Howdy,

MICE:

I wonder if anyone here knows FOR SURE if it's safe to use D-con for mouse control, if a cat can't get to the d-con.

I've heard concerns that the cat might eat a d-conned mouse, and get sick or die.

MEN:

I heard on NPR a few hours ago that a Republican Senator from N.H or Delaware, or one of those little NE states is changing to become an Independent, but will support the Demorats.

There is speculation that this will be a huge roadblock to dubya and his assault on our planet.

What do y'all think?

JOJ

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Answers

JOJ: I've heard the same thing about D-conned mice and cats.

Men: The guys name is ? Jeffers of Vermont. He's gonna announce his final decision tomorrow on the Capitol steps in Montpeilier VT. The informed concensus seems to be that he will leave the GOP and become independent but alligned with the Dems. I heard, on NPR, the speculation is that he's pissed at GW because GW "got tough" with him over some vote that Jeffers sided with the dems on.

Its really gonna change alot of things in the senate, comittee chairmanships, rules, the Senate majority etc.

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Mice: I would worry about cats eating any mouse or rat killed by some sort of poison. My memory is that the active ingredient in D- con is warfarin, a blood thinner. The rodent gets an overdose of this drug, the blood won't clot, and the rodent dies. Whether or not the cat would get enough of the drug to adversely affect it would be a crapshoot, IMO, and I don't like the odds of crapshoots when it comes to my cats (or any others). Warfarin, BTW, is sold under the brand name Coumadin, and is a common blood thinner for humans in danger of myocardial infarction (heart attack caused by platelets & clots blocking a coronary artery). Keep it away from children and any pets that gobble down any substance they come across. Can you tell I was a secretary in cardio-thoracic surgery for 7 years? ;-)

Men: Yes, I heard about this too. It is thought that Mr. Jeffers will declare himself an independent, but doing so will mean that the Dems will be in the majority in Congress, which means obstruction to the Repubs plans. These next days WILL be interesting. I think my feets will soon be doing Snoopy's happy dance . . .

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Some folks around here lost a young Irish Setter who ate a D-Con'ed rodent. Apparently, from what I heard at the vet's, setters are quite touchy in this respect, but that it is easily fatal for any other breed of dog, and I would therefore assume, cat as well.

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Yah Jeffers go man go!

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

I guess his name is really Jeffords, and I guess it's official:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/JEFFORDS_010524.html

Being neither Democrat nor Republican, but disliking Bush and his pogrom of the environment, I hope that shifting the balance slightly will slow him down. I don't think it will stop him altogether.

Unfortunately, there is speculation that there are a couple of Dems who may leave their party and join the Republicans.

The Republican party has tended towards environmentally abusive positions/decisions, but I felt in recent years that there were a growing number who were concerned about the environment. I wonder what they're thinking now? I think Bush and his buds better wise up; his agenda is offending a lot of people, and I suspect there will be more defections from the GOP. We'll see!

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Mice: I'll have to call my kid, who is a veterinarian, and see what he thinks. I don't know why I didn't do so in the first place. Thanks for the tips, though.

One thoughtI have is that my cat never seems to be interested in eating the rodents he kills. Leastways, he continuously leaves them at the door, for us to admire, I suppose.

After I talk to Jason, I'll share whatever tidbits of info he gives me.

I did hear that Jeffords (thanks for his name, folks) officially made his move this a.m. I also heard that Dubya is taking this as a big "embarassment."

I also heard that the result will be that lots (all?) Republican committee chairmen will no longer be chairmen, as the gavel will be passed to the Demo with the most seniority.

There was also mention of one particular Demo, in one of the southern states, as I recall, who is being heavily pressured (I wonder if that means bribes, threats, or what?) to change to the Republican Party. I had not heard before that there was more than one. I hope that these Demos don't make the change--this whole thing is the first good news I've heard at the national level since before the Floriduh election "results".

JOJ

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Well, I was whooping around the house this morning getting ready for work. Jeffords is my brandy-new hero! I don't think this could have come at a better time. Earlier and Georgy wouldn't have had time to show his true colors and scare the bejeezus out of everybody. Later might have been too late for some major, irreparable environmental issues. I'm waiting for more Republicans to decide that they, like Jeffords, don't want to be associated with the "Destroy the Earth" party come next election time.

Looks like I'll be able to read the papers again, at least for a while. I had given it up (to the best of my ability) when Bush was elected. Just too upsetting. THIS IS SO COOL!!!

-- Anonymous, May 24, 2001

Hurray! GW's assault on Mother Earth will be slowed down considerably. Maybe now a true dialogue will happen.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

MICE: Several years ago I used D-con in a mouse-infested cabin. Dying rodents left blood all over. I still have blood-stained books to remind me of an incident I would rather forget. Relief from the mice was, of course, temporary. My mice are deer mice (wild ones that come out of the woods), and the battle with them will never end. I find that I can trap them out in a few nights with snap traps, and all will be quiet for weeks before a new batch moves in. Two points: Put the action end of the trap against a wall - mice tend to run along walls. And if there's mouse blood on a trap, it will be avoided; get a new trap. Also my mice prefer a bit of hickory nut or pecan or a pumpkin seed. Good luck!

MEN: Using D-con on the politicians would be worth a try.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Yes, politics is going to become interesting again. This party change should get dialogues and the balances running again. I dislike total control by either party. The power does need to be more balanced.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

MEN: Using D-con on the politicians would be worth a try.

LOL! That would be one mighty big box of D-Con, Sam!

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Yep,what Jay said.I'll watch and wait and see.

Hey,we can feed politicians at an 'all you can eat' pesticides, gmo food and oil-slicked fish bar! That should do the trick! Then maybe people who are actually decent folks will actually consider public service again. I can dream.

On mice,there are sticky traps you can use.Nick had brought some home and they worked.That and the tin cats.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Mice: Something we found that works is a mix of peanut butter and styrofoam (makes em swell up and die). You might be able to mix baking soda and peanut butter also. I think mice are like roaches and can't burp or bun toot.

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

Hey,we can feed politicians at an 'all you can eat' pesticides, gmo food and oil-slicked fish bar! That should do the trick! Then maybe people who are actually decent folks will actually consider public service again. I can dream.

I like your idea too, Sharon!

-- Anonymous, May 25, 2001

D-con... It doesn't kill mice right away. It kills by causing dehydration, which takes anywhere from a few hours to a day or more. They are free to roam ANYWHERE and it ain't just cats who get into trouble. But, I have used it in attics and had no problems with cats, dogs, birds, etc. So, I guess its near a nest and not an opening to the world, it would be ok.

Men... I think its spin that he's going to 'support the Dems'... I really don't think his votes will be any different now than before the switch. I DO think he made a statement that is intended to wake a sleeping country, and it will go largely unheard. Who will get the REAL message while people are shouting TRAITOR at the top of their lungs and nobody is listening to him - or the supportive members of his FORMER party?? The flap over this is pure stupidity and political spin... Ain't the first time, won't be the last.

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001

Mixing cement and grain and leaving it where mice will eat it will give them a terminal case of constipation. You have to change it if it gets damp and the cement sets. There will not be enough wet cement in the mice to harm a cat or dog. Dogs and cats are unlikely to eat the grain, but birds will if it is in a place where they can get to it.

==>paul

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001

Sue, I think Mr. Jeffords will agree and vote with the Democrats sometimes, if that can be construed as support . . . of course, any of the congresspeople can vote with the opposition any time, without switching parties. He's said he's going to be an Independent. The BIG flapdoodle over this is not so much that he changed parties -- after all, that's been done before. Did you all know that Ronnie Reagan was a Dem earlier in his life, before changing to Republican? The BIG problem (for the Republicans) is that they lost the majority in the Senate, and control has shifted, ever so infintesimally, to the Democrats, who will now be chairing all the committees, etc.

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001

Yes, a dog or cat who eats a d-conned rodent CAN get sick or die from the residual poison. Happened to one of our cats a while back.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2001

Whenever my husband meets someone who admits to being a Republican, he says, "Good! -- Acknowledging you have a problem is the first step towards recovery!"

-- Anonymous, May 30, 2001

Oh, I almost forgot. The veterinarian son of mine didn't have a very definitive answer. He just said, "maybe" the dog or cat could get sick or die, and that d-Con is very potent and concentrated.

JOJ

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2001