Guest guest Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 [i'm marking my post Off Topic not as a rebuke to anyone for being off topic but as a way of letting others know that they can skip it safely or delete it without reading if they're only interested in people food - er, that's *slimming* people food, I guess LOL - OK on with the subject.] I don't know if mice and rats are that different. I've kept neither and never researched them until now. I'd be cautious, however, if I had either, with regarad to avocados. FWIW, the ASPCA warns against it for all pets: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_poisonsafe But you'll be way ahead of me in researching all this Good luck! Love, Pat > On 1/8/08, Patricia Sant <drpatsant > wrote: > > > > Therefore, presuming that Geoff wants to > catch > > the mouse alive out of compassion for its > life > > rather than the pleasure of tormenting it, I > > would suggest he find another kind of bait. > > Do you think mice and rats are that different? > > *does a bit of research* > > Several sites lump rat and mice care together > and suggest avocados. > These include the site of the American Fancy > Rat and Mouse Association > and The Rat and Mouse Club of America. > > This Purdue University page about avocados > says: > " Avocados have no major insect enemies in > Florida but migrating cedar > waxwings feed on leaves, flowers and very young > fruits and the fruits > are commonly attacked by squirrels, rats and > mice. " > and later says that the unripe flesh and the > seeds are poisonous to mice. > http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/avocado_ars.html > > One site I stumbled across in researching > talked about humane trapping > and advised against peanut butter, almond > butter, etc. because rats > and mice are unable to vomit and can choke > themselves on thick paste > foods. (I don't give my rats nut butters but I > did have a wild rat > once that kept sneaking into my kitchen and > eating my almond butter.) > > <:3_)~ <:3_)~ <:3_)~ <:3_)~ <:3_)~ > > Sparrow > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 On 1/8/08, Patricia Sant <drpatsant wrote: > > I don't know if mice and rats are that different. > I've kept neither and never researched them until > now. I'd be cautious, however, if I had either, > with regarad to avocados. FWIW, the ASPCA warns > against it for all pets: > > http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_poisonsafe > > But you'll be way ahead of me in researching all > this I notice the ASPCA site doesn't specifically mention rodents and, to many, rodents are not pets, they are vermin. In most states, the laws against animal cruelty don't apply to rodents, even fancy rats and mice that are specifically bred to be pets. (Which is why, for example, it's legal to feed live rodents to pet snakes but a violation to feed live dogs to pet alligators.) I'd be more likely to go by what the RMCA (Rat and Mouse Club of America) says, since they're specifically targetted at pet rodent owners. To be super-safe, one could avoid avocado, but I don't know that apples and carrots are going to be very enticing to mice, especially if there's tastier (to them) stuff around like grains. My rats will eat apples and carrots, but as soon as something they *really* like shows up, the apples and carrots are quickly forgotten (until much later when they're bored and digging around in their shavings for a late-night snack.) Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 I wouldn't bait a trap with avocado anyway. You'd have to keep changing it because it would go bad. I prefer grains, legumes, nuts, raisins, etc. They can stay in there for days, weeks, or months, without constantly having to re-bait the trap. Do you have a plastic trap or a metal one? I had two plastic ones, and one metal (Tin Cat). One of the mice this year actually managed to chew his way out of one of the plastic ones. We saw in the morning that we had caught a mouse, and I had some other things that needed to be done first. When I went back to arrange to release him, he was gone, and there was a small ventilation hole about the trapping mechanism that he had chewed around to enlarge and escape. It took three days to re-trap him in the Tin Cat, and save him from the *real* cat. So if you use a plastic one, check it often and release them immediately before they have a chance to chew their way out. We have a couple of sites that we release on, which are far away down the hill from any houses, in a park-like setting. Don't release them near your house or uphill from other houses. Pam On Jan 8, 2008 7:53 AM, Sparrow R Jones <sparrowrose wrote: On 1/8/08, Patricia Sant <drpatsant wrote: > > > > I don't know if mice and rats are that different. > > I've kept neither and never researched them until > > now. I'd be cautious, however, if I had either, > > with regarad to avocados. FWIW, the ASPCA warns > > against it for all pets: > > > > http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_poisonsafe > > > > But you'll be way ahead of me in researching all > > this > > I notice the ASPCA site doesn't specifically mention rodents and, to > many, rodents are not pets, they are vermin. In most states, the laws > against animal cruelty don't apply to rodents, even fancy rats and > mice that are specifically bred to be pets. (Which is why, for > example, it's legal to feed live rodents to pet snakes but a violation > to feed live dogs to pet alligators.) > > I'd be more likely to go by what the RMCA (Rat and Mouse Club of > America) says, since they're specifically targetted at pet rodent > owners. To be super-safe, one could avoid avocado, but I don't know > that apples and carrots are going to be very enticing to mice, > especially if there's tastier (to them) stuff around like grains. > > My rats will eat apples and carrots, but as soon as something they > *really* like shows up, the apples and carrots are quickly forgotten > (until much later when they're bored and digging around in their > shavings for a late-night snack.) > > Sparrow > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 On 1/8/08, pdw <pdworkman wrote: > > > One of the mice this year actually managed > to chew his way out of one of the plastic ones. That doesn't surprise me. I've watched my rats perform amazing acts of gnawing. I don't know what the upper limits of mouse chewing are, but rats can chew through cinder blocks! And I know a mouse can fit its entire body through a hole the size of a dime, so it wouldn't take much chewing to get loose. Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 Wow, that's incredible. Out of all of the mice that we have caught, only one has ever chewed his way out. Another one tried, but didn't pick a good spot like this one, and the poor thing's teeth were so short in the morning that I wasn't sure if he'd be able to manage in the wild once I released him. Pam On Jan 8, 2008 9:45 AM, Sparrow R Jones <sparrowrose wrote: On 1/8/08, pdw <pdworkman wrote: > > > > > > One of the mice this year actually managed > > to chew his way out of one of the plastic ones. > > That doesn't surprise me. I've watched my rats perform amazing acts of > gnawing. I don't know what the upper limits of mouse chewing are, but > rats can chew through cinder blocks! > > And I know a mouse can fit its entire body through a hole the size of > a dime, so it wouldn't take much chewing to get loose. > > Sparrow > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 8, 2008 Report Share Posted January 8, 2008 > I notice the ASPCA site doesn't specifically > mention rodents and, to > many, rodents are not pets, they are vermin. Ouch! > I'd be more likely to go by what the RMCA (Rat > and Mouse Club of > America) says, since they're specifically > targetted at pet rodent > owners. Excellent advice for anyone here who has ratties Best cuddles to yours. Love and hugs, Pat ---- Dr Patricia M. Sant http://beanvegan.blogspot.com Vegan World Cuisine: http://www.care2.com/c2cvegworld Vegetarian Spice: Vegetarian Slimming: vegetarianslimming Vegetarians In Canada: vegetariansincanada 'To cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.' Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) ______________________________\ ____ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search. http://tools.search./newsearch/category.php?category=shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 On 1/8/08, Patricia Sant <drpatsant wrote: > > > I notice the ASPCA site doesn't specifically > > mention rodents and, to > > many, rodents are not pets, they are vermin. > > Ouch! I know! I hate that attitude that some animals are more worthy than others. I mean, I don't want scorpions and rattlesnakes in my home but I don't think it's okay to torment them! This is a cousin-attitude to the one that animal-loving meat-eaters have. Like the guy who really loves his dogs and showers them with affection and takes them out with him when he goes hunting. Like the deer isn't as valid an animal as the dog. > > I'd be more likely to go by what the RMCA (Rat > > and Mouse Club of > > America) says, since they're specifically > > targetted at pet rodent > > owners. > > Excellent advice for anyone here who has ratties > Best cuddles to yours. They woke up from their rattie naps to smile at you. And to ask if they could have some of my beans. :-) Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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