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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Feeding the squirrels

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  • From: Lucky Pittman <lucky.pittman@murraystate.edu>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Feeding the squirrels
  • Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 08:39:03 -0500

At 10:40 PM 9/25/2006, Barry wrote:
I think I'd much prefer the quick shot than have animals die in agony,
then get eaten by numerous other animals thus transferring this problem
through the food web.

That's all well and good, and I, too, would prefer a quick shot to dispatch the bushy-tailed tree rat - and that's gratifying, in and of itself; but one can't be 'on patrol' 24/7, and in urban/suburban settings, you've gotta be able to get relatively close to the squirrels to ensure hitting the mark with your air rifle.

I, too have used the peanut butter/Plaster-of-Paris bonbons with good success, and don't hesitate to use them - they're vermin. As far as I can ascertain, the PB/POP bonbons pose much less, if any, threat to secondary consumers, than would other 'approved' rodenticides, such as the anticoagulant and Vitamin D analogue types.

The person who originally put me onto the PB/POP idea indicated that the POP 'turned to concrete' in the squirrel's intestine, but I'm fairly certain that doesn't occur - and my toxicologist concurs.
Method of action may entail either excessive generation of gas when the POP hits the gastric acid(I don't know if squirrels can 'belch'), or marked skewing of the animal's blood pH and/or serum calcium:phosphorus ratio, inducing neuromuscular dysfunction.


Louis L. "Lucky" Pittman, Jr., DVM
Veterinary Pathologist/ Dept. Chairman
Murray St. Univ.-Breathitt Veterinary Ctr.
Hopkinsville, KY




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