@Phoenix32890,
Quote:crocs will chase you
Sounds like either way I'm not going to bother trying to find out which one is which if I spy one 20 or so feet away from me. Not going to wait around to see if I can distinguish their snout....
@Phoenix32890,
So when I visit my sister in Cape Coral, Florida (she lives next to one of the boating canals) I shouldn't worry about crocs?
@Phoenix32890,
<<PHEW>>
My sister does worry about her 2 shitzu's and she periodically snaps photos of the gators in the canal and emails me them.
Thanks for the reasoned voice!
@Phoenix32890,
Quote:Many of my friends who live on a pond have told of 'gators sunning themselves in front of their lanais!
And they do! We ain't got no fancy lanai, just a double-wide trailer and 2.5 acres. Cross-pond neighbors often tell us of large Gators sunning themselves in our yard.
And you're SO right, Phoenix, about our FL law prohibiting the feeding of alligators: A wise law if I ever heard one!
A wild Alligator will submerge almost as soon as you can spot it. One it's been fed, however, it will approach you, more likely your pet, for a nice snack.
When we take our dogs out near any water, I shout and stamp my feet to scare away any Alligators before the dogs are allowed near the water.
Once I met that one aggressive gator, I became quite a bit more cautious with them! You certainly can't tell whether an alligator has been fed by viewing it from a distance.
Oh, and don't even get me started on the Pythons, released from pet-hood and now breeding in the wild, here in FL...
@BorisKitten,
Oh Yeah! kitten
Hybrid man-eating pythons?
Florida is on alert.
Scientists worry that two species of nonnative pythons now near the Everglades could breed, yielding more aggressive offspring.
this is a great thread...but I'm worried that mm will cancel her plans to move here.
But honestly, sweet mm, let's be straight here: I've lived in FL for almost 40 years now, and I L O V E it here.
OMG, the wildlife! The LIFE! The beauty! The diversity!
The desert will seem, um, empty of life if you ever visit/move here. It's my favorite place EVER!
We've also seen, in our yard: Deer, Otter, Herons, Egrets, Wild Turkeys, Quails, stray horses & cows, 3 types of Woodpeckers, Turtles laying their eggs, Raccoons, Armadillos, 'Possums, Frogs, Bluebirds, Finches, Hummingbirds en masse... well, hundreds of critters and plants and LIFE, all year 'round.
And 'member, I'm much more rural than you plan to be! You're unlikely to have any yucky/scary critter encounters near Orlando, except for, let's be honest, those pesky roaches/palmetto bugs, which are everywhere, and maybe some red ants.
@panzade,
Quote:this is a great thread...but I'm worried that mm will cancel her plans to move here. Very Happy
Me too!
mm, this was a PET python, I swear! Not wild!
I've always had cats and kittens here, and not ONE of them in all these years has ever been threatened or injured by native thingies. Evar, I swear!
They've all died of old age, even though they almost all were allowed outdoors.
@BorisKitten,
BorisKitten wrote:
Quote:this is a great thread...but I'm worried that mm will cancel her plans to move here.
Me too!
mm, this was a PET python, I swear! Not wild!
I've always had cats and kittens here, and not ONE of them in all these years has ever been threatened or injured by native thingies. Evar, I swear!
They've all died of old age, even though they almost all were allowed outdoors.
good to hear about the kitties being safe. I have a feeling they will stare in shock at the size of the bugs though.
Ok looks like I'm gonna have to hire a bug killer for my house though. I have this HUGE fear a that any bug I go to smash with a shoe, just will not die and will actually crawl onto the shoe and come after me. *shudder* I've always been a catch and release kinda bug catcher. DO.NOT.LIKE.CLEANING.DEAD.BUG.GUTS. EEEEEWWWWWWW!
red on yellow...gonna have to remember that. I have seen the black on yellow fellas here occasionally but never the red on yellow kind.
@mm25075,
I'm gonna spend a little time today mm, to give you some money saving tips on pest control in Florida.
I've lived here for 30 years and I save a lot of money with the help of the drummer in my band who has his own pest control business and is full of great advice.
@panzade,
Quote:... pest control in Florida.
Tell us all, please!
I always worry about chemicals & pets. Like Boric Acid is a bit too scary for me, esp given the tiny spaces cats can get into. Ever tried Diatomaceous Earth (sp?).
I worked for a Pest Control service for a couple of years, and all they ever did was blast nasty liquid chemicals all over people's lawns and homes. Yuck!
@BorisKitten,
Quote:I worked for a Pest Control service for a couple of years, and all they ever did was blast nasty liquid chemicals all over people's lawns and homes.
I know. My ex used to pay $500 a year and we had ants, a termite infestation and other horrors...a total waste of money.
@panzade,
You're right! I forgot to say, all the monthly spraying did Nothing to kill any bugs!
The chemicals they use to kill bugs are far more scary and dangerous than the bugs themselves. Most insects have developed an immunity to the poisons used on them because they reproduce so quickly, unlike humans. People who deal with pest control products (including farm workers) have very high rates of illness connected to these poisons. I suggest educating yourself about insects and learn how to naturally keep them at bay. Most show up because you have created an environment they thrive in.
@Green Witch,
Quote:The chemicals they use to kill bugs are far more scary and dangerous than the bugs themselves.
I SO Agree!
Lucky for me, I worked in the (chemical-free) office of this tiny company, and that was many years ago. I've never sprayed anything in our own house or lawn.
I did, however, have to take all those phone calls from customers, all upset because they'd spent so very much money to have chemicals sprayed all over their homes, only to find roaches, fleas, and ants crawling all over the place! I really hated that job.
Are there particular plants that certain kinds of bugs are attracted to?
I mean I can stand grasshoppers as long as I don't hear the crunch of them under foot. I won't even go near my garbage can during the day because the bees just love one particular bush. *covers herself in netting*
Ok, seriously again..crocs and aligators, to this desert and beach goer are ...... "ACK so if I get too close to a pond, lake, or other large body of water there might actually be a reptile that comes out and wants to bite my foot?"
And what about those jellyfish?...this beach goer wants to get her feet wet sometimes.
