NFR- Where's the Pied Piper of Hamelin when you need him?

[CorkedHat]

Right now we have a plague of mice. Being a grain growing community they are attracted to Rupanyup in the same way that sex maniacs are attracted to a P&O Cruise.
The local stores have run out of bait and traps and the first breath of conversation is "How's the mice round your way?"
This is a silly question because I don't think anyone has asked the mice how they are, and even if they did, the only answer they would receive is a plaintive squeak.
My friend the Reverend gave me two traps yesterday. The moment he left, I duly baited them and I only had to wait ten minutes before I heard one trap shutting like a firecracker.
When I went to remove the mouse thinking that the purpose of the trap was to kill the little blighters, I was rigidly horrified to see that the mouse was not only still alive but it was crawling about the room with the trap attached to its back. It looked for all the world like a giant snail.
Now you have to appreciate that I am basically a city boy and unlike my friend Ed who used to stamp on mice for fun, I just can't bring myself to euthanize them with any alacrity.
Whilst I was contemplating what to do, the other trap shut as well, so now I had the problem magnified.
Now what do you think this big brave boy did? What would you have done?
I phoned a kid I know and offered him money to come and empty the traps for me. He thought this was hilarious, but then him being a farm kid he would, wouldn't he?
He picked up the mice, dangled them by the tail and then whacked them against the wall.
I almost passed out with horror and I had to drain the remnants of a whisky bottle in order for me to recover.
The latest bulletin on Corked Hat is that he seeking counselling to eradicate the image of live mice being smashed against a wall.
Brave Battersea boy- my arse.

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

get yourself a cat,or a terrier-job done,when your away you could even rent them out for a few beers :54:

[CorkedHat]

get yourself a cat,or a terrier-job done,when your away you could even rent them out for a few beers :54:

Can't do that Syd, simply because I spend a lot of time in Queensland and I wouldn't be home to look after them. Besides I am allergic to cats and terriers get under my feet.

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

ahh well,worth a try :008:

[GoldCoastWhite]

Why not find yourself a couple of friendly brown snakes CH. They love mice and don't need much looking after - and I believe there are one or two available around your way ?

[RidgeRider]

Dear 'Brave from Battersea',

Drink the whiskey first, then kill the mice.


Big Game hunters can always use a little liquid courage.  :003:

I remember a few years back there some sort of mouse epidemic somewhere in Australia...it was frightening. Why don't you have your friend bring his cat over or just have an outdoor cat who can fend for himself/herself....or you could always try keep the door shut.   :005:

[CorkedHat]

Dear 'Brave from Battersea',

Drink the whiskey first, then kill the mice.


Big Game hunters can always use a little liquid courage.  :003:

I remember a few years back there some sort of mouse epidemic somewhere in Australia...it was frightening. Why don't you have your friend bring his cat over or just have an outdoor cat who can fend for himself/herself....or you could always try keep the door shut.   :005:

The town you are thinking of RR, and has been the subject of a National Geographic documentary is Jeparit which is just over an hour from Rupanyup. We have nothing like they do and I should point out that where I live mice plagues only occur once in a while.
Last night a gang of mice found their way into the bar of the Rup Pub and between them they ate through six bags of peanuts and four bags of cashews. Trev the landlord was reported as going nuts about it

[Vinnieffc]

Blue Tongued Lizard any use ?

[finnster01]

Mr CorkedHat,

Here is what you do if they are inside the house. Close up everything. If there are no exterminators around Rup, get your hands on some inert gas and just gas the feck out of them. They'll fall like flies. If you can get an exterminator to do it, your morals are off the hook, if not, you can imagine England is playing Argentina in the world cup final and the mice are the argies. That should take care of any moral conundrums.

[CorkedHat]

Blue Tongued Lizard any use ?

Strangely Blue Tongue Lizards have a propensity to eat newly born snakes, so the King Browns of which Gold Coast White speaks are probably not in my garden.
But Vinnie, a blue tongue is possibly too slow to catch a fleeing mouse.
Going back to Syd's suggestion that I need a cat or a terrier, all those people who own one or both still reckon they are inundated with mice. The cats and dogs just can't keep up with them.
Here is an old newspaper article which shows that the problem is not new. This was taken from a 1930's newspaper.

PLAGUE OF MICE.
Wheat Bags Eaten Away.
JEPARIT, Tuesday.-Unless immediate action is taken by the Wheat Commission to  remove all wheat from the Wimmera district to the seaboard, the plague of mice will work such destruction as to cause extensive loss to the pool, and bring embarrassment on the receivers and sub-agents. The plague has extended to all parts of the Wimmera, as far south as Stawell, and is the worst experienced ¡n the history of the settlement. New bags placed on dunnage only, seven weeks ago are absolutely eaten away.

[CorkedHat]

Mr CorkedHat,

Here is what you do if they are inside the house. Close up everything. If there are no exterminators around Rup, get your hands on some inert gas and just gas the feck out of them. They'll fall like flies. If you can get an exterminator to do it, your morals are off the hook, if not, you can imagine England is playing Argentina in the world cup final and the mice are the argies. That should take care of any moral conundrums.

Hi Mr Finn
Those people who hired professional exterminators got rid of the mice initially but in a few days they were back in greater numbers than ever.
It was when I was in Queensland that they probably started to come into the house. They couldn't be after food because obviously with me being away there wasn't any. But once in, they bred and bred.
Wasn't the centre half of Argentina who got sent off against England in 1966 named Rattan?

[cebu]

Hi Mr Finn
Those people who hired professional exterminators got rid of the mice initially but in a few days they were back in greater numbers than ever.
It was when I was in Queensland that they probably started to come into the house. They couldn't be after food because obviously with me being away there wasn't any. But once in, they bred and bred.
Wasn't the centre half of Argentina who got sent off against England in 1966 named Rattan?
[/quote]
No CH, Senor Arrogant was called Rattin.

[finnster01]

That's a shame Mr Corked Hat. Actually, it seems the Argies are back at it again as well even though we did a bit of a purging a few years back