So, we have a rodent problem.
Recently, Lola has become fascinated with a corner of the attic, and sure enough, it looks like we have mice. They chewed open Matt’s rice bag (a tube sock filled with rice which can be heated and used as a heat pack) and there are tell-tale droppings near Lola’s go-to corner in said attic.
I’ve also seen a few droppings in the mud room. Initially, I was in denial and was able to overlook them, but now, I see that this means war.
I’ll admit that I’m not going to win an award from Good Housekeeping, but we’re by no means in danger of having the Board of Health condemn the house, either. So, yes, I have some cleaning to do, but it’s not as though we live in a tenement slum where infestation is a given.
Mice happen. And it’s been a cold winter, and we have an old house with lots of points of entry, and so on.
The question then becomes, “Now what?”
Matt doesn’t want to kill them, and to a point, I agree. That point would be the point at which I have to deal with carcasses. Mice, as it happens are kind of cute, and if I have to dispose of their little bodies, it would be not only gross but possibly upsetting.
But…once you have mice, it’s not as though they just up and leave on their own. There is no way we can seal up every food source in our house. We’ll definitely get rid of the rice bag, and I’m starting to think we need either metal or glass canisters in the mud room, especially for the kibble. The can chew through plastic, or at least, that’s what the interweb says.
But if we eliminate the sources in the attic and mudroom, they’ll start getting hungrier, and I really don’t want to start seeing them in the kitchen. Cue Bob Marley’s “Rat in Mi Kitchen”.
So my thought was poison. They eat it, they get thirsty and go seek out a water source, and then they stage a little rodent death scene. Something tasteful.
I would feel bad, but for one, I run a respectable home and that home does not include a place for vermin, Also, rodents are R Species – a term I picked up in Vernon Meentermeyer’s Intro to Soil class back at UGA. This now makes 2 concepts from college I’ve actually used. Thanks Professor M!
An R Species is one that reproduces quickly and en masse. Like mice (or that lady who just had octuplets). Their counterparts, K Species reproduce slowly, and usually one offspring per gestation – like elephants.
If we had an elephant problem, I’d be less likely to buy a few blocks of poison and stick them in random corners. Of course, a small block of poison would be unlikely to affect an elephant. Although, can you imagine finding elephant droppings in your attic - that would probably be upsetting.
Interesting fact, by the way – did you know that people take rat killer on purpose – it’s Warfarin, a prescription blood thinner – my parents are both on it. Although, technically, the kind they're on is Coumadin - but, same thing, really.
I think I’ll head to the store on my lunch break today and check out the selection, figure out my options.
One point of contention here – we leave Lola alone all day – I wonder if I gave her access to the affected areas if she could “take care” of things. As a terrier mix, shouldn’t she have some ratting instinct naturally ingrained?
I’ll keep you posted.
Recently, Lola has become fascinated with a corner of the attic, and sure enough, it looks like we have mice. They chewed open Matt’s rice bag (a tube sock filled with rice which can be heated and used as a heat pack) and there are tell-tale droppings near Lola’s go-to corner in said attic.
I’ve also seen a few droppings in the mud room. Initially, I was in denial and was able to overlook them, but now, I see that this means war.
I’ll admit that I’m not going to win an award from Good Housekeeping, but we’re by no means in danger of having the Board of Health condemn the house, either. So, yes, I have some cleaning to do, but it’s not as though we live in a tenement slum where infestation is a given.
Mice happen. And it’s been a cold winter, and we have an old house with lots of points of entry, and so on.
The question then becomes, “Now what?”
Matt doesn’t want to kill them, and to a point, I agree. That point would be the point at which I have to deal with carcasses. Mice, as it happens are kind of cute, and if I have to dispose of their little bodies, it would be not only gross but possibly upsetting.
But…once you have mice, it’s not as though they just up and leave on their own. There is no way we can seal up every food source in our house. We’ll definitely get rid of the rice bag, and I’m starting to think we need either metal or glass canisters in the mud room, especially for the kibble. The can chew through plastic, or at least, that’s what the interweb says.
But if we eliminate the sources in the attic and mudroom, they’ll start getting hungrier, and I really don’t want to start seeing them in the kitchen. Cue Bob Marley’s “Rat in Mi Kitchen”.
So my thought was poison. They eat it, they get thirsty and go seek out a water source, and then they stage a little rodent death scene. Something tasteful.
I would feel bad, but for one, I run a respectable home and that home does not include a place for vermin, Also, rodents are R Species – a term I picked up in Vernon Meentermeyer’s Intro to Soil class back at UGA. This now makes 2 concepts from college I’ve actually used. Thanks Professor M!
An R Species is one that reproduces quickly and en masse. Like mice (or that lady who just had octuplets). Their counterparts, K Species reproduce slowly, and usually one offspring per gestation – like elephants.
If we had an elephant problem, I’d be less likely to buy a few blocks of poison and stick them in random corners. Of course, a small block of poison would be unlikely to affect an elephant. Although, can you imagine finding elephant droppings in your attic - that would probably be upsetting.
Interesting fact, by the way – did you know that people take rat killer on purpose – it’s Warfarin, a prescription blood thinner – my parents are both on it. Although, technically, the kind they're on is Coumadin - but, same thing, really.
I think I’ll head to the store on my lunch break today and check out the selection, figure out my options.
One point of contention here – we leave Lola alone all day – I wonder if I gave her access to the affected areas if she could “take care” of things. As a terrier mix, shouldn’t she have some ratting instinct naturally ingrained?
I’ll keep you posted.
Comments