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My friend is getting desperate - he thinks there are chipmunks in his car (Jetta 03), the cabin intake air filter has some holes, there was some food around, pieces of insulation etc
It looks like chipmunk (or some other small animal) lives in that space under the windshield
Is there anything he can try?
If you live in a wooded area there is little you can do as far as a permanent(non lethal) solution. The problem seem more likely if the vehicle is driven infrequently. I have heard that some rodents have a dislike for the smell of cedar. You can purchase cedar wood blocks for moth protection in most department stores. I would place a few in stategic places under the hood away from the engine and exhaust. I would avoid mothballs/cakes as the fumes may enter the passanger compartment. It may help to spread cedar mulch around the edge of the driveway to act as a barrier.
Driving the car should get rid of them. If you're worried about the mess they leave behind I guess you can take the battery out and hose everything down or something. If you want them to stop coming back when leaving the car alone for a long time I heard that putting a shop light under the engine compartment might help.
I have heard that bounce dryer sheets will keep away mice and other rodents.
Driving the car should definitely scare them off and the dryer sheets should prevent them from coming back and also make the car smell nice.
One thing to note however the insurance companies where I live consider mice/rodent infestations of vehicles to be a biohazard. If you report this to the DMV they will write off your vehicle and you can probably get it's entire value back or maybe a bit more.
It may be worth it if your friend wants a new vehicle. It is definitely not a good idea to breath squirrel/chipmunk poop for too long.
+1 for the snake idea aswell.
