Mouse Trap and Release (+ More Rodent Fun!)

So anyway, last week for a few days I had a mouse in my house. An old building up the road fell down went boom and I think it forced the local mices to look for accommodations elsewhere. And one decided to move in with me without asking. He wasn't scary. Like a field mouse. Little and cute.

I set a couple these 'humane traps' (catches the mouse in a box and you set it free) and I used peanut butter as bait. Couple days went by and this little guy would be darting around with no interest in the trap. He wasn't falling for it. I started to worry I was gonna have to get a more serious trap. Like a sticky or a snappy. Both terrible. Cause there's always the chance you don't murder the mouse. You just f-k him up bad. And then you gotta put him out of his misery by mushing him or whatever you do when you don't own a gun and have a wounded animal in your house.

Then it dawned on me to change the bait! Maybe it wasn't the trap that was stupid! Maybe it was me that was stupid! I stared in my fridge at all the stuff that might attract a mouse. Cookie? Banana? Maybe bread? Then it dawned on me. CHEESE! Cheese, dummy?! A thousand hours of Tom & Jerry and I used peanutbutter?? A little shaved parmesan and within a couple hours I heard a little click. The trap door shut click. I assumed it had shut on its own because it's all sensitive-- and that had happened a few times already.

I picked it up and it felt suspiciously light. I cracked open the door and looked inside. A little mouse was looking back at me. Eye glinty! I shut it quick and my heart was beating superfast. I was like, 'OMG! OMG! He's actually in there! OMG!' (Yes, I know OMG is annoying)> He scrabbled around for a sec and it sent a chill up my arm.

I decided I wanted to take a picture of it so I could post it so I got out my big lobster pot that I never use and put the closed trap in there. I got my camera and then opened it the trap. He came shooting out of there superfast and started doing crazyfast donuts round and round in the pot. I was like, 'OMG! OMG! He's so.... alive!' Then tried to jump out! I was like, 'OMG!' He tried to jump out again. I was like, 'OMG!!!! OMG!!!" For some reason because it was a tall pot I figured there was no way he could climb out. Nothing to grab onto. I didn't think he'd be jumping for it. He was going crazy trying to escape! I could hear his little mouse claws scratching at the side of the pot! I was like OMG!!!!!

I looked around for something to put on top of the pot-- freaked out by the idea that after three days this little dude was gonna get loose again just because I wanted to take a stupid picture! I grabbed a big book and put that on top just in time. He calmed down. I calmed down. We calmed down. I took the book off and snapped a quick picture and put it back.

Here he is:

I named him Choo-Choo. (His tail is almost twice as long as what you see there which was disturbingly uncute). Then I had a new problem. Sure, I could keep the book on top and he wouldn't be able to get out-- but if I wanted to release him to the wild. He would have to get back in the trap. Which meant I'd have to get more cheese and delicately put my hand in the pot with him to set the trap and re-trick him. My hand would be dangerously close to him personally! I got nervous he'd scramble up my arm and I'd run across the room screaming and whirling and smash out through the front window blindly consumed by my own pussyified horror.

But I put the trap back in there and he didn't bother me. He immediately got re-tricked and re-trapped inside the trap. (dope.)

Then I took the trap outside to find a place to set him free. It felt weird to be walking down the street with a live mouse in a box. My first stop was the empty lot behind the bookstore. Sort of a junkyard/parking lot. But there were a couple cats hanging out in there. I felt like it would be uncool to banish Choo-Choo in Kitty's Lot. So I kept walking to a nearby small park.

I get there and see warning: rat poison signs up everywhere! Around the perimeter! Freshly poisoned park! I felt like it would be wrong to let Choo Choo go free there (even though I'm not sure if rat poison applies to mice. I guess it must.) So I kept walking (now somewhat aimlessly) with this box of mouse in my hand. No idea where to go. I passed some apartment house courtyards here and there but if I got caught by someone who lived there I'd be a total jerk! Nobody wants to see some creep freeing a rodent in front of their house.

Finally, I headed to this other park behind the hospital which is usually pretty empty and it has alot of green and shrubs and stuff. No rat poison signs. I put the trap down on the ground next to the garbagecan and opened the trap. Nothing. I bumped it once and Choo Choo ran off. Free in the world! To find his mouse destiny! Live his mouse life! Make some some mouse friends!... And hopefully not tell those friends my address-- and how the wimpy guy inside gives away peanut butter, shaved parmesan cheese... and free trips back to the park.

ok bye!

tOdd

PS. There's rodent more! Down the street from me this weekend there was a 'Rat-themed' art show under the street in an old subway tunnel. \
I went down there with some friends and took pics and here are those pics.

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