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Post by M38A1 on Jun 9, 2007 11:13:09 GMT -5
52lbs. of crap plus [1] large { 4lbs} deceased Musquash ,(Ondatra zibethicus),
Tom
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Post by stuck tj on Jun 10, 2007 19:52:36 GMT -5
Muskrats have large, robust bodies, with a total body length of twelve and a half inches. The tail is flat and scaly and is nine and a half inches in length. Muskrats have dense fur that traps air underneath for insulation and buoyancy. Their heads are very large and their ears are almost invisible underneath the fur. The whiskers are mediun size. Muskrats have short legs and big feet; the back feet are slightly webbed for swimming. Adult muskrats have glossy upperparts that are dark brown, darker in winter and paler in the summer Southern muskrat populations can breed year round while northern populations only breed in the warmer months (March to August). The gestation period is 29 - 30 days and the litter size averages around 6, with northern populations having larger litters. Young are born in a grass lined nest. When born, the muskrat has short dark fur, closed eyes, and weighs around 22 grams. They are able to swim at 10 days and by 21 days can eat green vegetation. In 30 days muskrats gain their independence and will reach adult size in 200 daysYoung are cared for and nursed by their mothers in the nest until they are about 2 weeks old, when they begin to swim and eat vegetation. They are fully weaned by 3 to 4 weeks old and leave their mother's home range after their first winter, usually when they are less than a year old.Although muskrats have been known to live to 10 years old in captivity, they probably live about 3 years in the wild.Muskrats are arranged in large family groups and live in definite territories. If the conditions are overcrowded, the females will kick their offspring out of the group. Muskrats continue to live in large grous even when fighting and cannibalism occur in high rates. Muskrats are active at all times of the day but most active from mid-afternoon until just after dusk. Muskrats are good swimmers and can stay underwater for 12 - 17 minutes. Muskrats, however, move relatively slowly on land. Muskrats communicate by musk, which also is used as a warning for intruders. They are capable of vocalizing by squeaks and squeals. Muskrats have poorly developed senses of sight, hearing, and smell. They are affected by quick changes in temperature, and dry, hot weather is especially bad for them. Their homes and burrows protect them from the elements. Muskrats also have a special adaptation called regional heterothermia, which regulates the flow of blood to the feet and tail, allowing these structures to be cooler than the body coreMuskrats communicate by a secretion from their glands called musk. This scent also serves to warn intruders. They are capable of vocalizing by squeaks and squeals. Muskrats have poorly developed senses of sight, hearing, and smell.Muskrats are mainly vegetarians but will eat animals as well. Muskrats consume about one-third of their weight every day. Their digestive system is designed for green vegetation. In the summer they eat the roots of aquatic plants. In the winter, they swim under the surface ice to get to the plants. Muskrats also eat agricultural cropsMuskrats are excellent swimmers and can evade many predators by escaping into water or into their burrows and nests. They can remain under water for up to 15 minutes.Muskrats are very abundant in areas of good habitat, making them important prey animals for predator populations. By grazing on vegetation, muskrats influence the composition of local plant communities.Muskrats not only eat the grain on a farm but they have also been known to plug the drain tiles on farms as well. Muskrats also have a habit of building their homes around sillys. These homes make the sillys weak and eventually destroy the structureThe fur of a muskrat is important in the fur industry. Also, the meat from a muskrat is suitable for human consumptionMuskrats are widespread and abundant. Populations remain stable even when they are being hunted for fur, affected by disease, or a target for large predator populations because muskrats have the ability to reproduce quickly.
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Post by 87B2XLT on Jun 10, 2007 21:23:37 GMT -5
Populations remain stable .... because muskrats have the ability to reproduce quickly. Okay, going to age myself a little here, but suddenly I'm reminded of the song "Muskrat Love" originally written and performed by America, but later performed by Captain & Tennille.... |
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Post by YJ Ken on Jun 17, 2007 8:12:00 GMT -5
And my Shar-Pei is an ace at killing them if they wonder into his yard. The joys of living on a canal.
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