Hubby's really gotten involved in the rat hunt these days. Every few days, he repositions the various spring and sticky traps. He found the rat had been living behind our microwave, and after cleaning the area, he placed a new trap back there. He also decided to build a better mouse trap.
Can I just mention that Hubby's not an engineer? When he worked, he answered a telephone for an auto parts retailer and assisted auto mechanics with ordering parts. Okay, so maybe he has a little bit of mechanical know-how. Kind of like a contact high. He probably picked up something.
Here's Hubby's better mouse trap:
Yeah, I'm talking about the box. See that teeny, tiny little door there on the bottom left? Inside the box, he's built a teeny, tiny little bed, and a teeny, tiny little recliner, and a teeny, tiny little TV. Okay, no he hasn't but the idea amused me more than the spring trap that's really inside. On the up side, if the rat ever decides to venture inside to commit suicide, it will be a reasonably clean end.
One draw back, though. Did you happen to notice that Hubby positioned the box next to the cats' scratching post? Do you think any sane rat wants to hang around a place that attracts cats? Yeah you're probably right--with OUR cats, it probably makes no difference. Here's another draw back.
I don't think the box really fits the Halloween theme. Seriously, you're an inventive bunch--what can I do to the box to make it look more Halloween-ish? 'Cause it's really bugging me. Not that my decorations are picture perfect--you wouldn't see that messy bookshelf in a magazine layout. But the box? Geez.
I suspect Hubby finally started thinking about the whole cat scratching post proximity thing. Or maybe it was something else. In any event, when I got home from work a day or two ago, I found he'd repositioned the box mouse trap to a different part of the house. No, it doesn't blend into the Halloween decorations any better than where it WAS. Also? We've noticed one other problem.
Remember the old cartoons where a cat would lay down on the floor REALLY still with its mouth wide open and wait for the mouse to run in?
I think Spike's been watching too many of those cartoons.
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15 comments:
Dye Spike black and there's your halloween decoration...
Looks like you're stuck with the rat.
You might as well give 'im a collar and call 'im a pet!
(We put all our traps in brown paper bags. That's where the line is drawn in recycling..I pitch the whole sack!)
Well obviuosly, you need to make a quilted "rat trap cozy". Maybe you could use some cute rat fabric, or just make it Halloween-themed. I'll be waiting to see the results. I loan you my cats, but I'm sure they'd all run screaming if they saw a rat. Or Zoe would try to make friends with it.
Paint the box like a coffin, or cremation box (what ever they call them). It would fit in with the decorations then, and it sounds like a place a rat may want to hang out.
As to catching the unwanted critter, I'd loan you my Tabby, she's a dog, not a cat, and her previous owner named her Tabitha. She hates and hunts anything smaller than her 55 pounds...small dogs, cats, squirels, groundhogs, oh and deer too. You get the picture, any thing I have not brought to live in our house. Sadly, always on a leash outside. She's usually the first sign of mice in the fall. She sits staring at the kitchen sink cabinet...for hours. The problem is your house would be a disaster when (not if) she finally caught it. I'm not sure of the cost of a flight from DC to CA, but I'm sure an exterminator would be less expensive...and your house would not need major repair when they leave.
I just hope your "friend" doesn't decide to make a door into your pumpkins. They are always where you least expect them. Has your Hubby tried peanut butter on the spring traps. This seems to work for us. And also we use "Tom Cat" brand trap, that we found at Lowes.
Disguise it as a bale of hay and put a pumpkin, scarecrow or witch on it. A witch would be best as it would coordinate with your cute wall hanging.
Looks like the rat has moved in to stay. Shudder the thought!
Micki
Oh, sorry about your new "friend" that you are trying to catch! I think the cat is the best trap ever!
Love all your wonderful Halloween quilts hanging up in your home Kim.
Spike sure loves the box- I know Mars really loves to sit upon any box that is sitting around the house- it becomes her new favorite place to sleep or lay on.
Good luck with trapping your new friend.
Regards,
Anna
Now Kim, when you say "rat," do you really mean a rat? Not a mouse? Oh gosh, I don't think I want to know. I hope he checked into the rat hotel and this will be over soon!!
Kim,
As your friends we must tell you this: IT IS TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE TO THE RAT!!!!
Julie and Sandy
Hi Kim,
I have been reading your blog for some time now. Yes I know I am not a regular comment maker. But just wanted to let you know I do enjoy reading you day to day happenings.Your current rat story has had me in stitches. I have to update my hubby each day. We usually suffer with mice but our Jack Russell, Sid, is the best "ratter", so much quicker than those traps. Anyway kept up the good, you brighten my day.
that picture of Spike is too funny, knowing what the box is supposed to be! I'm telling you, bucket of water with some PB on a can... you'll catch 'em and kill 'em!
LOL it's so funny how cats just figure these things out :) I always worry about my cat getting into a mouse because of the diseases they carry so I just use traps usually.. Victor makes one with a 100% kill rate. It kills the mice quickly and then seals it inside, along with any disease-carrying parasites. http://www.victorpest.com/store/rodent-control/m265#desc
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