Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: AKKuya on October 16, 2018, 07:48:35 PM
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In the very near future, humans will colonize Mars. When the industrial, technical engineering and scientific advancements finally establish a workable and livable outpost, humans can bring domesticated pets. Which animal would be the best and why?
Fish, mice, snakes, or anything kept in an enclosed tank or cage would be exempt. The animal needs to have free roam throughout the facility. Larger animals are open for debate and those reasons would be very illuminating.
Myself, I choose the cat due to me being lazy and knowing the cat can be cared for with some food, water, and kitty litter. The cat is very independent. The low upkeep keeps the cat a very low risk.
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Cats all day. Not just for the reasons you mention. If history has taught us anything it is that wherever humanity travels, mice and rats will follow.
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If there are threats to humanity that can be dealt with by a pack animal with teeth, then by all means bring dogs. If you're concerned mostly with pests like the inevitable mice and rats, or want to provide relatively independent companions for people, then cats. Big cats that aren't afraid of rats. If the rats get too big, bring dog breeds that like chasing rats.
If you're talking humans around a campfire with apex predators around though, you need some big dogs around.
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If there are threats to humanity that can be dealt with by a pack animal with teeth, then by all means bring dogs. If you're concerned mostly with pests like the inevitable mice and rats, or want to provide relatively independent companions for people, then cats. Big cats that aren't afraid of rats. If the rats get too big, bring dog breeds that like chasing rats.
If you're talking humans around a campfire with apex predators around though, you need some big dogs around.
:aok CATS are....uhmmm :uhoh Dogs....HECK YEAH! Your gonna be on MARS...pretty sure "Herding" Cats will be a bigger problem there! The way I see it...it will be the Homosapien "CATS" that would be the acceptable :rofl
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Dogs for protection. The grey's mind control does not work with them. No tin foil required.
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Why not both?
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I'd think the early years of any Mars colonisation would have to be very careful with air, water and food allocation. Although these things can be grown or extracted on Mars you wouldn't want to waste them on animals that had no real use and I can't see rats being a problem for ages. More likely the first Mars colony animals would be something like chickens or goats as they aren't too big, can survive on leftovers and you can get milk, eggs and meat from them.
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Chickens can proliferate like crazy, so cats would have a constant food source. Dogs cannot live on just chickens. Dogs require a more complex diet than cats do.
Dogs need water. Cats can live off the blood of their kills (i.e. the chicken).
Generally speaking, obligate carnivores will have an easier time, in a hostile environment, where there is a steady supply of fresh victims to kill.
As to which is more useful to the human needs. That is up for debate. A big dog is certainly a better protector than a small cat. Then again, cats are the consummate hunter.
Cats are a solitary animal, while dogs are pack animals.
Cats also have a higher tolerance to heat than dogs. Both are about the same for cold.
Both have advantages and disadvantages. It will all depend on the specific need/requirement of the settlement.
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Cats all day. Not just for the reasons you mention. If history has taught us anything it is that wherever humanity travels, mice and rats will follow.
How did you plan to get the rats to Mars?
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How did you plan to get the rats to Mars?
It won't happen at first, because it will be new and scary and they'll be checking every load that goes to Mars with a fine tooth comb. Once it becomes mundane, a pregnant mouse or rat will get into some cargo and away they will go.
At first, anything that goes will need to be useful in some way. Barring vermin, a cat or dog's usefulness in such a situation is pretty low IMO.
Wiley.
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Aliens hate dogs.
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Once rodents get into the settlement you could always close some airlock bulkheads and vent sections to the martian atmosphere.
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Once rodents get into the settlement you could always close some airlock bulkheads and vent sections to the martian atmosphere.
Then they evolve to be able to live in the martian atmosphere and they attack your solar panels and you die.
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Aliens hate dogs.
Yeah look what they did to that poor puppy in "The Thing"!
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How did you plan to get the rats to Mars?
How was the black plague initially brought to Europe?
:bolt:
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How was the black plague initially brought to Europe?
...maybe...cats...?
- oldman
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How was the black plague initially brought to Europe?
Probably by people rather than rats. Most likely explanation is an invading Mongol army brought it with them to Constantinople from Asia. While besieging the city they catapulted plague-infected corpses over the walls. Genoese traders in the city fled by sea and carried the disease with them to Sicily, Italy and France. The majority of people who died from the plague got it from the coughs of infected people they were caring for. Breathing it into your lungs was almost certain death within a couple of days, getting it from a rat bite gave your body time to fight back.
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Aliens hate dogs.
You base this on what empirical evidence? How do you know that when the aliens show up. The dogs won't kick the humans to curb and begin being the alien's best friend?
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You base this on what empirical evidence? How do you know that when the aliens show up. The dogs won't kick the humans to curb and begin being the alien's best friend?
I have a fenced/walled in yard. No aliens of any kind have ever come onto the property.
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I have a fenced/walled in yard. No aliens of any kind have ever come onto the property.
Because you live in flatland maybe?
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How was the black plague initially brought to Europe?
:bolt:
Not with space ships...
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Chimps might be helpful. They can be both pet and trained assistant. Just have to be careful in not turning Mars into a real Planet of the Apes.
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Probably by people rather than rats. Most likely explanation is an invading Mongol army brought it with them to Constantinople from Asia. While besieging the city they catapulted plague-infected corpses over the walls. Genoese traders in the city fled by sea and carried the disease with them to Sicily, Italy and France. The majority of people who died from the plague got it from the coughs of infected people they were caring for. Breathing it into your lungs was almost certain death within a couple of days, getting it from a rat bite gave your body time to fight back.
True... but conventional wisdom says the plague was brought to Europe by rats stowaways on ships coming from the middle east to Europe
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I believe that factually, as shown in the Terminator documentaries, that dogs can detect killer robots in human skin so this might be an important argument for dog. On the other hand if the cats were fitted with exoskeletons I think even the threat of the Aliens, again refer to the Hollywood documentary, might be neutralized. Just make sure to stay on the cat's good side lest they take revenge for having been burned as witches back in the middle ages.
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How was the black plague initially brought to Europe?
:bolt:
Perhaps Martian spacecraft?
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The loading of food stuffs would most likely be done in hermetically sealed containers and placed in vacuum capable compartments. The risk of rodent stowaways would be very nil. Lab rats and mice placed in transportable containers would have better chance of escape due to accidental issues.
Cats would be helpful.
The real question would be the ability of either a cat or dog being able to sense approaching dust storms or other atmospheric phenomena while in a hermetically sealed environment. We humans have relied on observing the reactions of the animal kingdom when storms have blown in suddenly.
On the more theoretical side, would any of the animals sense the presence of an alien? a cyborg? an annoying salesman? What protection would the animals offer?
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The port I'm stationed at uses cars throughout to keep varmints off ships. Believe it or not Disney land does the same...
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Why go to Mars when you can visit Recall..... :bolt:
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(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff406/Oldman731/Larson.space.dog.jpg) (http://s1234.photobucket.com/user/Oldman731/media/Larson.space.dog.jpg.html)
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Probably by people rather than rats. Most likely explanation is an invading Mongol army brought it with them to Constantinople from Asia. While besieging the city they catapulted plague-infected corpses over the walls. Genoese traders in the city fled by sea and carried the disease with them to Sicily, Italy and France. The majority of people who died from the plague got it from the coughs of infected people they were caring for. Breathing it into your lungs was almost certain death within a couple of days, getting it from a rat bite gave your body time to fight back.
The rats dont have the plague,their fleas do! It's common in the SW USA,ground squirrels carry the same flea that has the plague.
Fleas and lice were a real problem back then,well people rarely bathed so it's no wonder.
:salute
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True... but conventional wisdom says the plague was brought to Europe by rats stowaways on ships coming from the middle east to Europe
not the rats but fleas on the rats, so i would say dogs for protections and fishers/mink/stole for the rats. Or just bring Jack Russells and call it a day.
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Do you think that fleas would survive in Martian sand within a pressurized habitat?
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What animal you say........ Ferrets..... they eat mice and rats and can run wires trough tight spaces.
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What animal you say........ Ferrets..... they eat mice and rats and can run wires trough tight spaces.
Also of things get dull around the habitat pods you can revive some old fashioned entertainments: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferret-legging (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferret-legging)
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not the rats but fleas on the rats, so i would say dogs for protections and fishers/mink/stole for the rats. Or just bring Jack Russells and call it a day.
Hence the rats :aok
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Sheep.
Their wool can be sheared for multiple purposes, at the end of their life they become food.
And those lonely nights......well.......you get the idea
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Will a cat go hunting with you in the bush...
(http://www.pandora.tzo.com/DSC_0602.jpg)
I think not!
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I had a cat that walked in the woods with me.
There was a recent study of feral cats, they ignored rats and only hunted smaller rodents like mice. Probably why rat dogs were bred.
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Will a cat go hunting with you in the bush...
(http://www.pandora.tzo.com/DSC_0602.jpg)
I think not!
I had one I tool Quail hunting with me or years. She was as good as any dog at flushing Quail. Occasionally she got one for herself. That was her reward. She was a cross between a Maine Coon and a Siamese. Weighed in at about 20 pounds and not an ounce of fat on her.
I'll be the first to admit, while all cats have it in them to hunt, many of the domesticated breeds have had that instinct dulled. Generally speaking, dogs are easier to train, but cats have an instinct for hunting most dogs lack.
Interesting to note that vision between dog breeds varies a great deal more than with cat breeds. Some dog breeds have excellent vision while others are not very good. Many dog breeds do have cats beat for long distance sight, while others are very near sighted (German Shepherds, for example). Cats have dogs beat in being able to see details for longer distances. Cats also have superior night vision.
If I was going to pick a dog to take to Mars, I would take a working class, rough coat, Saint Bernard. Their sense of smell rivals a cat sense of smell, with excellent visual acuity, loyal, and easy to train. They can also act like a small pack mule when needed. They are also very tolerant to cold weather. Cats hate the cold.