OK ... this damn mouse is pissing me off Options

[mitchntx]

My wife, God bless her, brought home a free mouse from the pet store. Unfortunately, the $10,000 worth of habitrail, food $ shavings wasn't part of the deal. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

This was about a month ago and I had no idea. She had poor little Chester in her sewing room. I don't go in there because it just syphons the manhood right out of me ...

Last week, she breaks the news to me like this ... "Chester isn't in his cage."

"Who's Chester?"

I'll save you all the angst of the next 30 minutes of "discussion". Our conversation ended (for about 2 days) with me making a reference to her IQ and Chester's destiny involving the business end of bird shot.

Like most husbands, it was bullshit and had no intention of shooting poor little Chester. It would have been hell to fix the toe kick under the kitchen cabinets.

After Chester began leaving little momentos of his appreciation, the wife decided he had to go. Of course, now Chester is "that damn rodent" and no longer "cute little Chester". And guess who's problem Chester is now?

So, like any God fearing humanitarian, I decide I will live trap poor little Chester and set him free to roam the hills around Lake Granbury. Be free little Chester ... has anyone priced those damn live traps? Installing now base cabinets would be cheaper ...

Ah-Ha ... spring traps. Got him now ... what I can't figure is how I can break my damn fingers setting these things and Chester can feast off of peanut butter, soft cheese and bread (with the crust cut off) and NOT set off the trap? How is this possible?

Meanwhile, sweet little Chester is getting rather large, chowing down on this buffet we set out for him.

And Chester is a smart little shit.

I can be sitting in my chair, spot his ass jogging along the base cabinets, our eyes meet and I can get almost close enough to smell his little cheese and peanut butter breath and off he goes to a corner and disappears. I swear the hole Chester the mouse-cat goes through is as big as a Bic pen.

OK ... I walk upright ... I have thumbs ... I have the ability to reason ... I have yet a better mouse trap.

I place 3 traps under the hole, each with the trigger facing the cabinet. I have all the angles covered. I place 12 pack of colas along the base of the cabinets, in order to funnel Chester the Wonder Mouse to the awaiting traps.

and I wait ...

Finally, out he comes, into the middle of the floor, obviously waiting to be seated at "his" table. I again walk towards him, in an attempt to herd him into the tunnel of doom.

It works! He scampers behind the cardboard facade housing 24 Diet Cokes, straight for the death traps. I eagerly await the sweet sound of the trap's wrath swinging down and breaking this rodent's back. I know the excrutiating pain he will feel as the index finger on my right hand is still pulsing in pain.

That sound of triumph is nye ....

Silence .... WTF?

In desperation and disbelief, I pick up the cola box to see what happened. There they are, traps all lined up like little soldiers, rifles cocked and ready to fire ... but no Chester.

How can this be? It was the perfect plan.

About that time, the bottom of the cola box rips, cans fall to the floor with a couple of them now puking their contents all over the kitchen.

And chester falls out of the box as well, looking pissed because I just ruined his new condo. Yes he's pissed, but he ain't stupid, as I'm coming to realize.

He scampers away at quite a fast pace ... YES! ... towards the traps of death! He's going home! His fur is glistening from the sparkling soda bath and I just know I got him!

He glides over the traps and disappears into the tiny hole of the cabinet base.

My spirit dead, my honor destryed, my soul deflated, I reach down to check the traps and THWACK ...

Looking at the bright side, I no longer feel that pulsing pain in my right index finger. It has mysteriously moved to my left thumb.

Chester still lives ... wife laughing uncontrollabley ... I'm going to bed.

True story ....

Chester ==> (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif) <=== Me

[Bud M]

Wanna hear about the time I spent an entire Saturday fabricating the probverbial "better mousetrap"? No, I know you don't. But, it worked.
That GD mouse cost me way too much peace of mind. I feel your pain (mental, not physical, I'm clever enough to operate a mousetrap without it becoming a fingertrap.)
If there is a silver lining, at least she didn't come home with a cute new kitty cat that day...

[mitchntx]

If there is a silver lining, at least she didn't come home with a cute new kitty cat that day...

Bud, meet Cloe ...

(IMG:http://webpages.charter.net/mitchntx/CloeDay1_1.JPG)



(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif)

[firehawkclone]

Hi Mitch, I am Johns wife and I am a Vector Technician (rodent control) i see you are having a problem with Chester? Are you wanting to live trap him or kill him with a snap trap? As you observed, Chester can get through an opening of 1/4 " or larger. Little bastard! Now, are you using a mouse trap or a rat trap? A mouse will not set off a rat trap . You could use a sticky trap, but make sure it is a large one. Put some peanut butter in the middle of it, and only the size of a pea. Make sure you put this right up against the wall or preferably underneath the hole. Sticky traps are not the best but sometimes you can get good results. A snap trap is better. Are you putting the traps perpendicular to the wall ? Traps placed parallel are not as effective. You want to put the trap directly in his "run path" because a trap with food usually will not draw him to the trap. You could make that little a-hole work for the food by getting some cotton (not very much), putting some peanut butter in the middle of it and wrapping it around the trip plate so he has to dig through the cotton to get to the food and most likely his little claws will snag and set the trap off . If you don't care about smell put some de-con out. If you really don't care THEN get the shotgun out . This of course only as a last resort. Happy hunting!!!!!

[mitchntx]

Hi Mitch, I am Johns wife and I am a Vector Technician (rodent control) i see you are having a problem with Chester? Are you wanting to live trap him or kill him with a snap trap? As you observed, Chester can get through an opening of 1/4 " or larger. Little bastard! Now, are you using a mouse trap or a rat trap? A mouse will not set off a rat trap . You could use a sticky trap, but make sure it is a large one. Put some peanut butter in the middle of it, and only the size of a pea. Make sure you put this right up against the wall or preferably underneath the hole. Sticky traps are not the best but sometimes you can get good results. A snap trap is better. Are you putting the traps perpendicular to the wall ? Traps placed parallel are not as effective. You want to put the trap directly in his "run path" because a trap with food usually will not draw him to the trap. You could make that little a-hole work for the food by getting some cotton (not very much), putting some peanut butter in the middle of it and wrapping it around the trip plate so he has to dig through the cotton to get to the food and most likely his little claws will snag and set the trap off . If you don't care about smell put some de-con out. If you really don't care THEN get the shotgun out . This of course only as a last resort. Happy hunting!!!!!

Thanks, John's wife ... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool2.gif) My goal now is to not only kill the sucker, but inflict as much pain and trauma as possible. Can a mouse be given a blood transfusion in order to keep them alive?

We definitely have mouse traps and they are set perpindicular to the run path. I put a small amount of PB inside the curl of the trip ... same way with the cheese and bread. Not my first rodeo with rodents.

Several years ago rat bastard got into my 98 TA and had a nice feast on charcoal leather seats. But that's another adventure altogether.

Chester's not your average mouse ...

Because of the new puppy, we have been reluctant to use the sticky traps, but they are on my shopping list tomorrow. The dog can stay in the kennel for a while.

Say yer prayers Chester ... enjoy the evening.

And the misadventures of vermin at Warren Motorsports complex doesn't end there. Ask Glenn to tell the story of a header install, a 6' snake and the subsequent remodel of the inside of my shop. I just drove up and saw 90% of the contents of my shop laying in the front yard ...

[RichJ]

We had a mouse problem in our house earlier this year and being the Humane Society and World Wildlife supporters that we are, we used the humane traps that Walmart sells. They were little plastic boxes with a swinging one-way door. The plastic is tinted and transparent. You put in the bait, they walk in, but can't walk out. Then you take them outside a good distance from your house and let them free. I caught 2-3 of them a night with these things (they cost about $1-2 each). I couldn't believe how well they worked. So, you might give one or two a try even if you aren't "animal friendly" (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[cccbock]

My wife, God bless her, brought home a free mouse from the pet store. Unfortunately, the $10,000 worth of habitrail, food $ shavings wasn't part of the deal. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Big huge snip

Chester still lives ... wife laughing uncontrollabley ... I'm going to bed.

True story ....

Chester ==> (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif) <=== Me

Mitch, Im thinking your future as a story writer is WAY brighter than your future in pest control...

Bock

[Mericet]

Reminder to self: buy and set traps in garage. The sticky ones seem to work well for me and as backup I use the electric shock type.

One of the joys of living in the country.

[CMC#5]

And here I thought the post was going to be about a PC pointing device...

I have successfully killed two mice in my day. One I kicked. Lucky circumstances. The other I shot with a squeeze bottle that had trichloroethane in it. Again, lucking circumstances, but much to my surprise resulted in instand death.

Get yourself a super soaker, fill it with trichlor, and hunt the bastard down!!!

[trackbird]

True story ....

Chester ==> (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif) <=== Me

Mitch,

Since you're a friend and all, I have a loaner available for such occasions.

And, seeing as how

Midnight ==> (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif) <== Mitch

He just might have a shot at that little furball...... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/burnout.gif)

[00 Trans Ram]

You know what will solve your problems? CS/OC spray. That's the name for the spray that police officers use. It's a combination of pepper spray and mace.

I worked overnights at a hotel in New Orleans pre-openning. We had sewer rats running down the halls. One in particular became the bane of my existence. He would actually run towards you when he spotted you! Finally, I had enough. I packed my spray and a bucket and went hunting. I finally saw him and he started coming for me. Instead of turning tail as I had previously done, I stood my ground. The spray reaches about 10 feet, so I hit him as soon as he was in range.

About 4 feet from me, he stopped running, paused, then started jumping and spazming all over the hallway. I sprayed him another 5 seconds (btw, during my training with the spray, a 1 second shot was enough to bring me to my knees for about 10 minutes). Then, I put him in the pail and took him to the trash compactor. I made sure to give him periodic sprays every few minutes to ensure he didn't go anywhere.

Finally, just before throwing him away, I gave him a nice face-full of the stuff. It must've been the last straw. He stopped moving and closed his eyes.

Adios, Ratface!

[mitchntx]

Chester or Midnite ... hmmm ... Will you ship?

We have a cat. But all she does is drink beer, watch soaps and smoke cigarettes ...

[Bud M]

Bud, meet Cloe ...

Hey! A Dalmatian! Those are fun dogs. Lots of energy, hope she will have room to run.

[AndyJ]

We have a cat. But all she does is drink beer, watch soaps and smoke cigarettes ...

Be thankful it is just your cat Mitch. They don't drink much before they pass out. I thought you were talking about one of my ex's there for a minute.... dang, that woman could drink beer. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/drink.gif)

[trackbird]

Chester or Midnite ... hmmm ... Will you ship?

Sure, but he's likely to chew his way out of the crate and kill the driver...... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dunno.gif)

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Nick]

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

The story alone was worth not mentioning long ago that I knew the little critter was enjoying your hospitality.

[Jeff97FST/A]

Great story....kill the varmit!

My wife called me the other day at work to tell me a story about her drive to work.

She loaded my daughter into the back seat of her Saab, backed out of the garage, and headed off to work/daycare. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted some movement and though it was a leaf or piece of paper. Then, she saw it again.

It was a mouse, in the back seat with my daughter. If the offspring had seen it, she probably would have thought it was cute!

Wife left the windows down part way during the day. She thinks that mouse has a new address.

The night before I had seen a mouse scurrying across our driveway and I tried to run it over....

While I'm a softie when it comes to animals, I went the poison bait route. All the bait that I put out has been eaten and I haven't seen any mousies since.....

[evil Vincent Price laugh]

[trackbird]

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

The story alone was worth not mentioning long ago that I knew the little critter was enjoying your hospitality.

Uh....how do you feel about birdshot Nick? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rant.gif)

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

[Chester Da Mouse]

All your computers are belong to us. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)


P.S. - put out a little extra peanut butter, I invited the guys over for a poker game tonight. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[trackbird]

All your computers are belong to us. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)


P.S. - put out a little extra peanut butter, iinvited the guys over for a poker game tonight. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

He's here......