Pet Parakeet predicts an Earthquake

Crozzlow · 19th April 2008, 08:24 AM

Hello All,
An earthquake occured in the midwest this week. I am astonished at the number of people who report that their pets were acting strangely just prior to the event. People believe that animals have a sixth sense that allows them to detect the movement of the tectonic plates before they actually move....an episode of Skeptoid on this subject could be quite interesting.

Be cool,
Crozzlow

Bishop746 · 20th April 2008, 06:40 PM

Did you get this in a newspaper article or local newscast?

The only thing I've ever heard similar is a case concerning sharks. My source for this is a Discovery channel documentary so take all of this with a grain of salt. I certainly due.

Marine biologist put electronic tags on a certain type of shark in a shallow inlet on the Pacific coast and monitored their movements from buoys in the inlet. After a particulary bad storm they retrieved the data and found that all the sharks had left prior to the arrival of the storm. Sorry for the scarce information, my head is full of movie quotes. If anyone has any information on this case or a followup I would be interested.

DaveyM · 20th April 2008, 06:50 PM

Have there ever been situations in which pets behaved strangely and earthquakes didn't occur?

LibraryLady · 20th April 2008, 06:50 PM

Welcome, Crozzlow. If you were on these forums longer, you would know better than to insult parakeets. Be forewarned, I am budgie shopping.

Skeptic Ginger · 20th April 2008, 07:02 PM

It's always after the fact. It amounts to selective memory. I believe the guy who tried to use the number of lost pets in the classifieds was debunked.

You need evidence that the animal behavior can predict quakes and in particular, one needs to do better than anyone can using the average quake stats.

arthwollipot · 21st April 2008, 01:45 AM

There's plenty of anecdotal evidence that animals react to earthquakes. Problem is that it's all just anecdotal.

Crozzlow · 21st April 2008, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by LibraryLady

Welcome, Crozzlow. If you were on these forums longer, you would know better than to insult parakeets. Be forewarned, I am budgie shopping.

What is a budgie? Can you eat them?

LibraryLady · 21st April 2008, 10:24 AM

The word budgie comes from an Australian Aborigine word for delicious, so the answer is yes. However, I would not recommend it, as they tend to mass attack any enemies.

Here is the late, great Nick the Budgie in all her glory:

ETA: Sorry for derailing your thread. Please carry on.

Fnord · 21st April 2008, 10:48 AM

When an animal predicts an earthquake, how does it communicate its predictions to its owner?

"WOOF! Woofwoof! Awoofa!"

"What's that Lassie?"

"Woof, awoofa!"

"There's going to be an earthquake?"

"Woofawoof"!

"... and Timmie's on a jury with Dyan Cannon?"

{whine}

"Oh! Timmie's injured and dying in a canyon!"

(BTW: I used to smuggle budgies, but they were too large and tended to get out and cause too much trouble...)

Mister Earl · 21st April 2008, 10:50 AM

I want to get a Galatiel myself. It's a shame only one currently exists. Pretty bird.

19th April 2008, 08:24 AM	#1
Crozzlow New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 3	Pet Parakeet predicts an Earthquake Hello All, An earthquake occured in the midwest this week. I am astonished at the number of people who report that their pets were acting strangely just prior to the event. People believe that animals have a sixth sense that allows them to detect the movement of the tectonic plates before they actually move....an episode of Skeptoid on this subject could be quite interesting. Be cool, Crozzlow
	Last edited by Crozzlow; 19th April 2008 at 08:25 AM.

20th April 2008, 06:40 PM	#2
Bishop746 New Blood Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3	Did you get this in a newspaper article or local newscast? The only thing I've ever heard similar is a case concerning sharks. My source for this is a Discovery channel documentary so take all of this with a grain of salt. I certainly due. Marine biologist put electronic tags on a certain type of shark in a shallow inlet on the Pacific coast and monitored their movements from buoys in the inlet. After a particulary bad storm they retrieved the data and found that all the sharks had left prior to the arrival of the storm. Sorry for the scarce information, my head is full of movie quotes. If anyone has any information on this case or a followup I would be interested.
Bishop746 New Blood Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3

20th April 2008, 06:50 PM	#3
DaveyM New Blood Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 9	Have there ever been situations in which pets behaved strangely and earthquakes didn't occur?
DaveyM New Blood Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 9

20th April 2008, 06:50 PM	#4
LibraryLady ...but not JUST a LibraryLady Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Building a house in the common ground Posts: 13,059	Welcome, Crozzlow. If you were on these forums longer, you would know better than to insult parakeets. Be forewarned, I am budgie shopping.
	__________________ What would Hüsker Dü? I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about. Mildred Loving

20th April 2008, 07:02 PM	#5
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,503	It's always after the fact. It amounts to selective memory. I believe the guy who tried to use the number of lost pets in the classifieds was debunked. You need evidence that the animal behavior can predict quakes and in particular, one needs to do better than anyone can using the average quake stats.
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

21st April 2008, 01:45 AM	#6
arthwollipot Observer of Phenomena Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: The other side of your screen Posts: 42,956	There's plenty of anecdotal evidence that animals react to earthquakes. Problem is that it's all just anecdotal.
	__________________ Jadey (in RvB game thread): I just want to take a moment to commend Arth on his role as Parasitic Alien Tumor. I think he really connected with the character and there were times when I forgot that he was just acting. That's the kind of talent that you can't teach.

21st April 2008, 04:29 AM	#7
Crozzlow New Blood Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 3	Originally Posted by LibraryLady Welcome, Crozzlow. If you were on these forums longer, you would know better than to insult parakeets. Be forewarned, I am budgie shopping. What is a budgie? Can you eat them?

21st April 2008, 10:24 AM	#8
LibraryLady ...but not JUST a LibraryLady Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Building a house in the common ground Posts: 13,059	The word budgie comes from an Australian Aborigine word for delicious, so the answer is yes. However, I would not recommend it, as they tend to mass attack any enemies. Here is the late, great Nick the Budgie in all her glory: ETA: Sorry for derailing your thread. Please carry on.
	__________________ What would Hüsker Dü? I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about. Mildred Loving Last edited by LibraryLady; 21st April 2008 at 10:25 AM.

21st April 2008, 10:48 AM	#9
Fnord Metasyntactic Variable Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 6,633	When an animal predicts an earthquake, how does it communicate its predictions to its owner? "WOOF! Woofwoof! Awoofa!" "What's that Lassie?" "Woof, awoofa!" "There's going to be an earthquake?" "Woofawoof"! "... and Timmie's on a jury with Dyan Cannon?" {whine} "Oh! Timmie's injured and dying in a canyon!" (BTW: I used to smuggle budgies, but they were too large and tended to get out and cause too much trouble...)
	__________________ Belief is the subjective acceptance of a (valid or invalid) concept, opinion, or theory; Faith is the unreasoned belief in improvable things; *and Knowledge* is the reasoned belief in provable things. Belief itself proves nothing.**

21st April 2008, 10:50 AM	#10
Mister Earl Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,112	I want to get a Galatiel myself. It's a shame only one currently exists. Pretty bird.