Carrie12345 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 It is not okay to catch a chipmunk, put it in a shoe box, and take it into your bedroom. Yes, this is the most recent rule in our house. To be on the safe side, I will add snakes, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, skunks, deer, bobcats, stray cats and dogs, the neighbors' baby, and bears. (We already have a rule on frogs, crickets, and caterpillars.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I've had to remove a toad, several frogs and a wounded baby rabbit (looks like a cat got it, they were superficial though and the rabbit wasn't *that* young) from my home so far this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 :lol: Let me guess what kind of day you had... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 That's awesome. Can they catch me a chipmunk? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Oh, my! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Yes, we had a rule addition last week: "You may not bring dead birds into the house." Followed quickly by this: "You must come and get Mom BEFORE you touch a dead animal." :ack2: We had to add, "You may not tie your sister's ankle to your bicycle.", and, "You may not hoist your little brother into the tree with the jump rope." a few weeks ago. Hey, at least my kids haven't figured out how to get on the roof......yet. :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 BTW- how exactly DID they catch the chipmunk? I need to know what preemptive steps to take around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 BTW- how exactly DID they catch the chipmunk? That's what I wanna know! Those critters are fast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 "No sneaking turtles into the house and hiding them under the couch." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 That's what I wanna know! Those critters are fast! Animal loving kids are freaking resourceful! My dd has caught birds and all sorts of things with just a bucket, a stick and a handful of goldfish crackers! She chased the wounded bunny down and caught it with her hands, she didn't even use any kind of trap. It's crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Once Again Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Don't forget to add lizards to that list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Don't forget to add lizards to that list. I gave up on keeping lizards out of the house when we lived in Hawaii. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Oh boy! Well, we haven't had to institute too many wildlife guidelines, but we have recently had this addition list: "You may not make rocket fuel while standing next to your mother's lit, vanilla candle." To which I had to hastily add, "Forget vanilla. Scent not withstanding...stay away from any candle with that stuff!" I am going to have a new rule soon. Sources have overheard discussions amongst our 4-H kids about getting their dear 4-H leader, dh, to help them cast little canons in his forge, and then let them mix gunpowder so they can launch marbles across the yard. Only problem, marbles launched from any cannon dh casts with any fuel dh mixes, will be potentially lethal and let's just say that the young men and women of our club are QUITE enthusiastic in all of their scientific endeavors. I can imagine the glealm in dh's eyes when they ask. Thankfully, my spies have pre-empted their assault and I will be able to prevent dh from being dishonorably discharged from 4-H. Wow! As bad as this sounds, I am just soooooooo glad that there are others who have to make strange rules at their houses Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in WI Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 It is not okay to catch a chipmunk, put it in a shoe box, and take it into your bedroom. :lol: Oh, you poor thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMom Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 :grouphug: Gotta love the need for new rules, lol. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 We raised chipmunks as pets as kids. But that's because pet stores in Japan sell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Maybe make it "anything with a heartbeat." Just saying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 PLEASE tell how they caught the chipmonk! There is one in our cabin as I write this. Last weekend, DH first said he thought he saw a mouse, "no, I think it's a rat, and it just went into your closet!" It turned out to be a chipmonk and now it's hiding somewhere behind the stove. I tried to lure it out with sunflower seeds but I didn't have a trap. We tried to shoo it out the open door but it just ran by. It is very fast!!! I'm just glad it's not a mouse, but surely it isn't germ-free, either.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I gave up on keeping lizards out of the house when we lived in Hawaii. :D We encouraged them to stay when we lived in Florida. More lizards = fewer bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Maybe make it "anything with a heartbeat." Just saying... As far as I know, spiders don't have heartbeats. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 :grouphug: Gotta love the need for new rules, lol. :grouphug: :iagree:100% :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 We raised chipmunks as pets as kids. But that's because pet stores in Japan sell them. Thank GOODNESS my kids haven't discovered this yet. Maybe they're no longer sold. The boys just get excited with all the stag beatles in the stores this time of year and wonder why people pay for them when you get them out of the woods.:tongue_smilie: My boys are bug fanatics. The rules here are no bugs in the house and NO playing with spiders, gechi-gechis or centepedes. (i'll let you be the one to google "Japanese house centepede") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hmm... comparable to chipmunks, we did institute a "no REALLY catching gophers" when my then-6yo managed to catch one in the front yard with a box and 2 buddies (one of which was his 4yo bro). We quickly added "if a wild animal bites you, come see an adult right away".... <rolleyes> I had to do extensive online and telephone research regarding the likelihood of rabies in gophers - GOOD NEWS for anyone interested... they are very unlikely to have rabies! :) I find it astonishing that they can do things like that - I work for weeks and week with traps & poisons and holes & cats & other to try and catch gophers and they manage with a box and a dream?? sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hmm... comparable to chipmunks, we did institute a "no REALLY catching gophers" when my then-6yo managed to catch one in the front yard with a box and 2 buddies (one of which was his 4yo bro). We quickly added "if a wild animal bites you, come see an adult right away".... <rolleyes> I had to do extensive online and telephone research regarding the likelihood of rabies in gophers - GOOD NEWS for anyone interested... they are very unlikely to have rabies! :) I find it astonishing that they can do things like that - I work for weeks and week with traps & poisons and holes & cats & other to try and catch gophers and they manage with a box and a dream?? sigh. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diana B Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Thank GOODNESS my kids haven't discovered this yet. Maybe they're no longer sold. The boys just get excited with all the stag beatles in the stores this time of year and wonder why people pay for them when you get them out of the woods.:tongue_smilie: My boys are bug fanatics. The rules here are no bugs in the house and NO playing with spiders, gechi-gechis or centepedes. (i'll let you be the one to google "Japanese house centepede") Ack! Why did you tell me to google that??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Animal loving kids are freaking resourceful! My dd has caught birds and all sorts of things with just a bucket, a stick and a handful of goldfish crackers! She chased the wounded bunny down and caught it with her hands, she didn't even use any kind of trap. It's crazy! Moms can be pretty resourceful when it comes to getting the critters out of the house as well. I can not tell you how many mice, snakes, bug and various other critters I have had to capture and release because we are a no kill household (I swear my kids were born with PETA memberships). :tongue_smilie: PS - I did call animal control to get the ground hog under my refrigerator though because I was 9 months pregnant and not quite as agile as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Kids can come up with reasons for rules faster than you can think to make them and the older ones help the youngers come up with new endevours that don't already have rules. Ask me how I know. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hmm... comparable to chipmunks, we did institute a "no REALLY catching gophers" when my then-6yo managed to catch one in the front yard with a box and 2 buddies (one of which was his 4yo bro). We quickly added "if a wild animal bites you, come see an adult right away".... <rolleyes> I had to do extensive online and telephone research regarding the likelihood of rabies in gophers - GOOD NEWS for anyone interested... they are very unlikely to have rabies! :) I find it astonishing that they can do things like that - I work for weeks and week with traps & poisons and holes & cats & other to try and catch gophers and they manage with a box and a dream?? sigh. There are areas around here where prairie dogs are infected with Bubonic Plague. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I made a rule, but haven't had anyone test it yet: Nothing alive or dead is to enter our home without my permission. I didn't want to fail to leave any critter off the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Last year my then-3yo was bit by a wild weasel he was "playing" with. Luckily the 8yo & 6yo had the resourcefulness to divide and conquer - one to keep the weasel semi-trapped and the other to get me. I, being a very lucky mom, killed the weasel with a baseball bat and immediately drove it 2 hours to the nearest university for all the standard rabies tests. My pregnant crazed hormones had me in tears most of the way. But, thanks to my oldest two dc, my 3yo avoided a nasty round of rabies shots. Today my 7yo proudly brought a complete molted snake skin into the house to show me. Why can't they keep their treasures outside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2squared Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I made a rule, but haven't had anyone test it yet: Nothing alive or dead is to enter our home without my permission. I didn't want to fail to leave any critter off the list. Love the rule! :lol: It's absolutely perfect for my clan. Would it include molted snake skins or mouse eyeballs (both of which my 7yo has brought to show me in the past two weeks). I think I would have to add body parts to the rule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Love the rule! :lol: It's absolutely perfect for my clan. Would it include molted snake skins or mouse eyeballs (both of which my 7yo has brought to show me in the past two weeks). I think I would have to add body parts to the rule That didn't occur to me. Tomorrow I will update the rule. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamalbh Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 "Do not twirl, spin or throw garter snakes, they don't like it" My girls have an unnatural obsession with garters and I see them doing strange things to them, they thought they'd like it.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 "Do not twirl, spin or throw garter snakes, they don't like it" My girls have an unnatural obsession with garters and I see them doing strange things to them, they thought they'd like it.:confused: I had a garter snake thrown at me when I was in middle school. I didn't like it either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Moms can be pretty resourceful when it comes to getting the critters out of the house as well. I can not tell you how many mice, snakes, bug and various other critters I have had to capture and release because we are a no kill household (I swear my kids were born with PETA memberships). :tongue_smilie: Our house is no-kill too, but I will not be the one to get rid of the critters. If the boys don't come fast enough to get rid of a bug, I will dispose of it in a manner I see fit.:D (and killing of said bugs is usually involved.) For centipedes, I recommend bagless vacuums and a dumpster; I have friends though who had designated centipede tongs or scissors. Oh and dead animals, we had to institute a no dissection rule there. The boys found a dead snake a few years ago and proceeded to dissect. yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HistoryMom Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 My oldest decided that he'd show us how unreasonably numerous our rules are by writing them all down on the big white board in the dining room. 30 rules later, he's insisting we call him The Boardmaster and is adding on ones that he thinks we missed. These ones are his: 32) Don't stick anything up your nose. Including your fingers. 36) Don't ask questions you know the answer to. 37) In the name of all that is good, leave the poor dogs alone!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virg Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 My oldest decided that he'd show us how unreasonably numerous our rules are by writing them all down on the big white board in the dining room. 30 rules later, he's insisting we call him The Boardmaster and is adding on ones that he thinks we missed. These ones are his: 32) Don't stick anything up your nose. Including your fingers. 36) Don't ask questions you know the answer to. 37) In the name of all that is good, leave the poor dogs alone!! :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saujana Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 [quote=black_midori;28 I find it astonishing that they can do things like that - I work for weeks and week with traps & poisons and holes & cats & other to try and catch gophers and they manage with a box and a dream?? sigh. looks like they are getting themselves some summer jobs? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I made a rule, but haven't had anyone test it yet: Nothing alive or dead is to enter our home without my permission. I didn't want to fail to leave any critter off the list. :lol: sounds like a good catch-all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Ack! Why did you tell me to google that??? No kidding! And, also, did your Google search bring up (after the images, of course) the "House Centepedes are Your Friends!" Facebook group? I suddenly find myself having PLENTY of friends. :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 No kidding! And, also, did your Google search bring up (after the images, of course) the "House Centepedes are Your Friends!" Facebook group? I suddenly find myself having PLENTY of friends. :ack2: These guys are scarier than they look and we found one outside our door shortly after we moved in. DH went and caught it and threw it away not realizing they jump! There are some freaky things here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 You know, when I first started reading this thread, I was feeling a bit sad that my kids are not so resourceful. By the end, I was feeling grateful!!! :eek: :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 These guys are scarier than they look and we found one outside our door shortly after we moved in. DH went and caught it and threw it away not realizing they jump! There are some freaky things here. Jump? :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 PS - I did call animal control to get the ground hog under my refrigerator though because I was 9 months pregnant and not quite as agile as normal. That must have been an interesting phone call! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 BTW- how exactly DID they catch the chipmunk? I need to know what preemptive steps to take around here! I didn't witness the crime, and the convicts' stories don't completely line up, but it appears this was a bare-handed munknapping. Amazingly, not a single scratch, bite, or tick to be found on them. It's as if I have Dolittles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_l_e_0..Q_c Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 You know, when I first started reading this thread, I was feeling a bit sad that my kids are not so resourceful. By the end, I was feeling grateful!!! :eek: :lol::lol::lol: Same here! My kids are such quiet kids compared to those mentioned here! ETA: on the other hand, I had some houserules that I never thought I would need, too! Like "drawers are meant to be closed", to which my son eagerly answered: "wow!!! You can close them????" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 (edited) PS - I did call animal control to get the ground hog under my refrigerator though because I was 9 months pregnant and not quite as agile as normal. If a ground hog came in my house, I'd let him have the place. I had a "pet" shrew once. He came in our house at 10 pm every night for 6 months, stayed a couple of hours, and made a lot of noise for such a little thing. Every spring, summer, and early fall chipmunks would come in, too. They would run all over the place. Cute little things. One lived in a hole under a rock near the front door, or his progeny did, because he/it/they lived there for 14 years. This happened because I left the slider open for the dog. He was a Rough Collie and he didn't mind other animals being around at all. Wheaten Terriers were bred to hunt and kill vermin, so I doubt (hope) mice won't last long here. We see them in the house in the winter. I am our office Mouse Alert Alarm System because I'm scared to death of them. I pretended for many years that I wasn't afraid of bugs, snakes, lizards, spiders, mice, other rodents ... so my boys wouldn't get the idea they could scare me for fun. Now that they are older, they take care of these problems for me, and just laugh themselves silly when I get scared. I don't think they'd throw any of these creatures at me now. Edited June 7, 2011 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Regarding the Japanese house centipedes, they look like silverfish. But apparently I've been calling two different kinds of creatures silverfish. One is actually silvery. The other one has lots of little legs. They look like the second one on steroids. I caught chipmunks all the time as a child, but I knew better than to take them into the house. I'd wait for them to run into an empty section of gutter laying on the ground, then I'd pick it up. I once trapped a baby copperhead snake (not knowing what it was) in a large clear plastic container. I was so sad that it got too hot and died, but I think my mother nearly had a heart attack when my stepfather told it what it was. We had a rabid raccoon last year, and the neighbor mentioned that he's seen some groundhogs/woodchucks stumbling around the same way. I might escape unscathed with my oldest, but my 2 year old is already asking me if she can catch the robins and squirrels in our yard. She's also developed the "fun" habit of calling me excitedly whenever she sees an ant or a stinkbug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I always thought silverfish were tiny things, like an inch or so at most? The centipedes are four or five inches in the body and then all those disgusting legs. ewwwww Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 My kids have a healthy fear of wild animals because we've studied rabies. I explained that if they could catch an animal, it's almost certainly sick or hurt and will INFECT them. So far, so good, we've only had insects in the house, and I don't really mind pillbugs and caterpillars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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