On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:31:12 +0000 (UTC), enigma
wrote:

Bob wrote in
:

I just mentioned WNS in another post, but obviously you already
know about it. Yeah, it's tough to stir up sympathy for bats
(squirrels are tough enough, and they're cute and fuzzy). I
hear lots of "let 'em die" from the usual crowd, until they're
informed of the possible consequences. For some, it depends on
which animal you hate worse, so mentioning West Nile/Mosquitos
usually elicits some sympathy for bats. g

well, the "squirrels are cute" line doesn't really work so well
when they're mauling my garden & making off with my hickory nut
crop i do like squirrels though, mostly because of their most
annoying trait: figuring things out. how *do* you keep a squirrel
in a pen?
and bats are cute and fuzzy too!

Where I was the squirrels were in cages. I wasn't very good at keeping
them in when I was feeding and cleaning. On seveal occasions, one
would run up my arm, over my back and was free! (I wan't good at
catching them either - the squirrels no doubt enjoyed my being there.)
What I enjoy most about squirrels is how much they like having fun -
as soon as their eyes are open they're wrestling with each other. As
Cindy Lauper might have sung, Squirrels Just Wanna Have Fun.

One of the misperceptions about those mythological altruistic
city-funded "Wildlife Organizations": Someone called the city
about an oppossum who had wandered into a park. They captured
and euthanized the poor critter and its babies. Would have been
easier to transport her to a rural location, but that's "not
their policy." The animal is nocturnal--she wasn't bothering
anyone. She was obviously just displaced or lost.

it's surprising how many people *hate* possums, i guess because
they look like rats. i wouldn't mess with an adult if i didn't need
to, because they can be pretty nasty, but they don't go out of
their way to attack.

We had a possum that would hiss and make threatening gestures towards
everyone. I discovered he was a sucker for vanilla wafers and I would
lure him out of his cage and let him roam the room while I cleaned and
then I'd lure him back in when I was done.

i have barn cats, who have a heated bed in the winter. one night i
went out to shut the chickens in (they free range) & feed the cats,
and there was a possum curled up in the cat's bed sound asleep. not
exactly what i want in my chicken barn... it was persuaded to
leave, & hasn't returned, but that was weird.

I came upon a raccoon in a cat's bed once. The cat didn't seem to mind
so I left it to it's snoring.

i also have a couple skunks that eat with the cats. they don't
bother the chickens, but they do get a few eggs. shrug they eat
ground nesting yellow jackets, so i'll let them have a couple eggs.
it's a good tradeoff.

What's with cats and skunks? I came home one day to find 2 cats and 2
skunks chasing each other in the backyard. I backed up and parked in
the front.

Since you're up on WNS, do you happen to know if there's been
any news re profiling it or its spread?

this is the latest:
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html
lee

Kate