Creatures of Habit

Written By:  Andrew Eide

Today’s topic isn’t really about something that goes marching. It is, though, about something which travels along in the same path or trail, in the same place, in the same manner, time after time, so it is somewhat related to the topic of marching.

What I wish to discuss is the topic called creatures of habit. Although this applies to animals and humans I will leave humans out of it and discuss only rodents. I use the term rodents in this blog to mean gophers, rats, and mice. These creatures are, without a doubt, creatures of habit.

Have you ever asked yourself why gophers, rats, and mice always get caught in a trap you set for them? Haven’t you ever wondered why the rodent didn’t see the trap and simply walk around it? There is a simple reason why gophers, rats, and mice get caught in traps which are placed in plain sight. The reason is not that rodents have poor eyesight. The reason is not that they cannot resist the food item you placed on the trap. The reason is not curiosity on the part of the rodent.

Gophers, rats, and mice have a common habit of following the same path, trail, or tunnel when traveling from one place to another. They will not deviate from this path unless they absolutely have to and even then they return to the commonly used path, trail, or tunnel as soon as they can.

This is why, when you place a trap along the trail you found, you will catch a mouse or rat in that trap. The mouse or rat will come upon the trap, which is placed on their commonly used trail, and they will not go around the trap even when there is enough room to do so. They are creatures of habit and they will continue into and over the trap, which is on their commonly used trail, and get killed in the trap in the process.

Gophers will follow the same tunnel they use all the time even when a trap is placed inside their tunnel. Just as with the rats and mice on their trails the gopher will travel through his commonly used tunnel. When the gopher comes upon the trap he could very easily back up or dig a tunnel to go around the trap. However, being a creature of habit, he will walk directly into the trap, as the trap is in his commonly used tunnel, and he will get killed in the trap in the process.

Remember what I told you the next time you have problems with mice, rats, or gophers. Remember to look for the obvious signs of their commonly used trails or tunnels and place your trap on the trail or tunnel they are using. I guarantee you will capture or kill a mouse, rat, or gopher in this manner.