What's in your garden?

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Originally Posted by Neverna

They don't usually have black stripes at all but an "eclipse male" bird sometimes has a thin black stripe on its neck and upper breast.

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Thank you Nev, that must be it. I saw it clearly only briefly, from the front and a bit below, I guess the beak would appear straight from that angle.

I apparently misremembered exactly the orientation of the black stripe. (This is why human witnesses are so hopeless in criminal trials. It isn't just me.)

In fairness I did look at pictures of the Olive backed sunbird but I didn't notice one with a stripe, they had more of a bib. The strong black stripe against the very bright yellow on the one I saw was very clear. Now that I search again with 'eclipse male' I can find other pictures just like yours.

I'll try to get a pic if it hangs around. I thought I heard a sunbird or two in the garden yesterday but I couldn't see one.

I finally got around to hacking back the grass behind the house and found a hole in the ground by the wall. It is a large hole, about the size of a rabbit hole and I have noticed the complete absence of rabbits around here.
The gf said 'snake'. I didn't know they can excavate such a big hole. Anway, this morning I looked out of the kitchen window and saw the snake, which disappeared into its hole after I alarmed it.

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Probably the same Keeled rat snake I saw a while back, although it looks longer. A good 2m long and it moved quickly once it decided to take off.

If it is a rat snake, what are my options? My main concern is the gf's small dogs, which have no track record with big snakes.

^ I would just leave him alone and enjoy watching him. I've never heard of a rat snake attacking even a small dog, and if it did, a small bite is about all it could inflict.

Rat snakes have quite small heads (and therefore jaws) compared to their body size and unless your GF's dogs are the size of a frog, or even a rat, I think they'll be quite safe. Once they bark (or yap) the snake will take off.

But if I'm wrong I'm sure I can find you a puppy some time.

I would become obsessed with identifying it then decide what method of removal to pursue.

That's just me, but my kids and dogs need to learn that all snakes are a threat, just in case.

Especially the ones that work in HR.

So this fog has taken residence in my goldfish pond. It is an iconic scene of the frog sitting on a lily pad and I like it but is he a danger to my fish? I think the goldfish are safe they are quite large but I have some mollies and literally thousands of guppies. Could he be eating the guppies?
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Originally Posted by Mendip

But if I'm wrong I'm sure I can find you a puppy some time.

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Very thoughtful. If it turns out to be a cobra I'll let you know. :)

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Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

So this fog has taken residence in my goldfish pond. It is an iconic scene of the frog sitting on a lily pad and I like it but is he a danger to my fish? I think the goldfish are safe they are quite large but I have some mollies and literally thousands of guppies. Could he be eating the guppies?
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I'm not sure if that is a frog or a toad. Either way, both eat pretty much anything they can catch. Mostly insects and worms and the like, they certainly can eat fish fry. On balance though I'd leave it to munch on the insects that are attracted by the water. If I am wrong and you find yourself without any guppies then maybe Mendip can offer a puppy to compensate.

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Originally Posted by Shutree

I finally got around to hacking back the grass behind the house and found a hole in the ground by the wall. It is a large hole, about the size of a rabbit hole and I have noticed the complete absence of rabbits around here.
The gf said 'snake'. I didn't know they can excavate such a big hole. Anway, this morning I looked out of the kitchen window and saw the snake, which disappeared into its hole after I alarmed it.

Attachment 73378Attachment 73379

Probably the same Keeled rat snake I saw a while back, although it looks longer. A good 2m long and it moved quickly once it decided to take off.

If it is a rat snake, what are my options? My main concern is the gf's small dogs, which have no track record with big snakes.

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I would get rid of the snake. Sure snakes are cute but they belong in the swamp or rice patty, not in your yard, especially if you have children. If you are walking through the grass and accidentally step on him you know he is going to bite you. I have a 10 year old daughter, I wouldn't have a snake in my yard.

Not much in my garden right now, some sunflowers, cucumbers, and chilies. Hard to grow stuff during the rainy season. In my yard I have this Honda. Anybody that says a Honda is over priced has probably never owned one. Almost past my third rainy season and the Honda has never missed a beat. It starts first time every time. Never the slightest problem, it is a quality machine.Attachment 73387

Move them trees to the side and you've got a decent 3v3 football pitch.

^ Was expecting a KFC bucket.

I was thinking the same, if you're gonna put trees in no man's land at least make goalposts out of them.

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Originally Posted by tunk

I would get rid of the snake. Sure snakes are cute but they belong in the swamp or rice patty, not in your yard, especially if you have children. If you are walking through the grass and accidentally step on him you know he is going to bite you. I have a 10 year old daughter, I wouldn't have a snake in my yard.

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It is only the gf and I who are here, togther with her three dogs. She isn't very bothered by the rat snake and it is her job to go and cut that lemongrass near the snake's hole when she needs it.

:)

On the plus side, I haven't seen any rats around here.

Maybe now the grass is cut it the snake will move on. Unless that big hole is a nest. I'll give it some time and see what happens. If it is unfriendly then I'll tell the neighbours - old Isan farmers, that snake will be straight in the pot.

Well I have zero problems with rats or snakes. My dogs are deadly to rats and snakes, and a few unfortunate cats. I've seen a rat run in during a storm and he made it less than 20 feet. And my dogs work in shifts, somebody is always on duty. Yeah I'm sure neighbors would cook it up for you. I have never ate it but I wouldn't be afraid to. The dogs in my avatar are street dogs and they are deadly with rats and snakes.

After a very good lamyai harvest, a wheelbarrow full, time to trim the tree. I watched two videos of Thai men trimming lamyai. To me it looked like the where butchering the tree with their machettes, but I understood what they where doing. First take the center out so light shines down through. Then they stripped every major branch except for the last 2 or 3 small branches. Tree trimming tip. If you want to end up with your tree really round, see there is a piece of rope in there, tie it around the tree and walk out 8 or 10 feet or whatever and tie it to a pole or piece of pvc. Just hold the pole plumb and look up where to trim. Easy to get a very round tree trim. Following what the Thai man did, this is what I came up with.Attachment 73395

Yeah so it fell over I will try again.

My daughter has always thought she wanted a treehouse, she is going to get her wish. I will start small to see if she is brave enough, she is a Thai girl and not very brave. And keep it small to see if she is interested, she looses interest in things pretty fast. The tree is very healthy, maybe 13 years old, and I will build doing the least damage I can. The local sawmill I can buy any kind of lumber I want. Botton line is I'm fucking cranked. I'll be 65 in Sept. and I get to build a treehouse. Who has ever got to build a nice treehouse?Attachment 73396

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Originally Posted by Shutree

If I am wrong and you find yourself without any guppies then maybe Mendip can offer a puppy to compensate.

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'A puppy for a guppy'.... this could become mt new marketing slogan.

As for frogs and toads eating your fish... they may try but most fish will easily swim away.

When I had a pond in the UK I always preferred the amphibians to the fish and got annoyed that the golfdish would eat the frog spawn and newt eggs. The only threat the frogs were to the goldfish was in the spring when the males would jump on a fish's back, latch on and wait for it to spawn, thinking it was a girl frog.

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Originally Posted by Shutree

If I am wrong and you find yourself without any guppies then maybe Mendip can offer a puppy to compensate.

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'A puppy for a guppy'.... this could become my new marketing slogan.

As for frogs and toads eating your fish... they may try but most fish will easily swim away.

When I had a pond in the UK I always preferred the amphibians to the fish and got annoyed that the goldfish would eat the frog spawn and newt eggs. The only threat the frogs were to the goldfish was in the spring when the males would jump on a fish's back, latch on and wait for it to spawn, thinking it was a girl frog.

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Originally Posted by Shutree

I'm not sure if that is a frog or a toad

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What is the difference?

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Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

What is the difference?

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Flavour difference.

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Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

What is the difference?

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After Googling it and looking at him , he is definitely a toad. But I would not hold that against him. as long as he does not eat my guppies . If I see him eating one of my guppies he is no a toad. he is toast.

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Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

What is the difference?

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It isn't always easy to tell at first glance. I have a lot of toads around my garden, mainly the Asian Common Toad. I am frankly disappointed at the number of 'common' animals I see around, but there we are. They mostly live in or under plant pots and loose bricks that make an edging around a couple of young plants. I don't see many frogs, which is unsurprising because I don't have a pond, the nearest standing water is down the lane.

Dogs generally seem to ignore toads. I guess they taste unpleasant.

Frogs are better swimmers and would be a bigger threat to small fish, especially eggs and small fry. A lot of snakes eat frogs, so that might be another reason why I don't see many frogs.

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Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

After Googling it and looking at him , he is definitely a toad. But I would not hold that against him. as long as he does not eat my guppies . If I see him eating one of my guppies he is no a toad. he is toast.

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You goggled to see if toad or frog. I thought every American boy knew the difference between toads and frogs. We were always told to leave the toads alone, because they will pee on you and give you warts. Of course we knew better but they do like to pee on you for holding them. I think they only eat insects above water, don't think they eat under so your guppies should be safe. One more thing don't make toast out of him, if you eat you will get sick.

We've got a family of toads living in our recycling storage area. Every single time I go in, there is this big toad sitting on top of an empty box of Tesco Lotus tissues. I don't know why he always sits on this box, but he does.

I'm not saying that life can get boring in Korat, but sometimes for something to do I move around the empty tissue boxes... and next day the toad is always sitting on top of one again. There must be something about it he likes?

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