Mices: An Update

Someone commented that they don't give up. Correct. They do not. I opened the bird seed container this morning and guess what? Two of the little creatures. It's taken me a long time to work out how they got in. They couldn't climb up the sheer plastic side because they couldn't do that to get out. They were attempting to jump out (the second photo froze one in mid jump). They must have dropped onto the lid from the bench above and then, because the lid was wood and gave their claws purchase, the walked side down and squeezed  under the lid. You have to admire their tenacity and skill. I've solved the problem by putting all the seed in the other bin which is metal with a close-fitting metal lid.

However as a reward for their tenacity I have established a proper cat-proof mouse feeder outside the shed so that they can survive but not encroach on my space.

Of Paradise and Mice

I've had a wonderful day - almost.  The weather's been brilliant for the third consecutive day: full sun, no wind and even some October warmth.

It started with good news from a friend who'd managed to solve some issues and whose life was back on an even keel.  Shortly after I had a visit from a boiler engineer about 30 minutes after I'd rung to say my central heating boiler was having problems.   He'd solved the problem before I'd opened the door to say 'hello' (my boiler's outside).  Coffee and lunch and a crossword with Gaz at The Woodlands (always a great way to spend a few hours).  An afternoon in the garden clearing things and finishing the last bit of painting I'd overlooked.  The joiners came to do some work on the conservatory.

The icing on the cake came in an email from a friend this evening.   Another issue  on the way to a solution.  The details don't matter to anyone else but it made me as happy a person as a very happy person can be to get a message.

So I decided to read some blogs and post a few pics.  Then a comment on my blog Such Cynicism in One So Young by Adrian made me think of an incident this afternoon - and I knew he was correct.  His comment included the sentence "You could post a picture from paradise and the following day a dead rat...which would get the most response?" 

The last few days have been like paradise up here:

Yesterday - Waiting for a wave

This is a third of the way through October - the sea is COLD!

Today the sea was like glass and it's still cold but we're a hardy lot up here.

And then came the bit about the rat - well, actually the mouse.   I'll spare you a picture.   Firstly before there are any animal rights activists condemning me let me say that I love mice (as a child I kept mice - I could tell you tales of daring do by Spudge and Cornelius - and rats) but I don't like them taking over my garden shed as they did one year when I didn't take preventative action.  So I put down traps - nice modern quick and efficient mice killers.  And every time I empty them I'm a bit sad.  However today has given me a real problem.  One of the mice didn't approach the peanut butter bait with his mouth but obviously tried to scoop some up with a paw - I've seen them do that - and the trap closed without breaking his neck and killing him instantly.  And I realised that deep down I'm just a big softie.  I hate to see suffering in any creature.  So now I have a dilemma.

The First Victim

In April 2007 I returned from New Zealand to discover that the garden shed had been completely - and I mean completely - over-run by mice. I love mice and would never really want to hurt one. However when you open a door and find many dozens have colonised your space and eaten or ruined all the grass and other seeds and made nests in every pair of wellington boots and soiled every corner of the shed you accept that they cannot be allowed to do that again; the clearing up takes too long. So last year I resorted to an electronic device plugged into the mains which seemed to deter them from the shed and the house. Not that they've ever been a problem in the house but it did occur to me that a whole colony displaced from the shed had to find a home somewhere.

I set traps before I departed for New Zealand but never a mouse was caught and never a mouse sullied the shed.

This year I've been watching the mice in the garden running hither and thither and decided that I had better take pre-emptive action before the one or two signs in the shed turned into a show of confidence and defiance. So last night I set the traps. This morning I found the first victim. I've now found and plugged in the electronic deterrent. Hopefully the first victim will also be the last.