mice but the foxes would get in and eat them, killing the foxes. We like foxes, they eat a lot of mice. What I did was get some 2 inch PVC, (3, 2 foot pieces), and one T-connection. I made a T device which I stand with the stem pointing up and the cross bars lying flat on the floor. Then I pour the poison down the stem. The mice can get to it, but not the foxes or cats or other critters.

Unicorn, BuckYeah

Today at 12:42 am

I hope you don’t have Womp Rats! They’re destructive and hard to kill unless you have a T16.

How to kill Womp Rats

Chris here. I drive "Lebowski," a 2-door Velocity Blue 2023 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch. Lux package. 2.7L V6. Automatic transmission.

AngelaRick, Unicorn

Today at 1:05 am

BuckYeah
I hope you don’t have Womp Rats! They’re destructive and hard to kill unless you have a T16.

How to kill Womp Rats

I understand this reference!

BuckYeah, Unicorn

Today at 1:06 am

#10

Unicorn
Heard these work fairly well....They totally do, the problem I have with outdoor cats is they don't live as long and we have coyotes. Thankfully our indoor cats help control it when they do manage to come inside.

Unicorn

Today at 1:10 am

#11

A good dog that gets along with the cats (or at least tolerates them) keeps the coyotes away... I know, I know and before long you have a zoo... but living in the country... Ya get goats to keep the weeds down and and and.... got to have the chickens, fresh eggs are a must.

BuckYeah

Today at 2:37 am

#12

Unicorn
A good dog that gets along with the cats (or at least tolerates them) keeps the coyotes away... I know, I know and before long you have a zoo... but living in the country... Ya get goats to keep the weeds down and and and.... got to have the chickens, fresh eggs are a must.

I've had dogs and... not in a position to do it again. They did not keep the coyotes away (they were both German Shepherds, 90-100lbs each).

And you're right, I don't want a zoo. lol.

BuckYeah

Today at 2:57 am

#13

I use light. Parked in a lit up spot. A couple of my vehicles we use motion LED lights.
Some folks use a string of Christmas tree lights under the vehicle.
Prior to doing it, I had damaged wires in my truck.

Today at 3:25 am

#14

Unicorn
A good dog that gets along with the cats (or at least tolerates them) keeps the coyotes away... I know, I know and before long you have a zoo... but living in the country... Ya get goats to keep the weeds down and and and.... got to have the chickens, fresh eggs are a must.

Yup we have goats for the brush, Great Pyrenees to patrol the property, donkeys and llamas to protect the goats. The geese make sure no one enters the property without proper fanfare. I think it’s working we haven’t lost a goat to a predator in 26 years. We did lose a goat to an oak tree once.

Unicorn

Today at 3:38 am

#15

Jakob1972
Yup we have goats for the brush, Great Pyrenees to patrol the property, donkeys and llamas to protect the goats. The geese make sure no one enters the property without proper fanfare. I think it’s working we haven’t lost a goat to a predator in 26 years. We did lose a goat to an oak tree once.

A goat to an oak tree? now that has to be an interesting story...LOL damn goats....

Jakob1972

Today at 5:58 am

#16

Unicorn
A goat to an oak tree? now that has to be an interesting story...LOL damn goats....

Well the goats really like live oaks. The goats gang up on a low hanging branch and pull it down. All the goats decided to let go and one poor goat got its leg caught in a fork in the tree. We count the goats every evening and we thought one was missing but if you ever try to count 300+ goats you know you end up with a different number every time. I didn’t find her until months later when I was checking the deer feeder when I saw what I thought was someone’s coat hanging in the tree. Nope just a mummified goat.

Unicorn

Today at 6:59 am

#17

Jakob1972
Well the goats really like live oaks. The goats gang up on a low hanging branch and pull it down. All the goats decided to let go and one poor goat got its leg caught in a fork in the tree. We count the goats every evening and we thought one was missing but if you ever try to count 300+ goats you know you end up with a different number every time. I didn’t find her until months later when I was checking the deer feeder when I saw what I thought was someone’s coat hanging in the tree. Nope just a mummified goat.

Yep... goats will climb anything... Poor girl probably died of dehydration.... Sucks.

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