On Thu, 12 Jan 2006 11:50:38 -0500, "Bob" wrote:

| Steel wool stops mice from getting through holes. Don't use steel wool soap
| pads. Mice and rats can chew through spray foam. Put some traps that are
| made for outdoors near where they chewed. Probably wasn't a squirrel if it
| was at ground level. They usually only try to get into a house up high.

I had squirrels eating holes through the wood facia boards of the
house. A contractor told me to fill the holes with patching concrete,
like Rock-tite, with steel wool mixed in it.

Squirrels ate right through it, no problem. I can't imagine squirrels
or rats being stopped by foam and steel wool if they wanted to get
through it.

On heavy-duty poly trash barrels, I spray on "Ropel" spray, a vicious
mix of tobacco juice and god knows what else. Seems to work. The
critters were eating big holes in the tops. Can't see why it wouldn't
work on the cable. Just use it outside, not inside.

Be really really really careful not to get it on yourself, your dogs
and cats, your kids. Watch out for backspray. This stuff is
unbelievably bitter, stings your eyes, makes your skin hot. Ask me how
I know.

|
| "tenplay" wrote in message
| ...
| bonniejean wrote:
| tenplay wrote:
|
| After pressing the on/off switch, it worked fine. Could he have
|
| been that dumb?
|
|
| Yes.
|
| Now I am wondering about the cable being chewed by a rat. We do live
| in a semi-rural environment. But I've never seen a rat on our
| property. What do I need to do to protect the cable from further
| damage from rats?
|
|
| If the varmint ate the cable somewhere inside the house, I'd figure out
| how it got in and seal that hole. If it's outside, there's probably not
| much you can do.
|
| Bonnie
|
| Actually the cable was eaten away right where it enters the bottom crawl
| space. My wife said that the repairman advised her to coat the cable
| with a mixture of steel wool and foam spray. Anyone heard of it? I
| wonder if there is a product already available or if you have to make it
| yourself. I do plan on sealing off the crawl space with wire mesh though.
|
|