Prairie Dog Rescue

We rescued a stranded prairie dog today!  

It all started yesterday.  I came home to find some of the insulation pulled out of the wall, in an area inside the garage.  Some fence posts had been knocked down in the same area.

I put everything back.  I had no idea how those things had gotten on the floor.  I didn't think a small mouse would be able to knock down metal fence posts like that.

Today, Jason and I come back from town to find the same mess again.  

And, we found other evidence right next to the mess.  We knew had some varmint in our garage. 

We let Cheeto and Vinnie snoop around to see if we would flush out the critter.  Cheeto took lap after lap around the inside of the garage.  She sniffed and knew something was here, but she couldn't find it. 

 So...

Jason and I load up and go back to town to buy rat traps.

We get home, for the second time today, and I'm about to put 'set' traps, laced with peanut butter and graham crackers, on the floor when I hear squeaking.

I follow the squeaks to the corner of the garage.  I keep hearing the squeaks.  I start clearing out everything, with a broom in hand, to find this vermin.

He keeps squeaking....

I can't find him!

Then I take a peek into this barrel we have in the corner.  This barrel is 3 feet tall and holds our long handled garden tools.  

Low and behold, here he is!  

A trapped little prairie dog.  He kept chirping, even as I peered into the barrel with my flashlight.

I took out all the tools and here he sat...

We managed to get the barrel outside and laid it over in front of a prairie dog hole in the front yard.

He jumps to freedom, diving straight into the hole!

I guess we can feel good about saving this wild beast.  I do feel better doing it this way... instead of finding a halved prairie dog in our garage!

I don't even know if prairie dogs like peanut butter and graham crackers.  

I hope we don't ever have to find out!