The other day I took my elderly cat Webster to the vet...however, before I did, I had to find him.....
So I went down in the basement dungeon looking for him and jumping Jehoshaphat....there in my escape window well was a baby muskrat...looking pretty bad...his eyes closed and laying flat.
Now what? I had to get Webster to the vet. So I went outside and dropped down some long branches that i had just cut from the trees in the yard,hoping he would crawl out by time I got back from the vet.
Oh, and when the vet got through with Webster, I said, "Oh, Doc, I have a muskrat stuck in my window well..any ideas?"
"Put a stick down there he should climb out"......Glad I didn't pay for that advice.
When I got home, he was still there looking worse. I also noticed that he had ripped the screen to pieces. He must have been there a while and had tried frantically to get out.
I went online to see what these critters eat.....cattails mostly...and water lilies.....Nope,don't have any of those in my larder. Then I read on that they sometimes eat farmer's corn if things are tough.
Well, I had a moment of decision. You see, just that morning I had gotten fresh corn from the local farmer.....delicious sweet corn..at 3/$1 Should I throw an ear of my fresh corn to a musk RAT?
Well, yes. And while he was ravishing over the corn I opened the window and slipped (forgive me little miss) a Dollie bathtub into the well..real fast like...and sure enough he found it and drank and swam as happy as a baby muskrat can be. He didn't crawl up the branches,but he was looking better. When my left -brain husband got home he went to the store and bought a large net and fished him out....and away the baby musk rat scampered. We are about a block away from a pond...I hope he finds his way back..I have since covered the window well.
It was just about two weeks ago when I rescued a large toad from there.
If I had called someone they would have gotten him out and then killed him. So I am very happy to have had a part in setting one of God's little creatures free.
Besides, Bethany and April and Dogwood and Dar and Goldenbird and even
Yes, I would have done the exact same thing. My guys are hunters, but they too, would have released the little fella. He sure is a cutie.
ReplyDeleteBlessYourWarmHeartSuz
What a cutie! How incredibly sweet that you were able to rescue him, yay Suz!
ReplyDeleteOh I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your rescue mission - he does looks so cute, I am pleased that you were able to set him free.
ReplyDeleteAwwww... I love this story. And, rat or not, he sure was a cute little guy.
ReplyDeleteBut he's a darling! How could anything that sweet get the name "rat"? Or are they pests really?
ReplyDeleteHe looks incredibly like our native water vole that's currently scraping its way back from near-extinction.
And how's Webster?
He's adorable and your Karma points have gone up a few notches.
ReplyDeleteNessa..Karma points..wow!
ReplyDeleteMorning AJ Webster is taking his medicine almost fine...would believe it's banana flavor? What was the vet thinking? I just hope I didn't wait too long to take him in thining it was just old age...
Relyn,your daughter would have been thrilled to see this little one up close and personal..
Marilyn,M.Hear and Dar..thanks
I hear I get Karma points for this one...yippie
I think you did exactly the right thing. :-)
ReplyDeleteYay for you! I love the happy ending!
ReplyDeleteOh, my, he's cute! I'm glad he got out after a good meal. Hopefully it was enough to tide him over for the long trip home!
ReplyDeleteOh Sue! You know, I'm so proud of you. You handled it great! He is soooooooo cute. Bless your heart!
ReplyDeleteand, in case you don't look back at your comment on my blog, we are reading "Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear
ReplyDelete