Thread: Rodent baits and their effect on native fauna

Originally Posted by Grumbles

Spotlights are so old school these days. Night vision is where it is all at nowadays....especially popular with the illegal shooter group.

The flashiest thing that I have for shooting is illuminated crosshairs on my scope.

There has been mention in this thread of dingos and taking down or not taking down herbivores due to their size. But what does "taking down" actually mean. To most people it means attacking like a lion, cheetah, leopard etc where prey animals die quickly. But that is not how it works with canines. I use the term "canine" rather than dingo and "canine" again for wild dogs. The two "species" overlap in both hunting style and bloodlines.

Any large herbivore, be it pig, deer, kangaroo which is targeted by canines will die badly. The canines work as a team and a team may be many individuals or just two. They pursue their target relentlessly and regularly swap the lead so that the lead canine is always relatively fresh but their target gets no relief and is run into the ground exhausted. But that is not where it ends. The canines then relentlessly attack the soft rear end of their target which causes the target to be constantly spinning on its axis as it tries to protect its rear end and dissuade its attackers. Eventually it tires to the point of just laying there. At this stage the canines start feasting on the rear end and lower abdomen contents whilst the animal still lives. It is a slow death of a thousand bites so to speak. The size of the prey animal is not a dissuader for the canines. It is just another meal to them.

Originally Posted by Grumbles

There has been mention in this thread of dingos and taking down or not taking down herbivores due to their size. But what does "taking down" actually mean. To most people it means attacking like a lion, cheetah, leopard etc where prey animals die quickly. But that is not how it works with canines. I use the term "canine" rather than dingo and "canine" again for wild dogs. The two "species" overlap in both hunting style and bloodlines.

Any large herbivore, be it pig, deer, kangaroo which is targeted by canines will die badly. The canines work as a team and a team may be many individuals or just two. They pursue their target relentlessly and regularly swap the lead so that the lead canine is always relatively fresh but their target gets no relief and is run into the ground exhausted. But that is not where it ends. The canines then relentlessly attack the soft rear end of their target which causes the target to be constantly spinning on its axis as it tries to protect its rear end and dissuade its attackers. Eventually it tires to the point of just laying there. At this stage the canines start feasting on the rear end and lower abdomen contents whilst the animal still lives. It is a slow death of a thousand bites so to speak. The size of the prey animal is not a dissuader for the canines. It is just another meal to them.

Yes, it's a family of dingoes vs one pig, which becomes exhausted.
As for poisons, lots of animals including dogs are currently dying in NSW after eating mice killed by poisons.

Wild pigs have a huge amount of stamina,and they very fast.They also can be extremely agressive,particularly when cornered or injured.
It would take quite a few Dingos and a huge effort to bring one down,particularly one cattle dog sized or larger.
They may get the smaller ones,as the Sows often abandon them when they are in danger,which is strange,but i have seen this happen often.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

As for poisons, lots of animals including dogs are currently dying in NSW after eating mice killed by poisons.

i wonder if its also effecting the birds?

Many live predomately on mice,kestrels,Black shouldered kites,Owls,etc,etc.
Barn owls live exclusively on mice.

Has anyone tried using 1080 on rats/mice?

Originally Posted by scarry

i wonder if its also effecting the birds?

Birds of prey consuming poisoned rodents will die from secondary poisoning. I am unsure of when death actually occurs but because of the way it kills - internal hemorrhaging - I'd suspect that initially they can still fly so when they die they may be some distance from where they ate the rodent.

The poisoned carcasses of foxes and wild canines which died from 1080 poison are dangerous to any scavenging predator be it bird or mammal and it is quick acting. It is not uncommon to find dead wedge tailed eagles next to the carcass of a 1080 killed canine or fox they have been eating. It acts quickly so the birds never get the chance to fly away.

Originally Posted by trout1105

Has anyone tried using 1080 on rats/mice?

Blue oats (rabbait.......pindone) is sensational with rats.

I only use it indoors where birds can't get at it and I know they won't be killed by eating the carcasses outside.

You can increase the attractiveness by adding molten fat.

DL