The mouse that hath but one hole is quickly taken

November 30, 2018 10:19 PM

Recently, photographer Simon Dell stumbled upon a family of mice running around his garden. Instead of reaching for the traps, however, he took out his tools. Dell built the mice a miniature village and they repaid him by posing in front of his camera.
posted by Johnny Wallflower (36 comments total)

These mice have got to be thinking they landed in mouse heaven or something. I can imagine the stories they’ll be telling their grandkids.
posted by darkstar at 10:25 PM on November 30, 2018 [16 favorites]

I love how many of the photos have mice up on their hind legs with their front legs each on their separate apple. It's such this, like, I mean, for a mouse... it's a total Power Stance.

Very cute very fun. I needed cute and fun tonight! Thanks!
posted by hippybear at 10:28 PM on November 30, 2018 [9 favorites]

Adorable.
posted by gryphonlover at 10:35 PM on November 30, 2018

This made me want to buy a camera. And reread Redwall.
posted by tofu_crouton at 10:47 PM on November 30, 2018 [9 favorites]

Totes adorbs.
posted by davidmsc at 10:57 PM on November 30, 2018 [5 favorites]

What davidmsc said. This is the cutest!!!

My mom has been complaining about rats in the garage, I just told her to set up a mouse house in the yard and they'll move right in there instead.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:04 PM on November 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

This man deserves every stock-photo fee he can raise for creating the home of Stuart Little's country cousins.
posted by Thella at 11:10 PM on November 30, 2018 [7 favorites]

These mice have a better abode than I do. Also, they are cuter than me, damn it. I have nothing to compete with those perfectly splendid ears.
posted by droplet at 11:20 PM on November 30, 2018 [13 favorites]

Fantastic. Need more of this around here these days.
posted by standardasparagus at 11:22 PM on November 30, 2018 [2 favorites]

“We also have a fox that visits every night."

I'm prepared to bet the mice find that fact significantly less charming than he does.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:01 AM on December 1, 2018 [12 favorites]

Clearly, the mice need to be introduced to Town Planning and Supply Chain Management before it’s too late!
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:05 AM on December 1, 2018 [6 favorites]

they need condoms - but they keep chewing holes in them
posted by pyramid termite at 3:47 AM on December 1, 2018 [2 favorites]

they need condoms condominiums - but they keep chewing holes in them

FTFM (fixed that for mice)
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:10 AM on December 1, 2018 [3 favorites]

Don't anthropomorphize the animals. They hate that.
posted by hippybear at 5:28 AM on December 1, 2018 [19 favorites]

WTF ADSENSE?
posted by drlith at 5:43 AM on December 1, 2018 [8 favorites]

“We also have a fox that visits every night."
I'm prepared to bet the mice find that fact significantly less charming than he does.

Also a more likely explanation than Mouse Zero having "left to find a mate" unfortunately (cue "Circle of Life")
posted by drlith at 5:47 AM on December 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

So so cute!!!!
posted by bluesky43 at 6:49 AM on December 1, 2018

His photography is also really nice. Very rich, very detailed. The ones hippybear talks about, where the mouse is standing with each paw on an apple, are like the mouse equivalent of a powerful CEO or pop star standing in front of their mansion, arms crossed in three-quarter profile. These are some extremely sleek, well-fed, wealthy mice.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 7:16 AM on December 1, 2018 [4 favorites]

*squeeeeeeeeeeaaa....*
posted by infini at 7:59 AM on December 1, 2018

So squee worthy!
posted by Gadgetenvy at 8:08 AM on December 1, 2018

Mod note: A few comments deleted. It would be better for the site if people didn't feel the need to make every. single. post. into something negative. Relentless negativity makes people not want to come here.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 8:16 AM on December 1, 2018 [47 favorites]

If you have concerne about ticks and lyme disease, spray some paper towel scraps with permethrin (it's sold as a clothing-not-skin spray); tuck the dried treated paper in paper towel/tp cardboard rolls and leave them where the field mice will rob them to line their nests. That eliminates the ticks over the winter.
posted by hank at 9:15 AM on December 1, 2018 [7 favorites]

One day, in Simon Dell's hour of greatest need, he will hear the blast of a tiny horn and an adorable horde of thousands of mice will pour over the horizon prepared to gnaw his enemies to death.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 10:22 AM on December 1, 2018 [27 favorites]

NO it is too adorable and cannot be borne

i want to live in an apple
posted by poffin boffin at 10:54 AM on December 1, 2018 [6 favorites]

For it will be the fiercely loyal clan of grandchildren of these mice he is today befriending!


So. Many. Grandchildren.


Like, 8.7 kilograndchildren.
posted by darkstar at 10:54 AM on December 1, 2018 [7 favorites]

We did the same thing, except (a) we're not taking pictures, (b) we did it by accident and (c) it's a full-sized house (ours). Also (d) we just called an exterminator.
posted by Edgewise at 11:26 AM on December 1, 2018 [6 favorites]

One day, in Simon Dell's hour of greatest need, he will hear the blast of a tiny horn and an adorable horde of thousands of mice will pour over the horizon prepared to gnaw his enemies to death.

The children's movie basically writes itself.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:30 AM on December 1, 2018 [3 favorites]

Always with the negative waves, Edgewise
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:32 AM on December 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

Reepicheep was gallant.
posted by infini at 11:33 AM on December 1, 2018 [3 favorites]

I was really hoping they were Aeslin mice.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 11:55 AM on December 1, 2018 [7 favorites]

Give this person a Nobel Prize.
posted by Automocar at 12:56 PM on December 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

The pictures are great, and obviously adorable, but I think I'm most impressed by the craftsmanship of the mouse house. He calls it a log house, but it's so much more than that! And look, there's even a little mouse sized water bottle on their dining table! This is the best, most adorable thing ever. Thanks for posting it!
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:47 PM on December 1, 2018 [4 favorites]

if there had been a photo of a mouse on one of the tiny bikes i would still be weeping inconsolably 100 years from now
posted by poffin boffin at 6:47 PM on December 1, 2018 [5 favorites]

He is nice to mice.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:19 AM on December 2, 2018 [1 favorite]

The little toy Ducati motorcycle by the hole was a nice little nostalgic touch, for those of us who remember Ralph, the mouse with the motorcycle.
posted by Thistledown at 4:44 AM on December 3, 2018 [4 favorites]

“I also had another mouse that used to live in my garden shed and only come out after dark. He was a wood mouse and we named him Stuart. He was once a single mouse but he left at the start of spring 2018, maybe to find a mate. Hoping he comes back this winter and maybe he could get to know the new mice in the garden.”

Pretty sure if Stuart comes back he’ll be all like how come you let me live in your shed and you built these blow-ins fucking Narnia?

(Seriously though JW you owe me for the glasses I shattered with my squee)
posted by billiebee at 4:02 PM on December 3, 2018 [4 favorites]