[Please note: this post was written while I still lived on the "mesa" at the horse place. I am no longer in that house.]
It started several weeks ago when I discovered that I had a mouse in my house. I heard it behind the stove chewing on something that sounded metallic. That scared me because I thought if the little brat chewed through the propane gas line, we would all be in serious trouble. And even though I normally ALWAYS catch mice in live traps and relocate them, this gas-thing had me scared enough that I bought a "real" mouse trap.
Since she was behind the stove, I put it in that bottom stove storage drawer. I baited it with some old cheese I had. Nothing. Then, the cheese got old and fell off the trap. Something else had to be done, and still the chew chew chew on metal at night. A friend suggested those glue traps which seem incredibly cruel to me, but she said you kill them by putting them face down in the toilet, which seemed a little better. And I was still scared about the gas and getting desperate. Behind the stove was too small to lower one that was completely opened, so I attached a piece of dental floss (close as I could find to actual string), and lowered it behind the stove . . . but it kind of stood up vertically. I felt bad, but I felt I had to do it. Nothing. Several days later after I could still hear the thing at night, I pulled on the string and found that it had been chewed through! Luckily, the glue trap didn't work, or I'd have a dead or suffering mouse stuck behind the stove! Yuck.
I went to the hardware store and spent big bucks on a live trap. It was a very ingenious design, and I liked it. Industrial version. I baited it with peanut butter that I bought from the health food store . . . organic is better for everyone, you know! Just kidding. But, at the health food store, I could get two tablespoons of peanut butter for a decent price and not spend a lot more on a whole jar that would just be for the mice. Anyway, she got caught. I had read that mice "go home," unless you transport them three miles away. But, I always like to go farther, just in case. In Maine, we used to take them to this other island about five miles away. Here, I just started driving on a road I had never been on and it doubled back, so I had to go a lot farther. I found a place, and dropped the little girl off. I saved a life and got rid of my problem. I thought. Yes, the life was definitely saved, but the problem remained. I didn't know it, though.
When I got home from transporting her, I cleaned the trap and stuck it somewhere out of the way. There was no bait/peanut better in the trap at this point. Nevertheless, that night I heard a metallic sounding noise that wasn't behind the stove. I got up to check, and sure enough, I had another mouse in it. Apparently, my rinsing it with water did not get her scent off, and her mate went in after her. Is that sweet or what?! It really touched me. Honestly. First thing next morning, I took him to the same place I had dropped off his bride. I'm sure he'll find her there. Ain't love grand!
I went to the hardware store and spent big bucks on a live trap. It was a very ingenious design, and I liked it. Industrial version. I baited it with peanut butter that I bought from the health food store . . . organic is better for everyone, you know! Just kidding. But, at the health food store, I could get two tablespoons of peanut butter for a decent price and not spend a lot more on a whole jar that would just be for the mice. Anyway, she got caught. I had read that mice "go home," unless you transport them three miles away. But, I always like to go farther, just in case. In Maine, we used to take them to this other island about five miles away. Here, I just started driving on a road I had never been on and it doubled back, so I had to go a lot farther. I found a place, and dropped the little girl off. I saved a life and got rid of my problem. I thought. Yes, the life was definitely saved, but the problem remained. I didn't know it, though.
When I got home from transporting her, I cleaned the trap and stuck it somewhere out of the way. There was no bait/peanut better in the trap at this point. Nevertheless, that night I heard a metallic sounding noise that wasn't behind the stove. I got up to check, and sure enough, I had another mouse in it. Apparently, my rinsing it with water did not get her scent off, and her mate went in after her. Is that sweet or what?! It really touched me. Honestly. First thing next morning, I took him to the same place I had dropped off his bride. I'm sure he'll find her there. Ain't love grand!
Now, onto the present. When I moved into the place I'm now living, I found a bird's nest close to the entrance of the hallway leading to my place. I thought someone had found it somewhere and stuck it there. Was I ever surprised to find a bird refurbishing the nest! Next thing I knew, there were two eggs, tiny as small marbles, in the nest. Then, four eggs. Now, Mama bird was sitting on them until I scared her away every time I came in or out of my place. But, I found that if I didn't make eye contact with her, then sometimes she wouldn't fly away. One evening when I took Moki out to the bathroom, I accidentally looked at her and she flew away. I was afraid that in the dark she wouldn't be able to find her way back to the nest, so I left my outside light on all night. After that, I was more careful.
The babies were born or rather hatched awhile ago. I have some pictures. Their eyes stayed closed a very long time, but they had already started to grow feathers. I never heard them make a peep. They mostly just sleep and breathe . . . at least when I see them. I thought Mama bird was a single parent, but at one point, I saw both parents together, so that made me feel good. After watching them grow, open their eyes, and develop more and more feathers, when I came home one day and found them gone, it was an empty experience. They had flown the coup! Now I know what empty nest syndrome feels like!!
