Fruit Bats

BlueRaven · 11-11-2005, 12:08 PM

Okay, so i've got a problem I hope someone out there can help me with.

We have 3 large palms in our front yard that are bearing fruit at the moment. Unfortunately the fruit is somewhat out of our reach and we do not posses the means to remove it, so we are hoping to have the trees removed this weekend.

Why is this fruit a problem? Fruit Bats.

Fruit bats come, eat the fruit from the trees and fly off. However during this all this fun activity, the fruit bats sh*t on our car in the driveway and anything else in their path.

Its been explained to me that the fruit has citrix acid qualities, so when its left on the car for a few days it strips the paint.

I was unlucky enough to not see a 'blob' of the stuff on the roof on the passengers side of the car. Consequently, yesterday the paint had coiled in one section, forcing me to pull it off. There is now a base coat staring back at me about the size of a 20 cent peice.

There are a few other (far smaller) bits missing on the roof as well, thanks to these wonderful animals, and some spots on the bonnet that have lost some of the 'shine'.

So firstly, im warning you from these animals. This is an AUII, so we sort of expected the paint job to last a bit longer than this.

Secondly, does anyone have an idea what we need to do to fix it and what it would cost??

Thanks,

Andy

Sourbastard · 11-11-2005, 12:12 PM

All I could think of when I read the thread title was Metal Mickey.

big_waity · 11-11-2005, 12:54 PM

I don't know what a metal mikey is, but, I do agree that you should ditch the trees. No tree is worth sacrificing a nice car for.

WASP · 11-11-2005, 01:23 PM

Cars under trees, no matter what type, fruit bearing or not is a bad combo. Even bird poo will eat your paint eventually. Are you able to either park the car in another location or put up a carport? Even a light car cover will help temporarily or one of those temporary carports you can get from auto shops. If all of this is not possible consider having a paint protection coating applied that is teflon based. This will help and buy you more time to get the poo off!

BlueRaven · 11-11-2005, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDAA

Cars under trees, no matter what type, fruit bearing or not is a bad combo. Even bird poo will eat your paint eventually. Are you able to either park the car in another location or put up a carport? Even a light car cover will help temporarily or one of those temporary carports you can get from auto shops. If all of this is not possible consider having a paint protection coating applied that is teflon based. This will help and buy you more time to get the poo off!

The car is not actually under the trees, its to the left of them. But from the bat poo around the house, it seems that they fly off, over the vechicle, and do it in motion.

As I said before, we hope that the trees will be removed this weekend (and in the next two months hope to have a carport erected as well)...so a protection won't be much of a concern. I'm more interested in what options I have as far as fixing roof.

WASP · 11-11-2005, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

The car is not actually under the trees, its to the left of them. But from the bat poo around the house, it seems that they fly off, over the vechicle, and do it in motion.

As I said before, we hope that the trees will be removed this weekend (and in the next two months hope to have a carport erected as well)...so a protection won't be much of a concern. I'm more interested in what options I have as far as fixing roof.

Ok sorry mate. I would imagine you will need to get the whole roof repainted being two pack for consistancy. A 20 cent size mark is just too large to touch up nicely anyway. I would esitmate that you would be looking at between $300- $400 for the roof and maybe a little bit extra to buff out the other surfaces where it has been dulled off.

Fairlane · 11-11-2005, 02:28 PM

Yeh, bad news, once the paint is stripped to the clear coat, the patch only gets worse as moisture gets under the clearcoat and the surrounding clear coat bubbles away. A bit like osmosis in boats.

Like CDAA said you will need a respray, I got one done on a previous car and it cost me $380. Getting a panel beater to do private work, can however be the tricky bit

GreenMachine · 11-11-2005, 03:28 PM

Andy, I own a gun, a chainsaw and a big cowboy hat. Add beer to that mix and you just don't have problems with fruitbats or trees any more.

BlueRaven · 11-11-2005, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Andy, I own a gun, a chainsaw and a big cowboy hat. Add beer to that mix and you just don't have problems with fruitbats or trees any more.

Gotcha. We use the guns to shoot the caps off the beer and chase the fruitbats with a chainsaw, whilst the other person watches, hiccups and wears a cowboy hat?

GreenMachine · 11-11-2005, 03:35 PM

That sounds waaaay better than my plan!

NAK302 · 11-11-2005, 03:39 PM

what you should do is ring Bob Brown, after all he has ALL the answers!!

davocol · 11-11-2005, 03:49 PM

I feel for you as I had exactly the same problem at my old house and also at my new house, however new house has a garage. Nevertheless they still manage to get (which turns to an ink like substance) all over clothes, paint on outside walls and other places that I cant even work out how they gets to. The trick is to basically get to it as soon as possible, it comes off quite easily within a few hours, allow yourself a few mins before work to go out and look over the car. The other alternative which is a better one is to buy a car cover, the're under 50 dollars and will do the job.

zetec · 11-11-2005, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

Gotcha. We use the guns to shoot the caps off the beer and chase the fruitbats with a chainsaw, whilst the other person watches, hiccups and wears a cowboy hat?

Cut the trees down with chainsaws, squash the bats with the bottles and shoot anyone who complains. :thebirds:

Casper · 11-11-2005, 03:58 PM

Hmm, had the exact same problem in Kallangur when we lived there. Those little bastards destroyed the bonnet of my EB.. respray is the only solution to the car. Moving house was my other solution.

I HATE those bats. Noisy, smelly, crapping things.

JAK · 11-11-2005, 04:21 PM

Citric acid qualities you say..............simple,respray the car "Citric Acid".......lol.

Accidentally Poison the tree,cruel yes but hey.........car or bats??

GreenMachine · 11-11-2005, 04:24 PM

reckon an air rifle would bring down a fullsize flying fox? I like the idea of the stealth approach...

Casper · 11-11-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

reckon an air rifle would bring down a fullsize flying fox? I like the idea of the stealth approach...

Pfft.. NOT A CHANCE!

GreenMachine · 11-11-2005, 04:33 PM

Yeah, probably right... although a well placed slug would ruin the little bastard's night...

We just need to do it when there aren't women folk around to complain...

gozza · 11-11-2005, 04:37 PM

i shot a butcher bird with a regular air rifle from about a metre or so away

didn't really affect the bird much...it just flew off

GreenMachine · 11-11-2005, 04:40 PM

*fordforums does not advocate cruelty to animals in any way, shape or form.

Cheers Gozza - shottie it is... How many times can I say "Ah, bloody car keeps backfiring..." before they call the cops?

EB-maen · 11-11-2005, 06:04 PM

The idle alone should cover up the sound of the 12 gauge pretty well, although that may result in more complaints than the shotgun blasts..

BlueRaven · 11-11-2005, 06:12 PM

Actually, while your shooting things... do you think I could claim insurance on an act of "Automotive Terrorism"? That way NRMA can pay the bill...

jabba · 11-11-2005, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourbastard

All I could think of when I read the thread title was Metal Mickey.

You Bas-tard, Why did you have to bring him up. It's taken me 17 years to get over him. Now I have a hankering for some off those marshmellow that Micky use to eat, What were they called again

Paul_au · 11-11-2005, 06:48 PM

Sound like cocos palms? Declared weeds in many areas. Terrible things. Ugly useless things.

get rid of them ;)

Paul

HLC · 11-11-2005, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Pfft.. NOT A CHANCE!

yeah it would... you just gotta hope the projectil travels far enough... i got a .22 air rifle. that thing is potent. but with a .17 you got no hope.

HLC · 11-11-2005, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gozza

i shot a butcher bird with a regular air rifle from about a metre or so away

didn't really affect the bird much...it just flew off

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA we cranked the music and shot some minor birds that were living in our roof with our air rifle... easy. they died and the shot was a good 4-5 metres away.

Casper · 11-11-2005, 07:35 PM

Seen the size of a Fruit Bat? Think Wombat with wings.

HLC · 11-11-2005, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Casper

Seen the size of a Fruit Bat? Think Wombat with wings.

yeah, we use to live in QLD and they use to crap all over our XB.

but yeah, i reckon i could take em out with our air rifle *shrug*

camc88 · 11-11-2005, 07:51 PM

So,its Winchester Disease For The Little Flockers Eh?

WASP · 11-11-2005, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLC

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA we cranked the music and shot some minor birds that were living in our roof with our air rifle... easy. they died and the shot was a good 4-5 metres away.

You appear quite proud of yourself

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