Topic: Close encounters of the furry kind

[Garden Manager]

Been sorting out  my composting today. I had loads of garden waste piled up waiting for a break in the weather and be turned into a compost heap. I store most of this stuff in 'pop up' bins, and it was while I was clearing one over flowing one, when something stirred in the depths of it. A mouse! Gave me a bit of a start but I guess the poor thing was more upset than i was by having its home disturbed. I guess it had used some of the material piled up on top of the as a ladder to get in and now could not get out up the vertical sides of the bin. I laid th bin on its side and it eventualy scurried out and into the hedge nearby.

I think it was the inital surprise of something moving that set the old heart going, and I was a bit cautios for a while afterwards wondering if there were any more. I calmed my self with the thought that it was only a mouse. A rat would surely have been far worse a discovery and would probably have given me a heart attack!

[saddad]

Too many find their way into my outside toilet (Potato Store) Mostly a one way trip!
 :(

[cornykev]

Had a rat run out of my compost bin when I was shaking it about a couple of weeks ago nuts the life out of me. :o :o :o :o :o

[MrsKP]

i've found a burrow in the raised bed with the garlic.  strategically placed screwed plastic bag hopefully means the furry critter will find another exit.

[Heldi]

I was in my shed one day when I thought I could hear a faint nibbling sound. I've kept Gerbils so you kind've know that little nibbling noise rodents make. I searched  high and low but nothing. Ofcourse everytime I moved the noise stopped so I had to stand still for a few minutes for it to start up again. I finally homed in on a couple of big terracota plant pots,one stacked on top of the other. I didn't really think I'd find anything but I lifted the top pot out and there in amongst my nibbled ball of jute string...had wondered where that had gone :D...were five or six little mice. They'd made a lovely nest in the gap at the bottom of the pot where the top pot didn't fit in.  They were so cute I left them to it.  Unfortunately a few short weeks later, after the local fields flooded, their big cousins moved in,Mr and Mrs Ratty.I had to get the poison down. Quite a few of the mice got nobbled.

[Trixiebelle]

'Grandad' bought a new, state of the art rat-trap today.

"Don't go near it Alfie, look what happens when a rat eats the chocolate on the little platform .. it goes onto here and then .... argggggggggggghhhhh"

Yes. Grandad's fingers take themselves to A&E!

[lorna]

Years ago when we kept pigs I had a "cupboard" type thing, cupboard at top 3 drawers underneath in the farrowing shed which I kept medicines etc in. I was keeping an eye on one of the gilts to make sure she came through with the birth OK and Sadie (labrador) kept running round the cupboard. Moved the cupboard away from the wall, thought there must be a mouse, Vickie one of my daughters (about 16 at the time) bent down to open one of the drawers. From the other end of the building I saw Sadie run out the door. Asked Vickie what was that, her answer was "Mum it was a rat it jumped on my lap and Sadie chased it!!" Flipping glad it was Vickie (not frightened) and not me!!