LOL! I'm a vet as well. And my husband and I rescue spiders from our house. A glass and piece of cardboard and a quick toss outside wishing them luck. One time we did this and a lizard that I hadn't noticed made a quick meal of the poor guy. Good for the lizard.
But we don't grant the same clemency to ants, earwigs, or silverfish or mice.…
LOL! I'm a vet as well. And my husband and I rescue spiders from our house. A glass and piece of cardboard and a quick toss outside wishing them luck. One time we did this and a lizard that I hadn't noticed made a quick meal of the poor guy. Good for the lizard.
But we don't grant the same clemency to ants, earwigs, or silverfish or mice. Where do you draw the line, you know? We each decide.
You might be interested in a documentary called The Biggest Little Farm. It is an experimental farm in Ventury County where they restored several hundred acres by leveraging biodiversity and making peace with the everything eats everything ethos. It's a fascinating watch and very educational.
We have also rescued bats. Those were the worst because they were so terrified. One got caught in our bathtub with glass doors and with radar bouncing everywhere he/she just panicked. Another one found it's way into the bedroom and it took us 30 minutes with a cardboard box and broom to snare it without hurting it and shoo it outside. We have since stopped the holes from the attic through which they were finding their way in. The best defense against house critters is not letting them get in in the first place (if possible - nothing is 100%).
Right after we moved up here (mountainous woods), a mother mouse found her way into my interior fan housing and made a nest because I only drive my car every 2 weeks. We live remotely and trips to town are planned. I didn't realize this and turned on the fan, killing all of the pups. It just gutted me and I quickly located and sealed the holes in the frame that allowed access. I am not super squeamish about death - particularly if it is useful in the sense that it feeds another life form. But senseless death takes me out. Not a fan of trophy hunting, for instance. But feeding your family? That's different.
We do trap mice to keep them from eating stuff inside our vehicle engines (they will chew through plastic and wires, for instance) because we don't have a garage yet. But we put them out for the foxes and bobcats. They are always gone the next morning. So, they don't go to waste and serve to further another life.
LOL! I'm a vet as well. And my husband and I rescue spiders from our house. A glass and piece of cardboard and a quick toss outside wishing them luck. One time we did this and a lizard that I hadn't noticed made a quick meal of the poor guy. Good for the lizard.
But we don't grant the same clemency to ants, earwigs, or silverfish or mice. Where do you draw the line, you know? We each decide.
You might be interested in a documentary called The Biggest Little Farm. It is an experimental farm in Ventury County where they restored several hundred acres by leveraging biodiversity and making peace with the everything eats everything ethos. It's a fascinating watch and very educational.
I found a venomous snake in the house a few days ago. I put him outside too.
I read Albert Schweitzer a long time ago, and I remain a believer.
Also, I almost forgot. We rescued a baby rattler once through relocation to a non-house-adjacent part of our property.
We have also rescued bats. Those were the worst because they were so terrified. One got caught in our bathtub with glass doors and with radar bouncing everywhere he/she just panicked. Another one found it's way into the bedroom and it took us 30 minutes with a cardboard box and broom to snare it without hurting it and shoo it outside. We have since stopped the holes from the attic through which they were finding their way in. The best defense against house critters is not letting them get in in the first place (if possible - nothing is 100%).
Right after we moved up here (mountainous woods), a mother mouse found her way into my interior fan housing and made a nest because I only drive my car every 2 weeks. We live remotely and trips to town are planned. I didn't realize this and turned on the fan, killing all of the pups. It just gutted me and I quickly located and sealed the holes in the frame that allowed access. I am not super squeamish about death - particularly if it is useful in the sense that it feeds another life form. But senseless death takes me out. Not a fan of trophy hunting, for instance. But feeding your family? That's different.
We do trap mice to keep them from eating stuff inside our vehicle engines (they will chew through plastic and wires, for instance) because we don't have a garage yet. But we put them out for the foxes and bobcats. They are always gone the next morning. So, they don't go to waste and serve to further another life.