What IS THIS??!!

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this, but there seem to be some experts here so thought I'd try...Went moseying around my unfinished basement looking for the source of the nightly pitter patter of feet we hear upstairs (but that's another story....), and came across this....THING. He was lying on the concrete floor. Just wondering what it is, and where it came from? Looks a little like some kind of parasitic flat worm, but I've never seen a head like that. We have a sump pump access fairly near where I found him--could that be the source?

Edited to say its about 3-4 inches long, the body is flattened, not round, and there is a small protuberance off the body about half way between what I presume is the head and the tail (visible in the picture).

This message was edited Jul 13, 2007 10:58 AM

This message was edited Jul 13, 2007 10:59 AM

This message was edited Jul 13, 2007 11:00 AM

I don't know but it ruined my breakfast.

Ive seen those things under rocks here. An old farmer told me they were dog worms. Don't know their technical name. Yuk.

HaHa, you guys are sure helpful!! I agree, it looks like it came out of the southern end of a dog, and it is yukky...but what is it??

This sounds like a question for Soferdig!

In another forum I was in (can't remember which one - just the regular "Wildlife" one?), they had pix and identified that THING! There's a section for them in the BugFiles, I think. I don't like icky things, so I'm afraid I can't find it for you, lol. Sorry!

~Kris

I like how you put it on a nice china plate.
Soooo, what is the other story of the pitter patter. Sounds like your basement is lovely. Teaming with interesting things.

http://davesgarden.com/bf/showimage/1665/

Well it looks kinda like this, but yours is a lot slimier.

There is more information in the text. These eat earthworms and live in damp places.

Even on the fine china, it still ruined by breakfast.

Would have been ok if it was cooked first.

Deep fried. Rolled in egg and cracker crumb batter or something.

Yuk. Yuk.

Edited to say: Yuk. Yuk. Yuk.

This message was edited Jul 13, 2007 4:33 PM

Better go down in the basement and get more, so there is enough for everyone.

I have seen those before in damp cool areas. So a terrestrial flatworm, how cool! I wondered what it was but it was years ago and I was internet less at the time. Actually it was more than thirty years ago and most of us were internet less at the time.

Beth

Yuk Yuk Yuk, I knew you would be the one of the first to go look up planarian reproduction.

Hmm... anyone think yokedog should bring out her fine linen napkins and good silverware to accessorize her planarian? Maybe she could be like a magician and add two more to the china then cover them up with her linen napkin. She could wave a sterling silver knife over the top like a wand and then lift off the napkin and see if there are 6?

Hey. Equilibrium! I knew you would be able to ID this critter.

Yotedog: What are your intentions regarding this animal? If they are eating earthworms, they probably are not making an ecological contribution. Yes? No?

Umm, planarians (exotic/introduced species that have naturalized) eat earthworms (mostly exotic/introduced that have also naturalized and a few native species of earthworms for yotedog in NC). Yum yum. Unfortunately, planarians aren't exactly worm connoisseurs. They happily dine on both exotic/introduced and native earthworms. Planarians don't exactly have discriminating tastes.

LOL. This is funny. But I agree. Yuk, yuk, yuk.

Don't you mean...yuck, yuck, yuck?

You guys are all Yuck Yuck and Yuk Yuk, in my opinion!!! But I am thrilled to find out what it is (and I knew someone here would lead me to the answer). As to why it was on the "fine china plate" ... thanks for upgrading my lifestyle so grandly, but the plate is kid friendly, non-breakable stuff that I have had for almost 10 years. The worm is on it because, of course, (again, my lifestyle...) it was sitting dirty on the kitchen cabinet post-breakfast when the slimy creature in question was found! Seemed like a suitable photographic background and, hey, like I said, it was already dirty!!

So...as to what to do with this guy....have to research his dietary habits, but if he really eats earthworms...well, lets just say it doesn't look good for him... Gardening in clay as I do, I need every earthworm, plus, in the same basement with the creepy crawlies and this guy are two vermicomposting bins of worms, and I wouldn't want him to get in there! Really, I swear, I don't live in a barn.....!!!

Maybe thats what he was after, having lunch in your vermicomposting bins.

OOhhh---did you read on the bugfiles link where his mouth is also his anus??? Well THAT is certainly an evolutionary upgrade....

So, lets see.. he poops from his mouth and reproduces asexually--great little creature we've got here....wonder what he does for fun?

Ok, new question--what is running around over my head all night long? Some animal gets into the space between my upstairs and downstairs bedroom, presumedly via the basement, but I can find no entry or exit openings, droppings, or food residue of any time. It "scampers" around every night after dark. I thought rats, but don't they leave droppings indiscriminately? Too much noise for mice; squirrels would not be active at night;seems like a raccoon would need a decent sized entry point that I could find; oppossums, maybe??? Any thoughts?

Sounds like you need to do some late night sleuthing to find out who it is. Or, install a security camera up there.

Ok, gloria125, I just did DAYTIME sleuthing, and ended up with this weird flatworm thing---now you want me to go sit down there AT NIGHT!!!!??? Seriously, though, I wonder what would happen if I went down there once I hear them stirring around--problem is, if I turn on the light, I think they would stay put. I think its time to call a Rodent Wrangler...or whatever those pest control companies call themselves. But I don't want the thing dying in my ceiling (I can only imagine the smell of that...!), I want it caught live and removed. Hey, live and let live...just not in my ceiling, please.

How about a trap?. Your local farmers coop should have something that would catch the animal live.

Don't forget to send us a picture of what it is.

This thread cracks me up.

I don't know if you have any cookie sheets around that you could spare for a few days but if you do maybe you could fill several of them with a 1/2" layer of ever so slightly damp sand and stick an assortment of baits (cheese, tuna, left over chicken, raisins, peanut butter, etc.) smack dab in the middle of each cookie sheet then strategically place them where ever you believe all the "nightlife is kicking up its heels" in your house and see what kind of foot prints you get.

If you have rats up there, you might not want them trapped live and removed. Now mind you, I like rats very much... just not the kind that scamper around and go bump in the night. I like the pet ones with their cute little rat noses and their adorable little hairless rat tails that live in 55 gallon long aquariams!

Equilibrium: I know you would not like my rats. Unlike the planarians, whose mouth and anus are the same organs, rats are made without bladders so they are constantly urinating down their hind legs leaving a slimy trail where ever they go. They eat electrical cords and even strip the insulation off your wiring, leaving you vulnerable to a house fire.

Yuk. Yuk. Yuk.

Yotedog. I hope you find something cute and fuzzy and not disgusting this time!

Live trapping is good. Removes them from the area. Who said they have to come out of the live trap....alive? Worst thing with poisen is the dead body rotting between floors. Yuck.
I sure am excited to see what is going bump in the night. We had some "night walkers", turned out to be flying squirrel.
My guess is chipmunks.

gloria125 ..
Raiders of the Last Arc .. ? ..

Yotedog ..
It's jes gotta be mice and/or rats. Most often, their droppings are deposited (and accumulate) within the confines of the walls, between floors, etc.

The miniscule cracks and crevices of which they may've first found & used, to come and go - they've probably gnawed and excised more so, to better accomodate their daily (& nightly) escapades and commutes. And, are probably concealed from (your) view. They will chew, confiscate and pack along with them, what ever they determine is food and/or nesting material .. into the walls, etc.

However, as they are prolific procreating menaces - give it a bit of time and eventually they'll not hesitate in the least, to gnaw and excise additional holes elsewhere .. and shuttle back and forth, here and there .. quite openly!

Also: I have it from credible and validated sources; that if threatened - rats, in particular - will immediately stand on their hind feet, bare teeth while growling and snarling viciously, and will not back down, until .... welll, lets jes say .. weighted counter-warfare is waged and carefully calculated: and contact has been successfully inflicted .. and said beast is thereby immediately rendered motionless. (Very very little embellishment, here .. BTW!) .. LOL ..

Do you happen to have a cat or two (or, can borrow) .. to chunk up into the attic for periodic maneveurs and/or leave in the basement area for a few hours -?- (focusing on night-time - to increase the chances of the cat/s seizing them AND to lessen the risk of heat exhaustion for the cat/s). Some excellent biological pest control ...

Will be wishin' you the best, and hope that some resolve comes soon.

- Magpye

Nope, I wouldn't love your rats Gloria125 but I still loved my pet rats. They were the greatest. I Just talked out oldest into getting a pet rat instead of a hamster and he is absolutely thrilled. His new rat's name is "Sweetiepie".

I'm opposed to poison even if it is a rat poison for a multitude of reasons. I think HavAHart has a live trap for just about everything these days and as cpartschick said, "Who said they have to come out of the live trap....alive?"

Cats will go after mice and just about anything they can get their jaws around. Never known a cat of any size to try to tackle a nice big Norway rat around here. How about a nice big snake let loose in yotedog's house ;) Nice big snakes will go after nice big rats. Snakes really are excellent biological rodent control.

I'm sort of excited to find out what her night walkers are too. Ours were a momma raccoon and babies once.

I have some nice big snakes but so far they haven't got all of the nice big rats.

Get bigger snakes?

Consider this-
http://www.ratzapper.com/

No chance of a poisoned rat taking off to die and getting eaten by the family dog or a hawk.

Hmmm. And the poor dog getting sticky traps stuck to his feet and nose.

Oh, Equilibrium, I like the ratzapper idea...then I don't have to deal with the guilt, the sound ("snap, crunch, ssqquuueeeeelllll") or anything. Will definitely consider that contraption if it turns out to be rats. Problem is, I can't figure out, with all my sleuthing, what it is, though I have come to the conclusion by the increase in noise of late that whatever it is has probably procreated.....The sand idea is great--gonna go look and see if I have a good level spot to set that out. Ironically, you are also the one that identified my lovely red-tailed hawk awhile back. Too bad he's gone for now, or I don't think I'd be having this problem!

Thought about the cat in the basement trick, but love her too much! I'm not sure she would tackle a rat, though she is quite fond of ground squirrels and voles. Definitely would not want her to go up against an oppossum or 'coon. Sticky traps--been there, done that--I just can't destroy them afterwards!! Wimpy that way...Not sure I would go near one with a full grown, and presumedly mad, rat on it anyway! So I'd just have to leave it there, and thats rather a cruel death, wouldn't you say?!!!

Hav-A-Hart, here I come..Thanks to all--.I'll update if I have any trapping success! Otherwise, I'll be spending my sleepness nights posting to DG!

Gloria...
My Chow Chow got his paw stuck on one of those sticky traps once. What a mess!
I put one out because I thought I was getting rats on my birdfeeders... I cought 1) 68 pound chow and 2) several chipmunks.
PS: Chipmunk feet are tiny and chipmunks do not like having baby oil put on their toes to get their tiny feet pried off a sticky trap. Yes, I did this. I can't speak chipmunk, but I'm reasonably certain he cussed me out after I got him off there and he went running up the hill into the woods.

.. LOL .. .. Judy !!

The chipper, I can understand - but I'm having some humorous fun in picturing your Chow 'on' the bird feeder. (heeheehee)
* Jes luvinly teasin' you, Judy ..
I'm sure he had simply put a paw upon the thing(?)

I can only imagine that you did have one heck of a time .. getting them unstuck. It is a difficult and 'sticky' job .. to get that stuff off of 'anything' that comes in (unintended) contact with it tho'. .. Ughh

((huggerooners))

- Magpye

Ah, Magpye, you're like coffee on a Monday morning...
I had put the sticky trap on the ground next to the deck... my chow, like most chows, can't stand to have his feet wet. In fact, if it's been raining, he will actually put his front paws on one stepping stone, one of his back paws on another and lift the other leg to do his biz. On the day in question, one paw found the sticky trap.
Fortunately, I'd read the box prior to installing the contraption in my yard which boasted how easily things one didn't want on said trap could be released with a baby oil application.
They lie.
Getting feet off trap was easily accomplished. Getting sticky goo out from between overgrown chow's toes was not so easy. I didn't even attempt to get sticky goo from between munk's toes.

I'm still havin' a time with my jaws recovering, from your sufferin' the chipper cussin'. Not to mention, still cleaning up the computer desk from the orange juice I spurted! (hee)

Ohh, Judy .. sure hopin' that you do 'enjoy' yer coffee -!?!- ((huggs))

- Magpye