CSI.... sorta

Today there was a 'Missing Critter', so I had to investigate, something like the Crime Scene Investigators do.

Yikes.... some "%&I@^&" left the door open on this 'apartment' and it looks empty. (Deduct, Deduce, Think think think. Yup, since I'm the only human here, the guilty party that left the door open must be.... REBA! Okay, okay... the dog didn't do it, I did. Now are you happy?)

No one here... this confirms that we have a 'Missing Chinchilla'. A lone chinchilla at large in 1200 sq. ft. of house full of electrical cords to chew on and other things not too safe to play with. He's been out all night and is at this time of day sound asleep somewhere.... but WHERE?

This is who we are looking for. This is Smudge. He is a Mosaic White male chinchilla.

Taken June 15, 2007

Taken May 25, 2008

Chinchilla poops on the bathroom floor!! He has been here at some time during the night, but seems to have moved on to somewhere else.

Two separate spots of dirt on my new laminate flooring in the living room. Now what is this? Does it have anything to do with this case? Or is it thanks to Reba (dog) or Mewsic (cat)? Take evidence photos now and sort it out later.

Ahhhh, now I understand what the dirt spots on the laminate were all about. In the loom room is my pellet stove, and by the pellet stove is a bucket of ashes, very fine, powedery ashes from the stove. Smudge had himself a bath in the bucket and made a terrible mess, then went into the living room, leaving a 'trail of evidence'... but not enough of a trail to find him.

Later in the day, once nocturnal chinchillas are awake and moving about, I had an 'informer' who alerted me to something being not quite as it should be. On closer inspection, the 'chinchilla of interest' was located in the doorway of the bathroom. After the photos were taken, I walked up, bent down, and very nearly was able to pick Smudge up before he came to life and ran for it... thankfully back into the bathroom where I was able to close the door and catch him in the smaller room.

Filthy dirty and far more gray than white after his ash bath, but back in Mom's arms. (Mirror reflection photos)

Safe and sound back in the comfort of his home.

Here, Smudge has just finished a bath in proper Chinchilla bath dust. It's hard to say how long it will take for the ashes to work out of his fur, and for him to return to his beautiful, clean white color. I just have to wait. He's looking like he just wants to stay there in his bath bottle/bed, and have a nap.

Hey.... it just dawned on me.... the theme for tomorrow is
'bottle'.
Haha.... the jar, or bottle Smudge bathes in and sleeps in makes this eligible. Cool. I had read the theme for HoT earlier, then got busy doing other things and very nearly forgot!!