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From: Chrysantha
Date: 05-31-2006, 11:44 PM (1 of 21)
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I lead such an exciting life sometimes it's spooky... For the past two mnths I've been watching for my friend Spot to come visit. He comes out about 8:30pm and stays till 10 pm, most nights...Running around my sliding door screen. He's a tropical house gecko, about 2" long, pinky/flesh colored, blue spots and big gold eyes. I watched him face off with a BIG beetle one night. The beetle won. Poor little Spot, he tries.... He must be eating something, he's getting bigger and I can hear him when he runs across the screen. His buddy the adult, lives on the front porch. One morning I went out and found his dinner leavings on my porch...legs and parts of a carapace. Very nice. He looks just like Spot only bigger, about 5-6" One night I hope to get a picture, since my husband charged the camera he lets me use. 
Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: Magot
Date: 06-01-2006, 02:16 AM (2 of 21)
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That is so cool Crys! You own tame-ish mini dragon! I got to play with a chameleon called Mustapha at school the other day - he was lovely!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: Bama
Date: 06-01-2006, 06:24 AM (3 of 21)
How fun! My 14yo would love that.  We had a tree frog that used to crawl across our french doors every night looking for a meal from the bugs that flew to the porch light. The kids named him "Pete" after the frog in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou". It was so cute seeing his little suctioned toes from the opposite side of the glass. When he quit coming, hubby said one of our cats probably ate him.  They've been known to catch frogs. Toads would make them sick, but I've seen them eat frogs. I hope you get a picture of your little visitor.
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 06-01-2006, 07:26 AM (4 of 21)
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Ah you southern folks have all the good stuff. All I ever had was a skunk in the basement named Peppie. Has anyone read the Dave Barry book with the big frog that eats the dog's food? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Laurie H
Date: 06-01-2006, 10:35 AM (5 of 21)
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We have a salamander that lives under a broken piece of cement in our basement named Henry. He doesn't come out very often. We also have bluejays that eat the dog's food. Poor girl might get 1/2 a bowl when the day is over they eat so much. |
User: Laurie H
Member since: 05-07-2006 Total posts: 40 |
From: Magot
Date: 06-01-2006, 11:48 AM (6 of 21)
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They have lizards that escaped from the animal house that live in the boiler room at Tony's lab. They come out to bask on the steps on sunny days. They do NOT have three eyes....
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: DorothyL
Date: 06-01-2006, 02:46 PM (7 of 21)
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Not even if you count both heads, Jan? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: plrlegal
Date: 06-01-2006, 03:41 PM (8 of 21)
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We have 2 squirrels that live in a cottonwood tree behind our house. We have a huge Bradford Pear tree in the front yard with a bird feeder in it. The squirrels have figured out that they can jump on the top rail of the chain link fence in the back in front of the cottonwood, run along it to the wood privacy on the east side of our back yard, run along the inside top rail of the privacy fence and jump onto the roof of the house on the east side; run across the roof (up and down and around the gables) and at the front of the house beside the chimney, they jump onto a branch of the Bradford Pear. They have also figured out that Ms. Sophie is inside the chain link fence that attaches to the front corner of the house and can only bark and watch them as they scamper up and down the tree to the ground eating the bird food the birds throw or knock out of the bird feeder. Poor Ms. Sophie spent her entire Memorial Day weekend trying to climb the chain link fence to get to the squirrels. When the squirrels are tired of Ms. Sophie barking and yapping at them, they make the reverse journey back to their home in the cottonwood tree. It is actually quiet entertaining to watch Ms. Sophie track them from the cottonwood tree to the Bradford Pear. She runs from the front to the back all day long. By Monday evening, she was totally stressed out and exhausted. Also Kathy, when I lived in West Palm Beach, I had a Gecko that lived inside my clock radio for a while and every morning would come out and sit on top of the radio and watch me get ready for work. I have tried to catch him to move him, and he eventually left or died or whatever happens to them. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: Butterflyrf71
Date: 06-01-2006, 08:35 PM (9 of 21)
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I can remember my Dad chasing a racoon off our second story balcony with a broom stick, the racoon fought back! But after a fight he fell the two stories and went limping off. The kids brought two frogs from GMa's little creek out back over the weekend. They must have been too much work, cause they let them go when they couldn't find any live bugs to feed it! I love Gecko's - it's my totem. I have a tattoo of one, along with a butterfly and cross. I wish we had them here (PA) - but can only find them at the pet store. My cat would probably try to eat it - you should see the cat attack the fish tank! You Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm, and place their trust in you. Isaiah 26:3, AV
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User: Butterflyrf71
Member since: 05-02-2006 Total posts: 257 
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From: grandmasue
Date: 06-02-2006, 11:08 AM (10 of 21)
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speaking of cats and fish tanks..... I once had a cat sooo interested with the fish tank that during the night she finally broke the cover in from sitting on it so much. The light socket from the hood fell in the water with the cat shocking both the cat and the fish. I woke up to the most awful cat yowling as she did her best to escape the tank and the fish that did survive swam in funny circles after that. After that night....kitty took wide steps around the tank area!
Grandma Sue
------------ At the end I am not showing up at my grave all pretty and well preserved...I am coming in sliding, yelling "What a ride!" |
User: grandmasue
Member since: 10-26-2004 Total posts: 138 
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From: Butterflyrf71
Date: 06-02-2006, 01:04 PM (11 of 21)
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I would be flabergasted. All that water everywhere! We have our fish tank, 16 gallon, on a high stand, and a chair right in front so she is actually leaning on the back of the chair, and not the tank. She cracks me up as she swats at our one fish - the fish is a large shark fish and it puposely bumps the lid to get her going! I've had a lot of strange cats over the years. I've had a cat jump on the table and steal a ham at dinner time (named that cat PITA, Pain In The A**), lol. The cat I have now (Mew, because she never shuts up) I got at the SPCA. They said she was 6 mo old. Then I got her to the vet and found out she was 1 yr old, and 2 weeks away from having kittens!!!! Ahhh, pets! You Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm, and place their trust in you. Isaiah 26:3, AV
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User: Butterflyrf71
Member since: 05-02-2006 Total posts: 257
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From: DorothyL
Date: 06-02-2006, 03:27 PM (12 of 21)
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the fish that did survive swam in funny circles after that I'm sorry Sue but, not having an emotional stake in your fish, I find that kinda funny. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Domestic Goddes
Date: 06-02-2006, 05:19 PM (13 of 21)
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You ladies get such fantastic visitors! Racoons, tree frogs, geckos, skunks - and who was it that had a Roadrunner nest nearby - she mentioned it last year? I do have frogs - and a variety of slugs who like to feast on my summer bedding plants 
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User: Domestic Goddes
Member since: 01-04-2005 Total posts: 108 |
From: Magot
Date: 06-02-2006, 05:30 PM (14 of 21)
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Did you know Dom that when you throw a snail because the shell is a spiral they fly through the air with a rifling action, spinning as they go, before landing on the railway line with a satisfying crunch? We have had pheasant and foxes in our garden. And a three legged rat. It did have four legs but the cat ate the other one before deciding it didn't like rat. Frogs - they scream like a girl when a cat bites them. And many, many eviscerated rabbits - mostly eaten except for the colon and (for some unknown reason) the left ear. We have woodpidgeons that stand on the chimney and shout down it at 4 in the morning just in case you are not awake. And tawny owls that 'keeewick!' their way through the night. Yesterday a blackbird in the garden did a very creditable imitation of a mobile phone. I have heard them imitate trimphones, phasers and those warbly type phones that you get in Doctors surgery's. Our depth of wildlife may not be as extensive as some others but those birds know how to party! love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Shellymoon
Date: 06-03-2006, 07:30 PM (15 of 21)
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I'm thrilled to hear that I'm not the only one with wildlife taking over.... The week after Easter I peeked out my front window and there were two green mallard ducks and a large, very pregnant, brown bunny rabbit having a meeting near my mailbox. Then, a large crow came along and broke it up. I asked my husband if Easter was maybe coming to our yard a week late. On our way to Christmas Eve service back in December, a whole line of cars was slowing down to watch a very large swan being chased across the street by a man who was trying to help it out of traffic. The swan was not happy. He was standing up on his webbed feet and hollering at the man. It was hysterical and we laughed about it all during the holiday. It seems very strange to see so much wildlife as we live in (suburban) Dallas Texas! So much for urban sprawl ruining the wildlife! Shelly Moon
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User: Shellymoon
Member since: 05-27-2001 Total posts: 240 |
From: Laurie H
Date: 06-04-2006, 02:43 PM (16 of 21)
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Yesterday, a young moose, probably a yearling, came running out of the woods as I was driving home. The road was extremely wet because it was pouring rain at that point and he slipped and his feet went out from under him. He fell with a thud, but popped right back up. I was far enough back that I was able to slow down, then stop until he got up and decided what he wanted to do. I didn't move until he ran back where he had come from because even in my Honda CRV, I could still have driven under his belly without touching. We're always being visited by wildlife up here in Maine. We live in the country and so does the wildlife. We're not surprised by anything we see here. What does surprise me is what DH brings home for me to rescue. I've had to raise woodpeckers (yellow-bellied sapsuckers - only one lived) and red squirrel babies (two out of three lived). I still have the little holes in my window sills from the woodpecker. I don't have the heart to fill them in. Just a reminder of little Woody. |
User: Laurie H
Member since: 05-07-2006 Total posts: 40 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 06-04-2006, 09:35 PM (17 of 21)
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We had a green ananole (small lizard that turns brown when scared). Come in the house somehow (???) and was lucky -I- found him first. All the ferrets were out when I shouted to my husband, get the ferrets, we have a visitor. My husband said what kind, I said small and green. So he gathered all 4 (do you know how hard it is to hold 4 wiggling ferrets who want to see what Mom has in her hands....). I got the lizard (he was a cutie) and let him go back outside where he belonged in the first place. He was just kinda standing on the carpet looking around like he didn't know where in the heck he was. Goofy thing..... We have gecko's, ananoles, tree frogs, toads (3 sizes from thumb nail sized to about the size of a silver dollar), black snakes, (non-poisonious), blue jays, cardinals, mockingbirds, thrashers, finches, humming birds, crows, turkey vultures, some kinda water turtles, box turtles, cotton tail bunnies, opossums and armadillo's...and thats just on MY block...I almost forgot my friends the squirrels.... I had a turtle knock on my door one night. I guess he wanted a lift back to the river that runs behind the houses at the end of my street. The ananoles, gecko's and tree frogs are always trying or getting into the house and cars. (this is NOT counting the bugs...because I will touch anything with 4 legs or less, but if it has more than 4, it's too scary...  )
Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414
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From: Magot
Date: 06-05-2006, 12:31 PM (18 of 21)
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Ananoles are so cute! You have to buy them here for much ££££££!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Bama
Date: 06-07-2006, 02:00 PM (19 of 21)
I've never had a turtle knock on my door.  I found a lost shitzu dog one night when he scratched on our door.  He made himself at home here for 3 or 4 days til we found his owner. We have a walking trail that goes around our pond and through the edge of the woods. When I was walking a few days ago a water snake crossed in front of me and into the water. My heart skipped a beat and I yelled SNAKE. Hubby came running over. It was gone by the time he got there. I walked another lap and the darned thing was right back in the same spot with it's head out of the water looking at me. I stopped in my tracks that time and didn't take my eyes off of it until DH could see it. He said it was just a water snake, not a cotton mouth. It still made my heart jump into my throat.Our latest visitors are 2 Canadian geese and their 2 babies who have taken residence by our pond. They hatched their babies at my in-laws pond down the road from us, and decided to move over to our pond a few days ago. The babies are almost half the size of the adults now. |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: DorothyL
Date: 06-07-2006, 02:58 PM (20 of 21)
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Bama, There is a house near here where a pair of geese would return every spring to raise a family. It is fun to watch the babies grow all summer. A few years ago there were suddenly two families of geese and all four returned annually after that. A couple weeks ago we drove by and there were three pair with families. I wouldn't want to run bare foot through their grass!! Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Bama
Date: 06-07-2006, 05:01 PM (21 of 21)
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yes, my neighbors told me not to feed them or they would keep coming every year and make a mess in our yard. I don't mind if they stay as long as they don't come near the house. Our rat terrier sees to that. I'm tempted to feed them. They look so pretty swimming in a row with their babies. |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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