Well…I’ve got a critter in my car. If you’re into nature, or know someone who is, this sort of revelation isn’t news at all. Dead things are a part of the naturalist life. But this little beastie is different. Unlike a mummified frog in the ashtray or a shriveled-up shrew in the cupholder, both of which can be classified as important “study aids,” (at least that’s what I call them) this creature is alive and kicking, and likely residing underneath the passenger seat.
The first signs of its presence appeared last fall, but they were so subtle I pretty much ignored them. A Ziploc bag of black walnut shells looked as though it had been chewed upon, but I thought—as I’m sure you would—that the bag’s raggedy appearance was simply produced by the jagged edges of the shells themselves.
In mid-December, the blue-plastic newspaper bag that held an assortment of seeds started to look a bit tattered, but this was easy to rationalize too. I’d been chauffering our puppy around quite a bit, and everybody knows puppies chew, right?
By January, however, the signs were becoming harder to deny. A lime-green ping pong-sized ball, which I’d placed (for whatever reason) in the pocket of the driver’s side door, disappeared. All that remained were a few lime-green flakes on the floor mat. A day later, an open pack of Extra peppermint gum vanished without a trace. Curious, indeed, but I told myself the green ball probably had shattered in the extreme cold, and figured the gum had gone missing the same way gloves and sunglasses do.
This week, though, the evidence was irrefutable. I’d placed a package of crackers on the front seat Wednesday evening, so they’d be ready to go for a program we had the next day. But Thursday morning, the bag bore several nips that led up to a hole about the size of a half dollar. Uh oh.
Okay, by this point you’re probably all thinking, “Ewwwwww!” In fact, I can think of several people who, after reading this, will probably never hitch a ride with me ever again.
Even my naturalist friends have urged me to do something—something with a snap trap. It’s true, rodents cause millions of dollars of damage each year. They’re destructive, they smell and they can carry disease.
But I’ve been slow to act, and here’s why: The idea of a mouse joy-riding around town, safely ensconced in the seat springs, kinda makes me snicker.
Plus, the rodent hasn’t made a nuisance of itself—yet. The items that have been chewed and/or borrowed are easily replaceable, and probably shouldn’t have been in the car that long to begin with. The little critter has been a quiet travel companion, which is more than I can say for some people passengers. And there’s been no smell—at least none that can compete with the aromatic skunk compounds emitting from a vial in the back seat (another story for another column).
It’s true, I’m going to have to take action, sooner rather than later. With free food, gum and toys, not to mention freedom from predators and protection from the elements, the rodent is unlikely to move on its own.
But until I can get to a hardware store, I’ll be keeping my critter copilot. Some folks prefer Garmin; for now, anyway, I have vermin. Anybody need a ride?
Pam Otto is the manager of nature programs and interpretive services for the St. Charles Park District. She can be reached at potto@stcparks.org or 630-513-4346.