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One very rare occasions, have found evidence of mice. Since getting June (about 3 years ago), she has left me TWO at different times.

YEARS ago, was hearing noises in wall of family room. When I found a cartoon-ish mouse hole along baseboard... called an EXTERMINATOR!! He set up bait traps in drop ceiling of basement, under low deck and in corner where the hole was. Had 2 Dobies at time, so was very careful to make sure there was NO way they could get near them... push a BIG steamer trunk into corner. Then one day, dogs were losing their little minda at that corner. Husband looked over into corner and announced... mouse is crawliing outta hole and I think it's dying!?! Made the BIG mistake and took a look. The "mouse" was about halfway out of the hole... a good 4 INCHES of body... no mouse, A RAT!!

Had a bird get in once. Teenage neighbor became Sir Galahad. Poor bird was terrified. It kept going further and further from the door it cam in thru and eventually ended up in bedroom closet. Picture 2 full grown people in a closet trying to chase a frightened bird iinto a brown shopping bag... woulda been a youtube hit! Teen has light bulb go off over head and says he'll be right back. Comes back with small fisherman's net and we caught and released the scared thing in no time.

Had a chipmunk shoot by me as I was opening door to let out big goofy dog! Ended up in kitchen, frantic at large window. When dog came to explore, it shot out into dining room. Almost had a scene like in National Lampoon's Christmas vacation. Dog chased chipmunk around table, knocking over several chairs... luckily did NOT end up on top of table. She chased the thing right back out the door it came in thru!

Ever had an unwanted critter IN your house?

Oh, boy have I.

I live on the edge of the city. There is a lot of open land. And field mice. Who want to stay warm in the winter. So they nest in my car, usually on the engine. I have to remove at least one nest every winter.

Snakes also like to winter in my garage. One got into the ajoining family room once. It was on a file folder. I took it out on the folder.

At my previous home a lizard came in. I didn't notice it until I saw both cats staring at the curtain rod he was perched on. I caught him in a trash can and carried him outside.

A cicada flew in and a cat jumped 5 feet to catch it. Pierced the bug's shell. Did you know that a cicada has a distress call? I didn't until I heard that one.

A chimney swift once entered my house through the chimney. I used a broom to push him out the front doot.

Decades ago I was babysitting and a bird tried to fly through the garage, hit the screen at the door, and flew into the house. I ended up catching him in a dish towel (think Marlin Perkins on Wild Kingdom) and releasing him outside.

Remember a time when Dad got call from his sister... maybe 1/4 mile away... about an "EAGLE" in her house?? Dad was NOT an outdoorsman by any means. He went up to rescue his sister. Was a crow or some other not so little bird that had come down into furnace... luckily NOT during heating season.

Grandmother had a squirrel in house that she swore cae in on a Christmas tree. Final analysis... she had a feeder at an OPEN window and a neighbor (boy scout person) came over and got it.

..MANY.. let's see.. the toad who tried to commit sui cide by jumping into my washer, ( I found her nestled in a bra cup when I unloaded the machine!! the multitudinous mice, 2 insane squirells who ran in the front door and all over the downstairs, including through the table lamps, a live baby bunny a cat dragged in, several birds, at least 3 bats...

plus the many toads frog, lizards, worms and caterpillars the kids bring in. There were 16 toads over wintering one year..

We once had a bird caught in air ducts. It must have fallen into the chinmey - couldn't do much about that.

I learned a valuable lesson re field mice. They love birdseed and I was providing it. We had a parakeet at the time of the invasion. I was in the habit of blowing off his seed before adding fresh - saving the uneaten. Blowing off the empty seed shells and obviously some seed in the process. As soon as I just dumped the seed in the garbage and filled the cup with fresh, the mouse invasion died down and stopped.

Living in the woods we get a lot of critters on a regular basis. There are always green tree frogs. They hang out on the windows and French doors every night almost year round. They usually hop in at least once a week.
If they hop under the furniture then there's no chance of finding them until a week later when a "frog-mummy" shows up.

I was walking around in socks one night last winter and stepped on what I thought was one of the dog's toys. I turned on the light only to find out it was snake...about 18" long. It's funny, I guess it was cold...it didn't try to bite me when I picked it up (with thick gloves) and put it outside.

I get lots of blue tailed skinks..they are so pretty, I try to get them out before the dogs have their way with them.

We get birds in the garage, I usually have to show them the way out since they go to the windows first.

I was quite exasperated with my two labs and a cat when I had to chase a bird out of the house myself. I loomed over them demanding why I should provide their food, if they weren't going to help out around the house! I regularly find little green lizards in the house. My pekepoo is delighted to see to their disposal. A few weeks ago, she chased one under my bed. Even though she captured it the next day, she is still checking under the bed every night before we settle in.

Oh yes! A little lizzard hung out last week in our shower.

DH finally fished him out.

Not since the cat died... over the years he had brought in small animals and then let them go.. birds and several chipmunks.

When we lived in the country our cat would occasionally catch a mouse and bring in her "trophy".
Shortly after moving into this house, a bird fell down the chimney - catching it to release outdoors was exhausting
although there are raccoons, possum, squirrels (tree rats IMO), and probably mice in the woodpile, none have entered the doggy door.
daddy long legs are acceptable guests IF their housing arrangement is confined to the entry hall, and if they don't produce multiple offspring

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tessa89,

Oh my yes!

I guess mainly mice...generally uninvited. However, once as I was feeding the horses, I found a mouse in the feed sack. I quickly rolled the top down. Son had to have him for a pet. He grabbed a pair of heavy leather gloves, caught the mouse and put it in his dry acquarium. A couple of days later he came to me with his head hanging low. The mouse escaped. HOW DID THE MOUSE ESCAPE? I put on the glove and was holding it in my hand when it jumped out. ARRRGGGHHHH! I set a trap and caught the mouse. Since there was cheese left, I just reset it and caught ANOTHER mouse! I had not seen any sign in the house at all. I guess it called its mate for a conjugal visit.

We stopped using a wood burning stove the year we started bringing scorpions in. Burned all that cord of wood up and started back with gas (propane) heat.

Just a few years ago, a bird flew in with DH as he walked into the house. That was a blast trying to shoo the feathered friend back outside.

Lived within 10 miles of the Texas gulf coast for a few years and always had geckos in the house. We won't talk about those large water beetles aka tree roaches...just the idea of them still makes my skin crawl!

I've had various unwanted pests in my house (some two-legged but that's another story)...roaches and mice are the worst of the classification.