Awesome Ground Squirrels

[longknife]

From Seriously Science comes this fun story about how these tiny creatures have learned to defend themselves from rattlesnakes and other predators.

They attack rattlers and develop immunity to their venom and surround themselves with the scent of the snakes to scare other predators away!

They've also got an amazing bite as my son discovered one day when he tried to pick one up.

Enjoy the article @ Ground squirrels use rattlesnake perfume to scare away predators. - Seriously, Science? | DiscoverMagazine.com

 

[strollingbones]

they are still rats with tails but yea they will gnaw you in a ny minute

 

[Luddly Neddite]

That really is amazing.

I've had way too many years of looking on them as food and really, I've just never been crazy about rodents but this really is astounding. At the same time, there is evidence that r'snakes's venom is getting more potent.

King snakes are also immune to r'snake venom. I've actually seen a king snake stalk a Mohave r'snake right down a hole. Rattlesnakes are ambush predators but Mohave's are known for stalking their prey in ways other r'snakes don't so this is quite a turn-about behavior.

Just shows how fluid and changeable nature is. Always evolving.

 

[longknife]

When I lived on a ranch - a real one thank you - we had a King snake that lived in the willow tree right outside of the kitchen door. Never saw a rodent of any kind anywhere near or inside the house!

Also had a big sidewinder who lived tucked away deep in the hay in the barn. Never ever saw any kind of rodent there either - including ground squirrels who had burrows everywhere in the north pasture.

 

[netman]

When I lived on a ranch - a real one thank you - we had a King snake that lived in the willow tree right outside of the kitchen door. Never saw a rodent of any kind anywhere near or inside the house!

Also had a big sidewinder who lived tucked away deep in the hay in the barn. Never ever saw any kind of rodent there either - including ground squirrels who had burrows everywhere in the north pasture.

Every Spring around Easter, the snakes come out of the coulee's and bayou to shed and feed.
I NEVER kill a snake that gets into my net shop to rub on the netting and shed. They are blind and will strike while shedding. However, they keep our shop clean of rats and mice.
There is usually one or two that will winter over up in the loft and sort of eat a little. Just the smell of a snake ( I think) keeps the meeses out of shop and out of my bottom line!

*It's also why I generally work alone during the annual "Easter Round Up"... most others do have my sentiment for the critters... ha ha!

 

[Mr. H.]

I done seed these critters up close and personal-like...

White Squirrels of Olney, The William Yates Stroup Hypothesis While William Yates Stroup was hunting squirrels in the woods near his home in the southeast Olney Township he saw a gray squirrel run into a nest and shot the den killing the mother and k

 

[Old Rocks]

When I lived on a ranch - a real one thank you - we had a King snake that lived in the willow tree right outside of the kitchen door. Never saw a rodent of any kind anywhere near or inside the house!

Also had a big sidewinder who lived tucked away deep in the hay in the barn. Never ever saw any kind of rodent there either - including ground squirrels who had burrows everywhere in the north pasture.

Exactly, and exactly why I won't kill a rattlesnake unless it chooses to live under the house.

Sidewinder? Ok, Longknife, that sounds like a ranch in one of the western states. Idaho?

 

[nika]

So cute! They are amazing!

 

[Intolerant]

Taste like chicken.