I think we must be breeding them....
The latest saga.... But even more advanced methods of capture.....
We've got mice problems and I'm not afraid to admit it.
This one though, far cheekier than the last two (MM and G)... But this one was like MM's boss, you know, the fat one???
He lived in our linen cupboard and stuffed his coffers full of seeds and delicacies left behind from an evening meal.
We found evidence of his hide outs as high as the 5th storey in the linen cupboard - he showed no fear with his climbing ability using simple levers and actions to get to the soaring heights.
But when we had him cornered one morning in the linen cupboard, we went back to our old capture methods - the ol' force him into the bucket trick. We had him - running back and fourth to escape the bucket - but one quick move (from the fat boss) got him the edge and he scuttled under the bucket and towards the dishwasher.... Where we believe he was hiding out for several days.
Until one night we entered the garage to see a scuttling mouse...
We quickly blocked off all exits to the garage and began planning our capture devices.
Device one (sorry, no pictures until patented).
A bucket with a metal rod (I used an aerial) through a Powerade bottle so the bottle spins freely. The bottle had dobs of peanut butter on top so the mouse would walk onto the powerade bottle to collect his bounty and the bottle would spin and he'd fall into the bucket to be collected for processing and prison.
This device requires some significant alterations - as (filmed - but not for public consumption) he walked onto the spinning bottle - he managed to turn it first before entering the device fully and hence couldn't get the peanut butter, but also didn't fall in.
Device two was a rotating piece of wood with counter balanced peanut butter on one end and blu-tak on the other - he'd walk towards the peanut butter but fall into the bucket as the piece of wood spun around.
Unfortunately he managed to spin the rod around and eat the peanut butter without actually entering the rod!
Third and most successful device - I call the Toilet Roll Tipper....
Three toilet rolls taped together, balance precariously on the edge of the bench over a large bucket or enclosure of sorts. At one end some peanut butter so that it just balances the toilet rolls.
The mouse crawls in and the extra mass of the mouse causes the toilet rolls to fall to the bucket with mouse inside...
C * A * P * T * U * R * E * D
But...
I was so excited I showed my family... "Look... in this toilet roll is our mouse..."
I leaned over, lifted the toilet roll - to such an angle that allowed perfect leverage for Super Mouse to fly out, land on the floor (defying gravity) and scuttle away....
I was very upset to be beaten by this mouse... But in reality, to be beaten by a mouse that taught MM everything he knows, it's probably not so bad....
But I reset the devices knowing that the food shortage was becoming critical for the mouse.
The day saw the device again had been set off (the toilet roll had fallen in) but no mouse....
The night saw me set up two new devices next to the original with various other baits including cookies and corn chips...
None of the devices worked over night and none had fallen.
But... This morning, my GF texted me - we have the MOUSE!!!
I was so excited I phoned her - she has the mouse currently in prison... the fat mouse is there too!!!
I asked her which device did it take (thinking peanut butter wouldn't work because he'd already been captured by it before)... so she went to have a look only to fine ANOTHER mouse in the trap too!!!
How many more... how many more must we capture?