Well at least in my mind a fun story, Just a warning before we proceed, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.So Rodents of all makes, and models, seem to love the engine valley of my V-10. They have on occasion, done some damage to the wiring. We do have two, hunter killer cats, but we kind of live in a bit of a maple forest. Where rodents are plentifulSo, my theory was to put a good quantity of cayenne pepper in the engine valley, and sprinkle it on the top of the engine. Which I did.However I got to thinking, does this stuff burn? could it catch on fire? when the engine got hot? So I took a bit of it, and took a torch to it in the garage. Does not burn but boy it does release a gas that will choke you. Took half an hour before the garage cleared out. Not something I would care to repeat going down the highwaySo for sure before we fire that puppy up again, will vacuum the engine valley and hose down the engine.However if no rodents this winter , well worth the trouble

IMO, to my thinking and for sure, Cheyenne pepper is so hot it catches on fire.

Please report back and let us know if it's effective. I used to swear by mothballs under the hood, but we had rodents chew up some plastics this year in a car we stored with mothballs in the engine compartment.

They ate wiring and vacuum hoses on my previous truck to the tune of about $300 each time. Finally bought some Cridder Ritter spray at Home Depot. No more problem. It is a mix of 2 or 3 different pepper extracts and worked well for me. And no odor problem.

Ive heard that some wiring insulation cover is made from vegetable such a soy,thats why rodents chew it..I spray Rust check oil everywhere just before winter to protect against rust,seems to keep rodents away too

JFYI --- We had some flowers budding outside at our home - rabbit liked it. Genie shook a little cayenne pepper on it. Rabbit came back once for another nibble - haven't seen it since... Plants like it, it seems - very healthy and still budding.That doesn't answer your wiring question, but does answer your 'do rodents like it'... no they do not. Our two squirrel neighbors don't like it either ...

Rodents, Cayenne pepper. Fun Story, Class C | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Nov 15, 2018
winnietrey wrote:
Well at least in my mind a fun story, Just a warning before we proceed, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.

So Rodents of all makes, and models, seem to love the engine valley of my V-10. They have on occasion, done some damage to the wiring. We do have two, hunter killer cats, but we kind of live in a bit of a maple forest. Where rodents are plentiful

So, my theory was to put a good quantity of cayenne pepper in the engine valley, and sprinkle it on the top of the engine. Which I did.

However I got to thinking, does this stuff burn? could it catch on fire? when the engine got hot? So I took a bit of it, and took a torch to it in the garage. Does not burn but boy it does release a gas that will choke you. Took half an hour before the garage cleared out. Not something I would care to repeat going down the highway

So for sure before we fire that puppy up again, will vacuum the engine valley and hose down the engine.

However if no rodents this winter , well worth the trouble

:B I like it
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Nov 12, 2018
drsteve wrote:
free radical wrote:
Ive heard that some wiring insulation cover is made from vegetable such a soy,thats why rodents chew it..
I spray Rust check oil everywhere just before winter to protect against rust,seems to keep rodents away too

Rodents chew because their teeth grow throughout their lives, and they have to wear them down.

But I agree with Free Radical - soy is being used as a component of wiring insulation. The rodents aren't just gnawing on it - they're eating it. There's not a crumb of shredded insulation to be found :-( I'm glad the ground squirrels that ate my 5er's 30-amp power cord really chewed it up good so I noticed because they left exposed copper in a LOT of places. If they had nibbled just a bit, it could have electrocuted us (or burned the 5er)
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2018
Ny wife almost "died" when she threw some dried Chinese hot pepper into a wok with some hot oil and she caught some of the steam !
drsteve
Explorer
Nov 11, 2018
free radical wrote:
Ive heard that some wiring insulation cover is made from vegetable such a soy,thats why rodents chew it..
I spray Rust check oil everywhere just before winter to protect against rust,seems to keep rodents away too

Rodents chew because their teeth grow throughout their lives, and they have to wear them down.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Nov 11, 2018
After having to completely do a rewire job on passengers side battery, #1 grid heater relay, and some other wires all stuffed under fender behind the battery & air intake filter I was on a hunt for something effect vs me out at night stocking with night vision goggles.

Bag of cheese cloth filled with saw dust from treated lumber and sprinkled with peppermint oil. Tied a bag by passengers side battery and another bag under the brake reservoir.
Once a month give each bag a new sprinkling of peppermint oil and haven't had any more issues since doing this back in spring of 2017
Bobbo
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2018
They also make cayenne pepper suet too, for those whose suet feeders get raided by raccoons. After just one season, our suet is never touched again by rodents. We actually watched one raccoon just go around a suet feeder without looking at it.
joelc
Nomad
Nov 11, 2018
I use pure peppermint oil on cotton swabs. But that is only good in enclosed areas.
ryegatevt
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2018
monkey44 wrote:
JFYI ---

We had some flowers budding outside at our home - rabbit liked it. Genie shook a little cayenne pepper on it. Rabbit came back once for another nibble - haven't seen it since... Plants like it, it seems - very healthy and still budding.

That doesn't answer your wiring question, but does answer your 'do rodents like it'... no they do not. Our two squirrel neighbors don't like it either ...

Works on bird seed for feeders too- squirrels run for the hills, but birds can't taste it and it's actually good for them! Only problem is that the pepper can get gummy when wet...
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2018
please tell the mechanic what you did, so he don,t wipe his forhead with pepper juice. we use CAB FRESH and peppermint oil ,have no mice in eight years.
monkey44
Nomad II
Nov 11, 2018
JFYI ---

We had some flowers budding outside at our home - rabbit liked it. Genie shook a little cayenne pepper on it. Rabbit came back once for another nibble - haven't seen it since... Plants like it, it seems - very healthy and still budding.

That doesn't answer your wiring question, but does answer your 'do rodents like it'... no they do not. Our two squirrel neighbors don't like it either ...

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Rodents, Cayenne pepper. Fun Story, Class C

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