The Upsetting Reason You Should Leave Your Hood Open When Car Camping Or RVing In The Desert

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What is it about the desert that is so alluring? Is it the red and ochre hues found in the stones and sands? The cactuses and strange plants? The otherworldly arches, mesas, and rock formations? The mysterious archaeological sites? Or the impossibly wide sky that turns into a shimmering tapestry of stars once the sun goes down?

Whatever the case, it's safe to say that the desert possesses an undeniable magic that has long drawn artists and dreamers — like in this romantic small town in Arizona. It's also a magnet for travelers, most of whom head there to experience its raw beauty, wide open spaces, and solitude. While the conventional dangers of traveling in such an arid environment are widely known — sunstroke, dehydration, and bites and stings from a whole host of venomous critters — there are other lurking hazards that could easily ruin your trip, such as wire-chewing rats.

That's right, common desert rodents prefer dark, enclosed spaces in which to make their nests, and it just so happens that the engine compartment of most any vehicle fits the bill. Luckily, there are several ways dissuade these potentially engine-destroying varmints from wreaking havoc, the most simple of which is keeping your hood open.

The white-throated wood rat — also known as the "pack rat" due to its propensity for collecting random objects — is a species of rodent found throughout the deserts of California and the Southwest. These creatures make large nests in the ground, in the trees, and anywhere else that provides cover and safety — including the space under your vehicle's hood.

In addition to seeking shelter in the engine compartment of your car, truck, or RV, they have a propensity for chewing up the wiring essential to the vehicle's operation. One reason for this is that — in an effort to be more eco-friendly — a lot of manufacturers have converted to soy-based wiring insulation. While this may indeed be better for the environment, it also creates an irresistible snack for a voracious wood rat.

These furry critters can do a number on a vehicle's wiring system, which can lead to repair bills totaling thousands of dollars. There are even reports of wood rats leveling enough destruction to completely total some cars and RVs, so if you plan to head out into the majestic deserts that these creatures call home, make sure you take some measures to protect your vehicle.

If there's one thing a pack rat doesn't like, it's light. They thrive under the cover of darkness, where they can nest and gnaw away from the perilous eye of predators. This is why you'll see people popping open the hoods of their vehicles when parked out in the desert. This simply exposes the engine compartment to a bit of sunlight, which makes these creatures feel unsafe enough to keep their distance. Some campers take it a step further, stringing lights under the engines and generators of their cars or RVs that scare the rats away during the night.

Another strategy to repel these rodents is by waging olfactory war. Applying strong scents such as peppermint oil has been known to keep the rats at bay. Some people opt for the use of mothballs, or even thin slices of a strong-smelling soap such as Irish Spring.

For a more traditional approach, you can set traps around and under your vehicle, though you may have to deal with the unpleasant task of handling and disposing of rat carcasses. There are also more high-tech options such as ultrasonic rat repellers. These devices emit high-frequency sounds and vibrations distressing to the rodents' ears, though over time they may get used to the sounds, which means mixing up your strategies to keep packrats away from your vehicle will likely yield the best results. To experience the desert in all of her sun-splashed glory, visit some of the top tourist attractions in the Southwest on this road trip route.