While Dave is catching cats and ensuring the small animal population remains threatened by non-indigenous feline hunters (the only household “pet” allowed to roam freely), we are trying our best to save the odd mouse. Hopefully to either live a happy life in the fields up Kentmere π , or to possibly become prey to a natural (and indigenous) predator like a barn owl π , and not to become the prey of a cat :angry: …
This little critter (a Wood Mouse or, when found in fields, a Long-tailed Field Mouse) had got into the house somehow and was happily munching on our store of bird food before we caught it and then released it some distance from the house.
Looks healthy doesn’t he? Must be all those peanuts!
He’ll be back!!! π― You may as well give him a name. I suggest Arnie. When he does return I hope he doesn’t do any damage to wire etc…………. π₯
Don’t forget that mice are incontinent, so your birds will now be tucking into seed flavoured with mouse pee. Mmmmm, nice :yum:
Yeah, I’m worried that he’ll find his way back too! We took it over a mile up the road – can they find their way back from that far?
Hey Pete,
Its a good job your birthday was in Rjukan. Me and Anna were going to buy you a cat π πΏ
In a controlled experiment, mice were found to travel up to 10 miles back to a food source. They can read bus timetables :geek: and been seen hitching. I saw 4 near Keswick on the side of the A591 with a sign; “STAVELY”. Obviously word has spread.
Pete, the easy solution to the problem is to stapple a length of 4 by 1 to the mouse’s tail. When the mouse makes it back to your house it won’t fit through the mouse hole. If the mouse increases the size of the hole you will have no trouble finding and blocking it. This solution is also good for the mouse, as it will be able to use the length of wood to clobber any attacking cats. π
Ian, at least the mice you saw won’t make it back to Pete’s house in Staveley but will end up in Canada, Australia or near Appleby. π
Just came across this site. Nice to see that someone thinks the way I do. One day 2 weeks ago,…looked into the cupboard to find traces of loose oatmeal,….then little hole chewed in almost every bit of bagged food,…not to mention the little droppings everywhere. To make a long story short,…after I cleaned everything and threw out quite a bit, transferred food to jars and tins,..sprinkled the cupboard inside with xxx -hot chile powder, we bought a ‘live trap'(which was very hard to find. Ended up ordering one through Amazon). The next day, we caught him/her (lets hope not), and walked quite a distance across an open field and let it go. We’ve since set the trap again, in case there is more , but so far,…none.
Can someone help me! My cat brought a mouse in on Sunday morning. It was still alive so I tried to comfort him/her/it. I put it in the garage in a box full of cotton wool. I checked on it throughout the day and on Sunday evening brought into my house. We made a home for it out of an empty lager box with some holes in it for ventalation and put some salad in a bowl near the box it had been sleeping in our garage. We did not have to wait to long before it came out!.. munching some apple and taking some cucumber back to its bed. On Monday morning it was still alive and looked bright eyed and healthy. We went out an bought a cage, a wheel, some safe bedding and some treats for it. It does not move that much during the day but kept me awake last night playing in its cage and eating its food. I am sure the mouse has recovered from its ordeal and I have become very attached to it. I do not know how old it is, what sex it is, could it survive in a house or would it be best to let it go now it appears to be well again. Also (sorry for going on) how long does a field mouse live? How will I know how old it is now (about 10cm with tail) and how can I check what sex it is??? I would also like to know if it would be a good idear to get another domestic mouse to keep it company. I hope someone out there can help me. Thank you., Hazel.
I think the best thing to do is to let the mouse go back to the wild – far far away from your cat! Perhaps do as we did and release it a mile or more away from your home into the open fields. I’m sure it’ll be much happier there…
If you want to have a pet mouse, get a domesticated one from the pet shop.