A Mouse In Da Hizous
Given that my recent output has mostly been of a computer nature, one can be forgiven for assuming I’m referring to an analog input device when I say “mouse”. However, I am actually talking about the biological entity “Mus musculus”, a representative of this species is pictured.
The first indication was during the summer when my landlord’s cat spent many hours staring at the bottom of the fridge, and more recently the stove. It was strange behavior, but on the other hand, cats are big fans of the made-you-look game, so it was not entirely of concern.
One night, as I was falling asleep last week I heard a scratching which had the distinct sound of a small animal, somewhere in the wall or ceiling (I live in a basement). I tried to ignore it and convince myself it was the aforementioned cat, on the floor above me.
Fast forward to Wednesday morning, I grabbed a loaf of bread which I had uncharacteristically left on the top shelf of my mini-kitchen – of note is that this is directly below the kitchen upstairs. I noticed that it was near expiry when I opened the tag, and thus proceeded to visually inspect the loaf – which is when I noticed the small hole (about the size of a nickel) in the bottom, and a tunnel entering the loaf.
A quick search of the surrounding area revealed no other signs of an intruder, leaving me to spend the day wondering if there was a connection, or had the loaf simply been like this when I bought it without my noticing?
Upon arriving home after work, I started a more thorough search. What was I looking for? The characteristic mouse trail – small oblong pellets that they drop frequently as they wander the world.
Lo and behold, I found one. Not willing to be satisfied with this discovery, I looked up to a board resting above between the rafters – a fitting perch for a mouse to survey the world below – and found another, thus confirming my suspicion. There is at least one mouse sharing our habitation.
Nothing else seems to have been touched or spoiled by this little critter, which leaves me to believe it is spending it’s time between the upstairs and the basement – hiding behind the large appliances upstairs and at a safe altitude among the rafters downstairs to avoid the lurking cat on each floor. It also seems to indicate that it’s likely working alone, or in only a small group since there would be more signs of mouse dirt and more damage with a larger population.
Aside from firing the two resident predators for dereliction of duty, what to do? Do I trap it? If so, live or dead? Do I install a mouse repellent device, or will that just evict it to another portion of the house, to return at a later date – possibly with family? If I live-trap it, where do I release? Nearby, it’s most certain to return, and it’s a snow covered sub-zero climate here right now, increasing it’s chances of freezing to death and negating the point of a live-trap.
Poison is not an option – with two cats and a dog in the house, the chance of them ingesting the poison directly or indirectly is too risky. Not to mention, I can’t say that I want a dead mouse hiding between the dry-wall panels creating a smell. The common, brutish mouse-trap seems inhumane but the cost-effective and timely solution.
I’m not in a rush to kill another creature, but mice spread disease and this one has demonstrated it’s ability to consume and spoil my food stores. It’s a moral dilemma for me, for sure – but I think I’m going to have to bait it into a snap-trap.
Themocracy
[...] Encounter of the Furry Kind By Brian, December 1, 2007 11:47 pm I wrote yesterday about the uninvited house guest we have. Because of this I was doing some general cleaning for sanitary reasons, and to discourage [...]
[...] I should explain – a while ago it was discovered that I had a rodent and it was crawling around in my kitchen. I heard it [...]