This evening while watching the Simpsons with the kids, my neighbor rang the doorbell.
In his hands was a large rat glue trap. Caught in it was the biggest california alligator lizard I have ever seen - close to 18" and thick.
Using a putty knife I was able to lift him out of the trap. Covered in glue, I placed him in a shoe-box tub filled with about 1/2" of canola oil. After a rinsing in a tepid water bath he was good to go and we let him loose close to where my neighbor found him. I was pretty happy we were able to extract and clean him without him jettisoning his tail..........
While I hate rats running around in my garage as much as the next guy, this is one of the reasons I abhor glue traps - you don't always catch a rat in them..............
Since my immediate neighbors know about our herps, I am often called upon to deal with stowaways and rescues. Sadly, this is not the first glue trap rescue. Earlier this summer another neighbor brought me a baby rattler caught in one.
I guess the moral of the story (if there is one) is that it isn't that big of a deal to rat and mouse proof your attic or your garage without resorting to traps or poisons.
Reply With Quote