Zompist Bboard Again

Darren wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 4:49 am My mate had a cat which would on the regular catch whole ass brown snakes and bring them into the house. It didn't want to eat them, it just wanted to let them loose inside. It only got bit once but it survived and went straight back to collecting snakes.

Wow. I’m not sure whether I’m more surprised that it survived its bite, or that none of you got bitten…

(NB for non-Aussies: the brown snake is the second most venomous snake in Australia / the world,)

Ares Land wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 5:01 am

Raphael wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 4:43 am

Ares Land wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 4:29 am it took her a few months to figure out she could eat them.

Hey, isn't the stereotype that cats are smart?

Sometimes I joke that I didn't get the smartest one out of the litter; on the other hand, she gets free food and spends most of her sleeping while I have to work for a living. So I guess the cat wins.

Wait, she can find her food in the same place it normally is without intervention‽ Practically a miracle.

hwhatting wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 2:44 am Well, yes, that's how they teach their young. I read somewhere that cats think of us as incredibly large and clumsy kittens. But that still doesn't mean we're going to start catching, killing, and eating the animals they bring us

Ballet lessons?

Lērisama wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 3:19 pm

Ares Land wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 5:01 am

Raphael wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 4:43 am

Hey, isn't the stereotype that cats are smart?

Sometimes I joke that I didn't get the smartest one out of the litter; on the other hand, she gets free food and spends most of her sleeping while I have to work for a living. So I guess the cat wins.

Wait, she can find her food in the same place it normally is without intervention‽ Practically a miracle.

She can, but if I'm at home she will not.

Ares Land wrote: ↑Wed Sep 03, 2025 4:29 am At one point, our cat brought home two mice or shrews a day. It's more like she didn't quite know what to do with them once she caught them; it took her a few months to figure out she could eat them.

Could she tell the difference? Shrews taste bad and often make cats vomit if ingested. Also, is there much of a risk of mice being poisoned?

Richard W wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:56 amCould she tell the difference? Shrews taste bad and often make cats vomit if ingested. Also, is there much of a risk of mice being poisoned?

How do we know how shrews taste? Has anyone actually eaten one?

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 7:46 am

Richard W wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:56 amCould she tell the difference? Shrews taste bad and often make cats vomit if ingested. Also, is there much of a risk of mice being poisoned?

How do we know how shrews taste? Has anyone actually eaten one?

Look here: shrews emit secretions that smell and taste bad, and some shrews have venomous saliva too.

Travis B. wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 9:36 am

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 7:46 am

Richard W wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:56 amCould she tell the difference? Shrews taste bad and often make cats vomit if ingested. Also, is there much of a risk of mice being poisoned?

How do we know how shrews taste? Has anyone actually eaten one?

Look here: shrews emit secretions that smell and taste bad, and some shrews have venomous saliva too.

That could just be hearsay. I had hoped Wikipedia would give a report of actual tasting, but I couldn't find any such.

bradrn wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:04 pm

bradrn wrote: ↑Mon Mar 17, 2025 10:01 am I got a PhD offer!

After thinking about it and talking to as many people as I could, I accepted this offer yesterday.

My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am

My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck!

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck, and safe travels!

Flau wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 11:11 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck, and safe travels!

Seconded.

Lērisama wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 11:16 am

Flau wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 11:11 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck, and safe travels!

Seconded.

Thirded.

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:04 pm

bradrn wrote: ↑Mon Mar 17, 2025 10:01 am I got a PhD offer!

After thinking about it and talking to as many people as I could, I accepted this offer yesterday.

My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Gutt Rees! Sounds like an exhausting trip...


Contradictory: I have my language test to become a Luxembourger in about 10 days, which involves lots of practice tests and stuff, and... I feel somewhat confident for the listening section, but much less so for the speaking. Possibly due to interference of my limited Dutch and German and the complicated relationship of French loanwords, so it's hard to always know which word is right... well, in any event, there's more time to practice. (And, hey, if I get a 100% on the listening, I pass, regardless of the speaking score...)

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:04 pm

bradrn wrote: ↑Mon Mar 17, 2025 10:01 am I got a PhD offer!

After thinking about it and talking to as many people as I could, I accepted this offer yesterday.

My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Scotland looks forward to welcoming you.

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Wed Apr 09, 2025 11:04 pm

bradrn wrote: ↑Mon Mar 17, 2025 10:01 am I got a PhD offer!

After thinking about it and talking to as many people as I could, I accepted this offer yesterday.

My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck and have a good trip!

Thanks very much all!

And good luck to doctor shark! If I fly over Luxembourg (easily possible!) I’ll wave hello to you.

Have fun.

Scotland has some of the most striking scenery in the world.

Flau wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 11:11 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck, and safe travels!

Have a nice trip!

I found Scotland delightful; I hope you'll like it there.

Richard W wrote: ↑Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:56 am
Could she tell the difference? Shrews taste bad and often make cats vomit if ingested. Also, is there much of a risk of mice being poisoned?

Hey, that's interesting. As a young cat, she caught a lot more shrews (perhaps easier for an inexperienced hunter) and she didn't eat them -- so maybe it was because of the taste!

Welcome to where I'm no longer!

rotting bones wrote: ↑Sun Sep 07, 2025 2:15 am Have fun.

Scotland has some of the most striking scenery in the world.

Do you have some examples of what you like?

Ares Land wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 3:20 am

Flau wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 11:11 am

bradrn wrote: ↑Sat Sep 06, 2025 9:15 am My, how time flies. I depart for Glasgow (via Dubai) in <24h!

Good luck, and safe travels!

Have a nice trip!

I found Scotland delightful; I hope you'll like it there.

What did you find delightful about it?