Well, I have a Squatter in my Car
By chrystalia
@chrystalia (1208)
Tucson, Arizona
November 21, 2012 9:45pm CST
I had to go to the feed store today, despite the rain, to get feed for the alpacas...
and I realized I hadn't put the gas can a neighbor had borrowed back in the trunk. DRAT. So much for staying dry. I grabbed the gas can and got the trunk open-- and there he was.
He's a little guy, dark brown, and really cute, as mice go. He had made himself a nest from part of my roll of paper towels, and some of the edges of carpet from a carpet scrap I keep in the trunk in case I ever have to crawl on the ground or change a tire. I didn't see any other mice, and I tried to catch him, but he was too fast for me. Now I am debating how to get him out of the trunk, of course-- while I have no objection in principal to Mr. Mousie living there for the winter, they do tend to chew wiring, and that wouldn't be good. It goes without saying that the traditional mouse trap isn't an option I am considering, and neither is poison-- so I'm going to either have to buy a live catch trap, or come up with a plan to make one.
Any suggestions?
4 people like this
4 responses
@deazil (4730)
• United States
22 Nov 12
Yes, they sell small Havahart traps. They may be expensive, though. Even for a small one. I hope you don't have to kill him. Poor little thing. We had some mice living in the cargo van and they chewed some wires. It had to be fixed, don't remember what wires they were. It was a long time ago. I think the best thing to do is trap him and relocate him away from the trailer. I just can't kill anything. Well, actually, I can kill ants (only if they're in the house) and I absolutely abhor flies and mosquitoes. Our cats have access to their cat yard through the kitchen window and down a ramp. One day Miss Abby came flying up the ramp, through the window and jumped to the floor with a live mouse in her mouth. She was beside herself with excitement.
I got it away from her and let it go way up in the back of the yard, away from the cats. I hope all ends well for both you and Mr. Mouse.
I got it away from her and let it go way up in the back of the yard, away from the cats. I hope all ends well for both you and Mr. Mouse.1 person likes this
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
22 Nov 12
I go out of my way to kill spiders-- as far as I am concerned they are truly evil, and they are all out to get me. I have no problem killing cockroaches either, or ants, and I am very serious about killing mosquitoes, since the west Nile virus/meningitis/encephalitis that messed me up. I have seen the havahart traps, and they are nice, but expensive. I'm just going to have to find something around here that I can catch the little guy in, and let him loose. I also have to figure out how he got in the trunk in the first place. That is what puzzles me at the moment.
I haven't had any in the trailer, but I keep my eyes open.
@allknowing (136442)
• India
22 Nov 12
Rat or mouse menace I see is universal. This is a perpetual problem here in our house. I had them in my cooking range and we had to call the guy to open up the range and kill these cute but nuisance creating beings. We poison them but they die in odd places and it is the smell that helps us find them. I don't think there are any other ways than to either trap them, kill them or poison them.
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
22 Nov 12
Well we have plenty of them around here-- both rats and mice, though rats are far less common. I have never had one in a house before, anywhere I lived, but I have had spiders 
and cockroaches 
.
The little guy is just so cute, though, and until I opened the trunk and scared him, he had been comfy in his little nest. Unfortunately, I have to find a way to trap and move him, and I really hate the thought, since my trunk is a nice warm home for him, and winter is coming on. But I can't have the wires chewed up either, so I'll get to work on a trap that won't hurt him.
If I had an infestation, I would probably use poison or killing traps as well, but not for one mouse..he's too cute. Go ahead, laugh at me and call me a sucker, but he's cute.
and cockroaches .
The little guy is just so cute, though, and until I opened the trunk and scared him, he had been comfy in his little nest. Unfortunately, I have to find a way to trap and move him, and I really hate the thought, since my trunk is a nice warm home for him, and winter is coming on. But I can't have the wires chewed up either, so I'll get to work on a trap that won't hurt him.
If I had an infestation, I would probably use poison or killing traps as well, but not for one mouse..he's too cute. Go ahead, laugh at me and call me a sucker, but he's cute.@allknowing (136442)
• India
22 Nov 12
Chewing of wires is a common scene at my house. I have had to replace tv and computer cables. I have now put a door to my tv just to ward off these cute creatures. I too find them cute but the damage they do wipes off those emotions in me. I most reluctantly do what I have to do. Also they are a threat to one's health as well.
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
22 Nov 12
yes, they are a health threat, and if I had them in my house, I would have to kill them. In my car... I don't want to unless I have to. Hopefully I'll figure out a way to catch the little guy, and I am trying to think of a good place to let him loose when I do-- I don't want him getting into the chicken coop as the stupid chickens would probably kill him, and the alpaca palace is mostly open, so he'd have no real shelter there either. I suppose I'll think of a place here shortly, I just don't know where yet.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
23 Nov 12
Awwwwww, poor little guy. He's only trying to keep warm, lol! I did have one in my house once but he's gone now. I plugged up the hole where he was coming in. I live in an old apartment complex from the 40s and they tend to find the teeniest places to come in.
Anyways, here is what you can try if you're not going anywhere for a couple of days. Take a tall vase, or tall jar, or pail, and put some peanut butter down inside the bottom. Find a stick or branch, or twig of some sorts so he can crawl up it and place it against the vase, or pail, or whatever. Once he jumps in to eat the peanut butter, he can't get back out. You will be able to release him in the woods somewhere away from your car.
Good luck and I hope it works for you! 
@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
23 Nov 12
Now that is a good idea-- I never thought of ta at all! I had been thinking the bucket, because I figured he could get used to it (and I kind of was thinking of looking for a sheltered place to put the bucket so he could still live in it, but I hadn't found one yet)
I will try that tomorrow or the next day-- or when it stops pouring since I'm still soaked from feeding the alpacas and chickens-- and let you know
@marguicha (223019)
• Chile
22 Nov 12
I haven`t seen a mouse for some time now, but I guess it is because all the cats in the neighborhood decided to have my background as their family room
. The think I don`t like about that is that they decided their toilet is my best soil where I have my seedlings. I have had to but something to protect them. I`d try to keep the mouse away from the truck. By all means, start by moving the nest. Probably if you move it nearby instead of throwing away, the mouse will move too and you won`t have to kill it.
. The think I don`t like about that is that they decided their toilet is my best soil where I have my seedlings. I have had to but something to protect them. I`d try to keep the mouse away from the truck. By all means, start by moving the nest. Probably if you move it nearby instead of throwing away, the mouse will move too and you won`t have to kill it.@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
22 Nov 12
That was my thought as well, though if I move the nest when Mr. Mousie isn't in it, he might stay anyway! having a cat colony does keep the mice away, but it's not goof that they want to use your good soil as a litter box-- cat waste isn't good for plants at all. Unfortunately, I have never had success in getting any cat to give up a preferred toilet area, inside or outside, so I have no advice for you there, my friend. I hope that you can find a way to cover the soil so they don't use it any more-- perhaps cutting up cardboard boxes and putting them over the soil with holes for the plants to grow through would help, but I don't know. Good luck with the cats!
@marguicha (223019)
• Chile
22 Nov 12
I found a thin net and I hope that will help. Maybe the cats will not do it when the plants are bigger. I decided to give up a place that the chose as next best when I placed the net. It had some zuchinni (not anymore
). I often tell them that I`ll kill them as soon as I lay my hands on them. The cats look at me without blinking. Some day, if I forget to close my bedroom window, I might find them in my bed. They think they own the house and they are not even mine. I`m a dog-lover without a dog in this moment.
). I often tell them that I`ll kill them as soon as I lay my hands on them. The cats look at me without blinking. Some day, if I forget to close my bedroom window, I might find them in my bed. They think they own the house and they are not even mine. I`m a dog-lover without a dog in this moment.@chrystalia (1208)
• Tucson, Arizona
23 Nov 12
I am a cat person, myself, and I discovered long ago that trying to bully a cat just doesn't work . They do tend to move in on you. I'm sorry you lost your zucchini 
. They do tend to move in on you. I'm sorry you lost your zucchini 