you set a [expletive] trap in front of the fridge?! I’m going to kill you! [Expletive! Expletive!]” But even with multiple traps, it was a losing battle. At night I could sense waves of mice entering our home. Laurie thought I was paranoid. I called it finely tuned rodent awareness. One day, after a long weekend, I came home to my office and found half a mouse on my keyboard. Apparently, there had been an epic mouse war fought on my desk, and that mouse had definitely lost. That was the final straw. I hoisted the white flag. It was time to call in the experts. I called Chuck Simko at New Mexico Pest Control (NewMexicoPestControl.com). All I can say is that they were very nurturing. They had seen it all before. They walked us through their plan. They sealed tiny holes in the house, repaired screens, and advised me to move our woodpile and bird feeders away from the house. Dog food needed to be enclosed. Then they put their larger baited traps outside the house and their smaller baited traps inside. I’m not saying it was a perfect solution, but over time the mouse population definitely dropped. Today, I use a couple of those newfangled electric traps when we see the occasional mouse in the house. Instead of “Snap! Eek!” it’s “Zap! Eek!” Effective and not as messy. But this seems to be only one battle in the Rodent Wars. Recently, pack rats have showed up. And now there are gophers digging in the back. I’m thinking dynamite. It worked for Bill Murray in Caddyshack. It could work for me in Eldorado.
-
Find everything you need for your pets at Teca Tu, A Pawsworthy Emporium and Deli! at the Sanbusco Market Center. (505) 982-9374. TecaTu.com. Visit Hersch Wilson’s website at HerschWilson.com.
Specializing in custom SHOWER and BATH remodels. Lifetime Warranty on all workmanship! Renovations, Stucco Repair, and New Homes
Free Event March 31 10am-4pm La Tienda Eldorado
•Meet Camp Personnel •See Past Years’ Activities •Take Home Information or •Register on the Spot
Why spend hours on the Internet when you can accomplish everything in one day? Direc ons and informa on: contact Holly at Barn Dogs
L A T I E N D A, Eldorado | 7 Caliente Rd. B-5 | 466-1059 Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–6pm | barndogs@barndogs.net
New Location Cerrillos
N Don Diego
And now there are gophers digging in the back. I’m thinking dynamite.
10+ Local Camps
St. Francis Early St.
mousetrap. It requires a Zen-like focus, especially at the moment when you’ve baited the trap, pulled the hammer back (or, as we call it, the “bar of death”), and are carefully placing the holddown bar. This, people, is like brain surgery. It needs your utmost attention. There are two techniques. The first is to load the holddown bar and then — ta da! — quickly remove your fingers. The second, which I seem to do, is to slowly — gulping, with sweating dripping from your face — slide your finger off the hold-down bar and hammer, hoping that at the last nano-second the trap doesn’t spring — BAM! — on your hand. (Writer takes a moment to rebandage fingers. . . .) If you are successful at setting traps, you will be rewarded throughout the night with the sound of “Snap! Eek! Snap! Eek!” Then there is the occasional, “Snap! [Expletive!]” or “Why did
Cordova
Hair Salon (505) 982-9101 903 Early St. South of F.O.E.
Since 1982 in Eldorado ~ Lic. # 58525
SANTAFEoneheart.com
27