melissel Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 This is disturbing (to me at least), so if you're sensitive, maybe don't read further. The chipmunk that lives in our yard (sort of a family pet, though not at all tame, IYKWIM) seems to be dying, and it's not giving up the ghost quickly. Something is wrong with its eye, and it's head seems misshapen to me. It's hanging around my container garden, and is not running from me when I approach it. It keeps trying to curl up and be left alone, but flies are bothering it. When it does get up, it just staggers around in circles. The kids keep wanting to visit it, and I've convinced them to leave it alone to die quietly. But they expect to bury it tonight. So just now, I went out to check on it and backwash the pool filter, and it's still alive, curled up and panting, and flies are eating its messed up eye. It keeps trying to get away from them, but they keep resettling on it *barf barf* It's agonizing to watch, but I have no idea how to help this poor thing move on. I don't have a gun, and I just don't think I can bring myself to whack it with a shovel :crying: If I put a bucket over it so it gets no air and the flies can't bother it, do you think that would help at all, or just be more cruel? Ugh. I'm way too sensitive to this. It wouldn't bother me at all if a cat caught it or something, but this is just sad. Any suggestions at all? Should I just suck it up and ignore it? (Though I have to keep going out there for the pool, so it's hard to ignore.) TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I'd cover it with a bucket. It will still get some air and the flies won't torment it. Poor thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Get someone to whack it with a shovel. Killing it is far kinder than letting it go on. It sounds like it got wounded by a car... but handle it with gloves just in case it's rabies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggy in Va Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Get someone to whack it with a shovel. Killing it is far kinder than letting it go on. It sounds like it got wounded by a car... but handle it with gloves just in case it's rabies. It is indeed a very sad situation, but I agree. Finding someone to give it a really good whack would be the kindest thing you could do. 2nd best, put a bucket over it. Either way, wear gloves or at least have a plastic bag over your hand when you pick it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 3, 2009 Author Share Posted July 3, 2009 (edited) It is indeed a very sad situation, but I agree. Finding someone to give it a really good whack would be the kindest thing you could do. 2nd best, put a bucket over it. Either way, wear gloves or at least have a plastic bag over your hand when you pick it up. I completely agree. I don't think I can do it though. I have a hard time killing ants in my kitchen, and I loathe them. Any NJ HSers care to stop by and help us both out? I did just go down and try to drop a bucket over it. Unfortunately, it has quite a bit more spunk left than I gave it credit for. It jumped up and ran directly at my feet :glare: I've never moved so fast in my life. Then it ran and hid where I couldn't reach it with the bucket. I wish I knew why it's hanging around my garden for this! It would shriek at us every day when we went out there. You'd think it would want to be somewhere away from us. If it's not dead by the time DH comes home, he can put on his work boots and take a shovel to it. I hope. He dislikes animals of all kinds, so I'm hoping he has the fortitude for this :( I'm open to any other suggestions. Thank you both for your input. I'll keep working on my resolve for the shovel. Edited July 3, 2009 by melissel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Oh how sad. I would probably leave it alone to die. I know it will be tough and seems like torture, but nature has a way of taking care of itself. This guy may need to rest and then jump up and be fine (without the eye). You never know. I would go out and shoo it away, if possible so you don't have to "watch" but then try to not mess with it for a day or two and see what happens. If it does die and you or the kids have had contact with it, you may want to call the animal control folks and have it tested for rabies just to be on the safe side. Chipmunks are tiny and not terribly likely to get rabies...but still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 3, 2009 Author Share Posted July 3, 2009 Oh how sad. I would probably leave it alone to die. I know it will be tough and seems like torture, but nature has a way of taking care of itself. This guy may need to rest and then jump up and be fine (without the eye). You never know. I would go out and shoo it away, if possible so you don't have to "watch" but then try to not mess with it for a day or two and see what happens. If it does die and you or the kids have had contact with it, you may want to call the animal control folks and have it tested for rabies just to be on the safe side. Chipmunks are tiny and not terribly likely to get rabies...but still. I was just coming to post that, thankfully, it has expired. The kids have processed it well, and there's a memorial ceremony planned for when DH gets home this evening. I actually felt better after our last encounter, because I thought the same thing about the eye. It ran so well that I thought maybe it would actually lose the eye and be OK. Either way, I'm so relieved that it's over. I'm a bit sad too, because we really enjoyed his pesky little visits to our garden :( Now we'll just have to enjoy our frisky bunnies and bossy robins :tongue_smilie: Thanks to all of you again. I was at loose ends with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I hate to see things suffer.i I've put dry ice in the bottom of a small container, put cardboard over it so their little paws don't get cold, and cover tightly. This works very quickly, no whacking involved, and you can buy dry ice in a chunk at Baskin-Robbins (at least around here). Cheaper than a vet for small rodent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 4, 2009 Author Share Posted July 4, 2009 Please done flame me for saying this BUT we have put critters out of their misery by gassing them with the car. We have done this twice and it's very fast. We put the critter in a bucket and place it right under the tailpipe for a few minutes. It dies in seconds usually. I could never hit something with a shovel and I hate to see things suffer. I've put dry ice in the bottom of a small container, put cardboard over it so their little paws don't get cold, and cover tightly. This works very quickly, no whacking involved, and you can buy dry ice in a chunk at Baskin-Robbins (at least around here). Cheaper than a vet for small rodent. Both very good ideas that I will remember! (Boy, it feels bizarre adding those to my long-term memory :D File under: Quick ways to kill small animals!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Both very good ideas that I will remember! (Boy, it feels bizarre adding those to my long-term memory :D File under: Quick ways to kill small animals!) Isn't general pragmatism part of homeschooling? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 I suddenly want to give away DD's pet gerbils before they get a chance to die on us. But she'd be very upset. If I keep thinking along these lines I'm going to go vegetarian again. I think that would also disappoint DD, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtroad Posted July 4, 2009 Share Posted July 4, 2009 Put it out of its misery. Don't let it suffer... although this post may be too late. We had a squirrel fall out of a tree & break its leg. We got it from the dogs and called 4 vets & 2 animal rescue shelters.... it is a squirrel... it is out of luck (the gist of our efforts). So, we watered it & fed it. The break was too severe. DH killed it that evening (quickly & as painless as possible). Our only other option was to let it slowly die. The result was to be the same... the time suffering was all that was in our control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted July 4, 2009 Author Share Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) Isn't general pragmatism part of homeschooling? :) :lol: Totally! I suddenly want to give away DD's pet gerbils before they get a chance to die on us. But she'd be very upset. If I keep thinking along these lines I'm going to go vegetarian again. I think that would also disappoint DD, though. I hear you. Fortunately, we've had some experience in this arena--our dog last summer, a fish, hermit crabs. Our DDs are also die-hard omnivores. And we've talked a lot about how, in a a very practical sense, death is part of the circle of life. When we found him dead, there were flies on him, and the girls were squicked, but we talked about how bugs do their job of helping break a dead thing down and making its nutrients available to the soil, yada yada yada. I'm not Christian, so we didn't go at it from that perspective, but simply from a life cycle perspective. DD's a science-y kind of kid :D The initial lessons after the dog and fish were not easy, but maybe if you start talking now about the circle of life (dead leaves nourish the earth, compost, all energy exists in perpetuity, so the energy from dead things is just transferred to the planet in other ways, etc.) it might make the gerbils' inevitable fate easier? I don't know. We made it through though, thankfully! Put it out of its misery. Don't let it suffer... although this post may be too late. We had a squirrel fall out of a tree & break its leg. We got it from the dogs and called 4 vets & 2 animal rescue shelters.... it is a squirrel... it is out of luck (the gist of our efforts). So, we watered it & fed it. The break was too severe. DH killed it that evening (quickly & as painless as possible). Our only other option was to let it slowly die. The result was to be the same... the time suffering was all that was in our control. Oh, too sad :( Don't you wish we could save them all? DH agreed to do the whacking when he got home, but the chipmunk died hours earlier. I couldn't bring myself to do it, and frankly, my aim is not so good, which was part of my fear. I couldn't guarantee that I could do it with one blow, and the idea of chasing it and possibly hurting it more and terrifying it or angering it and making it attack me...it was just too much. I'm still a little traumatized, but glad the poor thing is out of its misery. DD made a very nice speech and said a sweet prayer about its soul, and we buried it last night. Edited July 4, 2009 by melissel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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