# Fly, mouse, be free! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 26, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254 "2021-10-26T22:09:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/21 "2021-10-27T14:47:30Z")
> [@its\_the\_daddy](#): > > She took it out into a little woodland nearby. When she released it a cat leapt out of a bush nearby, grabbed it and ran off. Nature at work! [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxFfxTZA6ao) ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/22 "2021-10-27T15:30:44Z")
I rescued a lizard (far more common than mice in L.A.) from my cats recently. It’s tail had already been “liberated” and then we found the main body. It looked dead, but then I saw it cock it’s head to look around. Tricky lizard! I put it under one of our shrubberies, where it could find hiding places and food. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/23 "2021-10-27T15:54:51Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I rescued a lizard (far more common than mice in L.A.) from my cats recently. It’s tail had already been “liberated” That’s a feature, not a bug. > **[Autotomy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotomy)** > > Autotomy (from the Greek auto-, "self-" and tome, "severing", αὐτοτομία) or 'self-amputation', is the behaviour whereby an animal sheds or discards one or more of its own appendages, usually as a self-defense mechanism to elude a predator's grasp or to distract the predator and thereby allow escape. Some animals have the ability to regenerate the lost body part later. Autotomy has multiple evolutionary origins and is thought to have evolved at least nine times independently in animals. The Some ... ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/24 "2021-10-27T18:08:52Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > wolves, coyotes, foxes, prairie dogs, Sure, when I get an infestation of wolves in my kitchen, I’ll take the injured ones to the vet. What about cockroaches? Do those need to be trapped and set free as well? ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/25 "2021-10-27T18:15:17Z")
previously traumatized mice can easily be ‘euthanized’ by hitting them with a hard object such as a shoe. You don’t have to take them to a vet for crying out loud. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/26 "2021-10-27T18:19:11Z")
Not to mention the vet shortage we have going on here (and I think around the country as well). I’d be laughed off the phone. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/27 "2021-10-27T18:35:34Z")
That’s not the point. You were mocking the notion that an injured mouse should be treated with kindness because it’s a “fact” that mice are vermin. If you consider them (or wolves or cockroaches, for that matter) to be disposable creatures then you should act accordingly. Not everybody shares your views. And views can change over time. It’s not “ludacris” to want creatures to be treated kindly. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/28 "2021-10-27T19:03:31Z")
I have had to terminate an obviously finished mouse, but not every creature instantaneously drops dead just because a cat looked at it, especially if you get to them soon enough. Sometimes the cat was just “playing”. They don’t always survive, but a couple of rats were OK after several days of rest, and one pigeon made it even though it was bleeding from the mouth when rescued— in that case the wounds were superficial enough that surgical staples and antibiotics were sufficient. I did take a Madagascar cockroach to the vet once, nothing to do with a cat attack though. Never had to help an injured wolf, fox, or other wild canine, but why wouldn’t I? There are also government as well as private people you can call for dealing with actual wildlife, it’s not that you always have to figure out what to do entirely on your own and pay for it out of your own pocket. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/29 "2021-10-27T19:47:44Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > That’s not the point. > You were mocking the notion that an injured mouse should be treated with kindness because it’s a “fact” that mice are vermin. If you consider them (or wolves or cockroaches, for that matter) to be disposable creatures then you should act accordingly. Not everybody shares your views. And views can change over time. It’s not “ludacris” to want creatures to be treated kindly. House mice are an invasive species, and _are_ vermin, spreading filth and disease. Having said that, there is a Youtuber named Shawn Woods who reviews mouse traps on his channel. If he catches house mice in any of his live traps, he’ll humanely euthanize them off camera with CO2, then leave their carcasses out for the wildlife to eat. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/30 "2021-10-27T21:25:30Z")
We had a house mouse a couple years ago. No idea what brought it inside - was the first time. It was seen by all of us occasionally, and left droppings here and there. I tried sealing up all detected entry points but still sightings. Finally, he found the pantry and was breaking into stuff, and one day my daughter opened the pantry door and the mouse jumped down and ran away - oy the screaming! Anyway, I decided to try trapping it live before resorting to more lethal and expensive means. With no experience in this area I headed to the internet, and settled on the whole 5-gallon bucket/spinning can with peanut butter contraption. After two nights deployed, the trap succeeded. I came downstairs and saw it sitting in there, not able to jump high enough to get out - screwed the top onto the bucket, took it for a drive about a half-mile out of town to the other side of the freeway (I figured it would return if any closer, and I did not want it to start visiting someone else’s house), and set it free near a creek. Oddly, it looked back at me - not sure if it was thankful, or was saying “WTF?!?” Anyway, I usually try to wrangle critters instead of smashing them, except mosquitoes and wasps. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/31 "2021-10-27T21:37:31Z")
My cat has caught two mice in this house. She left the first one, totally dead, next to our bed. The second one was fairly wounded, but still wiggling. I sent it on a quick flush down the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/32 "2021-10-27T21:49:11Z")
@jnglmassiv 😲 > [@kayaker](#): > > She takes them down to the barn and releases them into a little mouse-city she has set up. They have food, water, and shelter to enjoy until they get eaten. 😲 😲 @naita Whelp - I’m just gonna stop reacting here. Sometimes a prey animal is just a prey animal. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/33 "2021-10-27T21:57:46Z")
Holy moly! 😮 I hope that cute little guinea pig survived! (I don’t see a tail, so I’m assuming it’s a guinea pig.) ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/34 "2021-10-27T22:07:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > She takes them down to the barn and releases them into a little mouse-city she has set up. Why would they stay in the mouse city if they can head back into the house where it’s warm and there’s lots of delicious food available? This is starting to remind me of the _Portlandia_ episodes with the stop-motion rats. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MM5AFoB6GJ8/hqdefault.jpg "Portlandia zero-packaging grocery store (rats scene)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM5AFoB6GJ8) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/35 "2021-10-27T22:08:42Z")
I once trapped an enormously pregnant mouse, and felt like a murderer for about 5 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/36 "2021-10-27T22:12:37Z")
It’s absolutely possible that you release a mouse and it gets eaten by a hawk within 30 seconds; that never happened in front of me, though. Not much you can do in that case. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/37 "2021-10-27T22:33:32Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > It’s not “ludacris” to want creatures to be treated kindly. Ludicrous. Sheesh. (Ludacris is a performing artist.) > [@DPRK](#): > > I did take a Madagascar cockroach to the vet once Okay, I am _dying_ to know the back story here. What did the vet do? I mean, you can’t administer meds or anything … right? Please, please satisfy my curiosity. (For reference, I took a snake to the vet. So I am familiar with exotic critters getting a vet visit. But topical creams _and squirty oral meds OMG_ are possible - though not easy - on a sizeable reptile.) > [@erysichthon](#): > > I hope that cute little guinea pig survived! (I don’t see a tail, so I’m assuming it’s a guinea pig.) I was guessing hamster. Could be wrong, it’s hard to see before the poor thing gets yeeted right off camera. * * * I will take a moment to be completely pedantic - this is the Dope, after all - and put out a PSA to please avoid glue traps. They’re horrid, inhumane torture instruments. Old-school spring snap traps are much less cruel for the victim. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/38 "2021-10-27T22:47:13Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Okay, I am _dying_ to know the back story here. What did the vet do? I mean, you can’t administer meds or anything … right? > > Please, please satisfy my curiosity. It had apparently been exposed to some kind of trace insecticide or similar poison and was clearly suffering. My guess is that someone in the apartment sprayed something somewhere and that was enough, though I cannot be positive. I took it to a couple of places, and they said there was nothing they could do, so we finally euthanized it. No meds were administered. To this day I wonder if there was _really_ nothing they could have done or if they just did not know shit about insects. If it happened again today I would definitely ask a lot more questions. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/39 "2021-10-28T00:54:40Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > You were mocking the notion that an injured mouse should be treated with kindness because it’s a “fact” that mice are vermin. Nope. I was mocking the idea that an injured wild mouse should be taken to a vet for treatment. Didn’t say anything about not treating it with kindness. It should be humanely and quickly killed. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-mouse-be-free/953254/40 "2021-10-28T00:58:17Z")
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