Yesterday the writing just wasn't there. By the time I sat down to draft some words out, it was already getting late.
Something suddenly crossed my line of vision as I was staring at my phone. I caught just a glimpse of a tail scooting under our rolling storage shelves. What the heck was that?
I was sitting on the two concrete steps that lead into our garage. From my position, the animal was no longer visible under the shelves. Then I caught a glimpse of black and white fur.
I Reacted As If It Were A Skunk!
I'll tell you what. You should have seen my middle aged bones move like they were twenty again. I hopped up and slammed the door in less than half a second. If it had been a skunk, that could have incited a spray! Lol. Our garage would have been a qurantined zone for a couple days or more.
After a few moments, the memory of seeing that tail returned. "Do skunks have rat-like tails", I asked myself? Why, no, they have bushy tails! I realized then there was no way it could be a skunk. Possum? Not likely with the colorations.
Armed with better insight, I cautiously reentered the garage. It was dark out and the limited light in the garage didn't help my cellphone camera. I was able to snap a few shots off and figure out what it was.
Black & White Hooded Rat
This is what I discovered. A Black & White Hooded Rat that is most definitely someone's pet, escaped and sought shelter in our garage. You could hear the hawks crying and coyotes yipping last night. It wasn't a good night for a big, lumbering, domesticated rat to be on the loose.
Catching Mr. Nibbles wasn't a cinch. He was scared, hungry, thirsty, and did his best to avoid us. Finally, he trapped himself inside our freezer cubby where the motor is bolted down. I was able to position a bird cage so that his only exit led into my trap.
How do I know he isn't wild? He was never really that afraid of my presence, though he was freaked out. Once in the cage, he went right over to eating the cheese and drinking the water I provided. He even let me pet him ever so softly.
This is definitely not a wild rat.
Posted On Nextdoor
Trust me. I would have much rather posted on HIVE. Too bad Project Milkbox never got far off the ground. Instead, I posted on Nextdoor where I was reminded that no good deed goes unpunished.
You can't even try to help these days without someone in the community getting pissed about it. They could sure use a healthy dose of HIVE! I killed her with love and replied to all the other helpful comments. So far, however, no owner has come forward to claim Mr. Nibbles. We may have a new pet.
I do much prefer birds, especially Conures, over rats. But it's not in me to leave a domesticated animal out in the wild to perish. As a young girl, my wife had a couple different pet rats.
So...we'll give it some time to see if an owner comes forward. If no one does, we'll have the family conversation of whether to keep him or bring him to a rescue shelter. He does seem rather friendly and there's a sparkle in his eye.
Mr. Nibbles must have had a rough one because he's been sleeping all day today. I'm guessing my kids will be excited to play with him later tonight. If Mr. Nibbles is up for it!
Hope you enjoyed the tail....I mean tale. And as always...
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