Mice Eat Horns??

[Loyalist Dave]

I have been doin' an overhaul of my basement storage areas..., getting rid of junk, locating & repacking stuff. Found a horn I got a few years back, wasn't great, but was nice enough for hunting and such. It was small, but my new .40 doesn't take that much powder so I thought it would be great for setting up a full bag and horn to go with that rifle.

On closer inspection I saw a couple of divots that I didn't remember being there. I thought maybe I had placed something with pointed ends on top of the uncovered box, and weight had caused these marks. On closer exam though some are sorta round, a couple others aren't, and they are all around the horn. Five in all. Now that same box had some mice in it, as they left "evidence", so am I correct that the mice chewed on it? None of the holes go all the way through.

I have also found a second horn with the same worn away marks, though less, than the first horn mentioned. Has to be rodents right??

I think as it's white, I might patch these with something. Any suggestions? While bathroom caulk?? Spackle?


LD

 

[gmarc]

Dave:

Mice/rats/chipminks/squirrels definitely DO eat horn and antler...it is a prime source of dietary calcium for rodents.

This was one of the main reasons for the prohibition of antler collecting on some public lands.

 

[hanshi]

Dave:

Mice/rats/chipminks/squirrels definitely DO eat horn and antler...it is a prime source of dietary calcium for rodents.

This was one of the main reasons for the prohibition of antler collecting on some public lands.

.....and do they!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Mice and beetles (larve). Anything organic is fair came.

The interesting thing about the beetles is they stop at just a paper's thickness of horn left before getting to the powder and then work along the surface.


Powderpost beetle - 1/8" to 1/4" long.

Also other little buggers called Carpet, Furniture and Death Watch beetles. They look similar.

if you are finding things that look like the shucks below in drawers or corners - carpet beetle larve.

These little black guys are carpet beetles.

Moth crystals, borax powder and, rumor has it, sprigs of the herb rosemary will chase them somewhere else in your house. They like wool and feathers as much as horn.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The interesting thing about the beetles is they stop at just a paper's thickness of horn left before getting to the powder and then work along the surface.

Oh super. I'd rather it was mice.

LD

 

[omarick1948]

Just throw a few moth balls in any of your storage containers....they won't mess with anything again!

Rick