Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Mouse Adventures
They're predicting a cold snowy winter in our part of the world and I'm beginning to believe it. I've never had mice in this house before and I've heard either an old wives tale or old native legend that stated; when they start moving into places they don't normally go, it's going to be a cold winter.
After moving here and until we decided where we wanted to settle, we rented a unit in an off season resort. It was furnished, right on the lake with graceful weeping willows lining the banks. We shared our front yard with Canada geese, ducks, Coots and turtles. It was a wonderful place and we loved it. Unfortunately it also had way too many mice.
One evening, while watching tv, a brave little mouse popped out from under the couch. When we didn't react too strongly, he stayed. Most evenings, he'd find a crumb or stray popcorn and he'd sit there eating it with us and perhaps enjoying the show. Some days, we left the occasional grape or peanut on purpose.
As cute as he was, we knew he'd soon be trouble, so we told the landlord who provided us with a live trap. We caught him, handed him over to the landlord who then released him right behind our unit and that evening he'd be there again.
As spring approached and the resort came to life to prepare for the upcoming tourists we were still searching for the place we wanted to settle. We rented another place on an acreage in the country and there we met a whole new community of mice.
I know that living in the country can mean putting up with more critters but these guys just took over. I don't have the heart to use traps and didn't want to use poison because I had a toddler at the time so we used the live traps again.
But what to do with them after you've captured them? I figured with just a few we could take them far away in the back part of the property where maybe they could find a new life in the wild. My plan failed because of the sheer numbers of them. I was catching them so fast and in such huge quantities it would have been a full time job taking them so I began to save them in a very tall bucket.
Once the bucket was full, we would take them for a drive into the wilderness where there were no homes and release them. As silly as it sounds, it was easier on me than killing them and we had a laugh over it.
We did eventually move out of there and into the city where this is my first experience with a mouse in my house in many years, so maybe this really is going to be one cold winter or maybe it's the peak of their cycle. That would certainly explain the huge number of coyotes in the area.
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Thank you for that lovely mouse story! You were very brave to let your mouse sit and snack with you!!!
ReplyDeleteI think we have a hard winter to come too, if the number of berries on the holly bushes in the park are anything to go by! As long as I don't need to drive, I do enjoy the snow though!
That reminds me of the house I grew up in. It wasn't a highly developed area at the time so we always had mice in the house. I remember one jumping over me while I was sitting in the chair watching tv one night. Scared the heck out of me...lol
ReplyDeleteLove your mouse painting, so adorable.
It isn't always the fright when they catch you off guard as the leftovers they leave behind.I had a century old home and they were hard to keep out.Finally I borrowed a cat that roamed the neighborhood and left her in my cellar. I filled every little space but it took a few years to rid my place of them.Voles can be a good addition, they climb down their holes and eat them.I am not as simpathetic for them, sorry. Thanks for the great input!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! For the first time I am seeing "evidence" that a mouse has invaded my camper. Now...my 2 inside kitties had better do their job and run this mouse off. OH MY...I do hope this doesn't mean we will have a super cold winter!
ReplyDeleteHi and thanks for stopping by and visiting our blog and leaving a comment - we do appreciate visits and hope you will return. We too have had problems with an occasional mouse in our old home. They travel through the pipes and have come through vents in the kitchen floor. We have not rescued them, but disposed of them and hope their friends don't revisit this winter.
ReplyDeleteGood story. They ARE cute little buggers; if they weren't so destructive and came house-broken, I'm sure people would feel differently about them. Maybe they should hire a PR guy!
ReplyDeleteYour post gave ME an idea for a post (if I can still remember it when the time comes).
I live in the country and we always get a brave mouse or 2 in our house this time of year. Unfortunately hubbie does not use live traps so maybe this year the word has gotten around mouseville to stay clear of our house.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed tomorrow.
What a lovely story, I enjoyed it so much! I love the fact that you were compassionate enough to use live traps :) If you thought putting mice in a bucket and transporting them elsewhere was silly then I am even sillier as I have done it with garden snails!! The only problem is, though, that I am sure they have a homing instinct and all made their way back to my garden, I could imagine them heading down the road in an army :)
ReplyDeleteI am also reminded that for some time I was putting seed into a small container hidden deep within a Clematis. It was of course aimed at the smaller garden birds but eventually I discovered that I was in fact feeding a mouse! I carried on and it rewarded me with a few photos :)
I love the mug and the card, they are beautiful.
Judy - I'd forgotten about the berries, there are lots here this year too. Do you usually get much snow?
ReplyDeleteAnn - thankfully none have jumped over me
Out on the Prairie - I don't like what they leave behind either, I didn't know that about Voles
Jean - I have a kitty that isn't doing his job either, hopefully yours catch them before they damage anything
Beatrice P Boyd - you have a great site , I hope they don't return either
Gorges Smythe - they do need a PR guy, I shall check to see if you remembered the story
carolina nana - wouldn't that be wonderful it somehow they would get the message to stay away
ShySongbird - I wonder if they do return, it's probably my birdfeeding that's attracted the mice to my yard too. Thanks for the kind words
Thanks for dropping by my blog and commenting, it is much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteFortunately we have never experienced mice inside the house but we do have one resident living in the garden who regularly pops out to pinch some of the fallen bird feed...I just hope it survives the falling temperatures. FAB.
The Early Birder - it was great to find your blog and I agree, I appreciate comments too. Hopefully the little guy doesn't multiply too rapidly :O)
ReplyDeleteThe only mouse problem we have around here is a big mouse named Mickey who lives at a place called Disneyland about 20 miles East from where I live in Southern California :-)
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhhhh!
ReplyDeleteI have always said if I find a mouse in here I am moving. I would rather find a snake.
Is that weird?
:)
The Old Geezer - I like your mouse :O)
ReplyDeleteDawn - I feel that way about snakes
Your little mouse is certainly cute. Thanks for the Birthday wishes.
ReplyDeleteI like the card but not much of the coffee mug with the mouse design. Putting the coffee mug with the mouse design on my table gives me a creeps. (lol) Just a thought, most of us do not like mouse. I guess it is only Walt Disney who loves this critter. :)
ReplyDeletevery true Jolly Princess even I don't like mice in the house.
ReplyDelete