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'Jerry is now famous': Security camera reveals secret life of Vancouver house mouse

A man shares his battle with a mouse in the house in a series of videos.
Elana Shepert
Elana Shepert
man-mouse-apartment-battle-2023
Cold Vancouver weather compelled a tiny mouse to take up residence in a local man's home.Photo via @AndyBaryer/Twitter

A Vancouver man has shared an epic story about his battle with a tiny rodent that has taken up residence in his home. 

Andy Baryer says the first time the little critter made its presence known was in November 2022 when it nibbled a small hole in a bag of bread that he left on the counter. 

"I suspected a mouse so being a tech guy who reviews new tech gadgets, I used it as an opportunity to review a new wireless indoor camera with motion detection," he explained. 

After having a look at the security footage, Baryer's suspicion was confirmed: a mouse was eating his bread at night after he went to bed. He continued to track the tiny house guest for about a week when he determined that it was coming in from under the dishwasher. 

"I pulled out the dishwasher and there was a big hole in the wall where the electric power cord came in," he said. 

After filling up the hole, the camera no longer detected a mouse. The Vancouverite shared a video of the experience on YouTube and thought that the problem was solved.

"Handy Andy wins...so I thought...," he said.

But when the Vancouver weather started to get cold again in February, Baryer noticed another hole in a bag of bread. 

"I set up a camera and sure enough, the mouse was back."

Vancouver handyman battles unwelcome mouse guest 

The tech expert noticed a hole between some steel wool pads that he had placed over a gap in his cabinets. But when he set up a camera there, he didn't detect a mouse. Instead, a camera on his kitchen countertop did have footage of the mouse. 

"So I never got a clear idea where it was coming inside from. Since they are incredibly quick, I suspect it got out of that hole before the camera could start recording," he said.

When he pulled the bulkhead from above his cabinet, Baryer found a hole in the wall where he suspected the mouse was getting in. But the persistent animal was back the next night. After this, he pulled out his stove and set up cameras under the cabinets.

"I now suspect the mouse is coming from the dishwasher area so I'm pulling that out tonight."

As a fan of the classic Warner Brothers cartoon Tom and Jerry, Baryer has named the mouse Jerry. The two of them currently live in his "old rancher style" home that was built in the 1940s. 

"It was in really bad shape when I moved in but I've been slowly renovating it since 2010," he explained. 

During the pandemic-spurred lockdown, the handyman designed and built a new kitchen and installed a vertical LED garden. 

"Now, I'm about to take it all apart to find this hole!" remarks the frustrated homeowner. 

"Jerry is now famous on Twitter."

While several people have advised him to get a cat or to find another way to trap or kill the mouse, Baryer gives pause.

"Jerry is now famous on Twitter, I don't want to kill it. Others say I should hire professionals, but my nickname is Handy Andy because I [use the do-it-yourself approach for]  every problem in my life. I feel like my whole reputation is at stake here!

"At the end of the day, I just want Jerry to stay out of my kitchen! This mouse chase has consumed me, it needs to end once and for all. "

Have a look at the epic ordeal Bayer has grappled with since Jerry moved in via a series of tweets.

Baryer is far from the only person with pest problems in the Lower Mainland. Have a look at six of the most common pests people face here in the winter.