the little wild kingdom

[flowerbug]

mouse tracks in the snow so i need to get back out and set some traps and probably also remove a nest. they usually like to try to set up shop in the crawlspace entrance and under and around the AC unit.

at least now that it will be warmer i can get as many as possible trapped before they start chewing on something or making a big mess again.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

mouse tracks in the snow

Ugh! I saw one in the breezeway yesterday. Dogs were so annoyed that they were in their crates and couldn't chase it. Time for traps....

 

[flowerbug]

Ugh! I saw one in the breezeway yesterday. Dogs were so annoyed that they were in their crates and couldn't chase it. Time for traps....

haha! the critter had a lucky day.

i don't really want to do anything outside today but i'll get going out there after breakfast to get at least things disturbed and some traps set to get the situation started to get back under control. if i don't sooner or later they'll figure out some way to get into the walls of the house.

[later]

got things checked out. good to see that the bleach in the jar technique was still working to keep the mice out of the crawlspace entrance area (which is covered). no mice or mice nests in there! that's a great improvement over what i expected to see. so the mice are in and under the AC unit. i set 10 traps so that should keep them occupied for a few evenings...

 

[flowerbug]

caught two of the mice two nights ago, none last night. crows haven't found their offerings yet. in the past when i was trapping regularly the crows would come by every day but i've not had to trap much so they've not checked.

i did hear the crows calling this morning so they are still around.

rain and warmer today (mid 50s) with a week of mixed weather mostly above freezing (even at night). all ok with me.

winter projects continue. worm farm check today and get them fed and watered as needed then back to accounting/record keeping tinkering. it's going ok but it won't all get done quickly. a lot to learn and figure out still so that slows things down. the first part though is really easy, just keep up with things as they come in now so i'm not digging a deeper hole.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yay for catching two of 'em. Maybe any more will get the message and stay away!

 

[CrealCritter]

caught two of the mice two nights ago, none last night. crows haven't found their offerings yet. in the past when i was trapping regularly the crows would come by every day but i've not had to trap much so they've not checked.

i did hear the crows calling this morning so they are still around.

rain and warmer today (mid 50s) with a week of mixed weather mostly above freezing (even at night). all ok with me.

winter projects continue. worm farm check today and get them fed and watered as needed then back to accounting/record keeping tinkering. it's going ok but it won't all get done quickly. a lot to learn and figure out still so that slows things down. the first part though is really easy, just keep up with things as they come in now so i'm not digging a deeper hole.

We have owls, birds of prey and mice. Haven't seen any evidence of mice in the house or the garage though.

Jack my orange and white tabby Tom, has taken up residence in the barn. I guess he's a true barn cat after all. He won't come out of the barn. After the first night in the barn, he placed a dead mouse by the door. I discovered it when I went to feed and water him. I said "what's this? a gift?", and I picked him up and petted him. Ofcourse he purred. I haven't had any "presents" left by the door since. Mice are very hard to control, destructive nasty little critters glad your working to get them under control.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[flowerbug]

the berm is near the house and that is a mouse and chipmunk home - so the mice are always migrating from that and trying to set up new homes in the AC and crawlspace entrance. some year i may finally be able to remove the berm and make it not so easy for them, but ... well, we'll see...

two down, unknown how many to go. hope it's just a few but can't tell for sure. once the snow comes back then it is much easier to see what is going on by the tracks in the snow.

 

[flowerbug]

no more action today either... i think they're just waiting for me to give up. nope, i'll keep checking the traps and looking for fresh tracks for the next few weeks. no snow on the ground now at all. all melted. will hope that we get some fresh stuff in a week or two as it just isn't right to be this warm anyways. that will help me tell what's really going on...

 

[flowerbug]

two more mice this past several days, and today i went out to check the traps and one of them is missing so maybe a raccoon or other night creature was involved. i walked around to see if i could find it but no luck yet.

it's very soggy out there with all the melted snow and rains we've had so i didn't wander around as far as i might have otherwise.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Two less is a step in the right direction!