Frogmouth

[den]

The Tawny Frogmouth died at the vet's before they had a chance to determin what was wrong with him. An autopsy showed inflamed intestines, so the bird had been poisoned.

bugger

Comments

[hedgegoth.livejournal.com]

Bugger.

Hopefully this won't happen again if the park bloke remembers the tips you gave him.

[oceansedge.livejournal.com]

Owww sorry to hear that :(

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

He's only the animal control ranger; a dog catcher with a few extra duties. He probably never even thought about owls and such eating the sick rodents.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

I'd assume most people would think the poisoned rodents die fairly quickly and are thus more or less out of the picture as far as creatures above them on the food chain are concerned.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Most people don't think beyond killing the rodent. It never occurs to them that something might eat the mouse or rat.

[boreal.livejournal.com]

Howdy

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

greetings!

[boreal.livejournal.com]

Could you explain to me all the different (well briefly, that you know of,) rodenticides available in Australia and what you prefer to use for rat/mice control? (All things being equal, meaning, if it was decided that a bait was the necessarily method of extermination.) I just would really appreciate your knowledge in this matter.

I ask since Wafarin is one of the few rated highly for outdoor use here. I'm wondering if there is a different dosage/concentration in the bait where you come from, vs here or such. Now, we don't have native frogmouths (although I have raised them in captivity for a private facility.) So do you feel that species is more sensitive or that this applies to all predatory birds?

I'd sincerely appreciate hearing a more detailed version of your viewpoint on this subject :) Thanks!

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about rodenticides. I prefer the old snap-trap if I have to kill a mouse: they're quick and environmentally friendly. I only set them around the house, too, because I think I have some rare native rodents (hastings river mice) living in my shed. They look like house mice but they have creamy white belly fur. http://www.bigvolcano.com.au/stories/mouse/ for a photo from one in the Mount Warning area.

Frogmouths and barn owls seem to be the ones most often affected but I think that is because they'll happily live around people, and are therefore more likely to pick up a baited mouse. Occasionally I'll see some of the small raptors on the edge of town with the same symptoms.

[boreal.livejournal.com]

Well its just you said you recommended another brand/type of bait and I was wondering what you recommended over wafarin and what your experience was with it.

I have no problem with snap traps and such, I'm just wondering your view on the rodent poisons is all. Thanks!

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I know the company says they use a different poison, but I don't know what they use. I don't like rodent poisons at all. They're too indisciminate. Rat-sak (the brand warfarin is sold as) also contains seeds and grains to attract mice, but it can also attract birds. And it has a secondary poisoning effect.

[boreal.livejournal.com]

I hear what you're saying, but I don't want to debate the specific conditions where baiting may or may not be appropriate (there are definitely situations where its not appropriate,) nor how to safely distribute bait (and not distribute it,) Etc. I was simply curious about product names. You suggested another one was preferable and I was just wondering what that one was, that you found preferable to wafarin. [Its just my understanding that wafarin has one of the lowest secondary effects, but that has been tested primarily with mammal scavengers, not birds.)

If you do find out the name of the "non-heomorragic bait that doesn't cause secondary poisoning" that you described that another company sells, I would sincerely like the name of it/active ingredient. I'm just not aware of one existing here in the US. Thanks! I'm just trying to expand my knowledge and since you highly recommend it, I'd really love to know what it is so I can investigate it here.

A better mousetrap

[kreggan.livejournal.com]

If you know someone with snakes, or other critters that eat mice, you can try one of these things:

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000301.php

Re: A better mousetrap

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I used to have one of those when I had an aviary. Trouble is, the mice still have to be killed.

All the snake and raptor carers I know breed their own mice to avoid parasite problems.

Re: A better mousetrap

[boreal.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've used those before for mice and they're fabulous (except you have to either let the mouse die of dehydration which is more cruel and painful than blood thinners, or find a method of killing it quickly (we've gassed it. But your average home owner doesn't have any.) Release elsewhere isn't an option in the city because it becomes someone else's problem or comes back to you.) Unfortunately they don't make those for rats, and that is the big issue really when dealing with baits. I do appreciate the suggestion and those are one of my favorite options for mice.

[Many snake owners don't want wild food because they don't know where its been, and hanta virus is alive and happy in the SW where I live, although not in my neighborhood.]

[kythrain.livejournal.com]

Bummer about the frogmouth, but from the symptoms you gave I wasn't holding out a lot of hope.

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you lost the bird, but at least it wasn't unexpected and you got the chance to educate the ranger about using better baits. Better luck next time and keep up the good work.