Topic: A special visitor wandered by today :) (Read 7757 times)

InmemoryofRomeo · « **on:** July 19, 2009, 11:39:55 PM »

This little beauty is an Echidna, one of the world's two monotremes (egg laying mammals- the other is the Platypus), this one was a little boy, but we had to shift him away from the dog for both their safety. But first we had to dig the poor chap out of the hole he dug for himself

Isn't he a beaut!

More details...

Burberry016 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2009, 07:16:50 PM »

It looks like a black bush... Does it have a head? (or a spikey blob

)

Pleo Power · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2009, 07:27:59 PM »

Quote

Does it have a head?

Yes they do. in the forth pic down you can see it tucked in.

its a defensive position.

Burberry016 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2009, 07:41:44 PM »

I figured...

Bumblebee · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2009, 08:56:56 PM »

I LOVE ECHIDNAS! They're so cute! I've always wanted to hug one but I don't know how comfortable that would be.... thanks for sharing!

49er · « **Reply #5 on:** July 22, 2009, 12:29:57 AM »

Quote from: Bumblebee on July 21, 2009, 08:56:56 PM

I LOVE ECHIDNAS! They're so cute! I've always wanted to hug one but I don't know how comfortable that would be.... thanks for sharing!

Notice that ImR and her dad were both wearing leather gloves while holding the echidna. I don't think they were designed to be hugged.

(But if you did hug it you probably have an expression like this ->

)

gucci_boi7782 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2009, 02:30:50 AM »

Cool pics, girl!!

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2009, 04:36:42 AM »

*tackle hugs Gucci* Nice to see you

You can hold an Echidna and cuddle one without protection HOWEVER I do not recommend doing so with a wild Echidna, since one wiggle could be painful, a tame Echidna could be held safely though, I've seen it done at many wildlife sanctuaries

This little fellow was quite frisky, he wanted to be off after the ants but of course dogs and Echidnas are not a good mix, one of them would have gotten hurt (probably my poor puppy

) so we shifted him, he is hanging around though, we saw him before we left yesterday, he will clean up all our ants

49er · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2009, 08:42:37 AM »

I don't know if this is gucci's problem where he lives but having a pet ant vacuum cleaner would be popular in the South, especially for Fire Ants!

mweed · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2009, 01:16:54 PM »

If they ate fire ants, I get a whole herd of 'em!

We used to have lots of horny toads. They ate the native ants we had. But the fire ants drove out the native ants, and rather than the horny toads eating the fire ants, the fire ants tend to attack and overwhelm the horny toads. Now, in the span of a couple of decades, the horny toad is an endangered species . . .

Burberry016 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2009, 09:08:54 PM »

I don't have those here...

allosaurus · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2009, 06:16:25 PM »

Quote from: mweed on July 22, 2009, 01:16:54 PM

If they ate fire ants, I get a whole herd of 'em!

We used to have lots of horny toads. They ate the native ants we had. But the fire ants drove out the native ants, and rather than the horny toads eating the fire ants, the fire ants tend to attack and overwhelm the horny toads. Now, in the span of a couple of decades, the horny toad is an endangered species . . .

My gods! Those horny toads are beautiful!!! It's a lizard though, right? Gosh, reptiles are truely the most gorgeous things ever.... I could going on talking about the beauty of the reptillian world, but you guys would think I'm even more stupid and rediculous.... And it might land me in the insane assylum.

mweed · « **Reply #12 on:** July 24, 2009, 08:47:05 PM »

Yes, the are lizards, not amphibians. They are only native to the southwest. They like a dry and sandy environment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Horned_Lizard

Pleo Power · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2009, 08:49:50 PM »

Quote

They are only native to the southwest.

but in 2003 when we were in Montana we saw one.

49er · « **Reply #14 on:** July 24, 2009, 11:06:45 PM »

Quote from: mweed on July 24, 2009, 08:47:05 PM

Yes, the are lizards, not amphibians. They are only native to the southwest. They like a dry and sandy environment.

I have seen them in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. Not sandy, but definitely dry.

allosaurus · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2009, 07:02:28 AM »

Quote from: mweed on July 24, 2009, 08:47:05 PM

Yes, the are lizards, not amphibians. They are only native to the southwest. They like a dry and sandy environment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Horned_Lizard

My gosh it's gorgeous! <3

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2009, 06:10:42 PM »

Since we are already miles off topic

(Not that I mind one bit

) Australia's answer to the Horned lizard is the Thorny Devil, also an ant eater, desert dweller and just plain odd looking

These guys drinks by standing on top of a sand dune, pointing their tails in the air and catching moisture from the early morning cool which forms droplets and trickles down into their mouths. Oh and while they might look spiky, it is an illusion, they are very soft, much like the Horned lizard

49er · « **Reply #17 on:** July 26, 2009, 08:01:20 PM »

Now that I'm officially off topic, the Thorny Devil does look like the Horned Lizard's anorexic brother/sister. But can it squirt blood out of it's eyes as a defense mechanism?

Burberry016 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 26, 2009, 09:41:00 PM »

As grusome as that is, that species is in the desert and gray(without horns) and I kept holding my eye for weeks after I saw a video of it. Now please, let's get more on topic before I faint

! Soo, is the echinda an endangered species?

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #19 on:** July 27, 2009, 01:30:24 AM »

Short beaked Echidna's (the one in the photos is a short beaked) are not, however the long beaked Echidna (not found here in Victoria) are listed as endangered.

I don't think our Devils squirt blood but they can change colour to a certain extent to match their surroundings. Oh and their Aussie/Aboriginal name is the Moloch

Burberry016 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 29, 2009, 03:46:41 PM »

Moloch? What a weird name...

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #21 on:** July 29, 2009, 09:35:40 PM »

No stranger than Jabiru, Quokka, Betong, Quoll or well Echidna for that matter

I guess they are odd to you but they seem perfectly normal to me

49er · « **Reply #22 on:** July 30, 2009, 12:46:07 AM »

Quote from: InmemoryofRomeo on July 27, 2009, 01:30:24 AM

Oh and their Aussie/Aboriginal name is the Moloch

That's interesting. Moloch (AKA Ba'al) is also the name given in the Old Testament to a Semite god that was worshiped by offerings through fire!

InmemoryofRomeo · « **Reply #23 on:** July 30, 2009, 02:51:50 AM »

Hmm perhaps its a reference to the burning desert sand that can cook a roast? Do you guys (and gals) have dirt roasts? You wrap your food in tin foil and bury it at midday under about ten centimetres of sand, and by evening it is cooked to perfection

I got to try it once as part of a University camp, it is an interesting way to cook

mweed · « **Reply #24 on:** July 30, 2009, 05:34:53 PM »

Nope. Never did that. But it reminds me of the TV show "Wings" where they had a Car-B-Q, it was a gadget for cooking food on your car engine while driving . . . But we digress . . .

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Author Topic: A special visitor wandered by today :) (Read 7757 times)

allosaurus

allosaurus