Animal Death tw

[soc_puppet]

To the mice I am laying traps for:

I'm sorry. I can only promise that it is not because you are small.

Instead, it is because we have no shared language; I cannot find a compromise with you.

It is in part my fault: I have made my home too welcoming to you, made food too readily available. But you take it from where I would have you leave it, and you leave unsanitary conditions in its place.

If I could instead set up a litter box for you to use, a bottle of water and a dish of seeds to be refilled as needed, chose sticks and cardboard for you to chew on; if we could agree on these terms, I'd like to think it could be different.

As it is, my means of taking responsibility for welcoming you in is as swift and painless as I can make it.

----

Mice have been breaking into corn sacks I've left too easily reachable and eating the corn inside. This would be bad enough, but they also poop and pee everywhere, and a week or two ago I swear I heard gnawing behind one of my bookshelves. All of my corn and corn sacks are now in a plastic bin with a secure lid, but the mice are still here, and far too many of them, so: The traps.

This one sucks.

One of the mice I found in a trap today wasn't dead yet. I didn't want to leave it to die on its own, so I took a rock that was near our door and. Well. I don't think I need to paint more of a picture than that. There are at least two other ways I can think of that might have been faster, but I couldn't make myself do them. It was enough to end things, at least.

Comments

[mistressofmuses]

I hate when it comes down to having to trap and kill things. Mice are so destructive, though, there's really not a choice. I wish I could explain to them why they can't be in the house, and give them something outside to make their lives easier in return, but alas. :(

[gullwhacker]

I've had that experience with a not-quite-dead-yet mouse before. Very...very unpleasant.

They seem to be gone now.

In related news, a chipmunk wandered into our entry room while the door was open but was successfully chased out. At least that one was a happier ending.

[redsixwing]

Mice are so difficult. They really cannot be compromised with; your health is worth more than their access.

I'm sorry you had to put one down. That really sucks.

[jesse_the_k]

May this be the last time you're forced into this unhappy task.