Tick takes on 1206 resistors - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 05:22:28 pm
content: I had mentioned that it's tick season here and had posted a picture of the last one the dog brought in.I had placed the tick into a ziplock bag in case the dog develops a problem. The bag was just something sitting on the lab counter which happened to have a few 1206 resistors in it.Now the odd part. Over the last couple of weeks, the tick is turning these resistors to dust. They are ceramic and it looks like someone is taking a hammer to them and grinding them up. I have not caught it yet doing this and am not sure what triggers it but hope to get it on video. As amazed I am that it can grind up ceramic, I am just as amazed that it can't cut through the thin plastic bag. My Google foo let me down as I have not found any study that mentions the strength of a tick. Seems like we could make use of this untapped power..

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 12:32:08 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 20, 2021, 05:22:28 pmThe tick is probably hitting the ceramic with its sharp jaws. The plastic is much more malleable.

author: rfclown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 01:30:39 am
content: This is facinating. Who would ever have discovered this? Makes the mind wander to wonder if ticks can be made useful. If the tick was grinding up BeO, would it pose a risk? Clean breakage releases little dust but crushing or grinding actions can pose a risk.

author: Trader
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 02:03:34 am
content: Put it in the 14KV cage.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 03:13:11 am
content: The poor creature is really hungry after the couple of weeks

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 06:29:48 am
content: She looks well fed to me. Probably just craving for some crackers.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 02:45:02 pm
content: It would expect a tick to survive long period without food, because it has a slow metabolism.Is it repeatable?Does it happen after the tick has been fed? If you don't want to feed it on yourself, or your dog, then live catch a rodent. Obviously wear thick gloves when handing rodents and perform the experiment in a location, where there wouldn't be any damage, if the rodent escaped.

author: Alti
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 06:38:12 pm
content: Ticks do not have jaws so I do not understand how it could crush a resistor.Nature article "..feeding apparatus of the tick.. "with links to movies.

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 07:47:52 pm
content: Gad I hate ticks. You can hit those suckers with a hammer and they'll just walk away.The only way I've found to kill them is to drown them in alcohol, burn them with a torch, or preferably both

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 08:19:37 pm
content: Quote from: PaulAm on May 21, 2021, 07:47:52 pmAfter pulling near thousand ticks of my families many dogs, I perfected two easy ways to kill them. Either drop them in a jar of waste kitchen oil where they will swim for a while then suffocate, or grind them on a hard surface like a concrete driveway under a sharp stone. I would use the jar for a major tick cleaning of multiple mutts, rock grinding for the occasional discovery.Maybe what is happening in Joe's bag is chemical in nature from the tick's waste products. just a guess.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 08:49:17 pm
content: Quote from: PaulAm on May 21, 2021, 07:47:52 pmThe sellers of our previous house kindly left us with a bunch of cat fleas. I found that they could survive for a significant period of time immersed in IPA!

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2021, 03:55:34 am
content: Quote from: Alti on May 21, 2021, 06:38:12 pmThink of a miner chipping away at rock with a hammer.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2021, 05:28:54 pm
content: Quote from: Gyro on May 21, 2021, 08:49:17 pmHow about orange oil? That kills lots of insects and is completely harmless to humans. In fact it's often used to flavour food.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 01:20:26 am
content: No new resistors have been destroyed however, she has started to lay eggs.https://www.tickcheck.com/info/deer-tick-life-cycle-and-active-periods

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 11:54:52 am
content: Yeah, as I said, craving crackers. Not uncommon with pregnant females.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 12:40:34 pm
content: Most animals seem to like crunchy snacks. Most people would have just squashed the tick. Was the OP keeping this one to infect a competitor's dog?

author: DrG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 01:39:53 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on May 23, 2021, 12:40:34 pmQuote from: joeqsmith on May 20, 2021, 05:22:28 pmhttps://www.hopkinslyme.org/lyme-education/what-to-do-after-a-tick-bite/https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/finding-the-tick-in-time-could-save-you-from-lyme-2017022411241Granted, the basis of the advice in the links above concern saving the tick for later testing if necessary is geared toward humans, anyone can send these guys a tick for Lyme testinghttps://www.ticknology.org/tick-removalI don't know which is more bizarre, your observations that "most animals" like crunchy snacks or your suggestion that the OP wants to take out other dogs viewed as owned by his competitors.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 02:11:27 pm
content: Quote from: DrG on May 23, 2021, 01:39:53 pmThe later part of my comment was intended to be whimsical, but have you never noticed how a wide range of animals gnaw at things too hard to have any obvious nutritional qualities? It seems to be baked deep into animal behaviour. Sometimes it extracts minerals. Sometimes it accesses bone marrow locked inside. Sometimes it has no clear goal. Whatever the benefits, its commonplace.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 02:42:13 pm
content: When I lived in the mountains of Virginia (a tickhaven!), the traditional way to dispose of ticks was the drop them into a can partially filled with diesel fuel or kerosene.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 03:12:33 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on May 23, 2021, 12:40:34 pmI thought the second sentence from my original post made it clear that if the dog developed any symptoms, the tick would be sent in for analysis.Quote

author: DrG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 03:35:03 pm
content: I dislike ticks, the epitome of blood-sucking pestilenceA little drifting here, but normally, I am not in environments with high probability of tick existence, but, on occasion, I like to do nature photography. While I am conscientious about the dangers of pesticides, when I go out for this, I notice that I do not hesitate to use a good deal of pyrethrins on my clothing before embarking.This happened just a few days ago when I wanted to document the cicada-fest that some of the US is experiencing.Got a few good shots and didn't start twitching- may even have seen some that were infected with the cathinone fungus.http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/fungus-full-of-psychedelic-drugs-could-cause-indiana-brood-x-cicadas-butts-to-fall-off/article_60c6c146-b4e8-11eb-9046-c32f2959461d.html?fbclid=IwAR05S5PS1qJTVKGmTgSssCBm0kUX9ELglYWbxAPSuOgBMF5eAVEhRhaOBZshttps://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2021/05/19/cicada-fungus-sex-drive/[didn't see any of them eating resistors though]Edited to add: and let me concede that here in the US, we don't know what bugs are - compared to the Aussies that have big-ass moths that weigh more than an ounce and with a 25cm wing span...I am ok with the differencehttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/05/giant-wood-moth-found-queensland-australia-school

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 03:40:08 pm
content: Quote from: DrG on May 23, 2021, 01:39:53 pmI enjoy a good competition and suspect most people would consider going after someones dog as part of a rivalry not only as dishonorable but a sign of mental illness. We hear about animal abuse being linked with other mental problems.https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/first-they-tortured-animals-then-they-turned-to-humans

author: DrG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 03:49:53 pm
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 23, 2021, 03:40:08 pmI think it was just and attempt at humor. The fact that you went through the trouble of keeping the tick to begin with demonstrates that you do not suffer from mental illness (of that kind)To be clear, animal cruelty for the sake of cruelty is pathological. I see a problem, however, with the suggested "conclusions" of that article - and there are many written that point out the same "fact". The problem is that they are only looking at one quadrant of the 2 X 2 contingency table and as a useful predictor, it is ill-advised, but we seem to gravitate toward these in the media all the time. What is the proportion of serial killers that did not display animal cruelty? What is the proportion of non-serial killers who displayed animal cruelty? - see what I am getting at?

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 03:55:46 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on May 23, 2021, 02:11:27 pmHumans can also suffer from the same problem. It's known as pica. It's more common in young children, the mentally retarded and pregnant women but can affect anyone. Now you know, if you develop an appetite for chalk, wax crayons, wood etc. you should see a doctor and not be embarrassed.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pica_(disorder)

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 04:01:59 pm
content: Quote from: DrG on May 23, 2021, 03:49:53 pmWhen people have a dispute its all too common for one party to attack those the other party cares about. The weak do it because they can't face the party they actually have an issue with. The strong but ruthless do it because its very effective. I doubt many do this because they actually want to be cruel to the party (human or other animal) they harm. They just don't care.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 04:32:30 pm
content: Quote from: DrG on May 23, 2021, 03:49:53 pmAccording to the shows on TV, we have new serial killers popping up every week.In real life, we don't see too many of them. Drawing a conclusion with any sort of confidence may be difficult. Studies of child and spouse abuse may provide a much larger sample size.

author: DrG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 04:49:06 pm
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 23, 2021, 04:32:30 pmAgreed. That article does make the point of a link between adolescent cruelty to animals and adult violence. I believe that a link does exist and is evidenced based. They, however, are clearly framing it in a sensational manner to promote their Crime TV shows....and in a manner that suggests that it (child animal cruelty) is a predictor of serial killing as an adult. I clicked on the author link but it took me to a page about all of their crime shows instead.

author: jbeng
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 06:59:47 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on May 23, 2021, 02:11:27 pmSome animals (rodents, in particular) constantly gnaw to keep their teeth worn down, as their teeth are always growing. Hence the saying about "being a bit long in the tooth." They also gnaw to keep their teeth sharp.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 07:01:55 pm
content: Quote from: jbeng on May 23, 2021, 06:59:47 pmThere's a chicken and egg question there. Do they gnaw to keep their teeth in check, or did the teeth evolve to deal with endless gnawing?

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2021, 10:03:29 pm
content: Quote from: jbeng on May 23, 2021, 06:59:47 pmOur vet suspects dog 4 spent most of it's life stuck in a cage and as a result has several teeth that were broken trying to get out.

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 24, 2021, 07:10:38 am
content: 'long in the tooth' is about old horses, though, not rodents.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2021, 01:30:30 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on May 23, 2021, 07:01:55 pmThey gnaw to sharpen their teeth (the front layer is hard apatite enamel, the back layer the softer dentin, so the back wears faster, producing a sharp edge), and the constant growing would be to ensure there’s still tooth to sharpen! :p

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2021, 10:05:50 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on May 24, 2021, 01:30:30 pmIts easy to post hoc rationalise all sorts of animal behaviour without it having any connection to how that behaviour developed over many generations.