Monday, 27 August 2007

FREAKY FACTS... Give this sucker a break

1) A leech should never be pulled off because they can leave teeth or other mouthparts behind that can become infected. Lemon juice, vinegar, fire (not recommended), salt and even tiger balm can be used make a leech let go. Or you can just wait until they have had their fill and drop off.
2) You won’t feel any pain if a leech latches on to you. This bloodsucker has built-in anaesthesia, so when its three mouths and 300 razor-sharp teeth sink into your flesh, you’ll be none the wiser.
3) In one suck session, a leech can draw off six times its body weight in blood. While this may sound greedy, the blubbery creature won’t need to feed for another six months – or more.
4) Back in the 1800s, aquatic leeches were used as weather forecasters. When this type of leech finds itself in water with low oxygen counts, it floats towards the surface. So old-time weather watchers would place a leech in a glass of water and if there was a fall in atmospheric pressure, the critter would rise, predicting bad weather.
5) Leeches may be used to help humans, but they aren’t all good news – especially if you’re smallish and fury. Four to five large leeches can suck the life from a rabbit in just half an hour.

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