starvation,desperation,and the hunta virus.....

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I was reading a book on primitive wilderness survival skills(steel tools good,flint knapping bad).Any way,the book suggests that while making your bow with your flint knife(bwahaha,right!)to make simple deadfall traps for the ubiquitous mice and gofers.For maximum protien they recommended throwing the mice into your campfire coals for twenty minuets or so and just eating the whole thing!don't do this.rodent droppings can contain the potentialy lethal hunta virus.If you become so freakishly desperate that you are considering eating mice(and I'm trying to consider things that are admittedly out there)gut them first,being CAREFUL to not contact the entrails.I have no idea how you'd do that.Buy more beans,and save yourself the hassle.

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 09, 1999

Answers

zoobie:

First of all hAnta virus is air-borne spread, its never been shown ingesting the virus will cause the disease. Thats why you have to beware of dry rodent droppings, the virus becoming airborne and you inhale it.

Second, you can have all the mice: insects(summer) and pine bark (winter) would be much better. In addtion to being repulsive to most, you won't survive by trying to live off mice.

Third: I agree with your main point, store food now.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), August 09, 1999.


blechh,can you imagine?

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 09, 1999.

Any animal which hasn't been regularly drenched and dipped is definitely loaded with internal and probably external parasites - and that includes any wild or feral animal - e.g. deer, mice, wild cattle, lizards, snakes, grasshoppers, grubs, coyotes, rabbits, ducks, pigeons, sea gulls, kangaroo, you name it. Doesn't mean you shouldn't use them, BUT does mean you need to cook them well, and use caution handling them while they're being prepared. Round worms are a definite, hydatids are out there, trypanosomes, whatever. No rare or medium or carpaccio or pink - it's ALL got to be very well done. This applies to your pets as well - whether they're eating the local wildlife, or whether you're ea.... Yeah, well, cats that eat lizards or grasshoppers get roundworms, dogs eat carrion and pick up hydatids, and so forth; and then they pass them on to you and your children.

It may not be worth hunting a mouse, but it may - if you're desperate enough - be worth taking advantage of finding a nest full of mice, just as it would be if you found a nest full of eggs - even half- brooded. That little bit of complete protein may be just what you need to fill out your diet - BUT WELL COOKED.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 12, 1999.


Mice are an excellant source of protein.

ANY meat is hazardous if not prepared, cooked and stored properly.

I hear slugs can be tasty. Good news here in redwood country.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), August 12, 1999.


Thanks, that was enough incentive to get the pressure cooker out again this week-end! And I have to make another run to SAMS...

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), August 16, 1999.


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