It Smells Like Sauerkraut in My House & the Candles / Incense Only Works Temporarily. But They Took the Bait. Now I Must Wait.

It was soon after the holiday break that Edem came downstairs to yell at Karal for getting into his food storage in his bedroom. "She chewed the caps off my containers," he reported. I knew it wasn't Karal - I never go into his room because, well, it's his room. I said you'd better investigate for mouse droppings. Sure enough. They were all over his room (how do you not know this?).

I had him plant green cheese (the bad kind for mice) in his room. Not only did they get that cheese, but they grabbed the entire bag he put on a counter and shredded that to pieces, too. I have no idea how they are getting into his room on the 2nd floor and we can't find any space where they would. But because he leaves food on his floor, they did. And they ran away with the cheese.

It's been a week, and it appears to have worked. Now the entire house smells like death with sauerkraut wafting from the walls, floorboards, and vents. I'm not sure how many have perished, but it's pungent and even though I've moved furniture looking for carcasses and crawled in every crevice of the basement, I haven't found a single one. My guess is they travel in the heating ducts, because that's where the smell is strongest....that, and when I was sick this Christmas, Karal always barked at the one by the couch at 10 p.m.. It freaked me out that she did this, but I'm guessing that's when thew were marching to Edem's room. 

It's gross. I've done my research and it can take two weeks for them to decay, so the recommendation was to burn candles, which I am. so now it smells like ocean breeze, vanilla incense, and death. It's a joyful smell, really. Thrilling and freaky. (Wow...I wrote that as if I'm Wednesday Adams).

I'd much rather the creatures head to the woods and eat fallen tree nuts, but when they get a source of food indoors...say, on a bedroom floor...they spread the word to mice manors everywhere. I love sharing the world with animals, but I don't need mouse shit all over the house. No, Mickey. I just don't. 

Now I see why people have cats, both indoors and outdoors. They are a great deterrence. Dogs just sniff around and bark. Then they become friends, because mice will take them to additional food sources and share with them.

I wish I could bottle up this scent to share in offline spaces, but that isn't how it works. Sauerkraut is my  analogy...perhaps spoiled sauerkraut rubbed over the body of a pubescent boy who hasn't learned about deodorant yet. 

That's the smell. 

Use your imagination.