Rats

Polynesian Rats were originally brought here to Hawaii by the early Polynesians, and these adaptable rodents can now be found on all the major Hawaiian Islands, including Maui, and including in our house, where Ella and Lilly, our dogs, have accepted them as members of the household.

However, Keith and I have not. Keith has very good reason to fear Hanta Virus, which caused an epidemic on the reservation a few years ago. Plus, we found mucho evidence of rats having invaded Zach's container, the Zach Shack, while he's away. So, much as I hate to do it, I'm gonna have to kill the little critters. But not with a mechanical mousetrap. And one of those humane just-get-the-mouse-outta-here traps won't work either, since they'll just come back in. Remember, we're living in a temporary shed; even if we didn't just keep the door open, it's hardly rat-proof. And we can't have them in the Zach Shack; they eat wiring.

And that leads me to Lowe's to pick up an electronic mouse trap.

Shopping at a hardware store on Maui can be difficult as there are usually a lot of distractions. But I did find a model I liked…as well as a mousetrap.

Victor electronic mouse traps are devices that use a high-voltage shock to kill mice humanely instantly. They have a bait cup and a tunnel that lure the mouse inside. When the mouse steps on the metal plates, it completes a circuit that triggers the electric shock. The trap then sends a notification to the user via a light or an app, depending on the model. The user can then dispose of the dead mouse without touching it, by opening the kill chamber and emptying it into the trash.

Of course, being on the edge of the jungle, and since the mouse is dead from electricity and not poison, it still makes good food for some of the smaller jungle creatures right on the other side of the fence. So, goodbye mousie! Better luck next lifetime.