Just hand over the peanut and nobody gets hurt....

[jhetley]

I think somebody in the neighborhood is trying to hand-train squirrels. (This is not a good idea if you value the structural integrity of your fingers, or dislike fleas.)

Headed out for my morning newspaper walk and nearly stepped on one of the tree-rats under our feeders. I tried to run it off, in sort of a mild way, and it dodged rather than heading for a tree. It looked up at me. It dodged again. Repeat ad boredom.

Coming back, it was draped on the feeder and loathe to leave until I nearly swatted it with the aforementioned newspaper. Then dodge, look up, dodge, look up. It almost held out a tin cup for my spare change.

I have removed the feeder to my workshop, pending further developments. If you don't hear from me for a few days, you'll know I've been mugged by a gang of Sciuridae and they broke my fingers as a warning.

Comments

[cinnamonbite.livejournal.com]

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/8801513/detail.html

LOS ANGELES -- A woman from the Country Club Park area contracted a case of bubonic plague, the first human case in Los Angeles County since 1984, county health officials said Tuesday.

The woman, who has not been identified, came down with symptoms last week and remains hospitalized.

Health officials said they believe the woman was exposed to fleas in the area around her house, although an investigation is continuing.

Public health workers set out traps Tuesday to catch squirrels and other wild animals in the area near her home. County Public Health Laboratory workers will test blood from those animals to determine if there has been any exposure to the plague bacteria.

"Bubonic plague is not usually transmissible from person to person," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, head of public health. "Fortunately, human plague infection is rare in urban environments, and this single case should not be a cause for alarm in the area where this occurred."

Bubonic plague is found in ground squirrels around Tehachapi, Lake Isabella, Frazier Park and in the Angeles National Forest between Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley.

Plague is common among wild animals in certain areas but is seldom spread to humans, according to health officials.

"Plague is characterized by fever, muscle aches, nausea, headache, sore throat, fatigue and swollen, tender lymph nodes associated with the arm or leg that has flea bites and is treatable with antibiotics," said Dr. Rosham Reporter of the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program.

"The disease often causes illness serious enough to warrant hospitalization, but if treated is rarely fatal," Reporter said.

Residents are urged to trim ivy, ground cover and other heavy vegetation that can harbor rats and provide cover for squirrels.

"Outside openings to attics, crawl spaces and similar locations should be sealed off so rats and squirrels can't get into houses, garages or other structures," said Frank Hall, chief of the Los Angeles County Vector Management Program.

"Pet owners should make an extra effort to keep their domestic animals free of fleas and avoid leaving out pet food where it can attract wild animals," he said.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Rodent fleas.

Plague isn't endemic in our area, but close acquaintance with squirrels remains a bad idea. Your reference talks about closing off outside openings, without mentioning that the nasty little beasts make their own. Mom's house had squirrels in the attic. One reason why we were happy with a quick sale to clear her estate...

(Another was the termites in the cellar.)

[edschweppe.livejournal.com]

The local squirrels are pretty damn bold as well. If I find myself working from home a lot this summer, I'm thinking about investing in a Super Soaker or similar water cannon, and seeing if I can use that to convince the squirrels to leave my neighbor's bird feeders alone.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

They'll probably just bounce over to you and demand a drink and shower. Depends on how hot the summer turns out to be, I guess.