Mouse Trap

It came to our attention a few weeks ago, that we just might have a new roommate in our basement. Little mouse droppings were the first sign. A clever little mouse he was...sneaking up an entire flight of stairs to raid Hatch's food dish, or the pantry, and then leaving a trail of droppings behind him (in case he forgot where the buffet was located).

Having a mouse in the house is new. So at first, it was kinda cute. We didn't want to bait him with a nasty trap, and thought in a positive light that it would be a fun challenge to try and corner him. At one point, we had him between a rock and a hard place in a back closet. After much chasing in an enclosed space, Ken and I caught him in a plastic drawer and released him into the back woods.

We were so satisfied with ourselves.

Two days later...more mouse droppings. More damage. My beautiful ottoman, which was supposed to be a lovely investment in furniture seven years ago, had been chewed directly on top of the fabric. A coffee table drawer (another investment) had been gnawed on. Computer wires sliced. And droppings EVERYWHERE. We have ourselves a complete infestation. Ken spent an hour and a half the other night with a small head lamp on trying to outwit a single mouse that could climb tall bookcases in a single bound. Only to have the little wit escape from a fitted sheet at the moment we thought we had him.

Despite the damage, I still can't do it. Standing in front of the Home Depot bag-o-tricks for Pests, I still couldn't bear to think of the snap traps. (WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?) I bought them for back up, but purchased some ridiculously feeble humane traps, knowing that they weren't going to work. They don't.

So tonight, in desperation, I turned to the Internet. I have renewed hope after reading about this homemade mouse trap and viewing the hilarious gallery of trapped mice. I'm going to try it myself. With one mouse barracaded in the back closet and another caught scurrying past me as I headed upstairs, I think I've got terrific odds. I suppose the real question is do I have enough Pyrex in the house to trap the entire family reunion going on downstairs.

One day these mice better thank me for not snapping their necks...or running the treadmill Mighty Mouse has decided to nest in...shows you just how much we've been working out lately.