I kind of hope I’m wrong about this, but reading that dialog in the top strip makes me think about a bit of trivia. The number one predator on squirrels is … squirrels. Squirrels eat more squirrels than owls or foxes or humans or any other predator does.
Wasn’t aware that squirrels could be predators. Wonder why the behavior occurs. Lack of resources, maybe? I have read that, in time of famine, deer will eat carrion. Most herbivores’ guts are not set up to digest meat. Interestingly enough, few predators are unable consume plant material. It seems almost all predators can and will eat plant based material. Canids and ursids are really more omnivores than complete carnivores. Only felines – pretty much across the board – are true, even obligate carnivores. Cats, for the most part, CANNOT digest plant based material. Their guts are just not set up to digest it. Essentially the only exception to that rule is domesticated cats. Apparently, in the process of their being domesticated, housecats evolved the ability to.digest SOME plant based foods but even they cannot survive on a purely vegetarian diet. I recall reading about a well-meaning vegan couple in Kali who almost starved a kitten by trying to restrict it to an all plant-based diet. When they took the poor creature in for something (shots or checkup, etc.) the Vet noticed that the animal was SEVERLY malnourished and rapped their knuckles severely.
I also.recall reading of an instance where paleontologists digging in Africa found a site where, apparently, two hominid species lived side-by-side. Examination of the wear patterns of the teeth and detritus in their camps indicated that one species subsisted solely upon vegetable matter while the other occasionally ingested meat. The vegan species went extinct while the more omnivorous species survived and evolved. Food for thought.
Most, maybe all, rodents are omnivores, and squirrels are every bit as vicious as rats. There are Pacific islands where invasive mice are killing off the native birds. Many if not most placental mammals eat their own afterbirth — I remember feeling really queasy the first time I saw, and heard, a cow doing it even before she licked off her calf. I used to think baleen whales were grazers, peaceful plankton eaters, as opposed to the carnivorous toothed whales. I was wrong. Ask anyone who has raised rabbits what they have to guard against if a sweet new mother bunny is feeling nervous. And I won’t even start talking about hogs.
And thank you, Bill. I forget sometimes how pleasant and valuable it is to talk with someone intelligent and well-read, who actually cites examples instead of just stating opinions and feelings. Someone whose opinions I can recognize as based on something, so I can respect them even if I happen to disagree, forcing me to do the same thing to defend myself, or actually change and improve myself. How I wish everyone was like that. The other commenters here are another reason I stay, in addition to PC’s story.
You’re welcome, Jochi. I tell anyone whith whom I speak “Don’t take my word for it. Look it up!” I spend a lot of time researching things online just to see if whatever I’m reading is correct. It does kinda slow down my reading sometimes, however. I read a lot of fiction set in contemporary times so I am forever looking up the car or gun or ship or aircraft the author mentions. I also keep a google translate window handy in case the author has dialog in a language other than English.
You never have to agree with me but you damned well better be speaking from facts. I cannot abide “Because I say so!” I am a hard-shell conservative/libertarian (lower case “L”) but I am also a “You do your thing in your back yard; I’ll do my thing in mine. So long as your thing doesn’t slop over into my back yard we’re golden; but if it does THEN we’re gonna have a problem!” kind of guy. To paraphrase Jefferson, so long as what you do neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg (nor keeps me up at night. Had a neighbor down the street who liked to throw loud parties till all hours. Couple of visits from the cops fixed THAT problem!) you are free to do what you want. T’aint my place to police the world or even my little corner of it. My momma taught me from an early age to keep my nose clean and outta places it didn’t belong. Nough said?
I remember a teacher’s advice: “Keep your mouth shut and your teeth will grow longer.”
My first reaction was “Who needs long teeth?” I had to leave a couple of mine in the dirt before his meaning sunk in.
Having said that, I’d rather read the comments here than on most other websites. Too many people need to have their teeth shortened.
Or their keyboards wired with explosives.
There is an aphorism which goes something like “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” It has been my observation in half a century of adulthood that few – if any – of the people most willing to share a “piece of their mind” truly have any such surplus to share.
I kind of hope I’m wrong about this, but reading that dialog in the top strip makes me think about a bit of trivia. The number one predator on squirrels is … squirrels. Squirrels eat more squirrels than owls or foxes or humans or any other predator does.
Wasn’t aware that squirrels could be predators. Wonder why the behavior occurs. Lack of resources, maybe? I have read that, in time of famine, deer will eat carrion. Most herbivores’ guts are not set up to digest meat. Interestingly enough, few predators are unable consume plant material. It seems almost all predators can and will eat plant based material. Canids and ursids are really more omnivores than complete carnivores. Only felines – pretty much across the board – are true, even obligate carnivores. Cats, for the most part, CANNOT digest plant based material. Their guts are just not set up to digest it. Essentially the only exception to that rule is domesticated cats. Apparently, in the process of their being domesticated, housecats evolved the ability to.digest SOME plant based foods but even they cannot survive on a purely vegetarian diet. I recall reading about a well-meaning vegan couple in Kali who almost starved a kitten by trying to restrict it to an all plant-based diet. When they took the poor creature in for something (shots or checkup, etc.) the Vet noticed that the animal was SEVERLY malnourished and rapped their knuckles severely.
I also.recall reading of an instance where paleontologists digging in Africa found a site where, apparently, two hominid species lived side-by-side. Examination of the wear patterns of the teeth and detritus in their camps indicated that one species subsisted solely upon vegetable matter while the other occasionally ingested meat. The vegan species went extinct while the more omnivorous species survived and evolved. Food for thought.
Most, maybe all, rodents are omnivores, and squirrels are every bit as vicious as rats. There are Pacific islands where invasive mice are killing off the native birds. Many if not most placental mammals eat their own afterbirth — I remember feeling really queasy the first time I saw, and heard, a cow doing it even before she licked off her calf. I used to think baleen whales were grazers, peaceful plankton eaters, as opposed to the carnivorous toothed whales. I was wrong. Ask anyone who has raised rabbits what they have to guard against if a sweet new mother bunny is feeling nervous. And I won’t even start talking about hogs.
And thank you, Bill. I forget sometimes how pleasant and valuable it is to talk with someone intelligent and well-read, who actually cites examples instead of just stating opinions and feelings. Someone whose opinions I can recognize as based on something, so I can respect them even if I happen to disagree, forcing me to do the same thing to defend myself, or actually change and improve myself. How I wish everyone was like that. The other commenters here are another reason I stay, in addition to PC’s story.
You’re welcome, Jochi. I tell anyone whith whom I speak “Don’t take my word for it. Look it up!” I spend a lot of time researching things online just to see if whatever I’m reading is correct. It does kinda slow down my reading sometimes, however. I read a lot of fiction set in contemporary times so I am forever looking up the car or gun or ship or aircraft the author mentions. I also keep a google translate window handy in case the author has dialog in a language other than English.
You never have to agree with me but you damned well better be speaking from facts. I cannot abide “Because I say so!” I am a hard-shell conservative/libertarian (lower case “L”) but I am also a “You do your thing in your back yard; I’ll do my thing in mine. So long as your thing doesn’t slop over into my back yard we’re golden; but if it does THEN we’re gonna have a problem!” kind of guy. To paraphrase Jefferson, so long as what you do neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg (nor keeps me up at night. Had a neighbor down the street who liked to throw loud parties till all hours. Couple of visits from the cops fixed THAT problem!) you are free to do what you want. T’aint my place to police the world or even my little corner of it. My momma taught me from an early age to keep my nose clean and outta places it didn’t belong. Nough said?
I remember a teacher’s advice: “Keep your mouth shut and your teeth will grow longer.”
My first reaction was “Who needs long teeth?” I had to leave a couple of mine in the dirt before his meaning sunk in.
Having said that, I’d rather read the comments here than on most other websites. Too many people need to have their teeth shortened.
Or their keyboards wired with explosives.
There is an aphorism which goes something like “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” It has been my observation in half a century of adulthood that few – if any – of the people most willing to share a “piece of their mind” truly have any such surplus to share.
“I’m going to give you a piece of my mind!”
…..
“Are you sure you can spare it?”