Re: Rat snakes in attic and basement eating field mice

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Posted by Michael on May 16, 2001 at 11:50:49:

In Reply to: Re: Rat snakes in attic and basement eating field mice posted by Lou Brady on May 13, 2001 at 01:33:20:

I work in the Household Hazardous waste field (pesticides mostly) and my experience is that it does depend on the amount of the poison the rodent has taken in.
Some of the main rodenticides are;
Warfarin which causes internal bleeding.
Strychnine that produces restlessness increased audio and visual sensitivities, muscular stiffness in face and legs followed by convulsion.
Thallium and causes hair loss; skin eruptions; intestinal bleeding; anorexia; nausea; vomiting; injuries of peripheral nerves, liver, and kidney.

"My question is if a snake eats a poisoned mouse, will the snake suffer ill effects or worse, die?"

Pesticides may impact wildlife through secondary poisoning when an animal consumes prey species that contain pesticide residues. Examples of secondary poisoning are (1) birds of prey becoming sick after feeding on an animal that is dead or dying from acute exposure to a pesticide, and (2) the accumulation and movement of persistent chemicals in wildlife food chains.
A pesticide may affect wildlife in ways other than direct or secondary poisoning. Pesticides may affect wildlife indirectly when a part of its habitat or food supply is modified. For instance, herbicides may reduce food, cover, and nesting sites needed by insect, bird, and mammal populations; insecticides may diminish insect populations fed on by bird or fish species; insect pollinators may be reduced, thereby affecting plant pollination. The study of indirect effects is an emerging area and one that may be difficult to investigate.

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: I work in the Household Hazardous waste field (pesticides mostly) and my experience is that it does depend on the amount of the poison the rodent has taken in. : Some of the main rodenticides are; : Warfarin which causes internal bleeding. : Strychnine that produces restlessness increased audio and visual sensitivities, muscular stiffness in face and legs followed by convulsion. : Thallium and causes hair loss; skin eruptions; intestinal bleeding; anorexia; nausea; vomiting; injuries of peripheral nerves, liver, and kidney. : "My question is if a snake eats a poisoned mouse, will the snake suffer ill effects or worse, die?" : Pesticides may impact wildlife through secondary poisoning when an animal consumes prey species that contain pesticide residues. Examples of secondary poisoning are (1) birds of prey becoming sick after feeding on an animal that is dead or dying from acute exposure to a pesticide, and (2) the accumulation and movement of persistent chemicals in wildlife food chains. : A pesticide may affect wildlife in ways other than direct or secondary poisoning. Pesticides may affect wildlife indirectly when a part of its habitat or food supply is modified. For instance, herbicides may reduce food, cover, and nesting sites needed by insect, bird, and mammal populations; insecticides may diminish insect populations fed on by bird or fish species; insect pollinators may be reduced, thereby affecting plant pollination. The study of indirect effects is an emerging area and one that may be difficult to investigate.

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