Friday, November 11, 2016

The Exotic Tastes of Squirrels


I've never considered squirrels the smartest of natures creatures. They can never seam to remember where they've left their nuts!  These furry little rodents have something in common with the ancient Romans. Mainly, they enjoy the taste of lead. As the picture below shows, a squirrel has been actively chewing on this lead vent collar, which is not an uncommon problem where one of these rodents has developed a sweet tooth. The ancient Roman sweetener known as sapa was manufactured by boiling un-fermented grape juice in lead vessels. The lead would leach out into the mixture, and ultimately form lead acetate. The volume of reduction determined the sauce, which was used to sweeten meats and vegetables and help preserve food. For a more thorough explanation of the ancient Roman and Greek sauces, click here

But back to the present, when this becomes a problem, the collar can be changed to copper, or if possible, the put a new lead sleeve over the top and relocate the squirrel by renting a trap and trapping the squirrel. How can you identify the problem squirrel? He's or she's the one wearing the toga. 




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