Quote:
Originally posted by CELT
Ew! Watch out for rats! 
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I've never seen rats in old TVs, but I have heard of roaches getting into sets and literally destroying the IF transformers in sets of '50s and '60s vintage. The problem occurs when the roaches find their way into the cans, literally filling them, which then leads to intermittent arcing across the windings. Never saw any sets in this condition, though--I read about the problem in a 1960s TV service book.
It could well be possible for rats and other vermin to get into TVs that sit out in the open (in a trash pile or landfill, for example) for long periods of time; this is probably what you're referring to. I have read posts to this forum from AK members who have literally found piles of dead insects, etc. in old sets left in dumpsters, trash piles, etc. I even read one post some months ago from an AKer in Texas, IIRC, who was stung by bees hiding in an old set he was hauling home in the back of a truck. He was extremely fortunate, as an unexpected sting like that could lead to an accident.
I was browsing the sci.electronics.repair newsgroup on Google some time ago, and nearly laughed out loud when I read a post from someone who said he'd been working on a TV that was made in Mexico. He said he found that out when he discovered a burrito, of all things, inside the CRT! I'm still trying to figure out how it got in there.