For those not familiar, I live in a property that one might call "unconventional". Actually, that's not what one might call it, it is exactly what it is called, according to the paperwork that denies me homeowners insurance.
But you can always get insurance! You might insist.
Sure I can. I just don't happen to have the luck of sneezing gold, and I'm not quite willing to sign over my first born.
Anyway.
"Unconventional" properties sometimes come with "unconventional" residents. And true to form, I share my barn home with one brother, one cat, some bats, a few chipmunks, some persistent squirrels, and about a bajillion mice.
Which is fine.
I mean, it's really not fine.
But ever since last year's fiasco when the squirrels invaded and broke the heating system and I retaliated by KILLING THEM ALL, me and the wildlife seem to have reached a truce. They stay in their part of the house, and I stay in mine. They leave my wiring alone, and I don't call back the pest guy to, in his terms, "get them buggers".
At least until now.
Kids, someone's gone rogue.
Lately, around 9 PM, and then again at 5 AM, the rodent racket in my closets is ridiculously hard to deny.
I have the best bedroom ever. It is huge. And the only room in the house in which the ceiling was build ABOVE the beams. When means I have this neat, sort of... gambrel ceiling, that slopes up from the wall behind my bed, and then back down to the three closets that face my sleeping area.
I have the best bedroom ever. It is huge. And the only room in the house in which the ceiling was build ABOVE the beams. When means I have this neat, sort of... gambrel ceiling, that slopes up from the wall behind my bed, and then back down to the three closets that face my sleeping area.
[Yes, three! THREE! Mmm, closets.]
[And yeah, I totally just whipped out "gambrel". Whattup.]
Anyway. The slope is mimicked in the attic above me, with lots of nooks and crannies for the creatures to explore. And lately, one such creature, seems to have taken a liking to riding the slope right down into the closets. Then, the rodent scratches around for a while, trying to figure out how to get back out. In truth, the animal might not be going rogue so much as he might just be stupid.
But in any case.
I know my rodents... and the volume of the scratching has lead me to believe the animal to be a squirrel. But, with no long visible scratches on any of the closet walls, I'm thinking it is probably more likely a chipmunk. Whatever it is, it is much too loud to be a mouse. And frankly, has too big an appetite.
Because when I opened the closet this afternoon, this is what I found:
One of my favorite scarves ever - and a cashmere JCrew one that has matching gloves no less - has been destroyed!
Oh, rogue chipmunk. You think you're so clever? Game on, buddy. GAME ON.
But in any case.
I know my rodents... and the volume of the scratching has lead me to believe the animal to be a squirrel. But, with no long visible scratches on any of the closet walls, I'm thinking it is probably more likely a chipmunk. Whatever it is, it is much too loud to be a mouse. And frankly, has too big an appetite.
Because when I opened the closet this afternoon, this is what I found:
One of my favorite scarves ever - and a cashmere JCrew one that has matching gloves no less - has been destroyed!
Oh, rogue chipmunk. You think you're so clever? Game on, buddy. GAME ON.
i lived in an old farm house in turner which festered with mice. we got a cat and they stayed away mostly, but their presence was known.
ReplyDeletenow i live in a crummy city with numerous strays. no more mice!
Haha good luck! I can't stand mice!!! Not to freak you out, but mice can have disease-carrying ticks and fleas that look for new hosts when the mouse dies. You should check out the kind of trap that kills and seals the mouse. It kills quickly and then seals the mouse inside. You don’t have to see it or touch it or worry about any diseases escaping. Here’s one with a 100% kill rate: http://www.victorpest.com/store/rodent-control/m265#desc
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