I was actually thinking that maybe a neighbor has set out some sort of poison that your mouse has found, but the peppermint oil theory might have some validity.
poison is a possibility too! we're surrounded by cow farms and there are sometimes rats around. over the summer, it was becoming a problem in the village. i know a few people who put poison out. they probably still do.
here's a little story. and probably has a lot to do with me not wanting to be near the mouse. besides him jumping up at my legs a few nights ago.
my neighbour friend (who i just love) is terrified of mice and rats. i was out working in the garden and so was she. she said "ugh! there's a dead rat over here on the path. i am just going to pretend he isn't there and get my husband to get rid of it when he gets home."
i knew all she was thinking about was that dead rat.
i thought "I'LL SAVE HER!"
i said she didn't have to wait for the husband. i have a big shovel right here. i'll just pop the dead rat in a bag with the shovel and take it down to the bin at the corner (i did not want a dead rat in my bin)
i did not exactly think this through.
it was a very impulsive act on my part. just trying to help a friend.
i scooped up the rat with the shovel.
he had rigor mortis.
his tail was sticking straight out.
not only was it difficult to get him into the bag, but his tail stuck out at the top.
it was a creepy, weird experience. i had never had to put a dead rat in a bag before.
i did not like it one bit.
i started to bring the bag down to the bin at the corner. it's one of those public wastebins. metal box with a small rectangle opening.
on my walk over i was irrationally thinking the rat was somehow going to come back to life and chew my face off. so i started running to the bin with the bag with the tail sticking out.
then i got to the bin and was trying to stick the bag in with the tail not fitting through the little rectangle opening. it just got worse and worse.
finally he was in the bin and i RAN back to my garden, where my neighbour friend was so happy and grateful.
but i think next time we will be waiting for her husband to get home.
