Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England radio personality and may contain the individual's views, opinions or personal experiences.


 

This is not a doctored photo. This adorable NH 'House Mouse' is looking directly into the camera in the middle of a bright spring day. This makes no natural sense, so I'll put my Forest Ranger Train hat on and try to figure out why.

MOUSE CLOSE UP
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It was taken by my sister yesterday at noon and features an adorable brown 'house mouse' appearing to sun itself atop a small cart.

If you look at his expression, you will see that he appears to be staring directly into the camera with a slightly perturbed expression.

Here is the biggest reason that this makes no natural sense. Mice like this one, are nocturnal and sleep about 13 hours of every day. DURING the daytime. What is this little guy doing up and about?

For those of you that muttered 'The things probably rabid.' I must admit, those were my exact sentiments.

HOWEVER, according to the CDC,

'Small rodents (like squirrels, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, chipmunks, rats, and mice) and lagomorphs (including rabbits and hares) are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to transmit rabies to humans.'

- CDC.gov

What I think happened is this. My sister was cleaning up piles of windfallen twigs and branches that had been there for a few days.

This mouse must have bedded down in one the night before and scrambled out of his temporary home as it was being disturbed and she never saw him.

In a dazed state, he climbed the nearest high place (the cart she was putting the limbs in) in an effort to better see where he was and what his next move would be.

Believe it or not, he hung out there for a few minutes as she didn't take this photo for awhile.

It probably took that long for his eyes to adjust and to get his wits about him. That's the same way I am when I'm woken up by surprise. Why should they be any different?

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