What have you done today? (Pt 2)

[renaeden]

Watched videos with WolFish about how to replace a headlight and how to solder a new capacitor onto a Samsung monitor.

YouTube is pretty good isn't it? I have been watching networking videos.

Also getting ready to go out to buy meds and have put a load of washing on.

[Icequeen]

Had coffee, went to church sale and bought a load of very nice hand embroidered pillowcases to flip.

Came home, more coffee, tried to coral two very excited cats and one very confused mole in the basement. Captured mole and re-located his little ass back outside while humming "Born free".

We don't get moles here. That I know of. How did you catch it? Was it bigger or smaller than the cats?

They aren't very big here, about 3-4 inches long, like a field mouse that can't see, so they're slow...which is another good thing.

I threw a towel on top of him and got a small empty plastic tub I had sitting in the garage and herded him into that.  

Yard is full of them, every now and then I get one inside.

[renaeden]

I wonder if it weren't for the cats, would you have known it was in the basement. It sounds like a funny scene.

["couldbecousin"]

  They're almost cute, except for ... the hands.    

[Icequeen]

I wonder if it weren't for the cats, would you have known it was in the basement. It sounds like a funny scene.

Probably not. I went down there the first time and both of them are just sitting there watching the cat door that leads into the garage section. All I asked was "WTF is wrong with you two?" ...second time I found out.

[Icequeen]

  They're almost cute, except for ... the hands.    

But they're very tiny hands...like our president.

[Icequeen]

Okay...and heeeee's back...or his brother, or his in-bred cousin.

Just caught another one and re-located him all the way up the hillside this time, just in case it's the same little asshole.

I am debating whether these are moles or shrews. Difference being that shrews can be aggressive little shits and bite...I have been careful not to offer a finger to test, but this little asshole definitely had some assertive little ballz for his 3" size. No ears that I could see though, or they're really tiny. 

[Lestat]

Moles are adorable little creatures. And I don't know about slow. I've only ever seen one up close once, when I was younger, lifted up a board to investigate the wildlife underneath, and there it was. And slow it was not. I just about managed to catch it, but if they feel like it they can really go for it.

Whilst its not anywhere sufficient to kill a human, a shrew bite has the potential to be pretty nasty. Shrews are (of the genus Blarina in particular) one of the very, very few venomous mammals. along with the solenodons, and the salivary secretions of the slow loris and possibly some of its relatives. Unlike snakes, shrews have more in common with the venomous lizards like the mexican beaded lizard, gila monster and monitor lizards, in that the venom isn't introduced through hollow fangs, but conducted through grooves in the teeth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrew#Characteristics

Seems like some of them pack quite a punch, too. Enough (although when delivered IV) to kill 200 mice, within the total contents of the venom glands? thats quite some arsenal for a little critter like a shrew. Shrews do look quite a lot like moles, or quite a few kinds do, but generally, the shrews have longer noses. The only mole I've ever seen up close didn't have as much of a long, protruding nose as shrews do, although they are still kinda pointy. Also, true mole have a second thumb on each hand, at least on the front, not sure if the rear paw/hands do.

Just read up on it a little, and apparently the lethal factor, blarinatoxin evolved from the same precursor protein that the venom of the beaded lizard did, which surprised me a bit, considering that birds are more closely related to reptiles than are mammals.

[renaeden]

We don't have shrews here in Australia. I'm quite glad, we have enough venomous animals here as it is.

Today I've had breakfast (cornflakes), mopped the kitchen floor and had a shower and washed hair. Now it is time for some homework.

[Icequeen]

Thanks Lestat.
A shrew I believe it is, a northern short-tailed shrew.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_short-tailed_shrew

I snapped a pic of this one before I set it loose so that I could be sure I knew what it was this time.



Obviously I need to clean under the sectional, he's a bit dusty.

[Lestat]

Cute little fella. You wouldn't think theres enough venom in that wee fuzzy bugger to kill 200 mice.

["couldbecousin"]

  They're almost cute, except for ... the hands.    

But they're very tiny hands...like our president.

  Writers at the gossip site Celebitchy refer to him as Emperor Babyfists. 

["couldbecousin"]

Thanks Lestat.
A shrew I believe it is, a northern short-tailed shrew.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_short-tailed_shrew

I snapped a pic of this one before I set it loose so that I could be sure I knew what it was this time.



Obviously I need to clean under the sectional, he's a bit dusty.

  If that little thing were in my living room, I'd be freaking the hell out!   

["couldbecousin"]

  They're almost cute, except for ... the hands.    

But they're very tiny hands...like our president.

  Writers at the gossip site Celebitchy refer to him as Emperor Babyfists. 

  That does it!  You're all gonna get deported!

[Gopher Gary]

I hoarded some toilet paper and water.