I AM SMARTER THAN A MOUSE

[Wilma]

I am smarter than a mouse.  For the past several evenings, when everything gets quiet in my house, I have been hearing a rattling in one of the waste paper cans.  Last night when I heard it, I was quick enough to see an ice cream sandwich wrapper moving.  I found a mouse trap, baited and set it and was confident that the little creature would be my captive this morning.  No such luck.  The trap was just as I had left it and the ice cream sandwich wrapper had disappeared.  This evening I emptied the trash can, put an ice cream sandwich wrapper in the bottom of it and went back to my recliner.  Just a bit ago I heard a racket under the sink and found that the little mouse was in the bottom of the can and couldn't get out.  He was less than half the size of an adult but he was sure making a lot of noise trying to jump out of that can.  Not wanting to kill him or risk his getting out of the can, I put a towel over the top, carried the can to the back porch, set it down where I could reach it from the door, partially closed the door, upset the can, then quickly closed the door.  I think the can will be safe on the back porch until morning and I am sure the little mouse will be gone.  You see, I am smarter than a half grown mouse.

[Wilma]

I caught another mouse.  Same method.  This one a bit bigger than the other but just as noisy in his attempts to escape.  And he didn't assume the prayer position like the little one did.  I disposed of him in the same manner and hope that there will be no more.

[Joanna]

You are so funny! 

Your story reminds me of a "humane mousetrap" that a friend gave me when I had a mouse problem at my store.  Though I can't find it right this minute, I know I still have it packed away somewhere because it is so very cute.

You baited it with a soda cracker covered in peanutbutter.  The mouse went in this little acryilc house-looking box in one end, and the cracker closed off the other end.  The spring would lock the entrance with the mouse inside.  Then you were supposed to take it out of your home and the mouse would eat the cracker & go on it's way prepared for the outdoors with a belly full of peanut butter cracker.

It worked great, but my whole family loved the part of the instructions that said something along the lines of:
'...After you have caught the mouse, gently move the box to a place that needs a mouse...'  
For the life of me, I could never think of a single place that needed a mouse.

[Wilma]

OK, the mice have won, temporarily.  I opened a drawer in the bathroom this morning.  Calling cards.  I started digging deeper.  More calling cards.  By the time I was through, the whole drawer and 2 other drawers have been cleaned,  a bunch of stuff is in the dishwasher.  The drawers have been washed with lysol,  all non-dishwashable stuff has been wiped with lysol and a load of towels, etc. has been washed and a bunch of stuff thrown away.  Not what I had intended to do today.  But, being a human being, supreme to mere animals, I might have the last laugh yet.  I have put D-con on the floor under the drawers, where Bud can't get to it

By the way, their favorite food is Preparation H hemorrhoid lozenges.  Next favorite is soap.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Maybe the little mice will just shrivel up die!! 

[Diane Amberg]

Just find an owl tree and leave the live mouse there. No more problem.

[Wilma]

UPDATE:  I caught another little mouse in the trash can last night.  I have decided these are country mice as they are not as plump as city mice.  I didn't want to upset the trash can on the back porch because of the trash that was in it, so I just left it out there, covered with the towel and first daughter retrieved it this morning.  She says the little mouse was curled up inside a plastic wrapper.  She tipped the can and the creature scurried off, probably to the hole that it had come through in the first place.  Should have tagged it so I could tell if it had been caught before.

[Jo McDonald]

Wilma, I do believe you have trained a mouse.  He is not house broke yet, evidently...since he leaves his calling cards, but if you could drop some cake coloring or a dab of paint on his little head, you can determine if he is "recycled" or brand new occupant  each day.                             
                 

[Teresa]

ha ha.. that is a great idea mama...
or you could just trap them in a regular mousetrap and when you opened the trap to throw away their 'dead' bodies.. you would know he wouldn't be setting up housekeeping anymore.
I opt for that method. I hate them. They chew inot and ruin all kinds of food and they are disease carriers.
Yuck!

[Roma Jean Turner]

You need my little Bingo Dog to visit for a week.  He would clean up those mice in a hurry ,along with any snakes that are lurking around. He's a killer!!!!!!!!!