Fight Back
The replacement parts for the chainsaw and the leaf blower have arrived at the agricultural equipment store. Mike plonked both machines down on the counter. As the chap behind the desk inspected the nibbled ‘bubbles’ the hint of a smirk played out across his face. “Can I interest you in a mousetrap, sir?”
The store is packed to bursting with every type and model of land management kit known to man. It’s a specialist dealer. Agricultural machinery is all they sell. And mousetraps. Nocturnal gnawing of chainsaw parts not an uncommon problem, it would seem.
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So. Now that the freshly repaired equipment is back in the fold, just how to protect it?
Fear not. Mike is the original Blue Peter* child. He disappeared into his shed and emerged an hour or so later proudly waving a device constructed from a piece of an old electrical socket back plate and an offcut from one of my mother’s curtain poles. This unlikely combination fits perfectly, apparently, over the chainsaw’s priming bubble and is therefore our next line of defence against Apodemus sylvaticus.
But it doesn’t end there. Oooh no. The protection for the leaf blower is even more devious..
Enter the plastic dispenser from a bottle of laundry gel. It doesn’t quite fit. But it can be modified..
And then secured in place with duct tape.
I have been instructed to never again throw away a bottle of Fairy Gel without first handing over the dispenser.
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* For readers outside the UK, Blue Peter is a long running children’s TV programme. Back in the 70s the presenters were renowned for their ability to construct a variety of dubious objects from the inside of loo rolls, cut down liquid detergent bottles and the then ubiquitous ‘sticky-back’ plastic.
Ah, duct tape. The housewife’s friend. My old dishwasher and tumble dryer lasted for years longer than their intended expiry date because of the judicious application of duct tape…..
Let’s hope mice don’t enjoy it.
We seem to have a fair bit of it around here too..
I bought Jon a great book for Christmas…”50 sheds of grey!” He loved it.
lol!
I’ve seen excerpts from it.. !
Mike has one shed. Brown.
Sounds like you need a cat.
I’m too much of a softie Cumbrian. I need to exhaust the non-fatal possibilities first.. time will tell though.
I don’t think there are any non-lethal ways, at least I don’t know any.
Mousetraps really do work if you can’t stand the thought of them getting eaten, it’s an instant kill method.
Clear them frequently, I know it’s the early bird that gwts the worm, but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese.
I fear we will have to look at it Cumbrian. If it were just a few I’d leave them be and learn to live with them. But a few will become very many, I know.
The trouble is they look so damned sweet don’t they that is until they move in. We had mice in the loft two or three years ago now, we could hear them doing the tango above us when we were in bed. Mike seems a very resourceful chap. I think he has got their number.
I think he enjoys the battle of wits as much as the mice do…
He reminds me of myself, with his ingenuity, give me a bit of duct tape and a plastic bottle and I can fix almost anything 🙂
I’d say you need some cats, several of them, otherwise those mice will have your guts for garters.
~Jo
It’s certainly worrying that they manage to outsmart us at every stage… only small brains, but a lot more of them!
I always thought it was called Duck Tape!!! Whatever… it is pretty handy stuff…and I just love Blue Peter. I have a bit of a reputation at work for being a Blue Peterist. I have concocted bookcases out of cardboard boxes and made pen holders for the newcomers before now from whatever is handy. I am always the one that has hammer, screw driver, picture hooks and sandpaper in her drawers (I just thought it was normal – but I’m told no not really most girls have nail varnish and cup-a-soup!!)
And think it’s known by both names, ‘duct’ being the more well known abroad. That’s me trying to be a global blogger!!
I always wondered why someone might want to tape up a duck! I could understand those pesky mice in your case!
When we lived with ducks Mike always threatened to tape up their beaks to stop the quacking. I think he was joking. If not, he would have discovered yet more uses for duck/duct tape..
Duct tape?
Naw
It’s sticky backed plastic!
That will explain why Mike has so many rolls..
I hope the mice don’t gang up with the squirrels, your days will be numbered. I loved Blue Peter and was very excited when told Peter Purves bought one of my notebooks I make in one of the shops in Suffolk that sells my stuff (The shop owner was much younger than me and didn’t get why I was quite so excited!) Jx
Hey, well done you!
The wildlife rule here, I am under no illusions. We share their valley, not the other way round!
hahahah….. this is very funny …and here I am trying to muffle giggles because Mr. BV has long since gone to bed and I’m trying to be quiet……. I’ll have to read it to him tomorrow … for more giggles and entertainment…. love Mike’s ingenuity …
I just hope it works, otherwise I might have to lock him back up in the ‘think shed’ until he can come up with something else.. 😉
Blue Peter tactics one – Mice nil, me thinks! Very ingenious:)
They have gone very quiet. Maybe because it has got colder. Or maybe they are just studying the Fairy Gel top from every angle, to determine its point of least resistance.. ?
The last time our car was in for its service we are absolutely convinced one of the mechanics nicked the fuel line. The very next day, the car ground to a halt in the middle of the town ‘square’ (it’s pretty small!). The garage said it had been eaten through by mice and we couldn’t prove otherwise. I’m beginning to wonder if we were too quick to doubt them!
It does seem a bit of a coincidence. But, mice will stop at nothing to get at petrol. They seem to love it for some inexplicable reason.
OMG-just discovered your lovely blog via Welsh Hills Again and recognised the mouse and petrol scenario immediately. Now I have stopped laughing, I’m off to check the shed for gnawing and cupboard for gel tops!
Hello Judith and welcome to rusty duck!
What IS it about petrol?? Maybe they would say the same about me if they knew about the Pinot Grigio..
I quite like one mouse but more than one mouse and it’s an invasion. Fortunately my cat takes care of matters for me! I advise you do the same.
They look so sweet and innocent don’t they.. butter wouldn’t melt!
Very ingenious!!
I am looking forward to learning how the mices get over that one!
It reminds me of the programme that used to be on TV years ago, setting squirrels all manner of obstacles to overcome to get to the nuts.
It’s a good job that Mike watched the educational Blue Peter and not Magpie!!!
I’d forgotten about Magpie… that takes me back!
Ingenious! Will be interesting to see how the mice ‘solve’ these obstacles!
I’m collecting Fairy Gel tops, we have one spare as a replacement if needed..
Oh dear, and here I’m only worrying about mice in the walls! 🙂
Mice in the walls is bad enough! Must drive the cats mad…
Duct tape – works for everything. Hehe 😉
Where would we be without it??!