Friday, December 19, 2008

Things that go bump in the night?

Ben in Idaho asks: Is it okay to squish unwanted house critters?

If you're accosted by a rabid cockroach, or an Australian Death Adder without provocation then it's perfectly acceptable to do them in, or at the very least throw a stern look of disapproval their way. Allowing them to have the run of the house can only lead to no good, especially if you sense they're just itching to get into your hair.
There are exceptions to this however as sometimes the presence of non-domesticated animals can be beneficial. For instance if a really annoying relative is overdoing their stay you can shoo a venomous spider or scorpion into their bedroom. Some animals will deter other varmints from making your house their home as well. If you're fortunate enough to have a Giant Pacific Octopus inhabit your den then you'll sleep better knowing you'll never have to call the local cockle exterminator. Plus they generally only hunt at night, so you most likely wouldn't even know it's there...except for having to occasionally clean ink stains and crustacean shells out of the carpet.