30 replies to this topic

[CeltSoldierKev]

Wish I was a bird.  So I could fly far.  Far, far away.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

Interesting.  This has been a truly fascinating result.  I really expected mouse to win, inasmuch as it's the most like us, theoretically it would be the form in which we would be most comfortable.  I feel like a small bird's life is far too alien and dangerous.  Sparrows have a 50% annual mortality rate.  The biggest threat would be predation from bigger, badder birds.  Mice have a high mortality rate, too, but in a house without predators (i.e. no cats), the biggest threat to a house mouse would come from traps and poison; with our human minds, we would know to avoid both.  I feel like I'd have the best chance of surviving a year as a mouse.

 

Now, if bat had been an option...

[KiWi]

My thinking was first contact with my family was the most important thing. As thus a mouse would have too many complications to be done safely, and I recognize the dangers of bigger birds (something I don't think most people are thinking of), but the ability to get so much closer to humans is what puts it over the edge.

I believe it would be best spending a year as a mouse, but the first week I think I'd have more problems than sparrow, and my long term plan would be co-habitation with my family (who may or may not know it's me).

I think including things like a squirrel or bat would be interesting, but I thought the idea was to make these 'pests' of sorts. I did think sea lion was the odd one out.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

They were all meant to be animals with a high degree of danger.  Sea lion was chosen as a bit of a ringer; as a large, "powerful" animal there would be few threats from the types of predators who live close to humans, like cats, but you would also draw a TON of attention.  If you chose to live in a sea lion's natural environment it would open up the threat of predation again (compared to other things in the ocean sea lions aren't necessarily all that tough).

 

I suppose realistically you'd probably have the best chance as a sea lion, especially if you chose to be "found" in your apartment or other incongruous place.  You'd likely be sent to a zoo or aquarium or something like that.

[Justavictim82]

I wouldn't do the deal for various reasons but if someone told me I must choose, I would say the mouse. Not only is it easy for a mouse to hide, but also the amount of food that a mouse has to intake to survive is negligable. Also depending on where you want to set up, the food could be plentiful and easily accessible (summer homes, time shares, etc) without danger for a majority of said year.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

An adult mouse consumes about 8 grams of food and 8 cc of water every day, so 6.4 pounds of food and about 3 liters of water should do the trick.

[Justavictim82]

I do have a question however: do you retain the same sense of taste? I can imagine that eating garbage (mouse), small game raw (sparrow), raw blood fish (sea lion), etc would not be the most pleasing with the same taste buds.

[ᗅᗺᗷᗅ]

That's an interesting question.  How do mice taste things?  They clearly like some things better than others.  Oddly enough, one thing they really aren't all that crazy about is cheese.  They like sugary treats, just like we do.  If you had a store of dry cereal that would keep a mouse happy for a long time.  A lot of people, too. 

[Manoka]

As a sparrow I would just hide in people's chimneys.

 

I'd be pretty hard to get.

[Redezra]

Hint hint: don't be a pigeon. Those things get stuck in the walls here (at work), and all you hear is constant cooing until they eventually die and stink up the joint. Stupid pigeons. 

[Manoka]

If I could set things up the way I want I'd tell my family the story, get a mouse cage and like a few years worth of food and water and such, teach them how to change it around and things, and then show them exactly what would happen. I would write as a mouse stuff out, with my little mousy hands, and whatnot, and tell them it's me and what's happening; tell them it's a weird scientific experiment or whatever. 

 

That way I can live in their place and they'll take care of me and such, hopefully. 

 

 

But if theres' no prep time?

 

Well a sparrow can find food and get around a little easier; being as awesome as I am, with a human brain, I can likely avoid predators. Since the majority of issues involving mortality rates with sparrows occur at a young age, being an adult sparrow flying around means I'll have it pretty easy. Since they can live in areas like barns and houses really easily, I'll just go to a mostly deserted area. Without the need to chirp a lot I likely won't attract a lot of attention.