We're Real Texans Now

Dan done caught hisself a 'possum!

Over the last few weeks/months, Dan has noticed some odd droppings in our back yard.  He also noticed one of our fence panels had been gnawed on the bottom.  We have 2 little rat dogs that live in our neighborhood, so he thought maybe one of them was trying to bite through the fence and get in.  When my Dad was here after Evelyn was born, the two of them fixed the fence, but the droppings still remained.  We finally came to the conclusion that we might have an opossum visiting us at night.

After talking with multiple friends we figured out that we had a few options:

1. Shoot the sucker.  Then dispose of it on your own.
2. Buy some concentrated fox urine (really? who sells this?! - hunting stores apparently).  This keeps the opossum away because they smell the "predator".
3. Rent a trap from animal control and let them take care of it.

Since we are Rocky Mountain/Midwest implants into South Texas, we don't own cowboys boots, an F-150, or a shotgun, so we opted for option 3.

Last night, we loaded up the car and found the Corpus Christi Animal Care Center.  I thought Evelyn and I would go along for the ride to get out of the house for a bit.  Being the Mom of the Year that I am, I left her diaper bag at home thinking, "this should be quick"...so of course she thought it was a good time to manage a blowout.  

Evelyn and I waited patiently in the car thinking this would take 5 minutes or so (remember, the poor girl is sitting in poop - and screaming).  After signing his life away, and apparently taking a class on how to trap an opossum, Dan emerged 20 minutes later with his newly rented 'possum trap.

Once we got home (and poop changed), Dan set out to find the perfect place to set up the trap.  Here he's indicating where he usually sees the droppings when mowing.

Here he is setting up the trap like a pro (since he took the class).  He ended up switching the location 2-3 more times as the evening pressed on as he mulled over the best way to catch the little rodent.

And...success.  We caught one on the first night!  He looks so little and sad.  Gross little disease carrying, nasty varmint that he is.

Breaking News (as I write this blog!):  When Dan picked up the trap yesterday, they told him that he could call back and they would come dispose of it.  However after calling and asking them to come pick it up (which they confirmed they would), they called back 10 minutes later and told me they don't pick up opossums anymore (as of August 1, 2011).  Welcome to South Texas...  Looks like I'm going to have to learn how to shoot a 'possum!

Notes:

• There wasn't really a class...it just took WAY longer than it should for him to get the trap from the animal people.
• I have now put emergency diapers in both cars for when I think we don't need a diaper bag!

(to be continued...)