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| Not our wiring, but illustrative of the problem. Mice (the four-legged rodent variety) start more house fires this way every year than arsonists do. |
We finally replaced our long-serving wired mouse with one of the wireless models, albeit reluctantly. Partly because we appreciated that with a wired model, no one else could intercept (or simply interfere, even inadvertently) with our input, but mainly because we didn't have to feed it a new battery every year or two, and we're cheap like that.
Imagine our surprise at the short life of the previous finalized technology, when we discovered it had become wonky because back before we eradicated the little bastards, actual mice had chewed partially through the hard wire cable. (Reason #27 on why we hate the little vermin m*****f****rs with a passion rivalled only by cats.) Now you know why Groundskeeper Carl Spackler referred to their cousins accurately as the Varmint Cong.
But it strikes us that mice killing our mouse by eating it has to qualify as behavior reminiscent of the Donner Party.
It also warms our heart to have wiped them out to the last with glue traps and peanut butter bait, and then smashed their little heads with a wooden dowel while they squealed in helpless immobility. If we'd ever thought about it at the time, we'd have strangled one instead, and made a taxidermist mount for the wall.
Now that the cause of the problem has been eradicated locally, we'll probably go back and get a new wired mouse. Maybe we can relegate the superfluous wireless mouse to occasional use on the TV monitor.
8 comments:
I've long hated the distance restrictions of a wired mouse, especially when I was working a design contract where I had 3 24" monitors arrayed in front of me displaying aspects of the work: 3D model, UGNX command screen, and internet connection for McMaster.com and Warhammer videos.
My solution was wireless mice, but with rechargeable batteries, such as Duracell. I've converted nearly all the batteries in my house over to these, and keep one recharging unit plugged into the wall at all times.
The exception is my wife, who likes to have both her mouse and me on a short leash at all times...45+ years together and still deeply in love.
That is the result of "green" influence on our lives. Used to be the rubber used was chock full of nasty chemicals that kept rodents at bay just from the odor. Yes they got brittle over time and could crack, requiring replacement every 39 years or so, Now they use environment friendly crap made from soy or other soft plastics, offering a rodent buffet. You can thank Volvo and the gubbmint for leading that process.
When I was working, we hired a new superintendent, who liked his desk from home, so we accommodated his request to place it in his office. It was a bad move and the hitchhiking mice became a problem. Bait, glue traps and a strong effort finally eliminated the infestation. I never found where they caused any damage to wiring, but had to remove a dead mouse from my computer case. It must have crawled in their to die after eating poisoned bait.
Mice, chipmunks, and squirrels are hard on automotive wiring as well, ever since the industry went to more "eco-friendly" vegetable oil-based plastics for wiring insulation.
I killed one two nights ago with my resident Victor trap in the kitchen. Suffered a broken neck under the spring load bail while trying to get the last bits of peanut butter out of the loop at the front end of the trigger which perfectly positions the critter's head/neck for the death blow either from the side or front of the trap. I position the back of the trap against the base board under the toe gap of the island cabinet so that the only way a mouse can get to the bait is from the front or side. That death preceded any damage the little bastard did any where else as far as I can determine.
Nemo
Yep, 'progress' in a negative direction... sigh... no surprise here.
I had a mouse actually kill a fully rebuilt mechanical diesel engine. Guess how.
I'm reminded of the guy who caught a rat eating his pet turtle and crucified it, complete with nails and barbed wire to hold it to the makeshift cross.
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