I learned early how to be good at Therapy...

Four years old and at the movies with my Daddy. Days don't get any better than that. It was the brand new, uber advertised, Disney movie of the year. 101 Dalmations, opening day, and I was so excited I could hardly keep from throwing down my Rainbow Brite doll and sprinting in the theater. 

One teeny tiny problem.

 Cruella DeVille was FREAKIN scary. Not just creepy, or spooky. I was terrified to the point that we had to leave half way through the movie. I could NOT stop crying and thinking about those poor little puppies (and that hair).

Problem number two. 

Months afterward I was still appearing next to my Daddy's side of the bed in the middle of the night saying "Daddy......can we talk about Cruella?"

Ding Ding Ding...We Have A Winner!

Ok, yes WE GOT HIM!

Fortunately for him, (and us) we did opt for the "Catch & Release" turns out he is the cutest thing you've ever seen (as far as rodents go). The Rat/Squirrel is actually this weird large mousy thing. So the peanut butter worked and there he was yesterday morning not at all happy about being in our trap. 

Here's what the little booger looked like post-trapping, and on his way to his "Release Site"

My camera was dead  (gasp) or I would have a much better picture, and Im ashamed...

So we took him down the road to the Howdy's / Dairy Queen (Im sure they appreciated their new addition) to let him go. There is nothing but desert behind it, and we figured he would have plenty to eat (but his cholesterol will most likely suffer).

We sneakily crept down the arroyo and I hit the button to open the doors. Ok, here's what we didn't expect. He took two steps out of the trap and then JUMPED literally 10 feet. He hit the ground and lept again, another ten feet. Three more jumps and he was out of site. Amy and I sat there and stared in complete AWE.  After a few seconds, I said something like "he jumped just like a Kangaroo"... that was about the time that lightbulb went on, an Aha! moment. In unison "KANGAROO RAT!!!!"  This is what my Google search revealed. Sure enough we had ourselves a GIANT Kangaroo Rat. We set the trap again, so hopefully I can have better pictures AND a release video next time.