CAUTION: Critters Hide In Your Engine Old Cold Wyoming Days

When I first moved to Wyoming over 16 years ago, I witnessed something that made sense but that I had never considered before.

Arriving at work at the radio station during a cold winter morning I could have sworn that I spotted a rabbit darting under the front of my car as I parked.

Curious, I looked under to see what that little fuzz ball was up to.

Clever little rabbit.

It was around 15f.

But my engine was warm and he knew it.

Later in the morning, more employees pulled into the parking lot and I watched as they walked toward the station at the same time rabbits were darting under their cars.

A few months later a news story ran out of Denver International Airport that they were having problems in long-term parking because of all the rabbits huddling under cars to keep warm.

You know how rabbits are. Put two under a warm engine block for just a few minutes and reproduction begins.

Two enter, and 16 leave.

Be careful; sometimes they discover that they can climb up into the engine and get closer to the source of that heat.

Honestly, I don't care if they use my car when it gets that cold out, but....

So what can we do to make sure that the animal stays warm but doesn't decide to climb up higher into the engine?

Some animals even try making nests and chewing on wires.

The best advice mechanics can give is for you to check under your car if you suspect critters are hiding under there for warmth. Maybe take a moment to lift your hood or even honk your horn before you start the engine. That usually scares them out.

Just make a lot of noise. That usually does the trick.