Relief. Mostly.
May. 21st, 2007 08:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
miekecThere were no dead animals in or near the house, which is both good and bad. I guess this is one of th few times I did wish for dead critters, so we wouldn't have to hunt. At least the cats weren't injured either, which I had been worried about.
We looked around, but saw no signs of any mice or rats, but the cats were obviously still in hunting-mode. Or at least Weasley. So it was time to dismantle the couch and get whatever was now living in it out. We had been planning to throw it out anyway, since it was now down to the bare wood in places. We armed ourselves with sturdy gardening gloves, a long-poled (!) shovel, and a big metal flashlight. You never know!
After removing everything from on and around the couch, opening the front door with a clear pathway (hint, hint!) we then stared taking the pillows off the couch. Veeery carefully, because we still didn't know what was in there. Finally a face poked out - it looked like either an adult mouse or a baby rat. Hard to tell from just a face.
We tilted the couch forward, so the bottom was facing the nice open door. But the damn thing made a run for it, and scurried under or behind the barrister bookshelf by the kitchen door. Of course, now we can't get it - there's a big empty space underneath. Will have to rely on the cats getting it.
The couch was declared a total loss. The creature(s) had obviously tried to make a nest in there. Plus, I'd completely had it with the damn thing. out, Out, OUT! Since we didn't have to worry about keeping it intact, we just basically dragged it out of the house, into the driveway. Done. Good riddance. Did I mention yet I wanted it out anyway? :)
We opened it up (it had a fold-out bed in it) to see if creature #2 was still in there, but no luck. Hopefully it had skittered into the street or garden as we hauled the couch out. Then again, maybe it's still hiding inside somewhere. No way to find out. Then again, I'm a hell of a lot less worried, now that I saw the first mouse. Pretty sure it was a mouse. hard to judge by just the face and the butt, since that's all I saw of it, in 2 glimpses. Oh well.
Now that the worst of the disaster was done, we cleaned up the rat's nest (!) that was where the couch had been. Nerf-darts, coasters, hair-ties, pencils, domino-piece, pieces of Karin's doctor set, half a bar of chocolate. Vacuumed, and looks 200% better now. Maybe tomorrow we'll feel up to hauling the old couch from the basement, to see what state that one is in. I strongly suspect not much better, after 4 1/2 years buried there. If it's dead (or mouse-infested) it goes the same route as the first one.
We looked around, but saw no signs of any mice or rats, but the cats were obviously still in hunting-mode. Or at least Weasley. So it was time to dismantle the couch and get whatever was now living in it out. We had been planning to throw it out anyway, since it was now down to the bare wood in places. We armed ourselves with sturdy gardening gloves, a long-poled (!) shovel, and a big metal flashlight. You never know!
After removing everything from on and around the couch, opening the front door with a clear pathway (hint, hint!) we then stared taking the pillows off the couch. Veeery carefully, because we still didn't know what was in there. Finally a face poked out - it looked like either an adult mouse or a baby rat. Hard to tell from just a face.
We tilted the couch forward, so the bottom was facing the nice open door. But the damn thing made a run for it, and scurried under or behind the barrister bookshelf by the kitchen door. Of course, now we can't get it - there's a big empty space underneath. Will have to rely on the cats getting it.
The couch was declared a total loss. The creature(s) had obviously tried to make a nest in there. Plus, I'd completely had it with the damn thing. out, Out, OUT! Since we didn't have to worry about keeping it intact, we just basically dragged it out of the house, into the driveway. Done. Good riddance. Did I mention yet I wanted it out anyway? :)
We opened it up (it had a fold-out bed in it) to see if creature #2 was still in there, but no luck. Hopefully it had skittered into the street or garden as we hauled the couch out. Then again, maybe it's still hiding inside somewhere. No way to find out. Then again, I'm a hell of a lot less worried, now that I saw the first mouse. Pretty sure it was a mouse. hard to judge by just the face and the butt, since that's all I saw of it, in 2 glimpses. Oh well.
Now that the worst of the disaster was done, we cleaned up the rat's nest (!) that was where the couch had been. Nerf-darts, coasters, hair-ties, pencils, domino-piece, pieces of Karin's doctor set, half a bar of chocolate. Vacuumed, and looks 200% better now. Maybe tomorrow we'll feel up to hauling the old couch from the basement, to see what state that one is in. I strongly suspect not much better, after 4 1/2 years buried there. If it's dead (or mouse-infested) it goes the same route as the first one.
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Date: 2007-05-22 03:35 am (UTC)When we first started unloading the pillows from the couch I wasn't sure if I could believe my eyes - I saw a nose poke out. But once Mieke tilted the couch up it had no where to hide. It ran back and forth between the couch and the corner a few times before jumping inside the couch... it must have then traveled inside the frame to come out by my feet and run behind me...
After I IMed J with the update on the story he wanted to know how we got the couch out (as it's an old sleeper sofa and very heavy)... "Reciprocating saw?" he asked... NOPE... Mieke had had it with the critter AND the couch and she just shoved the thing bodily out the front door! LOL There was a nice fluffy nest being built in the arm of the couch from the stuffings. The nest is now out where it belongs... OUTSIDE. :)
After that I found an online quiz to see if I can tell a rat from a mouse. I got maybe 60% right... so it's either a small rat or a very large mouse. I got a pretty good look at it, but I still can't tell you. It was about 5 inches long with a body about 2 inches in diameter... I can't remember much about the tail except that it wasn't very long. The fur was dark brown and it had black eyes.
I'll tell you for sure when I find it dead... hopefully in the morning. Go Weasley!
Oh! Shit! Something's still under the barrister case -- I DEFINITELY heard it. (And will fully admit to climbing on my chair for a minute to be sure it was not underfoot!) Weasley's now circling between the case and the kitchen... SIGH... Go Weasley, go! (And Tijgetje's sound asleep upstairs with Mieke...)
Shower and bed... cats to the critters... update if I know more later...
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Date: 2007-05-22 10:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-22 12:32 pm (UTC)Basically I think mice are cute and this *wasn't* cute...
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Date: 2007-05-22 01:10 pm (UTC)I woke up this morning and careful made my way downstairs. I looked around. No bodies. *sigh* I went in the kitchen to find both Weasley and Tijgetje on guard. *sigh* I was so hoping to find a dead critter.
I turned on the stove and started heating the kettle. I started to put together the coffee and then heard a noise overhead. DAMN! The cats were going nuts... Tijgetje making little mewing noises and both she and Weasley swishing tails furiously. *scrabble scrabble* Weasley tried to climb the wall... I looked up and saw the little bugger! It is either stupidly brave - or desperate - or BOTH!
The morning continued like this for well over an hour... scrabbling noises, then a head poking out of the ceiling, cats circling, Weasley climbing over counters, sink and stairs trying to get closer... I decided *not* to turn my back on the fiasco while making breakfast and lunches fearing a rat would either jump down on me, run towards me or otherwise scare the crap out of me in the process of *BOTH* of us trying to escape. I moved to the opposite side of the island and careful continued my preparations while keeping on eye on the ceiling and cats. As I promised J pictures, I kept the camera handy and I *did* manage to get several pictures of the critter.
It continued to circle the boards overhead between the sink and the back stairs. The cats stayed underneath - mostly Weasley, though Tijgetje would stay for a while before getting bored, walking off, only to return a few minutes later. As I worked on breakfast for Mieke and the little one, the scrabbling moved overhead towards the refrigerator and Weasley followed. I decided that breakfast was finished - or close enough - and that what I had packed for lunches so far would have to do. I was *not* going to stay in the kitchen for the hunt. That critter was getting desperate!
I went upstairs to wake Mieke. I offered her coffee and told her that I had found no bodies and the cats were still on the hunt. Half asleep she mumbled something about a dead rat at 3 am. I thought she was confused as the cats were *obviously* still hunting, but finally figured out that ONE of the critters was now dead. The *other* one - hopefully the LAST one - was still in the kitchen. *sigh*
I got my clothes, and went downstairs to dress and get ready. I walked out of the bathroom, heard mad scrabbling in the kitchen and peeked my head around the corner. I saw an orange tabby butt sticking out between the microwave (shoved aside) and the wall. Weasley was madly scrambling to get behind the microwave. The can opener on the opposite side fell over amidst more scrambling noises but Weasley couldn't have been the one to knock it over - he was on the opposite side! I retreated... wiser to let the beasties duke it out. :)
I told Mieke to watch out in the kitchen. Rat War II was in full swing as I left! Let's hope I find a dead beastie this afternoon!
The current score is Weasley 1, Rats 0... and there is a bundle from the 3 am victim in the trash to prove it. :) Yea, Weasley! One down... one to go! Go, Weasley, go! :)
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Date: 2007-05-22 03:44 pm (UTC)After disposing of it (not with tongs this time :) ) Weasley got some extra petting and encouraging words. He wasn't particularly hunting right then, but he won't rest until the other one is caught. Probably (hopefully?) when we get home.