US gov't to air-drop toxic mice on Guam snakes

[momrids6]

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AP) — Dead mice laced with painkillers are about to rain down on Guam's jungle canopy. They are scientists' prescription for a headache that has caused the tiny U.S. territory misery for more than 60 years: the brown tree snake.

http://portal.tds.net/news/read.php...org>&news_id=19473475&src=most_popular_viewed

 

[21merc7]

Fascinating that the snakes will eat something already dead. Most do not, they chase something live.

Sort of similar to the mothball method of ridding your yard of green garter snakes. When they crawl over them they get woosey, as if drunk, and then you run over them with the lawn mower. Gross but effective.

 

[STANDREID]

I wondered about them eating something dead too.

Regarding garter snakes in my yard, I have no problem with that. I found one once that, I think, the feral cat (my mascot) that hangs around my house killed and ate part of. She claims my properly so I feed her when she is around.

 

[TrackerSam]

Good. I hate snakes. I hope it works.

 

[Kat]

Good. Invasive species can wipe out indigenous animals and plants.

 

[tlcya]

Fascinating that the snakes will eat something already dead. Most do not, they chase something live.

Sort of similar to the mothball method of ridding your yard of green garter snakes. When they crawl over them they get woosey, as if drunk, and then you run over them with the lawn mower. Gross but effective.

you had me all the way up to the lawnmower

Love garters in my yard, they discourage the other less appealing (to me) pests.

 

[tlcya]

Good. Invasive species can wipe out indigenous animals and plants.

agreed, we've all seen how well that works out (thinking of Florida and the python invasion most recently)

 

[21merc7]

you had me all the way up to the lawnmower

Love garters in my yard, they discourage the other less appealing (to me) pests.

I didn't like it. I was living (so embarrassing to say) a trailer park at that time. The owner required us to keep the grass mowed and the snakes from the creek out of the yard. It was his method, I was 19 and stupid, didn't know what else to do. The black snakes I just waited for another neighbor to do something about. I wasn't going near them.