This forum needs more random cuteness

[Jaffa]

So here's a baby squirrel



(link to full-size image)

Jaffa

[Drasca]

Squirrels make evil caw'ing / hissing noises and crawled into the spaces within my previous apartment wall and made scratching scurrying noises all winter long!

Squirrels aren't cute. Die squirrel die! *chases squirrel!*

[barron of ideas]

I've heard squirrels called tree rats. Are there big differences among rodents with furry tails and others?

[Jaffa]

Rats are lovely creatures that are among the most successful of the other species with which we share this planet. They are highly adaptable and adept at exploiting ecological niches opened up by human development. This leads to them frequently showing up in places where humans would prefer animals not to be, and getting condemned for having the same aggressive live-anywhere survival traits for which we congratulate ourselves.

Rats also act as hosts to the extremely not-lovely yersinia pestis.

Squirrels are not as evolutionarily successful as rats and generally restrict themselves to living in places where humans think it's okay for animals to be. They also don't carry any important zoonotic diseases (they can have rabies, but are not likely to transmit it to humans).

And squirrels have pretty fluffy tails and do cute human things with their paws

[CelticHound]

Originally posted by Jaffa@May 26 2004, 10:57 AM
They also don't carry any important zoonotic diseases

Hmm.. So I take it that you don't consider bubonic plague to be important?

Random cuteness or potential Black Death?

-- CH

[Jaffa]

Originally posted by CelticHound@May 26 2004, 04:38 PM
So I take it that you don't consider bubonic plague to be important?

Well, no. I have to know about something before deciding whether or not to consider it important, obviously

Have there been many outbreaks of black death attrributed to squirrels?

I'd still be more concerned about catching rabies than the bubonic plague, which is easily curable nowadays.

[Drasca]

Rabbits in particular, are both cute and tasty. :D

[WarBlade]

Originally posted by Jaffa@May 27 2004, 06:57 AM
Rats are lovely creatures that are among the most successful of the other species with which we share this planet.  They are highly adaptable and adept at exploiting ecological niches opened up by human development.

That's true. Just today I was working on a set made in a long disused insane asylum - You know the kind: draconian places of a bygone era with dim corridors, concrete grey surroundings (with years of added grime and dust), porthole windows, faded old signs on cell doors that warn, "Minimum Three Persons to Enter This Room" etc. - A place with plenty of caracter in other words.

And plenty of rats.

They were quite big and healthy specimens too, which surprised me since there didn't appear to be much in the way of human habitation anywhere nearby. An old rugby field on the property was obviously mowed as were nearby lawns, but everything else was a decaying wreck. The rats were also quite tolerant of human presence, so I wonder if that field got some use and provided some scraps . . . who knows? :unsure:

This leads to them frequently showing up in places where humans would prefer animals not to be, and getting condemned for having the same aggressive live-anywhere survival traits for which we congratulate ourselves.

Yep. Mostly I find them hanging out of my cat's mouth and I'd certainly prefer them not to be there, especially when he's chowing down on the damn things in the middle of the lounge. It's a little more acceptable than a rosella parrot he was gutting on the floor last week, but even still blood is worse than red wine to get out. I just wish he'd eat the bloody things outside! Back in January Sam released one during a DVD screening of Whale Rider, heralding a hysterically funny surprise intermission. February's rat proved to be one he'd left behind the couch and by the smell of it the rat had been there two or three days before we found the remains. Two or three weeks ago he turned up with just a rat's head. WTF? Where was the rest of it??? A scream from one of the teenage girls next door including the words "rat guts" may have answered that question though.

Rats also act as hosts to the extremely not-lovely yersinia pestis.

And prey for cats. :mellow:

Squirrels are not as evolutionarily successful as rats and generally restrict themselves to living in places where humans think it's okay for animals to be.  They also don't carry any important zoonotic diseases (they can have rabies, but are not likely to transmit it to humans).

And squirrels have pretty fluffy tails and do cute human things with their paws

There are no squirrels here in New Zealand. Possums are bad enough. A pest animal extrordinaire to be sure. They can even take on a cat and are likely to win. :unsure:

[ShadowHM]

Originally posted by WarBlade@May 27 2004, 11:13 AM

There are no squirrels here in New Zealand. Possums are bad enough. A pest animal extrordinaire to be sure.  They can even take on a cat and are likely to win.  :unsure:

Possums can take on a cat and win????

We are just beginning to see our first ones around here. I saw my first ever last summer. Yet another critter that is migrating north.

It certainly didn't look as if it could take on a healthy cat and win. Is it possible that it is a different animal that bears the same name?

Edit: Doh ! A brief google search revealed that it is indeed a different animal.

New Zealand Possum

North American Opossum

[WarBlade]

Originally posted by ShadowHM@May 27 2004, 11:28 PM
Possums can take on a cat and win????

Yep. They've been known to kill cats. Possums can do a fare bit of damage to a fully grown man too. They might not have the killing power of some restricted dog breeds, but those things are freaking nasty with a capital NASTY. :blink: