Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Mice Time

I'm supposed to have all this new-found TIME since I'm homeschooling. (Also since I'm condensing my Smith's-Trader Joe's-Target-Costco trips into a new "only one store a week" policy - which means I throw a bottle of eye-makeup remover in with the tortilla chips and ground beef at the grocer's.)


What to do? What to do? I KNOW! BUY MICE!

It's every non-pet-person's dream pet. Mice! So, long story short - we now have four little rodents living in a cute little barred apartment within our home. We believe they're sisters, and their names are "Measles", "Alice", "Emma", and "Annabelle".

I learned from my brother and sister-in-law who have had seven mice over the past five-ish years (and only two incidents of cannibalism, Rachel said!) that they "warm up" to you gradually. The internet info I found said the same thing, but you're supposed to handle them frequently and offer treats and so forth. So... having just moved them in less than a day ago - we got them out this morning to try to get acquainted. Couldn't catch the suckers! Measles, especially, is a wily little thing (Joe's mouse) - and moves like lightning. Out of frustration I gave up after ten minutes and the kids had to wait until Kevin got home. Poor Kevin. He caught Emma and when she quit trying to jump out of his hand to death on the tile floor, we all got to pet her. And she proceeded to bite Kevin about five times, drawing blood at least three times. Kevin has a clotting issue (remind me if we're ever in an emergency) that led a mole-removing dermatologist to ask if he was on blood thinners. So picture our pet-nervous children all watching Daddy hold Emma and blood pouring out all over the place. Gruesome, right? Bethanie thought so. She screamed like a paid star in a horror movie. Emma went back into the apartment, Kevin washed and bandaged himself, and we all took a deep breath to prepare ourselves for tomorrow's try at making friends with these vicious creatures. Cute as they are.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Teri, you are much braver than I am, I think I'd have another baby before letting 4 mice come live with me.....but that's just me.

Unknown said...

Teri, this is really Laura, not sure how I got signed in on Audrey's account, but oh well.

littlecbsmom said...

I just don't get how you can be a "non pet person" and a mice person at the same time????

Can I just say EEEEWWWWWW??? I am actually strongly desiring a cat to keep mice out and hopefully a few gophers as well!

I DO however LOVE your names!!:)

Good luck with it and maybe one day when the blood dripping episodes are over...we can all see a picture!

Rachel said...

Oh, I can just picture it, what a scene! Hope the mice get friendlier.

Jelaine Faunce said...

As a person who works from home, I can speak from experience- time shrinks when you don't leave.

Kristi said...

Buying mice on purpose...you crazy fool. Remember, I never thought it was a good idea. Now you have the blood and post-traumatic stress disorder in Bethanie to prove it.

Beth said...

As if you didn't have enough people to clean up after. Mice! J/K I hope the kids can eventually have some good memories come from having mice. I agree with Laura I think I would opt for another baby before I had any kind of pet in my house. Since that option is out I guess we will be having neither.

Muddlin' Mother said...

Ahh,. RATS! Seriously. Besides goats, they make GREAT pets. They are not jumpy. We raise 'em. Highly recommend it. Maybe you could take them back?

And who gave you the crazy idea you'd have free time if you home school? HA! Give yourself a break - you are doing a tremendous job... for TWO people!