Gardener's Group discussion
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Local & Garden Fauna
Very good point! Especially as much pollination just would not happen without many various species fauna doing what they do. The only fauna I found annoying was the mouse that shared my passion for the rocket I was growing in my kitchen garden in Buraimi, Oman.
This topic usually comes up throughout or Seasonal & Daily discussions which is why we probably haven't had a specific thread about it before. We've dished about birds, butterflies, moles, voles, squirrels and so on! You can find all of our past Seasonal threads in the Archives Folder, I'm sure you'll find plenty in those threads to read through! We've also had various "I need Help with..." threads which are also in the Archives folder. We do have a separate Bee Gardening folder for the group.
My attitudes towards the grass snakes, occasional boa constrictors, tarantulas, lizards, woodslaves, giant milipedies, centipedes, stick insects, fowl, praying mantises, rats and mice and all the rest of the creepy crawlies is you stay out there and I'll stay in here. It is my cats' job to enforce that and they generally do. The birds though, bloody annoying. They peck into the fruit. Some of it is ok afterwards but they destroy the guavas and soursops. What can I do though? It's a rainforest, they were all there before and going to be there long after people have gone.
Farming around here is considered to be letting your animals loose. The goats and sheep don't come in the garden, or only rarely, but the cows and horses do. They keep the grass down (and seed the place with magic mushrooms every now and again) which is great but they leave big sloppy calling cards on the path, which isn't. Installing a cattle grid isn't an option, because it's a rented place.
Jo wrote: "This topic usually comes up throughout or Seasonal & Daily discussions which is why we probably haven't had a specific thread about it before. We've dished about birds, butterflies, moles, voles, ..."Yeah, I did think about that before making this topic. I think I'll take a good look at that section.
No worries! Just want you to be able to find what you're looking for :o)
I have a ground hog that eats everything in sight. Does anyone know how to get rid of or discourage these critters?
Never ground hog day in Q8........... LOL (unless one counts continuous heat)
I would be more than happy to ship you a groundhog,Harvey:-D
Lol!
The local bunnies eat the tops off of my tulips and various other buds, but they're cute so I still like them. Even though I live in town over the years I've had deer and raccoon visits and they're destructive too but not unexpected in this area. This year I'm having problems with gophers, but since Minnesota is the "Gopher State" that's not a surprise either. They're hard to get rid of, but I'm working on it. I love the birds, bees and butterflies and plant as much stuff as I can to keep them happy. The one thing I like and have not seen much of in the past few years is frogs. I have a toad house and always have low containers buried with water in them. Garter snakes show up once in a while, one even fell into my AC unit when it was running and that was unpleasant for all concerned.
I would love to have bunnies, deer, racoons and gophers in my garden. I've never even seen a gopher for real, not even in a zoo. I have frogs and toads, grass snakes, boa constrictors & mongooses (both rarely seen), mice, rats, roosters, hens, cows and horses. Nothing like as furry and cute as your wildlife.
The newer neighbors' cat that adopted my yard took care of my bunny problem. They may come back since the cat has moved on after I had that roommate with a pitbull that he walked out in front. I am wondering how long it will take for the bunnies to return, and how long for the neighbors' cat to return.
My bunnies seem to have disappeared during the day, but I know they're around at night. I used to see them early in the morning sitting in the clover on the back side of my yard. When the big pines went down last year I think the roots tore up some of the bunnies feeding area. I miss them, they were fun to watch.I too much prefer the furry pests as compared to the slithery ones.
The only nibbler I get in my back garden is the local skunk that meanders through nightly during the summer. I nearly found out the hard way last year during a full moon! LOL!!! Out front it's probably the same skunk and some deer.
Skunks are so beautiful. The picture you paint of a skunk wandering through a beautiful garden by moonlight is lovely.
Petra X wrote: "Skunks are so beautiful. The picture you paint of a skunk wandering through a beautiful garden by moonlight is lovely."They're great as long as they're out of firing range. Years ago our Lab got sprayed in the face and ran inside our cabin and scrubbed himself on the carpet before any of us knew what was going on. I cannot adequately describe what that scent is like up close. We had to vacate the place and it took weeks of repeated cleanings to get rid of the odor. Even after that when it was real humid the reek would come back.
I have skunks in my yard. I always worry about my cats getting sprayed but it has never happened. Years ago I made some fudge and put it out on the patio to cool. When I went outside to retrieve it, a skunk was licking the empty pan. He had eaten the entire pan of fudge.
My ex-husband had a pet skunk as a child. It wasn't descented, either. He said it never sprayed, and was like a cat. I don't know how long he kept it, probably not very long knowing his father.
Cheryl S. wrote: " I cannot adequately describe what that scent is like up close"That's a shame because I have absolutely no idea what the smell is like. Presumably it's a lot worse than a tom cat's spray.
Petra X wrote: "Skunks are so beautiful. The picture you paint of a skunk wandering through a beautiful garden by moonlight is lovely."Would have been more lovely had I not been standing in the yard and been hissed at it because I startled it lol! Thank God it didn't spray me! I bee-lined for the kitchen door. The ones we have here are particularly stinky, even just meandering through and it happens so frequently we're all very tired of them here.
There's one that lives under our northern neighbors shed and that one is almost completely white! And oddly enough, not very smelly as it once decided to investigate our fire pit at night while we were sitting around it! Hubbs and I held our breaths, afraid to move because we didn't want it to spray us! After a few (long!) minutes, it went back under our neighbors shed!
It's a horrid smell, skunks and their spray. Way more potent and disgusting than cat spray.
Petra, usually the size of a large cat, but in Idaho we came home one night and saw one on our back porch that was huge. It was more the size of a dog, like a beagle. We sat in the car until it left.
They are so beautiful though, shame they are stinky. I didn't know that they lived so closely with people. I read that mothballs smell to them how they smell to us, lol.
Petra X wrote: "Cheryl S. wrote: " I cannot adequately describe what that scent is like up close"That's a shame because I have absolutely no idea what the smell is like. Presumably it's a lot worse than a tom ca..."
It's the most nauseating and penetrating odor I've ever smelled and I worked in the medical field for 45 yrs and encountered lots of malodorous stuff.
Not that it occurred to me, it appears that it is legal to keep skunks as pets in the UK, but removing their scent glands is not.To quote Michael Caine in a different context; "Not a lot of people know that..."
:)
Isn't it also illegal to declaw cats there? I wish it was here! So inhumane- amputating their first digits. It makes them clumsy and it has to hurt!
Miriam wrote: "Isn't it also illegal to declaw cats there? I wish it was here! So inhumane- amputating their first digits. It makes them clumsy and it has to hurt!"I have no idea Miriam, I have never declawed a cat, and can safely say I never will... I just had to look skunks up in Wiki as they seemed so popular here and found that nugget. All I do know is that the RSPCA has teeth (if not claws) and that animals, wild or pets are generally very well protected in the UK.
I was defriended by a (US) 'friend' who had her cat declawed. She said it was legal and humane because a vet did it. I was quite upset with her because it seemed to me that her furniture was more important than her pet. I think a cat, a pet, is part of your family and who would do that to any other member of their family?
I was never favor of declawing cats and neither of my cats is declawed,but after taking care of someone with "cat scratch fever" I have become much more aware of the serious diseases transmitted via cat scratches. Furniture is one thing,your family's health is quite another issue.I can no longer sit in the seat of judgement of people who declaw their indoor cats.
If someone's family's health is so important that the risk of cat scratch fever means they would have to amputate a cat's paws at the first digit (like having your fingers cut off at the first joint) then perhaps they shouldn't be keeping cats. Or they could consider getting the vet to put claw-caps on (which can be painted!) To me, it's entirely selfish at the very least to abuse an animal for one's own pleasure.In the UK you would be fined and possibly banned from keeping cats and all pets for life. The US is an exception in first world countries of allowing people to 'declaw' (it isn't just the claws, that's a euphemism) their pets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychectomy
Not sure I can agree Peg. I would never, for example keep a pet python and babies/toddlers together for several health issues. Cats seem to do fine with humans (as most mammals do), asthma aside. The only time I remember being scratched was when one of Anna's (a Persian kitty) kittens (accidentally) ran under my foot and screamed. Anna, being a defensive mum, attacked my ankle. Happily I survived, along with most of the British Isles.
You guys may be right. I have never had my cats declawed. My point being that it only takes one scratch to cause harm to humans. My cats are quite tame but I do get scratched on occasion when they are playing. The person I cared for was an adult who had no risk factors prior to developing a life-threatening disease. It can happen to any owner of a faithful loving pet.
It's a risk you take, it is very rare but terrible for the very few who are affected. But it's risking driving or even crossing the road, and plenty more of our daily actions. I think its better not to own a cat than to amputate part of its paws.
You are right,Petra. We all take risks every day.
I agree with Petra. Now that I know what is involved in declawing cats, I would never do it. Unfortunately, it is so commonly accepted that when I first had cats, I had it done to a couple. Then I read about what is actually involved- an amputation, NOT declawing. If you are worried about scratches, you can also keep your cats claws trimmed. They tolerate it very well if the owner is not anxious while doing it. I feel so guilty about the cats that I did have declawed. I tell them I am sorry in my mind all the time. I wish vets wouldn't use the term declawing, but the correct term amputation when a client asks for it to be done. They should be educating their clients! But I suppose it is a big money maker for them.
..can we all hug and kiss now?Excuse me, I had to murk the joint a little. On a semi-related note, I'm thinking about buying a small set of degus - they're such adorable creatures! Alternatively, I could save a little more for a couple of chinchillas, which aren't quite as active, but would live for much longer and are generally active at around the time daytime shifts end and people are winding down from their diurnal activities.
I have a larger project upon which I'm working for my garden, but I want to start a small butterfly nursery. Beekeeping is all the rage nowadays but strangely butterfly farms seem not to have attained as much popularity, particularly here in the UK, which is a shame. They don't have a lot of variety here, relatively speaking, but they are some lovely specimens that need a little more help if they're going to thrive on the isles.
Pangolin wrote: "..can we all hug and kiss now?Excuse me, I had to murk the joint a little."
I think discussion is good, especially since (in this lovely group) it is always an exchange of views and not personal slagging off if someone doesn't agree.
I found this on nail caps, they are from $6 online and look lovely (kind of!) http://www.softpaws.com/
I know. It's a large part of the reason why I enjoy this place.
I think it great when 'real' controversial subjects are discussed, as Petra said, without of course trading insults, thankfully all here seem sweet souls and very polite. XXXXXXXXXX
Yes, we can agree to disagree, yet share our opinions. It is refreshing compared to so many other sites!
Harvey wrote: "I think it great when 'real' controversial subjects are discussed, as Petra said, without of course trading insults, thankfully all here seem sweet souls and very polite. XXXXXXXXXX"Couldn't agree more. I think our "discussions" are great and love that we can discuss and agree to disagree on certain subjects.
The only way you can learn is by hearing different opinions and facts. The day I quit learning is the day I die!
Well, yes Miriam, there is a great and close friend I have 'argued' with for 24 years; it is great to see if one's thesis holds examination! When I say argue, it is fast furious but with deep respect and friendship. A bit like Parliament sometimes! :)
I was being facetious, people - really, alluding more toward your collective aversion from conflict in communal discussion rather than the urge for it. But nobody got it so it doesn't matter. A bad joke, basically, since I now have to explain myself.
Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Pangolin! I LOVE a furious discussion, but we are all such sensitive souls, absolute angels even!
Pangolin wrote: "I'm very surprised (and a little disappoined) that no-one has mentioned anything at all about the birds and critters that normally visit gardeners. I'm curious about your attitudes toward them; whi..."Doug Tallamy's 'Bringing Nature Home' is a good book to read if you want to plant gardens to attract local wildlife. Since planting some new beds of native shrubs and perennials about two years ago, I've seen quite a few more song birds in my year - including a lovely family of cardinals.
Am I right to assume that's a finch? Looks a lovely bird in appearance, but I hope it isn't pestilent. I've found that finches have a tendency to attack flower buds, particularly in spring when there still isn't very much else to eat.
I have lots of finches, and have never had a problem with them. I wonder if they are going after bugs in the buds.
I think this is part of the joy of gardening, and I would like to read more about this.