#Like sometimes it's foxes but it's not nearly as common as raccoons

[bonefall]

Random assorted thoughts apropos of very little;

I found out that Milkweed actually COULD be ecologically valid, but not the way you think. It's another name for Pretty Spurge, so called because it has a milky-white sap.

So I won't need to totally change Milkweed's name when I come around to her

Going to be trying to use orvet to refer to slowworms, a French term that makes a really nice warrior prefix (thanks @graphi-horse-time)

On the subject of the Ivypool super edition, if the awful place with "strange creatures" that the patrol visits ends up being a zoo, I will not stand for zoo slander. I highly doubt that The Erinzzz have targeted critique on the lack of inspectors to uphold the animal welfare guidelines of the Zoo Licensing Act of 1981.

Maybe they'll surprise me.

If not, I'll either change the setting entirely, or portray the welfare of 99% of the animals as superb except for the magic, talking things the Clan cats are trying to bust out.

I could easily make it not a zoo and just an animal center if I have to, a place that keeps domesticated animals. Just have like, James and Jane Smithton accidentally capture two demigods because they caught them rooting around in the bins lmao

[whumpster-fire]

Extremely Hot His Dark Materials Take:

The conventional wisdom that daemons’ settled forms represent who you truly are as a person and are a unique, symbolic representation of it is what’s said in-universe but it isn’t true, or at the very least isn’t the whole truth. IDC what Philip Pullman’s said is actually canon, stuff like “Servants usually have dog demons because they have a submissive/servile nature” is really not plausible fite me.

Animal symbolism is a social construct and is not universal among cultures, and just like the alethiometer symbols, an animal species can have many meanings. As a result, for any one person there are usually many species which are a “valid” representation of their soul, and which one their daemon actually settles as is not set in stone from birth. Daemons don’t consciously choose their settled form - and humans certainly don’t - but it reflects a variety of influences, including symbolic “nature” but also cultural influences, social pressures, what animals the daemon actually knows about, the nature of the relationship between the human and daemon, and what forms are physically comfortable or practical. But the common uniting factor in all of those is that a daemon’s form reflects what you want and need as much as what you are. Not superficial wants, but deep deep psychological needs and what’s important to you. And sometimes fears as well.

Factor #1: Societal Bias

Strong cultural predispositions toward settled form, combined with form stereotyping. I think it was said in the books that “most servants had dog daemons because deep down they wanted to be told what to do.” Think about this: is this likely to be true? Given that people generally wind up in jobs by luck of the draw and by what’s available, and most people even in the most socially mobile modern societies usually don’t end up in their “true calling,” and in Lyra’s world your occupation seems to very often be determined by your birth. Do you really think all the kids like Roger Parslow, who’s working as a kitchen boy because his aunt who was a servant at Jordan College raised him, are naturally subservient? Well, is everyone who works in a service industry job IRL naturally subservient? Hell no! However, this is a very, very convenient lie for a classist society that teaches people that they were born into a “station” in society to tell. If your daemon settles as a dog, obviously you were meant to be a servant all along, and you and your daemon spending your entire childhood being told that because this is the station you’re being born and raised into your daemon should be a dog or some other “appropriate” form and couldn’t possibly cause them to be biased towards canine forms by this.

But if a daemon takes a form that’s obviously unfit for their station, clearly your true calling is elsewhere and it was never truly meant to be. It’s hard to falsify as long as most daemons are settling in “expected” forms. And most do, at least to an extent. A daemon’s form is influenced by drives and desires, and while most people don’t necessarily want to be bossed around and told what to do, most people do want to fit in.

And having fairly broad categories of “expected” can help that, because that gives room for daemons to find a form within that category that genuinely fits their nature. Someone extremely independent and strong-willed but growing up always expected to be a servant might end up with a husky daemon. Someone with a leading (or even controlling) personality might have a herding breed. The same goes for Gyptians and Witches being expected to usually have bird daemons.

On the other hand people with certain daemon forms might also be actively recruited for certain jobs, based on both symbolism and the physical abilities of that form - e.g. the Tartar mercenaries and other soldiers seem to almost all have wolf daemons. These may be very common in their culture to begin with, and then there’s further selection based on the symbolism of “You’re a wolf, you’re powerful, noble, and a natural killer but you’re a loyal pack animal, you’d make a great soldier.” But then in addition to that, because of the no touching rules, people in jobs where they fight other people are at an advantage if their daemon can fight other daemons.

Factor #2: Age

Settling age is... around early-to-mid puberty it seems like. I’ve seen speculation that it would be later in more modern societies as the age of maturity drifts over, but it seems like 12-14 is fairly common. But brain development continues until around 25. Like... seriously. Daemons are settling when their humans would be middle-schoolers in our world. People mature and change a huge amount in that decade of “settled but not fully mature.” Unless daemons can presciently predict how they’ll change over time - or if the soul’s nature is fixed and people tend to change in away that approaches that over time - your daemon’s form may be based on what you were like at settling age.

Factor #3: Knowledge and Familiarity

His Dark Materials is mostly based in Europe / Northern Eurasia, and the vast, vast majority of the settled daemon forms in the novels are native to that region. Off the top of my head the exceptions are Stelmaria (a snow leopard, native to the Himalayas but that’s still an animal she and Lord Asriel could have encountered / read about as a child), Mrs. Coulter’s daemon (a monkey, I don’t think we’re ever told what species. Not native to Europe but again Marisa had the resources to travel, read about exotic species, visit zoos, etc and everything about them is weird, IIRC the African soldiers in Amber Spyglass had various african daemon forms (so, where they’re actually from), and Hester. Hester’s the most important because while she took the form of an arctic hare, which is native to North America where Lee’s from, her form is native to a completely different part of North America, that she and Lee probably wouldn’t have been familiar with, and it took years for anyone including her to even notice.

This suggests daemons may be able to take forms that are unknown to them, but we never see a raccoon or an oppossum or a bobcat or some australian animal as a daemon as far as I know, so my best guess is that they had some secondhand knowledge of the arctic and had at least seen what an Arctic Hare looked like but forgot how to tell one apart from a jackrabbit, Hester had an unconscious longing for the North that neither of them were aware of, and she had a strong and possibly less-unconscious desire to get the hell out of Texas at sometime around settling age. And they assumed she was a jackrabbit because daemons usually don’t take forms they’re not familiar with.

Factor #4: Physical Preference

A daemon is not a shadow or a heraldic crest - they’re not just an insubstantial symbolic reflection. A daemon is an integral part of a person’s being, and they are one, but at the same time the daemon are a living, breathing creature even if their physical body is unstable. One soul, two bodies, two minds, two personalities. Their form subjects them to some - although not all - of the physical abilities and limitations that animal would have, and the same sensations.

Again, a daemon’s form is often influenced by what’s important to them, and to the pair. Most daemons take on a huge number of forms throughout childhood, and there are some things about those forms that are important to them. For some daemons the freedom of movement of flight is a fun, childish thing to play around with, and perhaps tactically useful, but it isn’t torture to give it up. For others, flight and the freedom it represents are their very heart and to be bound to a grounded form forever would be unbearable. Some can’t give up the ability to take small forms that can hide and go unnoticed, but some hate the vulnerability and helplessness of small size and could never be happy in a form that can’t walk alongside their human without fear of being kicked or stepped on. Some can’t give up the joy of swimming, or climbing, and for some their humans can’t. The daemon of someone who is a mountaineer and climber in their soul won’t be a snapping turtle. And... this is complicated, because part of it’s the human’s nature, but part of it is tied up in experiences which the human can feel too, and that are important to them, but they don’t experience in quite the same way.

Sometimes it’s just too convenient. Witches’ daemons are nearly always birds because witches spend much of their time in the air and can separate from their daemons, and only with flight of their own can a daemon take advantage of this power; in a flightless form they would take far longer to travel any distance, and their witches would have to land every time they separated or reunited. Another animal, like a fox or a mink or a rabbit, might fit with a witch’s nature too, but a witch’s daemon will become a hawk or a heron or a dove instead.

And sometimes a certain from is just comfortable and it just feels right even though the symbolism might not fit the stereotypes.

Factor #5: Human-Daemon Relationships

This is something I talked about a bit in my post about autism and daemons: the form a daemon settles as is often affected by the nature of their relationship with their human.

First of all: barring severe internal conflict or mental illness, while a daemon’s settled form is not chosen by the human and does not follow their whims, they don’t take a form that makes their shared life inconvenient and miserable. Out of how many sailors, John Faa and Farder Corram knew what, one guy with a dolphin daemon? Usually sailors’ daemons would be seabirds or otters, or animals like cats and rats that aren’t technically aquatic but are well-adapted to living on a boat. Does this mean that the sea isn’t their true love? No: it means no matter how much you love the sea being trapped on a ship for their entire life (and not even the entire ship: how high in the rigging can you climb without going too far from your daemon who can’t leave the water?) sucks and is actively dangerous. Imagine your ship is wrecked and your daemon carries you to shore through the storm (because humans die of hypothermia if left in the water too long in many parts of the oceans)... except you’re literally unable to get out of reach of the crashing waves that will drown you, sweep you away, or batter you to death, without dragging your daemon up the beach and then they’re stranding and dying, and you can’t go get fresh water which your body needs because your soul is an anchor binding you to the water. How many things that are a sailor’s job are you unable to do because you can’t go more than like ten yards from water deep enough to swim in?

Daemons do not consciously choose their forms, but their subconscious is not stupid. Taking a form like a dolphin doesn’t mean the daemon is symbolically expressing their nature, it means the human is denying it to the point where their own daemon is afraid of being torn away from it and cannot trust their human. But again, this event is happening at middle-school age, so what’s likely happening is something like a 14-year-old cabin boy falling in love with a girl in town and wanting to marry her and move inland and abandon the sea forever, and his daemon being horrified by the idea and wanting to make sure it can. not. happen. ever. And then both of their lives are ruined. Meanwhile the other cabin boy on the boat had a non-dysfunctional relationship with his daemon, who settled as a seagull and trusts that when he goes to visit family a little ways inland for a couple days it won’t be permanent.

Anyway: disregarding dysfunctional people like Mrs. Coulter, some humans and daemons are more physically affectionate with their counterparts than others, and in different ways.

Some pairs are happy spending most of their time at the edge of their not-painful range. Some pairs are perfectly comfortable with the daemon taking a tiny form and hiding in their human’s coat pocket most of the time and sneaking around the rest, and with the daemon hardly ever speaking to other humans, and that closeness and the moments of being held in the palm of their human’s hand and being stroked gently with one or two fingers is perfect for them. Some pairs are content with the distance a form like a bird of prey imposes, where the daemon must perch near their human because their claws would injure them if they landed on their shoulder or arm without protective clothing.

But many people and daemons are more “touchy” with each other, for whom the physical nature of the bond between human and daemon cannot possibly be given up. Some daemons settle in the forms they took to fly, or to hide, or spy, or fight, but many settle in the forms they took to rest, to soothe and comfort, to lick wounds and let their fur or feathers be stroked, to share body heat, and sometimes to help hold their humans upright or drag them to safety. Some pairs are content with the daemon sleeping on windowsills or perched on bedposts or on nightstands, or under beds or at the feet of them, but some curl up under the covers together whenever they can.

In less poetic terms, daemons settling in fluffy, huggable forms because they and their humans have a deep-seated need to cuddle with each other is just as valid as daemons settling as birds because they need the freedom of flight.

This is often the case for children whose need for touch is not met properly by others, or those for whom it is too much, or it cannot be trusted. Parents, friends, and lovers aren’t always there, but they are always there for each other. But there’s not always trauma or neglect involved, and it’s not always people who have few or no close and intimate bounds outside themselves. Plenty of content, well-adjusted people still have relationships like this with their daemons because we’re human beings and touch is important to us, and it doesn’t really matter if you share a soul.

[omegazes]

Hybrid Au Info: Diet and Defense!

Here’s some info about how hybrids defend themselves and what their diets are like! If you’d like more info on this au, follow this link to the master post!

How Avian hybrids defend themselves: 

- So, the only visible traits of avians, or birds, that these hybrid types have our the wings. 

- This means no talon, beak, or anything, just the wings

- It depends on who the hybrid is, but most avian hybrids will use another weapon to defend themselves and fight

- However, some hybrids will elect to use their wings as well as a weapon to fight and have gotten quite good at it

- Sapnap and Philza are examples of bird hybrids who will use their wings along with a weapon to attack others. Yes, this means they will pretty much bitch-slap someone with their wings

- Dream, George, and Quackity, while they are able to do this as well, are not nearly as well-versed in this type of fighting as Sapnap and Philza and prefer to only use their weapons if possible. 

- George uses a bow and a dagger if needed, Dream currently uses a sword and a makeshift shield, and Quackity uses an axe, but isn’t much of a fighter if he’s being honest. Sapnap has an axe, along with wings and Philza uses a sword (plus wings)

How mammal hybrids defend themselves: 

- With mammals, their visible traits are more varied, however the most common traits shown are ears, tail, and sometimes longer/sharper nails

- All of the predator hybrids: Tommy, Fundy, Wilbur, Antfrost, and Eret, who are a (hyena, fox, lion, siamese cat, and tiger) have noticeably longer and sharper fingernails  

- Along with the predators: Punz, Bad, and Tubbo, who are a (beaver, koala, and raccoon) also have sharper and longer nails. 

- Skeppy, Techno, Purpled, JSchlatt, and Karl, who are a (Lab, pig, rabbit, ram, and capybara) do not have longer nails and only show ears and tails as visible traits

- The mammal hybrids with the sharper nails are more likely to use these to fight as they pack a pretty strong punch, however, some refrain from this to keep from their hands getting dirty...literally...

- Bad and Tubbo are least likely to fight without a weapon but they will if necessary. All of the others with sharper nails will fight either way, not really preferring either method. They just want to survive

- These guys often have the upper hand in purely hand-to-hand combat as well

- The hybrids without enhanced nails use a variety of weapons  and it really depends on the situation as most of them will carry both an axe/sword and a bow with them at all times

- These guys (Techno, Skeppy, Purpled, JSchlatt, and Karl) are often more, if not overly prepared, for fights as they are more defenseless, or seem that way at least. 

Diets. Specialized or normal?: 

- While certain hybrids may crave certain types of food, they can really eat anything a human can

- However, most herbivore hybrids may be grossed out at eating meat and the same goes for carnivore hybrids in regards to plants

- In most cases a hybrid will attempt to eat as close to their animal counterparts as possible. The food is cooked though in regards to our meat-loving hybrids

-  Hybrids that are scavenger animals, such as Raven!George, won’t want to eat carrion or garbage or anything like that either

- Tldr: Herbivore hybrids can eat meat, they just are more likely not to. The reverse is true for carnivores. Omnivore hybrids get the best deal because nothing really changes for them, they can eat most anything. 

- Hybrids, especially those who are travelling, (Dream Team and SBI [oops leak shh]) eat whatever they can find due to food being more difficult to come by

I hope this info is helpful and PLEASE let me know if you want to know anything else! I have so much I want to share and plan on doing so, I’m just bad about getting motivated sometimes :0

Shoutout to @nightfuryobsessed for asking for this info, they asked for this info and it also helped with motivating me! Also check out their art for this au as well as all of their other awesome art!

[zoocross0vers]

ZOOTOPIAN SONIC THE HEDGEHOG BRAINSTORM TIME DAY 3

CHARACTERS AND CHARACTER ROLES

The Heroes Concept

Sorry for delay but I finally showing topic that what character would fit into character and how their roles would look like (I explain in here)

As an example let’s start with main cast:

Sonic as Sonic - since he’s the main character of the story there’s no need to change his character role since those are key-important for the plot like in movie

(here’s his profile just in case: https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_(Paramount)#Cast_)

The only in his case would be the change of place and  comunity: he’s in world of anthromophic mammals with no powers and certain prejudices and stereotypes, and sometimes certain paranoias, which that makes his anxietes harder since he is also a mammal/hedgehog but still different: blue, prefers shoes, glowes instead of clothes and has powers. And it could be possibility that when he arrived on Zootopia (not sure how if their planet is called Earth or not) the missing mammal case was happening and distrust towards mammals was growing, give him reason to not show up after what happened last time. There could be also small possibility he helped stopped the Bellwether takeover although unknowingly (or maybe not? who knows) and some two pair of eyes probably might noticed him even briefly though if you know what I mean. But for the record he decided to hide in Green Hills where he meet Nick and Judy and you know the rest.

Nick Wilde as Tom Wachowski

Tom personality

Kind-hearted and hard-working, Tom actively pursues the chance to help other people and is dedicated to his duty as Green Hills’s sheriff. He is very brave and is not afraid to get physical if the need arises and is protective of those he cares about. Despite his sharp tongue and an occasionally dark sense of humor, he is very sweet and gentle and frequently goes out of his way to assist others. Tom enjoys telling corny jokes, whether he is alone or with company. According to Sonic, Tom often talks with donuts and eats them if they “do not listen him”.

He dislikes boredom to the point that Green Hills’ lack of action nearly drives him out of his hometown to pursue work in San Fransisco. Tom shows open skepticism when presented with a situation that seems odd or fabricated, such as when he first met Dr. Robotnik. Although Tom is not afraid to fight, he prefers to avoid resorting to violence, shown when he tried to leave the Piston Pit when confronted by angry bar patrons.

Nick personality

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Nick_Wilde

Since those two are pretty much different when it comes certain things but have still lot in common like bad pun jokes and sense for justice.

It was not easy to make it right. I wanted him fit into Tom’s role but also keep his Wilde charm he has. Thankfully I was able to do right somehow so here it is:

Nick was actually born in Green Hills and was friend with Judy Hopps in childhood after incident with Gideon, but after incident with Ranger Scouts where she was present in this case ashamed for certain actions he decided to move (or run away) to Zootopia to live as shifty fox, unaware of him been targeted by Bellwether. But Judy whose also decided to study in Zootopia find and trying to make up to him and bring him back to Green Hills. After studying, while dating, they return to Green Hills get married and Nick follows footstep to became sheriff be a better person (unaware of him also been followed by small certain blue guardian: take a hint of what I mean by it). After hearing of Bellwether case he wants to try be a cop in Zootopia to find a purpose (instead just leave Green Hills out of boredoom he wants to prove himself be better). He sympatize with Sonic more since he knows what is like to feared of what you are and been haunted by a past. I still need to work on that.

Judy Hopps as Maddie Wachowski

Maddie Personality

As a veterinarian, Maddie cares deeply about living creatures and enjoys helping them to heal. She scolds Tom not to shoot the raccoons that get into their trash with her dart gun and gets annoyed with him when she finds out he shot Sonic with it. She also shows sympathy for Sonic when she sees that his feet hurt because he wore through his sneakers. She works well under-pressure and shows emotional and intellectual maturity. She is very loving and supportive of her husband. She made him a cake to congratulate him in case he got the job he wanted in San Francisco and another cake in case he did not get it. She also tells him that since he has made sacrifices for her, she is happy to sacrifice for him.

Judy Personality

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Judy_Hopps

They sure have more in common aside for job. She cares for her husband since childhood despite of what happened, she even go after him to make up to him, save him from wrong path and ask for forgiveness, since she feels responsible for it, even though none of both was fault. She was born in Bunnyburrow but always visited her relatives from mothers side in Green Hills where she also first met Nick (inspired by my life, I really love to visit my relatives) She wanted to be cop but could not, but also found a passion in medicine and that is why she became vet after she moved in Green Hills with Nick (those two make a really great team, also it is nice callback from concept of Zistopia where Nick pretented to be vet). She also shows connection with Sonic and in this case has less problems with his “nudity” considering she always has to check her patients without clothes. (trust me I know what I talking about)

Again still need to work on that. I hope you help me grinding with this. For now that is all but I promise there will be more. Also think you can pictures on those description since I dont know how to do that along with your opinions? (you can use my drawing for that if you want ;-D)

And also:

HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY ZOOTOPIA

...

Hi Guest! I’m so sorry for taking forever to get back to you on this. Hope you had a great 5th Zootopia Anniversary! I watched the movie again that day and even after 5 years, I still love that movie!!! <3 <3 <3 

But anyhoo, on to this lovely Sonic crossover!

When it comes to the setting, do you think Green Hills should actually be BunnyBurrow? Or do you want Green Hills to remain it’s own thing?

I guess I ask because the way Nick is being set up, he kind of reminds me of this one fic that Helthehatter wrote called, “Blueberries”, where it’s an alternate story of how Nick and Judy met. In that fic, Nick is a deputy in BunnyBurrow and his police partner is Finnick and Nick is pretty bored because not much happens in a small town like BunnyBurrow (that is until he meets Judy, who never became a cop before meeting him). 

I picture Nick would be something like this where he and Judy weren’t the ones who solved the Bellwether and Nighthowlers case, but Jack and Skye. And he wants to have an exciting adventure like that and be a hero, do something important, but nothing ever happens in BunnyBurrow/Green Hills. 

I could still see Judy being his partner on the force, but unlike him, she’s actually pretty content being a cop in a small town. Though, if you like the idea of her being a vet better for this then I could work with that ^^

Personality wise it shouldn’t be too hard to give the characters similar traits since they seem to have enough in common. 

Would it be okay if Judy does at least try to get Sonic to wear some clothes, it still feels like something she would do, lol! ^^” But of course, in a nice understanding way rather than in a panicky manner.

When it comes to Sonic, rather than Nick just forming a sort of best friendship with him, maybe Sonic can kind of look up to him and Judy like parents? I mean, Sonic is still a teenager and Nick and Judy are full grown adults. That way at the end, he really is joining a new family. :)

I think I like the idea of this Nick having been born in Green Hills/Bunny Burrow rather than Zootopia, because that makes his desire for a new and bigger setting more important. If he grew up in Zootopia, left it, then wants to go back to it, then it kind of takes away that feeling of wanting more.

In regards to Sonic, maybe he decided to hide not just because he’s a blue hedgehog, bust also because he’s basically walking around naked and maybe when he first showed up he walked like that in front of some old ladies and he scared them. Ever since then he decided to observe the animals from afar. It’d be a good reason too why he had a disguise too. Here not to blend in as a human, but simply to cover himself up?

I say let’s just call the Zootopia world Earth. It’s easier ^^

Not sure yet, if Sonic should’ve had an active role in the nighthowler incident, but maybe he did manage to see the fear and chaos it caused in animals via Nick and Judy’s TV and by observing animals from afar. If he did decide to help solve it though, maybe he probably just helped Jack and Skye grab the concentrated pellet and handed it to them like a blue blurr and then with that evidence in their grasp, it proved enough to arrest Bellwether and they got the credit since nobody saw him.

This is all I got so far. Does this work for you? Is there more you’d like to add or change?

[featherquillpen]

Dæmonology: Quentin Coldwater

I figured if I’m going to go down the rabbit hole of writing a Magicians dæmon AU, I might as well liveblog the process of figuring out the characters’ dæmons, since lots of my followers are interested in how I do dæmonology. So here goes nothing: Quentin Coldwater’s dæmon!

(Be aware: this post is long as hell.)

Other Personality Types

So, first step that helps a lot to focus the mind: figure out the character in other, simpler personality typing systems.

Quentin is a double Hufflepuff by the Sorting Hat Chats system, no question. He is deeply oriented toward fairness and helping people, even when helping people could be viewed as an objective moral wrong (freeing niffin!Alice, helping the Monster.) And he gets things done by sheer dedication, rather than brilliance or improvisation or charging headfirst. 

In MBTI, I would expect Quentin to have Extroverted Feeling in his top two cognitive functions – he cares a lot about the emotions and values of his group.  I’m inclined to say ESFJ, as Quentin thinks in a concrete, detail-oriented way, relying on his established patterns and what has accumulated personal meaning for him, so Introverted Sensing should be a strong function for him. But ISFJ is also very possible.

In the enneagram, Quentin reads to me as a type Six, constantly doubting himself and the world, looking for support and guidance in his friends and in magic itself.

Core Traits

Okay, so what are the central, most defining traits of Quentin Coldwater?

Loyalty. More than any of the other questers in Season 3, Quentin believed in the fellowship of the questers: he figured out the unity key because that concept resonates with him so deeply. He doesn’t make friends easily, but once he does, he’s absolutely ride-or-die for them. Who can forget memory!Quentin’s line “You sacrifice for the people you love; that’s what you do” in 4.05 Escape from the Happy Place? And his loyalty is on a level of the community rather than the individual; unlike someone like Penny or Eliot, Quentin is deeply connected and committed to everyone in the fellowship.

Self-doubt. In his own words, Quentin is constantly finding doors so he can run from himself. He never seems to fully trust his own mind. Sometimes in his insecurity he lashes out (see his behavior to Julia in S1) or tries to take up the mantle of a hero, a king or a quester to feel noble and brave. He values people and situations that make him feel safe and secure. He strongly prefers to work with other people than alone, because it makes him feel more supported and breaks him out of his loop of painful self-doubt.

Detail-oriented. I’m a little dissatisfied with this word, because it implies fussiness and anal-retentiveness, which is not Quentin. What I mean here is that Quentin is oriented toward small things: the present moment, the next step, this detail of the Fillory books, that childhood dance or plate of bacon that will cheer someone up. For goodness sake, his discipline is repair of small objects. Quentin is focused on what is here, now, in his hands – for all that he is a king of Fillory, I think he would flounder if faced with the big picture of running a kingdom.

Heart on his sleeve. Quentin can’t help but be emotionally open; even when he tries to hold back (as he has been doing in S4) it’s obvious how he feels. He’s a bad liar, a worse actor, and while he’s very attuned to the feelings of people around him, he doesn’t manipulate them or influence them in anything but the most earnest way.

I would add that Quentin is compliant (has a hard time setting boundaries or saying no to people), dedicated (does not give up once he’s set his heart on something), dependent (he does not like being alone; he studies in the common room of the cottage, instead of withdrawing like Alice) and shy (wary and awkward around people he doesn’t know.)

Translating to Animal Behaviors

Here’s the step where I translate these traits to animal behaviors as best I can.

Socially speaking, I’m looking for a social, group-living animal, almost certainly one with a consistent, life-long family group that does not easily admit outsiders. This social group should have social hierarchy that is not upset or overturned by dominance battles and the like – an established order like the matriarchy by seniority in an elephant herd.

Given Quentin’s patience and dedication, I’m looking for an animal with high reproductive investment – something that leaves lots of food with its eggs, so they have something to feed on when they hatch (like solitary bees) or lays really big eggs (like kiwis) or does a lot of parental care.

I want an animal that has a lot of safety and vigilance behaviors, especially social safety behaviors, like meerkats who have rotating guard duty, or antelope who rely on safety in numbers. 

I’m looking for animals with low-risk, high-consistency, detail-oriented foraging behaviors. That is, I want animals that use fairly steady food supplies rather than windfall unpredictable ones, and that involve a long steady stream of focused effort rather than varied approaches and risks. Probably animals that forage in groups rather than alone.

I’m looking for animals that show open communication and displays with each other, and that don’t employ secrecy and evasiveness (like crows with a private hoard of food.) 

I specifically do not want animals that have individual territories of any sort; Quentin is far too compliant for that. Group territory defense could make  sense, though. I also want to avoid competitive animals that are always jostling for bigger territories or higher status.

Playing the Field

Next I gather lots of different animal possibilities that fit my behavioral criteria above. So here’s a list of a bunch of animals I think might work, without spending too much time on each one trying to confirm or rule it out. This part is very time-consuming, and relies a lot on my encyclopedic knowledge of animal behavior, though I do refer to various websites to supplement it.

Pigeons

Quails

Small-colony bees (carpenter bee, orchid bee)

Wild dogs and foxes (yes, I know, I can feel Mayakovsky watching me)

Small-group-living lemurs

Domestic dogs (especially sporting breeds)

Zebra finch

Scrub jays

Kinkajou

Yellow-winged bat

Ringtail possums

Note that up to this point, I have spent five hours working on this. For one character. And I’m not done yet. This is why I don’t often write dæmon AUs even though I love them very much.

Narrowing the Field

Now I go through my list, animal by animal, and take notes on what works and what doesn’t. Along the way, I think more deeply about the character and discover the more subtle characteristics that help me distinguish between similar animals.

❌Pigeons

So what I really like about pigeons for Quentin is that they have very high reproductive investment – they produce milk inside their crops that they feed to their young. They’re also nervy little prey animals with a lot of vigilance behavior, while still having that streak of pigeon boldness.

What I don’t like about pigeons is that they have too many competitive/dominance behaviors, and they often socialize outside of established family groups. So I don’t think it’s going to work out.

❌Quails

Quails are almost never spotted alone, they’re nervy vigilant pudgy birds, they look out for each other and warn each other with alarm calls, they invest a lot in reproduction – they lay so many eggs that sometimes they can’t even properly sit on them all, which is so cute. 

I really like these, I think the one problem is that again their social groups are not very consistent, they seem to allow quite a bit of flow in and out of their flocks. I looked into as many species as I could find information on, and they seem to have really fluid social structures allowing members in and out as they please. 

❌Small-colony bees

Now that I do more research into them, I can see that orchid bees and carpenter bees aren’t going to work, because while they usually nest communally, they can nest solitarily, which is too socially flexible. Sweat bees are much too aggressive and competitive. Ruled out.

✔️Wild canines

Wild canines have a lot of desirable characteristics: lots of parental care, group loyalty, close-knit family groups. There are also some canines, especially the smaller ones, that are quite wary and nervy. It’s a matter of narrowing down to the right ones within the group.

Jackals and coyotes are too competitive and socially flexible, so they’re out. Gray foxes and maned wolves are nearly entirely solitary, so they’re out. Dholes, wolves, fennec foxes, and dingos are too assertive and confident. The rest of the foxes are too independent and socially flexible.

However, I really like the look of raccoon dogs and bush dogs. They’re almost never seen alone, but in pairs or small packs which stick together for a long time. They cooperate extensively, and while they are predators, they are also prey, and are reclusive and vigilant by habit. They have overlapping territories without strong borders. The only thing that’s really missing for me are flags for Quentin’s orientation toward detail and the next moment, but I can look into these species further in the next step.

✔️Small-group-living lemurs

I’ve gone through the lemur species, and I like the look of mongoose lemurs. They have small, close-knit, stable family groups with group territory defense. I will look into them more deeply in the next step.

✔️Domestic dogs (especially sporting breeds)

I think of Quentin’s defining trait as loyalty, which is also the defining trait of dogs. Most breeds also fit with Quentin’s Hufflepuff determination and hard work, and his way of being a supportive sidekick to his badass friends. Dogs are also open and communicative and “heart on their sleeve.” I just have to find more nervous, vigilant breeds that are highly detail-oriented.

Carolina dogs are somewhere in between feral and domesticated, and as such are more nervy and vigilant of strangers than most dogs, which seems right.

Kooikerhondjes are very focused, dedicated sporting dogs that look like they fit super well. Other spaniels are also good candidates. 

Phew, there’s a lot of dog breeds out there. Definitely need to delve into this more deeply.

❌Zebra finch

I love the super intense pair bonding in zebra finches, and the nervy prey vigilance, and of course the expressive songs, but they seem very socially flexible and tolerant of strangers in their flocks.

❌Scrub jays

Upon closer inspection, the scrub jay species are super, super specialized to one habitat/food, and I think Quentin has some more breadth and adaptability in him than that.

❌Kinkajou

Kinkajous mostly look good, since they’ve got very affectionate close-knit social groups, they’re reclusive in the forest and avoid aggression, but they tend to forage alone, which is not so great. 

✔️Yellow-winged bat

This one fits extremely, extremely well. They’re pair-bonding bats that are rarely more than a few meters from each other, they cooperate to raise young, they groom together, they talk together, they defend the territory together – and my favorite bit is that here there is a strong analogy to Quentin’s detail orientation. Bats have a trade-off in their echolocation between long-distance and low-detail, or short-distance and high-detail, and yellow-winged bats are strongly toward the short-distance, high-detail end. They focus on prey that are close by.

✔️Ringtail possums

Common ringtail possums are way too chill and low-strung, but the rock ringtail possum is big on sentinel behavior, guard duty, and keeping an eye out for each other. My only major issue with this one is no flag for detail orientation.

The Final Candidates

At this point, I have spent nine hours on this project, and I have a final list of candidates. Now I have to compare and contrast at a very detailed level, and find which one works the best. I will do extensive research on each animal so I can really flesh out my thoughts.

Raccoon dog

Bush dog

Mongoose lemur

Carolina dog

Kooikerhondje

Yellow-winged bat

Rock ringtail possum

What I really like with raccoon dogs is how intensely cooperative they are – they have large litters for dogs their size, they have lots of predators, and so both parents are super involved with the young and in experimental conditions where there are no males all pups die. They groom each other and have lots of touch and sound gestures, they’re very wary of predators on their young, always keeping an eye on them. They’re non-aggressive and don’t fight over territory, they only ever start something if the young are in danger. All of this is great, it’s only that I don’t see any flags for the detail-oriented, “repair of small objects” side of Q.

Bush dogs live in close family groups like wolf packs, and they even hunt cooperatively, which I love. They constantly make little noises so they can hear each other as they move through the forest – cute! Their main predator defense is being inconspicuous and hiding in their burrows from any threat, but they’re not afraid to throw down if the pack is in real danger, as long as they’re facing it together. The biggest problem is that while raccoon dogs are omnivores, bush dogs are hunters, and hunting is not a great analogy for Q’s mode of putting together bits of books, grinding away persistently, and repairing small objects.

Mongoose lemurs live in those small, wolf pack like groups, and they groom and play with each other. They defend territory as a group, backing each other up. I can’t find evidence for strong vigilance/sentinel behaviors, which puts me off.

Domestic dogs in general are loyal, altruistic, open-hearted, empathetic, and dependent on close bonds with others to feel safe and secure. Carolina dogs are sometimes called American dingos because they were not artificially selected; accordingly, they’re a bit feral and quite wary of strangers outside the family they’ve bonded to. They also have a strong prey drive, and I like that drivenness. But again, I don’t see any flags for Q’s Hufflepuff hard work, dedication, and detail focus. With the Kooikerhondje I do see the hard work, as they’re very much working dogs that are rather difficult to keep as mere lapdogs without giving them an outlet, but again none of the detail orientation is in evidence.

I really think the Yellow-winged bat has it. They have the super close bonding family groups, they’re always looking out for each other and helping each other find food and raising the young together. They’re wary of strangers and defend the territory together. They tend to have established roosts that they always revisit – they stick to the familiar when possible. They have social calls, fly in patterns together, and groom each other affectionately. Both parents are very involved in parental care, and the mothers carry the baby around their backs until they can fly. And best of all, they have specific flags for Q’s way of doing things. While most bats fly around blasting echolocation everywhere and catching insects mid-flight, yellow-winged bats are sit-and-wait predators. They have particular roosts they use in different seasons, and they have close-range, very high-resolution echolocation (using FM-type calls.) They sit on the right roost for the time of year, they wait, and when the insects eventually come within echolocation range, they can pinpoint exactly where they are and grab them. I feel like this fits with Q’s areas of comfort and familiarity very well, the way he prefers having something concrete to work on (like a quest) over having to make things up as he goes along, the way he has these zones of expertise where he knows absolutely everything.

Look how cute!

(photo credit Sandra Lee at the Bat Detective blog)

[officialcatheridge]

Races of Catheridge: The Kanin

Here’s the first public draft of the Kanin, the iconic race of Catheridge! Check it out below the break! Note that their racial traits are geared for Pathfinder, and not D&D 5E.

Art is, of course, by @slightlysimian.

Kanin

“Pity? When wos it my concern when the fair people of Ironfar failed to protect their own borders? They got cursed; let ‘em wallow in it. Maybe next time they won’t keep all the money to ‘emselves!” ~Keaton Ericson, Novice Adventurer

The Kingdom of Ironfar was the center of human power in the otherwise wild and untamed land of Eurreach. A noble and just king once ruled it, though he was also overzealous and greedy, and made many enemies. The kingdom lived in prosperity and wealth for a great many years, and brought peace to the land, until a mysterious figure, known only as the Shadow Witch, appeared, and in a single coup, overran the city with an army of dark, shadowy creatures and killed the king.  She attempted to curse the people of the city into creatures of the woodland via a massive and powerful transmutation spell, but was forced to botch the ritual thanks to the young prince of the kingdom, who slammed into the Witch before she could finish the spell and barely fled the city with his sister and his life afterward.

And thus the kanin were made, the cursed people of Ironfar. The kanin still, to this day, seek to find a way to undo the curse upon them and their nation, and many travel the world, searching far and wide for a cure. While they are still humans at heart, their bodies are small and beast-like, and they search for a way to return themselves and their kingdom to its former glory, sometimes through any means necessary. At large, it is believed that a cure lies in the aurgems of Xer. Priceless coins minted during the ancient god-king’s rule and believed to be gifted with the power to grant any wish, regardless of the will of the gods or the mysterious laws of magic governing such power. As such, Ironfar seeks to gather every coin together to undo the curse upon them, for it seems to be their only hope of removing it.

Physical Description: Kanin resemble humanoid, walking, talking, woodland critters. They have small, furry bodies with large, round eyes, and simulate several small animals. By and large, most kanin look like hares or rabbits, with large, open ears, but ones that resemble squirrels, foxes, cats, and dogs, or any mix of all of the above (thanks to breeding) are not unheard of. They’re small in stature, hovering around three to three and a half feet in general. They have small, thin arms, but strong digitigrade legs, capable of propelling them great distances for creatures of their size. Their fur color ranges from whites, grays, browns, and blacks, with the occasional blonde or auburn among them. Their eyes speak of their human nature, bearing the same breadth of colors and shapes regular human might possess.

Kanin wear clothes that resemble regular human clothing, sized and shaped for their bodies. They favor breeches or shorts with tunics and vests made from simple cloth or leather. Most forgo shoes, due to the difficulty of crafting them for their altered legs and the padding on their feet being sufficient enough. Kanin armor is typically just metal plates and pieces strapped directly on their bodies, since their fur is sufficient enough insulation and prevents chafing. This allows the kanin to remain flexible even in armor.

Society: Kanin wander the entirety of Catheridge in search of the Xerian Aurgems, and as such tend to be traders, travelers, and adventurers. Some have pledged themselves as servants to wealthy nobles with the promise of receiving a single Aurgem for nearly a lifetime of servitude. That aside, most Kanin still reside in their homeland of Eurreach, in the city of Ironfar, working to maintain the peace and order the land, just as it was before their curse. Kanin have a chivalrous, friendly society, always eager to make friends instead of enemies, and gathering wealth for the betterment of their people instead of greed and excess. They recognize the king or queen of Ironfar as their sovereign lord, and each one since the creation of the race has always encouraged their people to find the Aurgems and bring happiness to those around them.

Kanin tend to either travel alone or in groups, hoping to trade goods and services in exchange for Aurgems, while others delve lost tombs and ruins, hoping to find caches and chests of Xer’s lost treasures. They always maintain a hopeful, bright, and endearing attitude. This combined with the general charming appearance of their bodies makes them a remarkably hard race to hate or turn down.

Relations: Kanin try not to make enemies, and try and keep trade open and honorable between all the races of the land. Fauns and High Fey tend to find them adorable. Garoh find sympathy in their plight, but can do little to help them. Centaurs remember that they are still humans on the inside, and remain indifferent to them. Minotaurs view them as barely more than snacks. Nagakin have an interesting relationship with them, to say the least, considering that their kingdoms and empires contain a fair amount of Aurgems hidden away in their coffers. Paeraens sympathize with the kanin, and generally try and help them whenever they can.

Alignment & Religion: Many kanin are friendly, determined, and chivalrous, hell-bent on removing the curse on them and regaining their humanity. As a result, most Kanin are good in alignment, but do swing between lawful and chaotic. Some kanin have no interest in removing their curse and do attempt to just live out their lives in neutrality.

Adventurers: Many kanin take up dangerous jobs, scouring the far reaches for a dead currency that used to be traded across the world, while others pursue knighthood and attempt to bring unity to the scattered races and countries of Catheridge, and take up heavy arms and armor, despite their small, weak bodies. Kanin are well suited to being bards or rogues, but many also do become fighters, paladins, and clerics.

Playing a Kanin: In broad strokes, kanin on the whole tend to be brave, hopeful, and even heroic. As a kanin, you have a small body, but a big heart. You know at your core that you’re human, though you look nothing like one. Despite the fact that there isn’t a living kanin today who was human before the Shadow Witch, when you look at a human you feel a sense of kinship and familiarity, perhaps even longing. You should be able to easily share a drink and hold a conversation with a human from your city, town or even country. You instinctively know that you should be human, but something is wrong. You feel the magic tainting your veins and you know it’s not natural. It’s not an uncomfortable feeling, physically, but the reminders are there and they are constant. Use this facet as fuel for your character. How do you feel about the curse and what do you want to do to resolve it, if anything? Have you brushed up on your history and do you feel Ironfar got what it deserved? Do you wish to make things right, or do you just want to live out your life as best you can, being as ambitious as any other human?

Male Names: Barrus, Ector, Lance, Hayes, Oswald, Ransford, Shaw, Vaynard,

Female Names: Ariana, Cai, Elaine, Fiona, Gwen, Kyla, Leigh, Tavia,

Racial Traits

Ability Score Racial Traits: +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution. Kanin are remarkably swift and endearingly hopeful, but frail and weak due to their small bodies.

Type: Kanin are Humanoids with the Human and Shapechanger subtype.

Size: Kanin are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Base Speed: Kanin are fast for their size and have a base speed of 30 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Kanin can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim lighting.

Shred of Humanity: Kanin hold fast to their humanity, despite their bodies and the often-encroaching animalistic instincts granted to them by their curse. On character creation, choose either to receive a bonus feat at first level, or an extra skill rank each level. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

Body of Prey: Kanin receive a +2 Racial Bonus to Acrobatics and Perception skill checks and treat both skills as class skills.

Cursed Body: The kanin race are the result of a dark witch’s (botched) curse, and as such their bodies bear this curse from generation to generation. Transmutation spells with the polymorph subschool, such as alter self, polymorph, beast form, etc., as well as spells that would undo or dispel such magic (though only in regards to returning them to a human form), automatically fail to function on a Kanin.

Languages: Kanin begin play knowing Common. Kanin with high Intelligence scores can learn any language they please.

What Your Traits Mean for You

Ability Scores: The curse on your body was long ago meant to transform you and the rest of the citizenry of Ironfar into small woodland creatures of prey; rabbits, squirrels, mice, weasels, raccoons, and the like, with the occasional fox, cat, and dog in the mix. Among the most common traits of all these creatures is their remarkable dexterity. All kanin are just naturally agile, and are born and raised learning how to use their bodies. Of course, another thing these animals have in common is their general frailty and lack of raw power. A human will have little to no issue punting a kanin across a small room, and that kanin is going need some time to recover from the resultant injuries. Your body will break much more easily than others, and your small frame simply cannot hold in much musculature. A kanin’s bonus to charisma stems more from a cultural change if anything. Sure, you look cute. A small, walking bunny rabbit in little clothes with bright eyes has undeniable appeal for most people, but looks alone only contribute little to charisma and confidence. Before the turning of the age, Ironfar and the newly formed kanin were at the center-stage as the world turned and changed around them. It was Ironfar and the kanin who united all of Eurreach and Catheridge together to combat a common enemy and survive the apocalypse. It was the kanin of Ironfar that kept the peace and helped the world settle down after the changes. As a result, the kanin naturally became better ambassadors and newborns grow up learning how to deal with and talk to strangers, and put on a good impression. Not all kanin embrace this approach, of course, but their culture ensures that very few kanin are shy or bad with words.

Type: Kanin have the shapechanger subtype as a result of their curse. The Shadow Witch was nothing if not exacting in that this was how she wanted the people of Ironfar to live out the rest of their lives. It is very hard for kanin to become a not-kanin and stay that way. The Shapechanger subtype simply enforces this rule.

Base Speed: Most small playable races have a base speed of 20 for their size, but a kanin’s bestial leg structure ensures that they move just a swiftly as any other human. Kanin typically move in bounding, hopping or skipping strides, easily covering the height of their body in a single step. Always remember that you’re small and fast, as its one of the few mercies you’re afforded with your body.

Shred of Humanity: The Shadow Witch’s curse has left you and your people less than human. And the part of humanity left in you is something you cling onto jealously. It should be something that drives you forward, reminds you of what you are. Remember you are human. The Witch’s spell has left you plagued with the occasional instinctual thought, the urge to flee from danger, every kanin deals with these instincts, and it’s your shred of humanity that keeps you cognizant. It is your shred of humanity that sets you apart from being a simple “beast race.” You still have the potential to be skilled and talented, but your body and instincts hold you back from being as flexible and skilled as a regular human.

Body of Prey: While you indeed stand upright, have the capacity to use tools, and are quite intelligent, there is no denying that you are small, you are weak, and you would make a very tasty meal for a pack of wolves. The animal part of your curse has instilled in you the instincts of a creature of prey, when answering the flight or fight response, your instincts usually tell you to take flight. Whether or not you do is entirely up to you, but most kanin are subconsciously on the lookout for danger, and are physically ready and able to run, scamper, jump, and climb to safety, regardless of their chosen profession.

Cursed Body: The Kanin curse is just that, a curse, and while mechanically it does give quite a few “benefits,” there are drawbacks to it as well. The curse emotionally and psychologically devastated the people of Ironfar at its conception. Not only did they lose their city and the bulk of their army to the Shadow Witch’s invasion, but they were then turned into small, weak, bestial creatures, who now have to look up to any other creature they meet. Kanin have to worry about being overlooked, tripped on, hunted by animals, and treated as lower class citizens or not worthy of attention among other societies. On top of this, the curse has “firewalls” in place that prevent it from being easily dispelled or changed. In addition to being unable to benefit from any polymorphing spell, spells that also remove or cure spell effects fail to restore a kanin to human as well. Indeed, not even Wish or Miracle can or has cured the Kanin Curse. Ironically, the curse has made kanin immune to the very spell that was used against them, Baleful Polymorph. Let it never be said there isn’t a silver lining. As a side note, the curse only directly affects spells and spell-like abilities. Extraordinary and Supernatural Abilities, such as a druid’s Wild Shape, still work as intended.

[jasminesamuels-viscom]

Top infectious diseases

Person to person

HIV: the mass killer Yearly Mortality: 3.1 million Total Mortality: 25 million+ since 1981 How it works: Invades important immune system cells and kills them. Leaves patient open to death by other illnesses with lowered immune function.

Ebola: the rapid killer with no cure Yearly mortality: Mortality rate: 90% within days[3]

How it works: [3]Disables tetherin, a protein that disables the spread of the virus from cell to cell. Spreads rapidly to cause hemorrhaging, extreme fever, and death.

In the modern world, the deadliest virus of all may be HIV. "It is still the one that is the biggest killer," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America.

An estimated 36 million people have died from HIV since the disease was first recognized in the early 1980s. "The infectious disease that takes the biggest toll on mankind right now is HIV," Adalja said.

Powerful antiviral drugs have made it possible for people to live for years with HIV. But the disease continues to devastate many low- and middle-income countries, where 95 percent of new HIV infections occur. Nearly 1 in every 20 adults in Sub-Saharan Africa is HIV-positive, according to WHO.

Droplet spread

Influenza: the pandemic that’s still around Yearly Mortality: 500,000 deaths Pandemics occur around 3 times a century. How it works: Attaches itself to receptors on cells in the lungs and air passages. As it takes over their machinery, the cells die. Dead cells cause runny nose, sore throat, and other symptoms.

During a typical flu season, up to 500,000 people worldwide will die from the illness, according to WHO. But occasionally, when a new flu strain emerges, a pandemic results with a faster spread of disease and, often, higher mortality rates.

The most deadly flu pandemic, sometimes called the Spanish flu, began in 1918 and sickened up to 40 percent of the world's population, killing an estimated 50 million people.

"I think that it is possible that something like the 1918 flu outbreak could occur again," Muhlberger said. "If a new influenza strain found its way in the human population,and could be transmitted easily between humans, and caused severe illness, we would have a big problem."

Airborne transmission

Measles Yearly Mortality: 197,000 deaths Over last 150 years: 200 million deaths How it works: One of the most contagious viruses. Causes rash, high fever, and for weakened immune systems can be deadly.

Animal reservoirs

Rabies the word probably brings to mind an enraged animal frothing at the mouth. An encounter with an infected animal can result in a painful, life-threatening condition.

According to the World Health OrganizationTrusted Source, up to 59,000 people worldwide die from rabies every year. Ninety-nine percentTrusted Source of them have been bitten by a rabid dog. However, the availability of vaccines for both animals and humans has led to a steep decline in rabies cases in the United States, where there are two to three rabies deathsTrusted Source a year.

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system, particularly causing inflammation in the brain. Domestic dogs, cats, and rabbits, and wild animals, such as skunks, raccoons, and bats, are able to transfer the virus to humans via bites and scratches. The key to fighting the virus is a quick response.

Both wild and domesticated animals can spread the rabies virus. The following animals are the main sources of rabies infection in humans:

dogs

bats

ferrets

cats

cows

goats

horses

rabbits

beavers

coyotes

foxes

monkeys

raccoons

skunks

woodchucks

For most people, the risk of contracting rabies is relatively low. However, there are certain situations that may put you at a higher risk. These include:

living in an area that is populated by bats

traveling to developing countries

living in a rural area where there is greater exposure to wild animals and little or no access to vaccines and immunoglobulin preventive therapy

frequent camping and exposure to wild animals

being under the age of 15 (rabies is most common in this age group)

Although dogs are responsible for most rabies cases worldwide, bats are the cause of most rabies deaths in the Americas.

After being exposed to the rabies virus, you can have a series of injections to prevent an infection from setting in. Rabies immunoglobulin, which gives you an immediate dose of rabies antibodies to fight the infection, helps to prevent the virus from getting a foothold. Then, getting the rabies vaccine is the key to avoiding the disease. The rabies vaccine is given in a series of five shots over 14 days.

Animal control will probably try to find the animal that bit you so that it can be tested for rabies. If the animal isn’t rabid, you can avoid the large round of rabies shots. However, if the animal can’t be found, the safest course of action is to take the preventive shots.

Getting a rabies vaccination as soon as possible after an animal bite is the best way to prevent the infection. Doctors will treat your wound by washing it for at least 15 minutes with soap and water, detergent, or iodine. Then, they’ll give you the rabies immunoglobin and you’ll start the round of injections for the rabies vaccine. This protocol is known as “post-exposure prophylaxis.”

Insect bites

Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream.

Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells.

Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open.

The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time.

Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live. The World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source states that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report 1,700 casesTrusted Sourceof malaria annually. Most cases of malaria develop in people who travel to countries where malaria is more common.

The symptoms of malaria typically develop within 10 days to 4 weeks following the infection. In some cases, symptoms may not develop for several months. Some malarial parasites can enter the body but will be dormant for long periods of time.

Common symptoms of malaria include:

shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe

high fever

profuse sweating

headache

nausea

vomiting

abdominal pain

diarrhea

anemia

muscle pain

convulsions

coma

bloody stools

[josephkitchen0]

Weasels Killing Chickens is Common, but Preventable

By Cheryl K. Smith, Oregon – Shortly after I moved to my homesteading land 15 years ago, I found a desiccated weasel in the barn. It was a long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), about 10 inches long from nose to tail tip, and brown in color — which indicated that it had died between spring and fall (they turn white in the winter). New to the country, I thought it looked cute and was sorry I didn’t see a live one. Little did I know weasels killing chickens is all too common.

My next encounter with a weasel occurred 10 years later and didn’t involve actually seeing one — dead or alive, but waking up to find half my chickens dead. Yup, a case of a weasel killing chickens from my coop. They had been dragged to all corners of the chicken coop — not eaten, but nearly decapitated. (Naturally, hens and not roosters.) Unable to determine where a critter could have gotten in and repair or block it, I experienced the same horror the next morning. I knew I had to do something — making weasel traps was possibly the answer.

I had designed the coop myself, believing that it was invulnerable to opossums and raccoons killing chickens as well as more obvious chicken predators. (That cute little dried-up weasel was but a distant memory.) I noticed only in hindsight that the multitude of rats that were digging under the chicken house had gradually disappeared.

The word “weasel” conjures up visions of a sneaky, devious person, or a vicious little mammal that attacks poultry just for the thrill of the kill. Think of the thieving gang of weasels portrayed in the children’s book Wind in the Willows.

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Weasel words are those that are twisted or misleading, used to benefit the individual uttering them. This is believed to have come from the idea that weasels suck eggs; so weasel words are those in which the meaning is sucked out. But in fact, weasels do not have the necessary jaw muscles to suck eggs (or blood from a chicken’s neck).

When I started researching these animals, my frame of reference grew out of all of these misconceptions. I believed that my chickens had their necks chewed through because the weasel was just interested in sucking blood. My explanation for the multiple dead bodies in the corners of the chicken coop was that the weasel was on a killing spree.

These ideas are all wrong, though. As it turns out, weasels are usually more beneficial than harmful. In fact, I probably have weasels on the property right now and am not even aware of them.

Weasels in North America

The Mustelidae (weasel family) is quite large, consisting of not only weasels but minks, ferrets, martens, badgers, and otters. The subgroup Mustela (true weasels) consists of up to 16 species. The long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) is the most widely distributed weasel and is found in most of the United States. Other common weasels in this area are the least weasel and the short-tailed weasel or ermine.

Long-tailed weasels range from 11 to 16 inches in size, including the tail, with the males larger than the females. They are normally light brown, with a white belly and black-tipped tail. Some varieties molt their brown coat and become white in the winter. They are long-necked and short-legged creatures, a helpful adaption for getting into small places. Their voice is said to be a high-pitched shriek.

Reproduction and Lifestyle

Long-tailed weasels have only one litter each spring, regardless of food supply — unlike least and short-tailed weasels, which can have a second litter in late summer. The actual gestation period is from 205 to 337 days; however, the mating occurs in the spring and then the ball of cells called a blastocyst floats feely in the uterus for nine to 10 months before implanting and developing into a kit.

Three to 10 babies are in each litter; the babies are called kits. Once kits are born and the mother starts lactating, she does not go into heat for another 65 to 104 days. She can also protect herself and her kits from interested males by choosing or making a den with entrances too small for them to enter.

Kits are born with fine white hair covering their bodies. They get their razor-sharp milk teeth in three or four weeks but do not open their eyes for another week or so. They can start eating meat after about a month — in their blind condition — but may not be weaned until they are up to three months old. They finally reach full size at six months of age but are sexually mature several months before then.

Weasels are mostly nocturnal and solitary, living in dens that are constructed under rocks or logs in a hole, usually near a water source. The den is dry and padded with leaves and even fur from some of their prey. Weasels are also known to move into the previously used den of another ground dweller such as a prairie dog, rabbit or gopher.

Their range is normally 30–40 acres. They spend most of their time on the ground, but also sometimes climb trees.

Males live separate from the females and kits. This leaves the burden of feeding the kits entirely to the female. According to biologists, males will occasionally bring a dead mammal to the female’s den, but such generosity is linked to their desire for sexual activity rather than feeding the young.

Weasels on the Farm

Weasels are actually more beneficial than detrimental on the farm — most of the time. They eat rodents, fish, birds, and frogs, as well as eggs. They are excellent helpers around the chicken house, as long as the rodent population is thriving because they normally prey on a species that is regularly available. Only when they are running out of food — especially when they have young to feed — do they turn to chickens as a food source.

Because weasels eat other small animals such as mice, shrews, voles and rabbits, they can also help protect the vegetable garden. The lanky-bodied weasel even has the ability to pursue these critters down into their burrows.

Weasels also provide food for foxes, coyotes, hawks and owls. So their presence may help the chickens in another way — redirecting the predators to another food source.

Understanding Why Weasels Killing Chickens Happens in Sprees

When prey is in short supply, weasels will often kill more than they and their kits can immediately eat. The females with kits need to ensure that they will survive, so they take what they can get. This is how the idea that they are thrill-killers arose.

Their killing instinct is also triggered by movement — which is why “freezing” by small rodents may protect them. In a chicken coop, the weasel is unable to stop itself from killing.

First, the wild, squawking and flapping movement of the chickens triggers the instinct, causing the weasel killing chickens to go on killing until it perceives there is nothing left to kill. Second, it will want to kill as many prey as possible, with plans to save the extras for future meals. This is why my chickens were dragged down behind the feed cans into corners. The weasel was trying to hide them, most likely with plans to return later.

The method that weasels use to kill their prey is to bite the back of the neck of the animal. The long teeth penetrate the neck with only two bites. This signature method of killing led to the myth of blood-sucking.

Preventing Weasels in the Chicken Coop

Despite their helpful attributes, it is wise to try to prevent weasels from ever getting inside a chicken coop. The best time to do this is when you are constructing it. Do not build the coop directly on the ground; put a floor in it or make sure it is raised up in some way. This was my mistake. I paid attention to trying to prevent holes in the top and sides, while the rats were digging holes underneath. When that food ran out, a weasel used those very holes as a way to get in and get chickens.

Another essential to keeping weasels out of the chicken coop and other buildings is to make sure that there are no openings larger than one inch — or even less if you want to be extra sure. (The common saying is that weasels can get in through a hole the size of a quarter, which is 7/8-inch across.) The best method is to use 1/2-inch hardware cloth or a similar material in areas where you want ventilation. Make sure the coop is completely enclosed.

As time goes by, rodents will start to gnaw holes in the wood. Be aware of these and repair them quickly. Pieces of metal, even flattened tin cans work well to cover such hole.

If a weasel has already caused chicken losses, consider a live trap. Havahart has an extra small live trap that will work for weasels, for only about $24. Make sure it is set so as not to harm other animals. Although the damage is done by the time you determine a weasel is killing chickens, you can still try to trap it to prevent future losses. You will need to live somewhere that you can release it far from its range so as not to create a nuisance for others.

Because weasels are fur-bearing animals, check with your state Fish and Wildlife Department regulations before trapping with a trap that kills weasels.

Like in most affairs, the best advice is to be proactive. Make sure your coop is secure and be aware of the rise and fall of various wildlife populations, such as rabbits and rats.

What are strategies for preventing a weasel killing chickens on your farm or in your backyard?

Names for a group of weasels: Boogle, Gang, Pack, Confusion

Cheryl K. Smith raises chickens and Oberian dairy goats in the coast range of Oregon. She is a freelance writer and the author of Goat Health Care and Raising Goats for Dummies.

Originally published in the September/October 2014 issue of Countryside & Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Weasels Killing Chickens is Common, but Preventable was originally posted by All About Chickens

[josephkitchen0]

Weasels Killing Chickens is Common, but Preventable

By Cheryl K. Smith, Oregon – Shortly after I moved to my homesteading land 15 years ago, I found a desiccated weasel in the barn. It was a long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), about 10 inches long from nose to tail tip, and brown in color — which indicated that it had died between spring and fall (they turn white in the winter). New to the country, I thought it looked cute and was sorry I didn’t see a live one. Little did I know weasels killing chickens is all too common.

My next encounter with a weasel occurred 10 years later and didn’t involve actually seeing one — dead or alive, but waking up to find half my chickens dead. Yup, a case of a weasel killing chickens from my coop. They had been dragged to all corners of the chicken coop — not eaten, but nearly decapitated. (Naturally, hens and not roosters.) Unable to determine where a critter could have gotten in and repair or block it, I experienced the same horror the next morning. I knew I had to do something — making weasel traps was possibly the answer.

I had designed the coop myself, believing that it was invulnerable to opossums and raccoons killing chickens as well as more obvious chicken predators. (That cute little dried-up weasel was but a distant memory.) I noticed only in hindsight that the multitude of rats that were digging under the chicken house had gradually disappeared.

The word “weasel” conjures up visions of a sneaky, devious person, or a vicious little mammal that attacks poultry just for the thrill of the kill. Think of the thieving gang of weasels portrayed in the children’s book Wind in the Willows.

Our best chicken secrets revealed with this FREE guide!

Even old pros say they got dozens of tips for their flocks by reading this guide. YES! I want this Free Guide »

Weasel words are those that are twisted or misleading, used to benefit the individual uttering them. This is believed to have come from the idea that weasels suck eggs; so weasel words are those in which the meaning is sucked out. But in fact, weasels do not have the necessary jaw muscles to suck eggs (or blood from a chicken’s neck).

When I started researching these animals, my frame of reference grew out of all of these misconceptions. I believed that my chickens had their necks chewed through because the weasel was just interested in sucking blood. My explanation for the multiple dead bodies in the corners of the chicken coop was that the weasel was on a killing spree.

These ideas are all wrong, though. As it turns out, weasels are usually more beneficial than harmful. In fact, I probably have weasels on the property right now and am not even aware of them.

Weasels in North America

The Mustelidae (weasel family) is quite large, consisting of not only weasels but minks, ferrets, martens, badgers, and otters. The subgroup Mustela (true weasels) consists of up to 16 species. The long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) is the most widely distributed weasel and is found in most of the United States. Other common weasels in this area are the least weasel and the short-tailed weasel or ermine.

Long-tailed weasels range from 11 to 16 inches in size, including the tail, with the males larger than the females. They are normally light brown, with a white belly and black-tipped tail. Some varieties molt their brown coat and become white in the winter. They are long-necked and short-legged creatures, a helpful adaption for getting into small places. Their voice is said to be a high-pitched shriek.

Reproduction and Lifestyle

Long-tailed weasels have only one litter each spring, regardless of food supply — unlike least and short-tailed weasels, which can have a second litter in late summer. The actual gestation period is from 205 to 337 days; however, the mating occurs in the spring and then the ball of cells called a blastocyst floats feely in the uterus for nine to 10 months before implanting and developing into a kit.

Three to 10 babies are in each litter; the babies are called kits. Once kits are born and the mother starts lactating, she does not go into heat for another 65 to 104 days. She can also protect herself and her kits from interested males by choosing or making a den with entrances too small for them to enter.

Kits are born with fine white hair covering their bodies. They get their razor-sharp milk teeth in three or four weeks but do not open their eyes for another week or so. They can start eating meat after about a month — in their blind condition — but may not be weaned until they are up to three months old. They finally reach full size at six months of age but are sexually mature several months before then.

Weasels are mostly nocturnal and solitary, living in dens that are constructed under rocks or logs in a hole, usually near a water source. The den is dry and padded with leaves and even fur from some of their prey. Weasels are also known to move into the previously used den of another ground dweller such as a prairie dog, rabbit or gopher.

Their range is normally 30–40 acres. They spend most of their time on the ground, but also sometimes climb trees.

Males live separate from the females and kits. This leaves the burden of feeding the kits entirely to the female. According to biologists, males will occasionally bring a dead mammal to the female’s den, but such generosity is linked to their desire for sexual activity rather than feeding the young.

Weasels on the Farm

Weasels are actually more beneficial than detrimental on the farm — most of the time. They eat rodents, fish, birds, and frogs, as well as eggs. They are excellent helpers around the chicken house, as long as the rodent population is thriving because they normally prey on a species that is regularly available. Only when they are running out of food — especially when they have young to feed — do they turn to chickens as a food source.

Because weasels eat other small animals such as mice, shrews, voles and rabbits, they can also help protect the vegetable garden. The lanky-bodied weasel even has the ability to pursue these critters down into their burrows.

Weasels also provide food for foxes, coyotes, hawks and owls. So their presence may help the chickens in another way — redirecting the predators to another food source.

Understanding Why Weasels Killing Chickens Happens in Sprees

When prey is in short supply, weasels will often kill more than they and their kits can immediately eat. The females with kits need to ensure that they will survive, so they take what they can get. This is how the idea that they are thrill-killers arose.

Their killing instinct is also triggered by movement — which is why “freezing” by small rodents may protect them. In a chicken coop, the weasel is unable to stop itself from killing.

First, the wild, squawking and flapping movement of the chickens triggers the instinct, causing the weasel killing chickens to go on killing until it perceives there is nothing left to kill. Second, it will want to kill as many prey as possible, with plans to save the extras for future meals. This is why my chickens were dragged down behind the feed cans into corners. The weasel was trying to hide them, most likely with plans to return later.

The method that weasels use to kill their prey is to bite the back of the neck of the animal. The long teeth penetrate the neck with only two bites. This signature method of killing led to the myth of blood-sucking.

Preventing Weasels in the Chicken Coop

Despite their helpful attributes, it is wise to try to prevent weasels from ever getting inside a chicken coop. The best time to do this is when you are constructing it. Do not build the coop directly on the ground; put a floor in it or make sure it is raised up in some way. This was my mistake. I paid attention to trying to prevent holes in the top and sides, while the rats were digging holes underneath. When that food ran out, a weasel used those very holes as a way to get in and get chickens.

Another essential to keeping weasels out of the chicken coop and other buildings is to make sure that there are no openings larger than one inch — or even less if you want to be extra sure. (The common saying is that weasels can get in through a hole the size of a quarter, which is 7/8-inch across.) The best method is to use 1/2-inch hardware cloth or a similar material in areas where you want ventilation. Make sure the coop is completely enclosed.

As time goes by, rodents will start to gnaw holes in the wood. Be aware of these and repair them quickly. Pieces of metal, even flattened tin cans work well to cover such hole.

If a weasel has already caused chicken losses, consider a live trap. Havahart has an extra small live trap that will work for weasels, for only about $24. Make sure it is set so as not to harm other animals. Although the damage is done by the time you determine a weasel is killing chickens, you can still try to trap it to prevent future losses. You will need to live somewhere that you can release it far from its range so as not to create a nuisance for others.

Because weasels are fur-bearing animals, check with your state Fish and Wildlife Department regulations before trapping with a trap that kills weasels.

Like in most affairs, the best advice is to be proactive. Make sure your coop is secure and be aware of the rise and fall of various wildlife populations, such as rabbits and rats.

What are strategies for preventing a weasel killing chickens on your farm or in your backyard?

Names for a group of weasels: Boogle, Gang, Pack, Confusion

Cheryl K. Smith raises chickens and Oberian dairy goats in the coast range of Oregon. She is a freelance writer and the author of Goat Health Care and Raising Goats for Dummies.

Originally published in the September/October 2014 issue of Countryside & Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Weasels Killing Chickens is Common, but Preventable was originally posted by All About Chickens

[josephkitchen0]

Weasels Killing Chickens is Common, but Preventable

By Cheryl K. Smith, Oregon – Shortly after I moved to my homesteading land 15 years ago, I found a desiccated weasel in the barn. It was a long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), about 10 inches long from nose to tail tip, and brown in color — which indicated that it had died between spring and fall (they turn white in the winter). New to the country, I thought it looked cute and was sorry I didn’t see a live one. Little did I know weasels killing chickens is all too common.

My next encounter with a weasel occurred 10 years later and didn’t involve actually seeing one — dead or alive, but waking up to find half my chickens dead. Yup, a case of a weasel killing chickens from my coop. They had been dragged to all corners of the chicken coop — not eaten, but nearly decapitated. (Naturally, hens and not roosters.) Unable to determine where a critter could have gotten in and repair or block it, I experienced the same horror the next morning. I knew I had to do something — making weasel traps was possibly the answer.

I had designed the coop myself, believing that it was invulnerable to opossums and raccoons killing chickens as well as more obvious chicken predators. (That cute little dried-up weasel was but a distant memory.) I noticed only in hindsight that the multitude of rats that were digging under the chicken house had gradually disappeared.

The word “weasel” conjures up visions of a sneaky, devious person, or a vicious little mammal that attacks poultry just for the thrill of the kill. Think of the thieving gang of weasels portrayed in the children’s book Wind in the Willows.

Our best chicken secrets revealed with this FREE guide!

Even old pros say they got dozens of tips for their flocks by reading this guide. YES! I want this Free Guide »

Weasel words are those that are twisted or misleading, used to benefit the individual uttering them. This is believed to have come from the idea that weasels suck eggs; so weasel words are those in which the meaning is sucked out. But in fact, weasels do not have the necessary jaw muscles to suck eggs (or blood from a chicken’s neck).

When I started researching these animals, my frame of reference grew out of all of these misconceptions. I believed that my chickens had their necks chewed through because the weasel was just interested in sucking blood. My explanation for the multiple dead bodies in the corners of the chicken coop was that the weasel was on a killing spree.

These ideas are all wrong, though. As it turns out, weasels are usually more beneficial than harmful. In fact, I probably have weasels on the property right now and am not even aware of them.

Weasels in North America

The Mustelidae (weasel family) is quite large, consisting of not only weasels but minks, ferrets, martens, badgers, and otters. The subgroup Mustela (true weasels) consists of up to 16 species. The long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) is the most widely distributed weasel and is found in most of the United States. Other common weasels in this area are the least weasel and the short-tailed weasel or ermine.

Long-tailed weasels range from 11 to 16 inches in size, including the tail, with the males larger than the females. They are normally light brown, with a white belly and black-tipped tail. Some varieties molt their brown coat and become white in the winter. They are long-necked and short-legged creatures, a helpful adaption for getting into small places. Their voice is said to be a high-pitched shriek.

Reproduction and Lifestyle

Long-tailed weasels have only one litter each spring, regardless of food supply — unlike least and short-tailed weasels, which can have a second litter in late summer. The actual gestation period is from 205 to 337 days; however, the mating occurs in the spring and then the ball of cells called a blastocyst floats feely in the uterus for nine to 10 months before implanting and developing into a kit.

Three to 10 babies are in each litter; the babies are called kits. Once kits are born and the mother starts lactating, she does not go into heat for another 65 to 104 days. She can also protect herself and her kits from interested males by choosing or making a den with entrances too small for them to enter.

Kits are born with fine white hair covering their bodies. They get their razor-sharp milk teeth in three or four weeks but do not open their eyes for another week or so. They can start eating meat after about a month — in their blind condition — but may not be weaned until they are up to three months old. They finally reach full size at six months of age but are sexually mature several months before then.

Weasels are mostly nocturnal and solitary, living in dens that are constructed under rocks or logs in a hole, usually near a water source. The den is dry and padded with leaves and even fur from some of their prey. Weasels are also known to move into the previously used den of another ground dweller such as a prairie dog, rabbit or gopher.

Their range is normally 30–40 acres. They spend most of their time on the ground, but also sometimes climb trees.

Males live separate from the females and kits. This leaves the burden of feeding the kits entirely to the female. According to biologists, males will occasionally bring a dead mammal to the female’s den, but such generosity is linked to their desire for sexual activity rather than feeding the young.

Weasels on the Farm

Weasels are actually more beneficial than detrimental on the farm — most of the time. They eat rodents, fish, birds, and frogs, as well as eggs. They are excellent helpers around the chicken house, as long as the rodent population is thriving because they normally prey on a species that is regularly available. Only when they are running out of food — especially when they have young to feed — do they turn to chickens as a food source.

Because weasels eat other small animals such as mice, shrews, voles and rabbits, they can also help protect the vegetable garden. The lanky-bodied weasel even has the ability to pursue these critters down into their burrows.

Weasels also provide food for foxes, coyotes, hawks and owls. So their presence may help the chickens in another way — redirecting the predators to another food source.

Understanding Why Weasels Killing Chickens Happens in Sprees

When prey is in short supply, weasels will often kill more than they and their kits can immediately eat. The females with kits need to ensure that they will survive, so they take what they can get. This is how the idea that they are thrill-killers arose.

Their killing instinct is also triggered by movement — which is why “freezing” by small rodents may protect them. In a chicken coop, the weasel is unable to stop itself from killing.

First, the wild, squawking and flapping movement of the chickens triggers the instinct, causing the weasel killing chickens to go on killing until it perceives there is nothing left to kill. Second, it will want to kill as many prey as possible, with plans to save the extras for future meals. This is why my chickens were dragged down behind the feed cans into corners. The weasel was trying to hide them, most likely with plans to return later.

The method that weasels use to kill their prey is to bite the back of the neck of the animal. The long teeth penetrate the neck with only two bites. This signature method of killing led to the myth of blood-sucking.

Preventing Weasels in the Chicken Coop

Despite their helpful attributes, it is wise to try to prevent weasels from ever getting inside a chicken coop. The best time to do this is when you are constructing it. Do not build the coop directly on the ground; put a floor in it or make sure it is raised up in some way. This was my mistake. I paid attention to trying to prevent holes in the top and sides, while the rats were digging holes underneath. When that food ran out, a weasel used those very holes as a way to get in and get chickens.

Another essential to keeping weasels out of the chicken coop and other buildings is to make sure that there are no openings larger than one inch — or even less if you want to be extra sure. (The common saying is that weasels can get in through a hole the size of a quarter, which is 7/8-inch across.) The best method is to use 1/2-inch hardware cloth or a similar material in areas where you want ventilation. Make sure the coop is completely enclosed.

As time goes by, rodents will start to gnaw holes in the wood. Be aware of these and repair them quickly. Pieces of metal, even flattened tin cans work well to cover such hole.

If a weasel has already caused chicken losses, consider a live trap. Havahart has an extra small live trap that will work for weasels, for only about $24. Make sure it is set so as not to harm other animals. Although the damage is done by the time you determine a weasel is killing chickens, you can still try to trap it to prevent future losses. You will need to live somewhere that you can release it far from its range so as not to create a nuisance for others.

Because weasels are fur-bearing animals, check with your state Fish and Wildlife Department regulations before trapping with a trap that kills weasels.

Like in most affairs, the best advice is to be proactive. Make sure your coop is secure and be aware of the rise and fall of various wildlife populations, such as rabbits and rats.

What are strategies for preventing a weasel killing chickens on your farm or in your backyard?

Names for a group of weasels: Boogle, Gang, Pack, Confusion

Cheryl K. Smith raises chickens and Oberian dairy goats in the coast range of Oregon. She is a freelance writer and the author of Goat Health Care and Raising Goats for Dummies.

Originally published in the September/October 2014 issue of Countryside & Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Weasels Killing Chickens is Common, but Preventable was originally posted by All About Chickens