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Kangaroo Rats
- clairity 7y agowow that's faster than zion williamson on a put-back dunk! but seriously, legs of all sorts are fascinating in their composition and specialization (i may be biased since i studied biomechanics). we all have the same basic components (long bones, joints, muscles, tendons/ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels) in similar configurations, but can still have wide latitude in specialization. robotics still has much to learn from biology in this regard.
- hirundo 7y ago> The team hiked the cameras and infrared lights, along with the heavy 12-volt car batteries that power them, into far corners of the deserts near Mojave, California and Yuma, Arizona. Once set up, they waited — often for hours without luck. The could come setup at my house in rural New Mexico, we've got scads of the little ninjas here. They've cost me about two grand in repair work on my pickup truck so far, nesting in the engine compartment, nibbling on the wires. I've tried to keep them away with sprays and an electronic gadget, but so far no luck. Next up, a cat, but outdoor cats don't last long here. It's the coyote homeland. They also managed to get into my travel trailer and poop in it, despite all I've done to try and seal it. I can testify that they are hardy, persistent and clever little devils. But after they've caused enough damage they seem a lot less cute.
- pengaru 7y agoThey're adorable as far as rodents go, but I've had to kill my share of them for similarly refusing to leave my automobiles alone. If you're resorting to killing them, I've found a 5-gallon bucket half filled with water containing a small bait-carrying raft to be quite effective. I just leave a 2x4 ramp to the bucket edge, they jump in for the food, the raft immediately sinks, and the walls are too high for escape.
- mythrwy 7y agoSimilar problem in rural area. Mice and kangaroo rats eating vehicle wiring. Hot pepper spray on the wiring harnesses seemed to solve most of it. At first I bought a hot spray at farm store but it was really expensive and gone quickly so I made my own. The commercial spray was essentially hot pepper extract and glycerin and kerosene (or some solvent, smelled like diesel). I bought several big bags of dried long hot peppers (in New Mexico these should be available), soaked them in acetone, evaporated most of the acentone, mixed in some glycerin (from pharmacy suppositories.. I honestly don't know what the purpose of glycerin is other than the commercial spray had it). Then diluted with rubbing alcohol. I also added a little peppermint oil which I understand mice dislike. Worked really well fwitw and spraying this all over the wire harnesses several times a year stopped the problem. Getting a cat solved the problem permanently though without spray. But now there are less birds about as well.
- roel_v 7y agoTo keep away martens from the engine compartment of cars (the ones living in urban environments like to crawl in there when it gets colder, and then nibble on the wires), we (= Dutchies) hang a bathroom refreshener under the hood. You know the plastic ones with the rock-like thingy in it that smell very strong. You have to replace them pretty regularly though.
- b0rsuk 7y agoMaybe you need a cat and two dogs as his bodyguards?
- rurp 7y agoThese amazing little guys are a blast to watch out in the desert; I've seen a number of them in the Mojave. Their tails make distinct drag marks in the sand, which makes it pretty easy to identify their burrows and other areas of activity.
- Pfhreak 7y agoMuad'Dib is wise in the ways of the desert. Muad'Dib creates his own water. Muad'Dib hides from the sun and travels in the cool night. Muad'Dib is fruitful and multiplies over the land. Muad'Dib we call 'instructor-of-boys.' That is a powerful base on which to build your life.
- dilipray 7y agoApple team will copy this, please get it IP Protected. Don't be another Alfred.
- desmondw 7y agoI highly recommend checking out more from the people who produced the video. Deep Look - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg
- sohkamyung 7y agoI agree. The channel produces amazing macro work with fascination explanations of the biology of organisms. I also support them via Patreon [1] [1] https://www.patreon.com/deeplook https://www.patreon.com/deeplook
- PostOnce 7y agoI had no idea "webspinner" insects existed until I learned it from Deep Look https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_JP3RbJ8zk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_JP3RbJ8zk their web strands come out of their feet.
- bitbckt 7y agoWe had one of these guys zip through our house when I was a kid, just after our house cat died. We had a new cat within a day or two.
- akamoonknight 7y agoIn one of the later gifs it looks to me like the snake aims higher in the air than would be expected if it was going for the rat just on the ground. I wonder if that's a learned behavior after multiple interactions, like darn you little rat, I'll aim higher next time. I wonder if there's a push and pull in that regard too. Fascinating overall though in any case.