Death comes to visit our house

Funeral Wreath Arrangement
Originally uploaded by aiaichristmas

The kitchen to be more exact. Underneath the unique "dishwasher-on-wheels" to be even more exact.

Yes Death snapped his jaws down on the snoozle of one of the visitors. Not nice for the mouse - not nice for us. But at least the paranoia about people playing bizarre mouse-related tricks on us has eased a bit.

Apparently the second set of traps weren't working because the mice are babies and therefore too light to set them off - at least that is what the mousetrap salesman told R when she went back to complain. Obviously the free chocolate fattened one of them up sufficiently to trigger the trap. It reacted quickly but not quickly enough so spend an undisclosed amount of time with its snout crushed and unable to move.

R originally stated that the mouse was lying beside the trap unattached in any way as if it had had a heart attack beside it by pure coincidence. Or had ate a dodgy crumb elsewhere and succumbed to a dreaded disease and deliberately crawled to the trap in pursuit of a swifter death and not quite made it.

It couldn't have been too long suffering as we have been checking them frequently and it certainly seemed dead when I put it in the recycle bin.

I wonder what it will be recycled into?

Another method and its associated problems is discussed here. (For internet historians I don't think this is a blog, look at the dates, it's just a standard webspace provided by an ISP).

Thanks to aiaichristmas at flickr for the picture Funeral Wreath Arrangement

A clean sweep

come on.. group hugs!
Originally uploaded by NeedMoreCoffeeMan

No wonder they're looking so pleased with themselves.

We got back and checked the traps tonight.

All of the Nutella was gratefully received by our local mouse community - it even looks like they've put the traps in the dishwasher after eating off them and then carefully put them back. No deado mice unfortunately

R thinks this means there are tens of thousands of mice in the house -"Think about it - three traps in three different places far apart in the house. It couldn't be a one man job. It must be a team effort."

She doesn't know mice like I do - their greed and cunning must never be underestimated.

I also suspect that the traps we bought aren't very good.

The only unmolested Nutella is in the humane trap - they're simply not daft enough to venture in there yet. But -look on the bright side-last night's binging might mean they've developed a taste for the brown stuff now and won't be able to resist.

Bring it on.

mouse

Guess who's back?

Mickey's Hooked!
Originally uploaded by Hardcore Shutterbug

Yes the pesky bastards are getting a bit cocky - a pale looking R reported to me at turning-in time last night that she had just seen two mice in the kitchen. They had run and hid behind the sink. They had then proceeded to mock her with their squeaking.

So the Nutella's been out tonight - the traps have been unpacked and primed with a professionalism that would make Jason Bourne blush and we're ready for action.

An all night vigil would be in order but its much more difficult without a steady supply of smokes as I found out trying to watch the US Election the other night. The deep monotony of BO's voice would put our mice to sleep. Without the countervailing stimulus of nicotine I couldn't keep awake. Which is just as well - the body needs rest after all.

And what kind of squeaky little critter does John McCain remind me of? Don't ask...I'm having one of my turns.

Thanks to Hardcore Shutterbug for his picture "Mickey's Hooked"

mouse election