You Rat! - Maree Clarkson

"Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth."
~ Katherine Mansfield


"Rat" pencil sketch and watercolour in Moleskine watercolour sketch-book

This rat is another one of Jacko's 'friends'. Like the visiting Tabby, he does regular excursions at night through the open door of the lounge to the kitchen, where he also snacks on Jacko's Eukanuba food. I can just imagine how he must juggle his activities to stay clear of the Tabby and the dog to get any meaningful sustenance out of the whole journey...

I might just mention that we live on an 8.5ha smallholding and have regular nightly visitors through that open lounge door (the reason for the door being open is for Jacko to go to toilet at night). We regularly get visits from a Brown House Snake, quite a large chap, and once again it was Jacko who alerted us to his presence and I had to catch it and put it back in the garden, and a Mole Snake, whom I called Mollie - she actually lives permanently at my wildlife pond - and who, unlike the Brown house snake, is a very feisty gal - she doesn't take kindly to being disturbed, as can be seen in the photograph below when I approached her for the photo.


Mollie - a snake in the grass - checking out what I'm up to

The brown house snake is harmless and very docile, and an economically valuable snake as it preys primarily on rodents. This snake has become popular in the South African pet market because it is harmless, settles and breeds well in captivity. As with all other South African snakes, permits are required for possession. It lays six to 12 eggs which hatch after two and a half to three months.


Brown House snake