Releasing trapped mice won't upset nature

Q. I read your article regarding those awful glue traps. Yearsago, when I was cleaning an office, the owner had set those traps andwhen I got there I heard such a pitiful squeaking coming from theback. Sure enough, a little mouse was in it. I called my husband andhe found out that lemon oil or vegetable oil gets the stickiness awayand so he brought some down and was able to release the mouse(outside, of course). I told the owner about it and he said he didn'trealize how torturous it was and he has never set them again. It'stoo bad that most people don't think of mice as having feelings justlike any other living animal. Glad to hear you are not one of them.

A. I got a ton of mail on that column. Most of the remarks weresimilar to yours. One gentleman suggested that releasing mice intothe wild would upset the balance of nature. He cited a case where therelease of mountain lions in New Mexico in 1994 didn't work. Iexplained to him that I wasn't suggesting releasing mountain lions,wolves, deer or elephants, which may upset the balance of nature; Iwas releasing mice, one or two at a time. Most folks aren't going tobe catching more than a mouse or two at a time and I seriously doubtif they will seriously impact the environment. I have releasedhundreds of mice in my back yard over the years and I have not upsetthe balance of nature in my yard, nor have I ever had a mouse in thehouse.

Q. For the past two years squirrels have ruined my beautifulimpatiens in the planter that makes up the front steps to my home. Ihave tried everything from filling up the holes they dig with bricks(only to have them dig another hole under that) to sending off forfox urine, which didn't bother them at all. I hesitate to replantuntil I figure out what to do with the critters.

A. The only product I would suggest is Ropel, which comes in agranular and liquid form. In your case I would recommend the granularform. If you use liquid Ropel on plants, be careful; it has beenknown to kill some plants. Spray a little on a leaf and watch fordevelopments before spraying a whole plant. Ropel is available onlineat www.callbugaside.com or by calling (866) 520-5050.