Squirrel Admonishment

[Billhook]

8 hours ago, openspaceman said:

You're supposed to hold the top of the bag in one hand and allow the squirrel  to pop its head out  so the priest could deliver the last rites in your other hand in practice if it got its head out the body would follow too soon after for me to do anything about it.

Are you supposed to adopt the same procedure for rats?     

I cannot imagine many people putting a rat in a sack and taking it to the vet and paying £30 for a lethal injection!

And there lies the problem with conservationists, for if it is apparently fluffy and cuddly it is treated in a very different way  than if it is slimy and dirty.  Nobody cares too much about the method of killing rats

[Mick Dempsey]

23 hours ago, Big J said:

 

 

They are not native. 

 

They are now!

[Mick Dempsey]

21 minutes ago, Billhook said:

Are you supposed to adopt the same procedure for rats?     

I cannot imagine many people putting a rat in a sack and taking it to the vet and paying £30 for a lethal injection!

And there lies the problem with conservationists, for if it is apparently fluffy and cuddly it is treated in a very different way  than if it is slimy and dirty.  Nobody cares too much about the method of killing rats

Rats pose a serious health risks to humans, squirrels don’t, 

[Billhook]

15 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Rats pose a serious health risks to humans, squirrels don’t, 

Diseases Squirrels Carry

Squirrels are known to carry numerous diseases, though only a few are dangerous to humans. Some of the more common include tularemia, typhus, plague, and ringworm. Such diseases are transmitted through bites or other forms of direct contact with infected squirrels. Tularemia, typhus, and plague have symptoms that mimic the flu and can be deadly when left untreated. While all mammals are capable of getting rabies, squirrels are very rarely rabid.

Parasites and Disease

Other diseases squirrels transmit to humans come from the various parasites they carry. Rife with parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites, squirrels living in proximity to homes frequently pass these tiny pests on to both humans and pets. Some of the diseases humans can get from the parasites include Lyme disease, Encephalitis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

[Billhook]

Poor old rat took the blame for the Black Death

 

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/rats-plague-black-death-humans-lice-health-science/

[Mick Dempsey]

Come off it! All wild animals have parasites. 

 

Here’s a discussion about it from a few years back.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2019 by Mick Dempsey

[difflock]

 

[Gary Prentice]

4 hours ago, Billhook said:

Parasites and Disease

Other diseases squirrels transmit to humans come from the various parasites they carry. Rife with parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites, squirrels living in proximity to homes frequently pass these tiny pests on to both humans and pets. Some of the diseases humans can get from the parasites include Lyme disease, Encephalitis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever 

 

So if the little fella looks American, handle with care?

[Baldbloke]

I can see any attempt to prevent the culling of grey squirrels causing a lot of conflict with groups concerned with red squirrel conservation. I'd like to know how an air rifle shooter could demonstrate being 'properly qualified'. Another possible opportunity for NPTC, perhaps?

If you can’t tell the difference between red or grey squirrels you shouldn’t be shooting at anything other than cans

[Baldbloke]

They are a good predator for greys which tend to spend more time on the ground than reds. Reds are also lighter than greys so can get out further on the branches to evade the pine martens.

Having had two lots of chooks killed by Martins in three years I’d quite like them added to the general licence