# Squirrels and Spark Plug Wires **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [April 24, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559 "2009-04-24T00:09:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rapatchett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bbe5ce/32.png) [@rapatchett](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rapatchett)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/1 "2009-04-24T00:09:11Z")
I have a 1973 Chevy Pickup and a 1993 Buick Regal which are parked outside all of the time. Both have had their spark plug wires eaten away by squirrels. I have searched the internet to no avail for metal mesh lined wires. Any ideas on how to keep this from happening? ---
**Author:** ![Xebadaih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d07c76/32.png) [@Xebadaih](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Xebadaih)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/2 "2009-04-24T00:29:06Z")
I recommend a .410 to thin out the population. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/3 "2009-04-24T00:32:17Z")
What about a life size, plastic owl? They eat squirrels, and this might scare them off. ---
**Author:** ![homer2804](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9a140/32.png) [@homer2804](https://community.cartalk.com/u/homer2804)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/4 "2009-04-24T00:35:32Z")
I vote for the .410 or a .22 Other than that maybe a feeder away from the driveway?? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/5 "2009-04-24T00:36:18Z")
It’s usually Chipmunks and Decon Rat Poison works great. Painting the wires with Tobasco Sauce works pretty good too… See your local Farm, Ranch, Feed store for the rat poison. Moth Balls under the hood works for some people… ---
**Author:** ![Xebadaih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/d07c76/32.png) [@Xebadaih](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Xebadaih)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/6 "2009-04-24T01:13:12Z")
A .410 with number 6 shot makes it way easier than with a .22. ---
**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/7 "2009-04-24T03:08:05Z")
I vote for having the squirrel heads on little pikes around the truck. I used .38 shotshells on the squirrels that got into my attic this year. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/8 "2009-04-24T20:54:17Z")
Thank you, Prince Vlad. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/9 "2009-04-24T21:01:06Z")
It’s good to hear of people expressing their 2nd amendment rights. I’m a .38 Special man myself. Not too good for squirrels, though. Perhaps the rhodent control experts in your state’s Department of Agriculture office would have a recommendation. They’re experts in rhodent control and their services are free. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/10 "2009-04-24T23:44:05Z")
“Perhaps the rhodent control experts in your state’s Department of Agriculture office would have a recommendation. They’re experts in rhodent control and their services are free.” And they love the little scamps. We had a squirrel in our house that refused to leave. The animal control guy who came to set the trap loved the little feller. They will almost certainly have a benign solution that doesn’t hurt the wee beasties. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/squirrels-and-spark-plug-wires/29559/11 "2009-04-25T14:10:59Z")
``` Don't use poison. Not only is it cruel . . . but the little rats will have the last laugh as they will crawl into some tiny crevice and die, only to rot away and stink every time it gets warm outside. Get a Have-A-Hart trap, put peanut butter on regular crackers, and catch them one after another. Take them to a galaxy far, far away . . . and then let them go. It may take a few trips to catch them all, but you'll get rid of the squirrel population for the year. BTW . . . they like to eat early morning and early evening . . . at least the Pennsylvania squirrels do. The rest of the day they chase each other around and watch people. Rocketman ```