Shrew...who knew?

Pics
Date sort Score sort
Crazy fast heartbeat and metabolism, if they don't eat they starve really fast they don't even sleep for more than a few minuites at a time any little deviation in their routine and "poof" dead shrew.
Even if everything goes perfect they do good to live a solid year.

Mimi13 said:
Well, I’m fairly well versed in the mole, vole, shrew arena now. Oh, such knowledge. I think it might increase my worth by two shakes of a duck’s butt, but hey, I’ve definitely learned...that all three boogers are ugly. This is one thing I didn’t read. What makes them die so easily?
Click to expand...
 
Eggscaping said:
I guess you hardly ever see them...they're extremely fast and very secretive. They also have venom:
Unlike most mammals, some species of shrews are venomous. Shrew venom is not conducted into the wound by fangs, but by grooves in the teeth. The venom contains various compounds, and the contents of the venom glands of the American short-tailed shrew are sufficient to kill 200 mice by intravenous injection.
Click to expand...


Hmm, I wonder how many shrews it would take to poison a person.... couple hundred?
 
Chad Oftedal said:
If you caught a wild one, would you be able to tame it?

Sorry, I'll see myself out now, no need to get up...:D
Click to expand...

:yuckyuck
Mimi13 said:
Since they are solitary animals you’d probably never find enough all at once to inflict enough paralyzing venom to do you in. :idunno
Click to expand...
Maybe I can synthesize it.... I wonder if it's traceable.:plbb
 
vantain said:
So, there was a commotion in the chicken run yesterday. At least there is some evidence that something went down. I checked in on the chickens and found them in their coop during the day. That is not really an indicator of much, except that mine usually spend their entire day in the run, with only occasional visits to the coop for laying eggs, or just scratching around in the bedding. The odd part was that a few hours later, they were still in the coop, making lots of noise, and did not seem to want to go out into the run. I went out to check things, and upon entering the run, found what I first thought was a mouse, dead, on the ground near the door. Oddly, this "mouse" had no visible ears, or other telltale mouse features.

I had to look it up on google, and discovered it was a shrew! I didn't even know we had shews in Minnesota, and have never seen one before in my entire life. In any case, I think they found this thing, and attacked it, or something, and that it may have fought back. Two of the hens have slightly bloody scratches on their combs and wattles, but are otherwise doing fine. No wonder they didn't want to go back out into the run. They were probably in the coop...personal interpretation here of chicken behavior...shouting at each other about what in the world just happened!

I did read that chickens won't eat them, due to scent glands or something, which explains why they killed it, and left it there.

Anyone else have experiences with these?

Here it is...
View attachment 1972844
Click to expand...
One of my cockbirds killed one the other day. I saw it in the security camera so I went out to see what all the commotion was about. By the time I got out there he had killed it and was tidbitting it to the hens. They were extremely disappointed with the offer and walked away in disgust!
20191124_112126.jpg

20191124_112346.jpg
 

Similar threads

NewYorkMama
    • Sad
Five chickens dead overnight
2
Replies
10
Views
715
TOR
T
M
    • Sad
Mysterious Massacre
Replies
9
Views
375
Chicken_tiger_catt
Chicken_tiger_catt
S
    • Like
Something invaded our run
Replies
6
Views
1K
Sally PB
S
Tld421
    • Like
Hole in coop
Replies
9
Views
698
citymeetscountry
citymeetscountry
D
Protect coop from mini pig?
Replies
2
Views
493
EggSighted4Life
EggSighted4Life

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom