March 4, 2007
Small visitor
If you look closely at the top of the third rock from the left, you’ll see my new friend.
My furkids get along pretty well. They’re both excited to see each other when I come home from work and bring Lance inside from the kennel. I’m not sure if old Buddy knows that Lance is there in the front yard all of those hours when I’m gone. I’ve tried to get him to come out into the front yard and see, but he’s gotten funny about where he feels comfortable. He’ll use the doggie door to go into “their” yard many times daily. If I open the front door and invite him out, he’ll come out on the lanai. Sometimes he’ll venture down the steps, but he rarely wanders around and explores the yard. Sometimes I can persuade him to come outside while Lance is still imprisoned, but I’ve never gotten him to get close to the kennel. He’s deaf and almost blind, so he doesn’t hear Lance barking from the kennel, or see him off in the distance. So does he know he’s there while I’m gone, or does he think Lance has been out with me? I know, I’m weird. I wonder what goes on in those canine noggins. What is evident is that when Lance is freed he runs excitedly inside and Buddy greets him at the door. They bounce around like puppies and lick each others faces, tails wagging madly. Lance tries to get such attention from his pal at other times too. Sometimes it works, but mostly he gets a haughty cold shoulder from the old boy. Buddy seems to be above games and frivolity, except when he’s really excited (like when Mom & Lancie come come back after an absence.)
The one situation each day where I don’t trust them together is dinner time. It’s been years since they were in the same room while eating, but that was so disasterous I’ve chosen not to allow a repeat performance. Buddy is a grazer and Lance is a gobbler. When he’s finished inhaling his food, he’d like to shove Buddy aside and help himself to a second helping. Buddy will allow me to fool with his dish while he’s eating. The one time that Lancie managed to try, blood flowed - just that quickly. So I don’t take the chance. Buddy eats in the kitchen. The doggie door gets sealed and Lancie eats out on the lanai. It’s typical deck construction, with the boards spaced about a quarter of an inch apart. Lance being a slob, I have to hose that part of the deck off pretty frequently to get rid of the crumbs that gather in the cracks.
Apparently those crumbs have attracted visitors. I first spotted one about two weeks ago. I was standing on the deck talking to Lance while he ate when I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye. Little gray fellow about two inches long, mostly tail. A baby mouse. Mouse babies come in sizable litters, of course. It’s become a daily feature to watch for him and his kin now. They hide among the rocks along the fence line. Peek out, notice me, dash back into the rocks. I’ve noticed as many as three at the same time, but I suspect there are many more. Eventually one of them will be emboldened by the prospect of a meal. He’ll dash across the graveled yard and disappear under the deck, there to collect the crumbs from Lancie’s table. Another will follow after a moment or two.
They’re not doing any harm. I’ve never seen any evidence that they’ve ventured up onto the deck itself. Nothing to indicate they’ve penetrated into the house. No droppings or piddle marks. (Did you know that mice dribble urine almost continuously?) No chewed packages or nesting material in a dark corner of the pantry. So they’re not a real problem right now. Not yet. Mice pretty much have two functions in life. They eat and they breed. I know that I’ll soon be overrun. I can list all of the scary diseases that mice carry. I’ve seen the destruction they cause to food supplies many times. I don’t want their filth in my house. Sooner or later I’ll have to don my professional hat at home and deal with it. Well, sooner, actually. Mice can breed at six to eight weeks of age. Litters of about six young are typical. Females can drop eight litters a year (and in a tropical environment that supplies all of their needs, they do.) Simple math dictates that I’ll have to quit watching my dinner time show soon and just deal with it.
Yeah. Soon. Maybe next week.
[tags]mice, dogs, pest control[/tags]
Posted by skeet @ 11:33 pm • Just stuff, Home & Family
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March 5th, 2007 at 12:01 am, Muhd Imran Says:
Pets are wonderful. We can watch their antics for hours and actually enjoy it. Wonderful dogs you have.
I have a question. What small visitor are you talking about that attracted to the leftover crumbs? I can’t spot it from your picture.
March 5th, 2007 at 12:12 am, skeet Says:
Sorry, my friend! I hit post before I meant to. I was still writing and editing. I’ll go over to your place and invite you back so you can see the finished project. ;0)
March 5th, 2007 at 4:04 am, Muhd Imran Says:
Aha!! Got you, little furry visitor in view.
Alright Skeet, I see it now. Is it a mouse or a rat? Will it be a pest and you’re going to get rid of it?
March 5th, 2007 at 1:23 pm, Shadowscope Says:
Alexa Project…
Updated 3-4-07 - Dropped a bit again. My score is down to 322,092 now. Good deal. Updated 2-25-07 - My score has dropped to about 458,338 which is a 50k drop since Wednesday. Updated again - There’s a new……
March 5th, 2007 at 2:28 pm, Whim Says:
“Did you know that mice dribble urine almost continuously?”
Ewwwwwwww no!
I’d say get rid of them before they become a problem. They might not be one yet but they will be soon as you well know.
March 5th, 2007 at 3:44 pm, emsxiety Says:
“Did you know that mice dribble urine almost continuously?â€
Yes I did. I have had quite a few pet mice over the years, my daughter as well. I know all about the dribbling of urine. *sigh*
March 6th, 2007 at 10:55 pm, Mephala Says:
Aww… it is so cute.
Pets are the best.
April 10th, 2007 at 10:46 am, skeet’s stuff » Small visitor destruction Says:
[…] my small visitor about a month ago? I shifted into professional mode a few days after that post and banished the […]