[Sca-cooks] catching chipmunks

[CorwynWdwd at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/11/2002 10:51:24 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
smithson at mco.edu writes:

> On a similar note anyone know the best way to deal with a chipmunk.
>  Courtesy of my sweet and innocent cat I have a live chipmunk running
>  around my house (location unknown).

I suggest finding a "Catch 'em Alive" cage type trap. They're found around
here at places like the local horse tackle shop. Might also try a pet store.
Anywhere they deal with animals will probably have one or two. Bait the trap
(In the chipmunk's case I'd say maybe with peanut butter) and carry him back
outside. That is, if he already hasn't found his own way out....

I own a trap and loan it out to friends, unfortunately I'd imagine you were a
bit out of the way for that.... Usually mine is used to catch mice, which we
then release far from here so they can go into other people's houses. We had
to catch a hamster once though, worked just fine for that too.

<Snipage>

>  Oh yeah, yesterday he brought me a live starling.  Idiot cat has half of
the
>  hunting down, catch animal bring animal home to mum, drop on carpet,
>  leave running around live, get bored, wander off and go to sleep.  Maybe
>  he enjoys me yelling at him!

Mama never taught him to hunt obviously. He's got the instinct, because he's
a cat, to chase and catch stuff. He brings them to you because you're
supposed to deal with it, after all, you're now "Mama". If they're allowed to
stay around their Mothers long enough, or other cats, they learn to kill
their prey. Some catch on on their own I guess, but generally I've seen cats
taken in kittenhood don't seem to make the connection of hunt/kill as easily.
Sometimes those that do get the kill part, then never eat the critters
(Obligatory food content). Go figure.

Corwyn

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself."
- Harvey Fierstein