Will hot and spicy bird seed harm avian visitors to Inverness feeder?

DEAR JOAN: I have recently been dealing with an in-house rodent resident. With the help of a humane exclusion service we finally located its nest in the mattress of my sofa bed! I am now faced with the dilemma of outside bird feeders that attract rodents in the rural neighborhood I live in.

The service man suggested bird seed that is treated with a chili oil type product which he says the birds don’t taste but the rodents find distasteful. The product is made by Wild Delight and is called Sizzle N’ Heat.

Are these seeds safe for my avian neighbors?

— Ellen, Inverness

DEAR ELLEN: The peppered bird seed is perfectly safe for our avian friends, but rodents really don’t like it. Most don’t even have to sample it — the aroma often does the trick. You can make your own spiced bird seed, but it’s easier to buy the premade stuff.

The heat in peppers comes from capsaicin, a chemical that triggers pain receptors in humans and other creatures. Birds don’t have these capsaicin-triggered pain receptors. They can taste the peppers, but don’t suffer from the heat. The birds will eat the seeds without hesitation, although I suppose there might be an odd bird or two that doesn’t like it.

Even though the rodents won’t be interested in the treated seed, you still need to pay attention and take steps to discourage them from visiting your property and moving in. If you don’t have a lot of ground-feeding birds that are cleaning up the spilled seeds, sweep or rake them up to keep the area as clear as possible. You also can install trays beneath the feeders to catch errant seeds.

Take a good look at your property and get rid of or minimize areas where rats might want to inhabit. Ground cover, especially ivy, is a popular spot for them. Check your house and out buildings for openings into or under them, sealing up possible entrances. Don’t leave pet food out, especially at night, and make sure garbage is secured in your cans.

DEAR JOAN: Hi Joan, I really enjoy your column. I understand that human beings are the only mammals on the planet that actually know they will die one day.  But as elephants mourn the death of family members, for days sometimes, so is it possible that they too expect death at some point?  Or are their brains too small to comprehend it?

— Bruce, Antioch

DEAR BRUCE: As a child, I was obsessed with the Tarzan movies that came on every Saturday morning. Gordon Scott was my favorite. Several movies included a wounded and dying elephant making its way to the elephant graveyard to die.

Just like Tarzan’s graceful swing from vine to vine, the elephant graveyard was just a bit of movie script invention.

Elephants are highly intelligent and exist in a socially complex world. Research has shown they form long and lasting bonds, and mourn the death of other elephants. They also frequently visit the remains of their fallen herd mates, indicating an understanding of death. We just don’t know if they grasp the concept of their own mortality, but it’s possible.

The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.