Pet Shrew on top of Willey?

[CaptCaper]

We did lunch on top of Willey Sun. and a small screw came right out of a tree and started attacking our sandwich laying on the ground. It was so funny.
He kept taking pieces of food we gave him and going back into the woods and stashing it then coming back. He wasn't afraid of us at all. Matter of fact we had to be careful as not to step on him.
Anyone else meet him on a trip there? From what I see he's a shrew. Long pink nose,long tail. pear shaped with brown fur similar to a mouse.

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

We did lunch on top of Willey Sun. and a small screw came right out of a tree and started attacking our sandwich laying on the ground. It was so funny.
He kept taking pieces of food we gave him and going back into the woods and stashing it then coming back. He wasn't afraid of us at all. Matter of fact we had to be careful as not to step on him.
Anyone else meet him on a trip there? From what I see he's a shrew. Long pink nose,long tail. pear shaped with brown fur similar to a mouse.

You're teaching the wildlife not to fear people because they're a source of food and you think that's funny. What will this little shrew teach his/her children?

 

[CaptCaper]

You're teaching the wildlife not to fear people because they're a source of food and you think that's funny. What will this little shrew teach his/her children?

Is there a law against feeding shrews? He might not be alive if hikers didn't feed him up there?

It doesn't bother me as I don't take things to extremes. I feed the fox at the Cog with the rest of the Cogger's as well but doesn't mean I feed the bears.

 

[sleeping bear]

Is there a law against feeding shrews? He might not be alive if hikers didn't feed him up there?

It doesn't bother me as I don't take things to extremes. I feed the fox at the Cog with the rest of the Cogger's as well but doesn't mean I feed the bears.

Feeding any animals, even pigeons or squirrels in the park, is habituating them to humans and altering their natural paterns. That shrew is becoming dependant upon hikers to feed it, whereas normally it would be just fine. The same is true for foxes, bears, or any other wild animal. Bears are what people talk about the most, but only because they're the most scary when they come looking for a handout. The principle is the same for all. In the end when there is nobody to feed them, they will either become horrible pests, starve, or be "taken care of" in other ways by the authorities.

In addition to not actively feeding animals, we should also be careful about crumbs left at camp and break spots. You're not meaning to give that little peice of bread or peanut to an animal, but if it's on the ground, they'll find it.

It sure can be tempting to feed them, and most people really do mean well in doing so. The lure of a cute little furry creature, a photo op, or the feeling that your helping them are powerful attractants.

Just say no!

 

[DougPaul]

What sleeping bear said.

Also human food can be bad for some animals and actually shorten their lives.

Doug

 

[CaptCaper]

I understand all that for sure I'm not a 4 year old. Thanks for the info though.
I have a bird feeder as well.

Capt.

 

[Trout]

"Human Food"

I just could not pass this up, but plenty of human food is BAD for humans nevermind wildlife. Just a tad of humor here.

 

[Gris]

"Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends."

 

[Lawn Sale]

Feeding any animals, even pigeons or squirrels in the park, is habituating them to humans and altering their natural paterns. That shrew is becoming dependant upon hikers to feed it, whereas normally it would be just fine. The same is true for foxes, bears, or any other wild animal. Bears are what people talk about the most, but only because they're the most scary when they come looking for a handout. The principle is the same for all. In the end when there is nobody to feed them, they will either become horrible pests, starve, or be "taken care of" in other ways by the authorities.

In addition to not actively feeding animals, we should also be careful about crumbs left at camp and break spots. You're not meaning to give that little peice of bread or peanut to an animal, but if it's on the ground, they'll find it.

It sure can be tempting to feed them, and most people really do mean well in doing so. The lure of a cute little furry creature, a photo op, or the feeling that your helping them are powerful attractants.

Just say no!

This is not directed at Sleeping Bear specifically, I was just replying to her post, which had the most content.

I think this is going a little overboard and the anology is flawed. This is assuming every meal from this point forward is to be supplied by humans, where human proximity isn't constant. Therefore the animals will not die from starvation as they are forced to forage on their own.

When I go to my parent's house for Sunday dinner, or stop by and they feed me, I am not assuming they are going to provide meals for the rest of my life. The same is true in this instance, animals are not stupid...they may be primal to different degrees, but they are not stupid.

And what's wrong with "habituating them to humans and altering their natural paterns"? Aren't their patterns altered already because we're in their natural habitat? Isn't that part of the reason we go into their habitat, to become more at one with them and the environment as a whole? Can't we all coexist in harmony? If not, why are we intruding on their habitat? Just rhetorical questions to ponder.

Now if the circumstances were different, such as constant contact with humans who feed them, the outcome would more closely align with your prognosis and I would agree. This is why dumps and heavily focused areas of human contact (parks, etc) are such problems, but not watching a shrew self-forage on a mountaintop.

 

[Grumpy]

. . .

It sure can be tempting to feed them, and most people really do mean well in doing so. The lure of a cute little furry creature, a photo op, or the feeling that your helping them are powerful attractants.

In that vein, what I am going to type next probably will be very offensive to some people. Here goes, anyway:

Feed the critters all you want. But Please do not get all weepy or otherwise bent out of shape when someone else smacks or stomps one of your tamed pets flat in the course of defending his goodies bag from being raided by the thing.

The problem is not that "fed" critters become dependent on people. The problem is, they start seeing humans as the source of easy handouts, lose their natural fear of (or "shyness" around) humans and become increasingly bold or "demanding" in their begging. Eventually they can and well may become annoying and even destructive as they turn to foraging in human luggage. It's just critter nature. Humans should be smart enough to recognize these ramifications and make appropriate decisions about their own behavior in relating to wild things they encounter.

G.

 

[dr_wu002]

And what's wrong with "habituating them to humans and altering their natural paterns"? Aren't their patterns altered already because we're in their natural habitat?

This attitude is particularly tragic for bears and oftentimes coyottes which are often killed when they become too brave in approaching humans for food handouts for their own good. When they get too close in either campsites (bears) or home property (coyottes) they seem less cutesy and more threatening. When this happens they are now labeled "problem animal" and relocated or killed.

-Dr. Wu

 

[grouseking]

This attitude is particularly tragic for bears and oftentimes coyottes which are often killed when they become too brave in approaching humans for food handouts for their own good. When they get too close in either campsites (bears) or home property (coyottes) they seem less cutesy and more threatening. When this happens they are now labeled "problem animal" and relocated or killed.

-Dr. Wu

Just like Brutus the bear!

grouseking

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Just remember... When you walk in late spring, you are feeding blackflies. Every time you take a crap in teh woods, you are feeding worms/bacteria.

The question is how low/high in the chain does one go up before it is a problem.

 

[slowpoke]

The Taming of the Shrew

I have nothing to add, just couldn't resist using this title.

 

[Gris]

The Taming of the Shrew

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have nothing to add, just couldn't resist using this title.

see my earlier post...(apparently nobody "got it")

 

[Chip]

I have a bird feeder as well.
Capt.

That's a great point, Capt., one that is generally not developed in these discussions. Much like your shrew and the cog fox, people feed birds for their own entertainment, not the health and well being of the birds.
To that point, there'd be fewer moles, voles, turkey, rabbit and deer in my neighborhood if it wasn't for the grass, clover, tulips, apple trees, holly and rhododendren we've bought, planted, fertilized and groomed all these years. AND, if there were fewer moles, voles, turkey, rabbit and deer there'd probably be fewer owls, hawks, fox and coyote in the neighborhood as well !
WHERE DOES IT END ?

 

[Chip]

see my earlier post...(apparently nobody "got it")

I had to Google it to place the quote, very good reference, Gris !

 

[AdkWiley]

When it comes to bird feeders I read somewhere that your only supposed to feed the bird durring the winter. The food for most of the birds that hang around durring the winter is less abundent so its "ok" to feed them then. As soon as spring rolls around and nature has more food to offer then it is time to put away the bird feeder.

 

[Puck]

When it comes to bird feeders I read somewhere that your only supposed to feed the bird durring the winter. The food for most of the birds that hang around durring the winter is less abundent so its "ok" to feed them then. As soon as spring rolls around and nature has more food to offer then it is time to put away the bird feeder.

latest figures have 82.5 million people in the country feed the birds. This has revivied alot of agriculture by providing a new market. Many books will have you feeding birds year round. the chief concern in many areas is bear control. They will go after feeders in the spring-summer months.

To feed or not to feed the birds is still a debated topic among ornithologists. Some state that if we were to stop our feeding abruptly there would be little to no damage on the populations, However some the ranges may shrink.

 

[Chip]

When it comes to bird feeders I read somewhere that your only supposed to feed the bird durring the winter. The food for most of the birds that hang around durring the winter is less abundent so its "ok" to feed them then. As soon as spring rolls around and nature has more food to offer then it is time to put away the bird feeder.

Like anything there are arguments about this, like the following;

"There are five diseases associated with bird feeders, all of which can lead to death directly or indirectly because the birds are more vulnerable to weather, poor nutrition and concurrent infections. These diseases are: salmonellosis, trichomoniasis, aspergillosis, avian pox and mycoplasmosis. The causes of the diseases are food and water contaminated by mold, fungus and infected feces, and surfaces contaminated by viruses from other sick birds."

Additionally, birds and other animals develop the ability to digest certain foods. If they are accustomed to bird feeders and then that feeder becomes empty, frozen, seasonally unavailable, etc, they can't neccessarily just find something else. If they can't digest it they may starve, even though other food is available.

Birds congregating at feeders also attract predators. So you may be feeding the predator as well as the prey at your feeder.