I'm not going to be on byc much for a few days.

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I'm not going to be on byc much for a few days.
I hope everything is ok.I'm not going to be on byc much for a few days.
How lucky! They are so adorable!Look what I saw when I put out tea for the flock
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It was actually the flock that alerted me to it - Hensol especially
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and Cadle was particularly interested - I don't think she's seen one before; Wig was a bit more reserved
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It looked pretty healthy to me, so is probably out in the daytime because it's a nursing or soon-to-be mother. Which is great of course - more hedgehogs!
That information is wrong. Possums do not actively seek ticks out for food.I hope Shad won't mind me puncturing the silence while he's away with something I read recently that may be of interest to those on the other side of the pond; opossums can be useful. They consume a lot of ticks, more than any other typical host animal. "No fewer than 96% of the ticks scientists placed on opossums in controlled studies were thus prevented from reaching humans" (or, by extension, their chickens).
Edited to add the source: Svedrup-Thygeson Tapestries of Life chapter 7.
The study counted ticks on the caged opossum and then the ticks disappeared. So the assumption was they were eaten.I hope Shad won't mind me puncturing the silence while he's away with something I read recently that may be of interest to those on the other side of the pond; opossums can be useful. They consume a lot of ticks, more than any other typical host animal. "No fewer than 96% of the ticks scientists placed on opossums in controlled studies were thus prevented from reaching humans" (or, by extension, their chickens).
Edited to add the source: Svedrup-Thygeson Tapestries of Life chapter 7.
It wasn't suggesting that. It said they were a host species of ticks, and are very good at ridding themselves of said parasites by eating them. The paper that prompted it and one that disputed it are linked in the article Molpet linked to; thanks @Molpet !Possums do not actively seek ticks out for food.
A long-ago veterinarian employer of mine had a brother with hunting dogs. This was long before there was halfway decent flea and tick control for houses.It wasn't suggesting that. It said they were a host species of ticks, and are very good at ridding themselves of said parasites by eating them. The paper that prompted it and one that disputed it are linked in the article Molpet linked to; thanks @Molpet !
Apparently they will eat them when grooming, but do not actually seek them out as a snack.I hope Shad won't mind me puncturing the silence while he's away with something I read recently that may be of interest to those on the other side of the pond; opossums can be useful. They consume a lot of ticks, more than any other typical host animal. "No fewer than 96% of the ticks scientists placed on opossums in controlled studies were thus prevented from reaching humans" (or, by extension, their chickens).
Edited to add the source: Svedrup-Thygeson Tapestries of Life chapter 7.