Three blind mice
It turned out that we have some mice in the house. We initially saw one months ago, but there was a bit of a break for a while so we presumed that he'd gone off in search of greener pastures.
However, more recently, we noticed that he was still here. And very bold. Quite happy to run out, wander along the floor as far as the chair I was sitting on, then wander off again.
Feeling like things were getting out of hand (I think we were becoming the unwelcome guests) I decided to stamp some authority on the whole situation by setting up a humane trap - he always seemed to run either behind the fridge or behind the TV if challenged, and usually chose the same escape route.
I left a box, open at one end, right in line with where I expected him to go, and sure enough, when I scared him, he darted behind the fridge, then out into the box.
Outside he went, frightened but alive. I sat back down and pottered about some more. Another one appeared. He went behind the TV only. I realised then that the two were not in fact the same mouse. Turns out they each had their own haunts - this one only went to the TV. Think the other was the only one that went to the fridge.
This one was a little more wily, and took a few attempts. Finally, I caught him and put him outside, near another house a few doors up (unoccupied for some time, perfect for him).
That was last night.
Tonight I thought I'd investigate the cupboard under the stairs. Where they always eventually ran to. In it I found:
A toilet (mice are apparently very clean and like to have a designated area) with lots of little mouse poos piled up in the corner.
Savaged plastic bags and wrapping paper (impressively destroyed, actually).
A nest.
What do two adult mice put in a nest? Obvious. All my receipts, chewed. The plastic, paper and leaves they could find (they actually came into the bedroom, grabbed a sheet of tissue out of the box, and took it out of the room a few weeks back - very noisy at 2am). And some baby mice. Kittens, apparently.
So now I feel too guilty to just leave them to die, or chuck them out. They're tiny. Not proper babies (no longer pink - just tiny normal looking mice). About an inch long not counting the tail. So we now have 3 pet mice. Scooped up all the nest, put it in a container, chased and caught one that ran away all over the room, then covered it and chucked in a biscuit.
So Ryan has typhoid and I have pet mice. That's all my news.
posted by Duncan @ 11:49 pm
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