(WXYZ) — City officials in Ferndale say it's officially rat season: it starts now and gets worse in the fall. You may see them running through the streets or even inside your car, chewing through wires and damaging vehicles.
We first told you about this problem two years ago. Our Darren Cunningham spoke to a woman who paid over $600 to get her car fixed.
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And it's not just rats, but squirrels and mice, too. But as we've learned, there are many things you can do to keep these critters away.
“I told my customer, ‘Bring me some Cholula!’ or some Red Hot,'" said Jason Collins, a technician at Ferndale Collision.
He says hot sauce can be used to keep rodents away from your engine bay.
“And I just dump it on there, smear it around. If that animal comes back it’s going to smell that and just back off," Jason said.
He says those who live in Ferndale have been finding rats under the hood of their car. Experts tell us they see it as a warm, safe place and will oftentimes chew through the wires, causing significant damage.
“When they take a nap, they’re just chewing. They’ll grab onto whatever is in front of them, wires, plastic container…they just sleep and then they chew in their sleep," Collins said.
Others have found bite marks and damage to their vents, seat belts and car seats.
“I noticed the engine light came on and it was real rough," said Jodi Sitkins.
Sitkins says she's certain a squirrel is causing her car troubles, as she parks under a big tree in her driveway.
“He rules my whole front yard, doesn't let any of the squirrels on the porch, chases them off. I mean, if there's no food out there, he's on the window (taps on the window)...," Jodi said.
She says there was an entire nest under her air filter, and has had to bring her car in for service more than once. Jodi Sitkins says this has happened to her four different times. Last year, she paid $475 to fix her ignition wires, spark plugs, and get a cleaning and this year, she paid another $275. But it could cost even more, something like $3000-$4000 if you had to replace your while engine harness.
“The easiest course of action for your average home owner is move the car, remove the scent trail, and ultimately find your path forward to get rid of those rats," said Laura Mikulski.
The Mayor Pro Tem runs Ferndale's rat patrol, a group that educates homeowners about this issue. She says to park your car in the garage or in a different spot on a regular basis, remove sources of food, and use electrical tape with cayenne pepper.
"Now is the time to get ahead of the problem," Laura said.
"It's just a crap-shoot on what they decide to chew on," Jodi said.
