Re: Backyard critters in the observatory (was Getting a bigger telescope )

I've never been able to get one of these things to enter a live trap.
I've tried everything too. They love acorns. I put acorns in there.
They love oats and other grains... no go. They too spurn peanut
butter. They love garbage.... but I have no idea how to recreate that
garbage smell in a live trap.

When we had our big fire here several years ago, the earth was charred
black. The next week we returned, it had been completely turned over
by the mice, rats, and moles. It had been completely changed from a
solid black to our native clay color. That' how many of these things
that are out there.

So far, we've been very lucky and they've not been able to get into
the house. But they've managed to get into everything else. I could
never have left my 18" Obsession in the observatory or the garage.
Even with the mirror on edge, they'd still manage to ruin the inside
of the rocker box.

Michelle

On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 2:44 PM, Lynne Jolitz<lynne.jolitz@No-Spam> wrote:
> We've got big big big wood rats. They hop - big ears and large back legs
> like a kangaroo. They're actually kind of cute, but they do try to get into
> the storage spaces, including scopes. Plus they are the main food source for
> all the other predators here from hawks and owls to bobcat. So we don't kill
> them. We use a live trap in the storage area. When we detect a problem, we
> set the trap. Bait it with cat food (although kit kat candy bars work really
> well). Let them out just over the hill to live lives of personal fulfillment
> - elsewhere.
> Plus we always store the scope with the mirror set vertically (tube/truss
> set horizontally) so they may admire themselves in the mirror or maybe even
> put their little paws on the mirror, but can't poop/nest on it - just in
> case, because no matter what you do, they'll get in somehow. That's the
> price of rural living. Lynne.
>
> Michelle Stone wrote:
>>
>> Shoot, I don't bother with all that complex peanut butter stuff.  I
>> just put some water in a bucket and give the mouse a way to crawl up
>> and jump in!  They are not very smart animals. Very cute.... but not
>> very smart.
>>
>> Michelle
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Jeff Gortatowsky<indanapt@No-Spam>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Now if you are like me and had no idea why a 5 gallon bucket with 5
>>> inches of water is a mouse trap...
>>>
>>> http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/better-mouse-trap/
>>>
>>> :)
>>>
>>>  ---------------------------------------
>>> Jeff Gortatowsky, Fullerton, CA
>>> Twitter: faintfuzzyfindr  Yahoo: indanapt Live: gdjsky01
>>>
>>>
>>> "Of course there is no empirical evidence that smaller government works
>>> better and more efficiently than bigger government since that experiment has
>>> yet to be done. However there is ample empirical evidence of the failures of
>>> the latter."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----
>>> From: Michelle Stone <litebkt@No-Spam>
>>> To: TAC mailing list <tac@No-Spam>
>>> Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 1:11:02 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [TAC] Backyard critters in the observatory (was Getting a
>>> bigger telescope )
>>>
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> I keep a 5 gallon bucket with 5 inches of water inside and set it next
>>> to the wall. It is the only mice trap that really works HERE.
>>>
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> ---
>>>
>>> June 28, 2009: TAC Web Page Updated
>>> http://observers.org/TAC.cgi/Announcements/
>>> Star Party! CalStar: Sept 17-20: http://www.observers.org/CalStar
>>> TAC mailing list - to join, manage, or leave:
>>> http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/tac
>>>
>>>
>>
>> ---
>>
>> June 28, 2009: TAC Web Page Updated
>> http://observers.org/TAC.cgi/Announcements/
>> Star Party! CalStar: Sept 17-20: http://www.observers.org/CalStar
>> TAC mailing list - to join, manage, or leave:
>> http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/tac
>>
>>
>
> ---
>
> June 28, 2009: TAC Web Page Updated
> http://observers.org/TAC.cgi/Announcements/
> Star Party! CalStar: Sept 17-20: http://www.observers.org/CalStar
> TAC mailing list - to join, manage, or leave:
> http://nine.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/tac
>

---
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