GC3C2TD Deer Mouse (Traditional Cache) in British Columbia, Canada created by JeepApex

GC3C2TD ▼

A cache by JeepApex Message this owner

Hidden : 2/4/2012

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Deer mice eat seeds, small fruits and berries, beetles, caterpillars, even grasshoppers. They prefer to eat insects when they can find them. The deer mouse makes its home outdoors in hollow tree logs or piles of garbage. They are nocturnal, so they sleep in their nests during the day. They also use their nests to raise their young and to protect them against harsh weather. When a deer mouse does come indoors, it prefers quiet places, such as attics.

Mice can carry and transmit to humans some serious illnesses. Hanta Virus is a serious threat to people, now being found across Canada. The death of a 14-year-old boy from Okanagan, B.C., from hantavirus in May 2005 once again raised the profile of this rare but deadly viral disease. Canada’s first human hantavirus case was reported in British Columbia in 1994, but subsequent research suggests that the first case actually took place in Alberta five years earlier. Of the 61 human cases so far, we're looking at a 36 per cent mortality rate. The first symptoms typically occur one to three weeks after exposure to infected mice and their droppings. It begins as a flu-like illness. Fever, muscle pains and fatigue progress within a few days to coughing and shortness of breath. Lungs fill with fluid and a respirator is often needed. For those who survive, recovery can take weeks or months. There is no vaccine. Avoid sweeping up or vacuuming mouse droppings, which can inject viral particles into the air. Instead, don a pair of rubber gloves and wet the material with bleach or similar disinfectant. Use a damp cloth to clean up the area and then spray with more disinfectant. Spray any dead mice with disinfectant and double-bag them for disposal. Items that can’t be disinfected can be rendered safe by exposing them to sunlight for a few hours. Ultraviolet rays kill hantavirus. Trap mice with traditional snap traps, or even humane live traps, just use precautions when you release the mice. Glue traps work well too, to release from a glue trap, use vegetable oil, and gloves. Prevent mice from entering by sealing up any openings larger than 1/4” , with steel wool, mice will chew through most insulations and use it for bedding in the nest. As with any micro, bring a pencil, the broken one will help you pull the log out:) Congratulations for the fast FTF to pearson4!