Ticks, Fleas, chiggers

[byron_bear]

  Perhaps there are those who identify with another creature here on Mother Earth.  Perhaps they might be thinking 'I would like to be a .......'  and to those who are sincere, I say, go for it.  Having opted out of the Hominid Species can have advantages but there ARE disadvantages.  Here, in Southeastern Oklahoma we're having one of those cycles

Comments

Petted and Pampered Pets

[byron_bear]

If one could pick and choose, I can see your point. It is quite unfortunate that all pets are not of the pampered variety. Dogs, as an instance, without a good care-taker, can have a dismal life indeed. Even so, if there is some time to enjoy the chase, enjoy the excitement AND have a pampered life, well, that sounds pretty nice.
My neighbor, off to the west, has a very nice dog, it's a cattle dog however, she spends 95% of her life in a kennel. I have no idea why this is but, that's the life she's been provided by her care-taker.
If people only knew that all of the rest of the animals, are people also, perhaps folks would behave more decently to the rest of the occupants which world we share.

Re: Petted and Pampered Pets

[byron_bear]

I seem to recall that dogs will normally sleep about 60% of the time, even so, an active brain, which dogs certainly have, require stimulus.
Yes, I do run into this and it may shock you, but there are very few animals suited to 'living museums' referred to as zoos and sanctuaries. Armadillos, perhaps, possums, perhaps, pangolins as an example of animals which do fairly well and do not seem to require enrichment.

What some organizations do (which concern themselves with enclosed animals) is provide enriched environments for the animals which are, of necessity, kept in enclosures. Our Foundation has had no recourse but to find sanctuary in cases of performing bears, as an example.

An enriched environment provides stimulus to such animals which gives them a chance to forage, to play and otherwise exercise their minds. If you have a chance to see captured animals in an 'enriched evironment' you'll quickly see that they are much more content.

[romani123]

I had a few run ins with chiggers this year.

chiggers

[byron_bear]

After visiting with the folks up in Cookson this weekend, very few chigger bites are noticable. Perhaps it's not the heat, but the humidity? ;)

[torakiyoshi]

I would be a tiger, but not just any tiger. I would be a Siberian tiger, living in the nice, cool tundra of the Russian northlands. I'd roll in the delicious, cool snows (talk about great for murdering insects, or even being too cold to find any ticks anyway), and stalk small mammals and caribou through the pine forests south of the Taiga.

Nice to meet you. zianuray dropped your name in my journal, and asked me to come over and say hello.

-=TK

Nice to meet you

[byron_bear]

Ah yes, only endoparasites, the exoparasitic varieties are quite a nuisance though the endoparasites can weaken you fairly quickly.
I do love the winter, although, I'm pretty dormant during the winters. As autumn approaches into the winter, it is a great blessing not to have those surface infestatings.
It argues, among bears, to consider being a polar bear, but I'm a typical black bear and simply love berries and nuts and tubers, I'm not much of a meat eater. Tigers are in need of protection, so few wild tigers these days and lands need set apart for them, hopefully actions taken by some of the two leggeds will benefit them and insure a continued basis for survival.
It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!

Re: Nice to meet you

[torakiyoshi]

Indeed, one must be wary of what one eats, lets it carry worms. Our Canine friends do like to eat certain... unsavory items which are likely to pick up bloodworms. I try to avoid them myself.

Polar Bears certainly have less to worry about from parasites, but their lives are far from easy, living on vastly dwindling food supplies, and under constant threat from humans who don't understand them. But there are few enough of those on the Taiga, and most leave my kin alone.

Well met, indeed!

-=TK

Re: Nice to meet you

[byron_bear]

It's fortunate that black bears are mostly vegetarians though, insects are good nourishment. Best way to eat the savory ants is to set your paw in the middle of the ant heap, let them crawl all over then lick them off. Best bet though, is bite them quick or they'll bite your tongue

[mascot_dude]

I'm partial to bears and dogs... but both are susceptible to ticks.

Domestic dogs do have a good life.

Every dog has it's day

[byron_bear]

I enjoy dogs and have had them around me since as early as I can remember. Still, as early as I can remember I've known I was a bear and while I can admire and enjoy dogs, it's impossible for me to imagine myself as one. Bears, well, I've always known I was a bear and admire all bears. Ticks, a hassle for a fact, mud baths are the best answer I can think of, though, a very nice hot spring can do wonders.

[queentatooine]

Red Tailed Hawk. I could sit all day watching them fly. I dream of one day joining them yet my feet remain firmly planted on the ground.

Hawks

[byron_bear]

While I was studying zoology, I had the good fortune of taking up a work study program (for extra credit) which concerned itself with rehabilitating hawks, eagles and owls.

The zoo would take in injured hawks, who heal very quickly when given the opportunity. I enjoy many many bird varieties.

I very much enjoy cranes, I really like Secretary Birds, I love red-wing black birds and crows and have fun taking care of geese as well as most varieties of psitisines (I have a Military Macaw for instance). There are very few birds that I don't enjoy, at the moment I can't think of a single variety I don't enjoy.

You are right though, the majesty of hawks, the patience they can exibit and the raptor form itself is really quite elegant.