What predator left this behind?

[cavemanrich]

When I read your #8 post, I assumed you handed him a pink slip.
Yes, I know you did what you had to do. Not sure if you know, but opossums are responsible for eating numerous amounts of ticks. Ticks are nasties that carry all types of disease. One reason I would never dispatch one. I also luv my chickens. My way is securing the coop. I have no shortage of predators here by me. Lucky not to have weasels, minks, and such from really nasty group.

 

[nminusyplusm]

It might be safer and easier to do an apron of hardware cloth around your coop rather than pavers.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

When I read your #8 post, I assumed you handed him a pink slip.
Yes, I know you did what you had to do. Not sure if you know, but opossums are responsible for eating numerous amounts of ticks. Ticks are nasties that carry all types of disease. One reason I would never dispatch one. I also luv my chickens. My way is securing the coop. I have no shortage of predators here by me. Lucky not to have weasels, minks, and such from really nasty group.

I too work to secure my coop. Not sure what I would do in the situation, but that's why I like participating. To think about it ahead of time.

The one possum my dogs "scared to death" (not really) wasn't anywhere near my coop yet. I guess the main reason I might think about dispatching would be so others don't get the message that chicken is being served. My vet insists that if I have any grass taller than 4 inches I should be treating for ticks and fleas. In 3 years of living here, they haven't gotten either. I WON'T treat for what I don't have.

Even though opossum eat ticks... don't they also carry fleas and rabies type stuff?

I haven't seen any weasel type animals, but I'm pretty sure they are around. I've never seen a coon at my place, put my neighbor trapped (and relocated ) about 8 of them. And my hubby sees them just down the road when he leaves for work at night. The coons are a little thick in town! I think from so many people leaving cat (or dog) food out. So far the only animals I've actually dispatched were rats and cats. The rats because most the time the stupid snap traps just don't get them in the right place. And cats only because I wan't able to get to them in time to stop my 3 dogs from rocking their world. So it was instead of letting them suffer, not because I think cats are a threat to my shooks.

In general, I moved to the Pacific North West because I LOVE wildlife and the surroundings. I didn't move here to randomly kill everything or anything. We even have mountain lion roaming the neighborhoods sometimes. And people are all you gotta kill it. Stupid people, take precautions.. we live in the redwood forest where they were here first. In order to kill a mountain lion here you are required to get a predation permit. There was even a black bear in the trash can behind a restaurant in town. I would probably (not sure) dispatch a coon in a heart beat since their population is huge.

E fencing is great when installed at the correct height. Was MUCH easier to install than I thought. I do that stuff myself. And never seen an animal return to it twice on purpose... Well I did once because I described it as a flick to the nose and maybe startling. And I wan't to know what the animals experience since I use it to keep my stags on their own side of the fence and not for predators. That's probably a bonus side effect! Someone said take your shoes off and dip a toe in the grass. It lit me up! It was darkish and I even saw the spark.

 

[lazy gardener]

opossumsocietyus.org/faq-opossum/

Any mammal can get rabies. However, the chance of rabies in an opossum is EXTREMELY RARE. This mayhave something to do with the opossum's low body temperature (94-97º F) making it difficult for the virus to survive in an opossum's body.

Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagasdisease. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.
Opossum Management Guidelines--UC IPM
ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html

 

[EggSighted4Life]

opossumsocietyus.org/faq-opossum/

Any mammal can get rabies. However, the chance of rabies in an opossum is EXTREMELY RARE. This mayhave something to do with the opossum's low body temperature (94-97º F) making it difficult for the virus to survive in an opossum's body.

Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagasdisease. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.
Opossum Management Guidelines--UC IPM
ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html

So since I always hear that lice and cocci are species specific, does that mean that somehow chickens can't catch it from them. And why do people talk about goats catching cocci from chickens? Does that mean that out of the 9 strains they may carry them all but only one effects them?

My vet also said I should vaccinate my dogs against Lepto because it used to be part of the parvo virus vaccine but no longer is. But they also say you should get parvo vaccine again (I can't remember how often). But I have never vaccinated for parvo except the initial 3 treatments as pups. Seems vets have differing opinions about this.

 

[lazy gardener]

I can't advise regarding cocci, especially as it relates to different species. I'm of the mind set that if an animal has a healthy gut, he's not likely to get infected. Once we got a kitten who was infected with coccidiosis. No idea where it came from. A course of abx. from the vet set him straight.

As for vet vaccines: Every year I get a lengthy list of recommended vaccines for my dog, with repeated reminders to schedule an appointment. I'm not impressed with the "must do" litany of medication and inoculations that are deemed necessary for animal health. Even the rabies vaccine: the titre remains high for years after immunization (I believe it's 7 years) yet it's required every year in order to keep the dog licensed, to avoid the fines associated with not licensing your dog. Do the homework on Heartworm infection, and follow up with a review of your local climate and temperature charts, and that will be an other eye opener. Heartworm medication is a huge money maker for the vet practice. And, at least here, prescribed based on a "fearmongering" approach.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I can't advise regarding cocci, especially as it relates to different species. I'm of the mind set that if an animal has a healthy gut, he's not likely to get infected. Once we got a kitten who was infected with coccidiosis. No idea where it came from. A course of abx. from the vet set him straight.

As for vet vaccines: Every year I get a lengthy list of recommended vaccines for my dog, with repeated reminders to schedule an appointment. I'm not impressed with the "must do" litany of medication and inoculations that are deemed necessary for animal health. Even the rabies vaccine: the titre remains high for years after immunization (I believe it's 7 years) yet it's required every year in order to keep the dog licensed, to avoid the fines associated with not licensing your dog. Do the homework on Heartworm infection, and follow up with a review of your local climate and temperature charts, and that will be an other eye opener. Heartworm medication is a huge money maker for the vet practice. And, at least here, prescribed based on a "fearmongering" approach.

Yes, fear mongering BIG time!
We have mosquitoes like crazy, EVEN in January! Much smaller and stealthier this time of year. Harder to notice before they bite and the itch develops. They especially love one of my dogs. At 8+ years old I did the heart worm test which came back negative. So NO I won't be adding more toxic stuff to my dogs. I guess if we get it we will deal.

Here for the first rabies vaccine at 4 months old it is valid for 1 year. After that IF you tell them you want the 3 year vaccine (same price), then it is only every 3 years. And registration WAS accordingly with a discount for the multi year. But if you don't speak up they won't offer the 3 vaccine (like you say probably 7 in reality) year because it makes less money of course.

My new county FINED me when we moved here for not licensing my dogs withing 30 days of moving (and being honest about the time frame), even though they were still registered in the other county. It was double the standard rate. I ALWAYS encourage people to license their pets because that is partly how the counties pay for their animal shelters which will ALSO contact you if your dogs gets loose and found. Anyways, this new county does ALL registrations in Dec/Jan and require your rabies vaccine to be valid ONLY on that day. So if it expires the day after they don't care or have any accountability. (The previous location you tags expired on the same day as your rabies vaccine). But if it expires the day before registration, they won't accept your $ and fine you another $15 if vaccine isn't in on that day. Well, I got my boy vaccinated but failed to return to pound (I know MY fault). They sent me to collections over $15! A lot of people struggle much more than I do. Despite feeling as though it's the responsible thing to do... I will NOT be encouraging another person to worry about paying their dog TAX!

AND for not paying a county tax of $38 on some broken down boat, sitting for 3 + years (NOT dmv)... they filed a lien against my home!

Note, I will ALWAYS do my initial parvo virus vaccines (3 set) as I have seen way too many pups succumb. And there is NOTHING fear mongering about parvo in the areas I have lived. So some do have definite benefits.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Hope it was on topic enough (mammal predators spreading possible disease to chickens), that it didn't bother anyone.

 

[cavemanrich]

Only people with heads up their rumps have problems with someone giving some additional information unrelated. When I come across such rants, I just dismiss them like I never read them.

 

[Nuffy]

Hi possum are nasty especially around pullets. Lucky my dog figured out their habit of playing dead I have only had to send one to possum rip

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Sorry must continue the off topic briefly.

If your dog did get heartworm its actually easily, safely, slowly and cheaply treated with ivermectin injectable carefully dosed orally. Most vets will go a different route because . But if you know a vet you get the real scoop. Whole thing could cost you a whopping 20 bucks. Unless you know a cow farmer who will sell you a little ivermectin. Then, oh maybe 6 bucks or so. In the meantime they'll be flea and worm free. It treats and prevents just about everything!

!!!NOT safe for collies or similar with the merle gene unless first tested!!!