I saw this product on Grommet and laughed out loud. I showed it to Martin and he looked puzzled. My man is very literal; the instructions on the front of the box do tell you to, “Twist and Throw!”
He asked me, “Are you really supposed to throw them at the mice?” Which made me laugh all the harder because the image it brought to mind was even funnier than the product’s name. What mouse is going to stay still long enough for me to find the Mouse Balls and throw them? And with my aim? I see a mouse and I scream. Before my dear friend and neighbor moved away, I would scream and then run and get Shelby. She was great. She handled the mice and I handled the throw-up.
But back to the mice. Maybe they run if, while you’re throwing, you shout, “These are mouse balls! These are mouse balls!” Mice are opportunistic home invaders. So are moths. And you just have to know that every mousie mommy tells her sons what happens to naughty moths who go where they’re not supposed to.
I can’t vouch for the product. But I have been known to use peppermint oil on, yes, cotton balls.
These are truly fantastic given the size of the mouse.
I burst out laughing, Manny. Thank you for giving me a great laugh!
Over the years I’ve tried all sorts of ways to get rid of the packrats in my yard. The first few years, I was able to catch them in traps and release them down Jacks Canyon Road in a field. Then they got too smart, taking the bait without getting caught. I hate using snap traps and worry that I’ll catch a stray cat or other critter. Won’t use poison because it not only poisons the rodents, but any animal that eats the rodent, and any animal that eats THAT animal–tertiary poisoning 🙁 One year I got a contraption that was supposed to sense movement and then spray water, using a behavioral avoidance strategy. Linda joked that they brought their little soaps and towels with them and said, “Isn’t she nice? She not only gives us fresh herbs and veggies, she also gives us a free shower.” Now I just hope that the snakes hiding wherever they’re hiding in my garden can keep the rodents away.
I laughed out loud, Anita, at Linda’s comments. A gopher just dined on my campanula.
I chased him to the far edges and then sprayed coyote urine in the flower bed. I don’t
know how the campanula felt about it but I haven’t seen the gopher since.