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A run in with the wildlife

A run in with the wildlife

Old Feb 9th 2005, 2:11 am
  #1  
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Default A run in with the wildlife

Hi all,

Wanderlust here - still in Brisbane and still loving it (with the odd bout of homesickness....)

Just a couple of quick tales to tell....

Friday evening in Brisbane they had movies in the park - like a drive-in, but you take your own picnic blanket, bottle of wine, etc, and sit on the grass. It was lovely! One thing I thought was amazing was the possums - wandering around the lounging people - as tame as anything - sniffing picnic baskets, etc. They are so cute! Anyway, as we were leaving, there was one wandering around and looking up at people, sniffing their legs and shoes... I said "I want him to sniff me too!" And as if he heard me, he wandered over - sniffed my feet - and promptly bit my big toe! I think maybe he thought my pink toenail polish was edible! Anyway - that hurt - but didnt draw blood.

Then on Sunday - went to the beach to break in my new bodyboard. Spent about an hour swimming in the waves, having a blast - the water must have been at least 25 Degrees! All of a sudden I felt a sharp itch on my thigh. I reached down to brush off whatever it was and felt a long rubbery string stuck to my skin. Jellyfish! I'd been stung by a bluebottle! Where my legs had touched there was stinging, and on my hand where I had pulled it off. It gets a lot more uncomfortable in a hurry too! I rushed ashore to where the lifeguards were and had ice packs applied to all the stinging areas. The pain subsides quite soon, but it left a nice long welt all along my legs and on my hand.
If you ever wondered what it was like to be stung by a bluebottle jellyfish, run some stinging nettles up and down your arm or leg a few times. Very similar. (I know cos I fell into a patch of nettles once) It hurts, but not that bad.

Anyway, that's my short story. If you want to hear more about my 4WD day out (in my Rav4), surfing lessons, horseriding, mountain biking, scuba diving or skydiving from a helicopter over the Gold Coast - drop me a PM. Much too much to write about on here. I dont have time!! I'm having too much fun!!!!

W.

P.S. But never too busy to help out if you need some info.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 3:21 am
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Originally Posted by Wanderlust
Hi all,

Wanderlust here - still in Brisbane and still loving it (with the odd bout of homesickness....)

Just a couple of quick tales to tell....

Friday evening in Brisbane they had movies in the park - like a drive-in, but you take your own picnic blanket, bottle of wine, etc, and sit on the grass. It was lovely! One thing I thought was amazing was the possums - wandering around the lounging people - as tame as anything - sniffing picnic baskets, etc. They are so cute! Anyway, as we were leaving, there was one wandering around and looking up at people, sniffing their legs and shoes... I said "I want him to sniff me too!" And as if he heard me, he wandered over - sniffed my feet - and promptly bit my big toe! I think maybe he thought my pink toenail polish was edible! Anyway - that hurt - but didnt draw blood.

Then on Sunday - went to the beach to break in my new bodyboard. Spent about an hour swimming in the waves, having a blast - the water must have been at least 25 Degrees! All of a sudden I felt a sharp itch on my thigh. I reached down to brush off whatever it was and felt a long rubbery string stuck to my skin. Jellyfish! I'd been stung by a bluebottle! Where my legs had touched there was stinging, and on my hand where I had pulled it off. It gets a lot more uncomfortable in a hurry too! I rushed ashore to where the lifeguards were and had ice packs applied to all the stinging areas. The pain subsides quite soon, but it left a nice long welt all along my legs and on my hand.
If you ever wondered what it was like to be stung by a bluebottle jellyfish, run some stinging nettles up and down your arm or leg a few times. Very similar. (I know cos I fell into a patch of nettles once) It hurts, but not that bad.

Anyway, that's my short story. If you want to hear more about my 4WD day out (in my Rav4), surfing lessons, horseriding, mountain biking, scuba diving or skydiving from a helicopter over the Gold Coast - drop me a PM. Much too much to write about on here. I dont have time!! I'm having too much fun!!!!

W.

P.S. But never too busy to help out if you need some info.
Great post WL! Glad to hear you survived your bites & stings!! I reckon you're tough enough to handle anything now!
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 3:23 am
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Originally Posted by Wanderlust
Hi all,

Wanderlust here - still in Brisbane and still loving it (with the odd bout of homesickness....)

Just a couple of quick tales to tell....

Friday evening in Brisbane they had movies in the park - like a drive-in, but you take your own picnic blanket, bottle of wine, etc, and sit on the grass. It was lovely! One thing I thought was amazing was the possums - wandering around the lounging people - as tame as anything - sniffing picnic baskets, etc. They are so cute! Anyway, as we were leaving, there was one wandering around and looking up at people, sniffing their legs and shoes... I said "I want him to sniff me too!" And as if he heard me, he wandered over - sniffed my feet - and promptly bit my big toe! I think maybe he thought my pink toenail polish was edible! Anyway - that hurt - but didnt draw blood.

Then on Sunday - went to the beach to break in my new bodyboard. Spent about an hour swimming in the waves, having a blast - the water must have been at least 25 Degrees! All of a sudden I felt a sharp itch on my thigh. I reached down to brush off whatever it was and felt a long rubbery string stuck to my skin. Jellyfish! I'd been stung by a bluebottle! Where my legs had touched there was stinging, and on my hand where I had pulled it off. It gets a lot more uncomfortable in a hurry too! I rushed ashore to where the lifeguards were and had ice packs applied to all the stinging areas. The pain subsides quite soon, but it left a nice long welt all along my legs and on my hand.
If you ever wondered what it was like to be stung by a bluebottle jellyfish, run some stinging nettles up and down your arm or leg a few times. Very similar. (I know cos I fell into a patch of nettles once) It hurts, but not that bad.

Anyway, that's my short story. If you want to hear more about my 4WD day out (in my Rav4), surfing lessons, horseriding, mountain biking, scuba diving or skydiving from a helicopter over the Gold Coast - drop me a PM. Much too much to write about on here. I dont have time!! I'm having too much fun!!!!

W.

P.S. But never too busy to help out if you need some info.

Awwww...go on, tell us about your Rav4 adventures....

We have a Rav4 also but havent yet had too much time to really put her to the test!! Cant wait to come up to Brissy and take her over to Nth Straddie!! Yeeee Hawwwww!!

Last edited by Hels; Feb 9th 2005 at 3:41 am.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 8:03 am
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

[QUOTE=Wanderlust]Hi all,


And as if he heard me, he wandered over - sniffed my feet - and promptly bit my big toe! I think maybe he thought my pink toenail polish was edible! Anyway - that hurt - but didnt draw blood.



Hi wanderlust - your encounter with the possum was hilarious - not so sure about the jellyfish though! One thing that I'm terrified of is bats - of the fruit variety - when we visited Brisbane in 2003 we couldn't believe how many hundreds of fruit bats were dangling in peoples gardens in Spring Hill. Then we saw several hundred in this small park in the CBD. Then we saw several THOUSAND on our way down to the lone pine koala sanctuary (via boat). Nobody back in the UK believes me when I tell them how big they are - but then we get the video out to prove it! Strangley enough we didn't see any fruit bats in the CBD when we last visited (May 2004). I reckon they must have all flown down to the Sydney botanical gardens cafe, cos that's where they seemed to be waiting for us!

Can't wait to get to Brisbane this year - we're hoping to move to Paddington, but we're going on a property hunting mission on April 9th, then our final move should be July this year. You sound like you're absolutely making the most of it - good luck to you! Whereabouts in Brisbane do you live (if you don't mind me asking?)

Regards from Netta (Currently Rochford - Essex)
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 12:55 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Originally Posted by Wanderlust
Hi all,

Wanderlust here - still in Brisbane and still loving it (with the odd bout of homesickness....)

Just a couple of quick tales to tell....

Friday evening in Brisbane they had movies in the park - like a drive-in, but you take your own picnic blanket, bottle of wine, etc, and sit on the grass. It was lovely! One thing I thought was amazing was the possums - wandering around the lounging people - as tame as anything - sniffing picnic baskets, etc. They are so cute! Anyway, as we were leaving, there was one wandering around and looking up at people, sniffing their legs and shoes... I said "I want him to sniff me too!" And as if he heard me, he wandered over - sniffed my feet - and promptly bit my big toe! I think maybe he thought my pink toenail polish was edible! Anyway - that hurt - but didnt draw blood.

Then on Sunday - went to the beach to break in my new bodyboard. Spent about an hour swimming in the waves, having a blast - the water must have been at least 25 Degrees! All of a sudden I felt a sharp itch on my thigh. I reached down to brush off whatever it was and felt a long rubbery string stuck to my skin. Jellyfish! I'd been stung by a bluebottle! Where my legs had touched there was stinging, and on my hand where I had pulled it off. It gets a lot more uncomfortable in a hurry too! I rushed ashore to where the lifeguards were and had ice packs applied to all the stinging areas. The pain subsides quite soon, but it left a nice long welt all along my legs and on my hand.
If you ever wondered what it was like to be stung by a bluebottle jellyfish, run some stinging nettles up and down your arm or leg a few times. Very similar. (I know cos I fell into a patch of nettles once) It hurts, but not that bad.

Anyway, that's my short story. If you want to hear more about my 4WD day out (in my Rav4), surfing lessons, horseriding, mountain biking, scuba diving or skydiving from a helicopter over the Gold Coast - drop me a PM. Much too much to write about on here. I dont have time!! I'm having too much fun!!!!

W.

P.S. But never too busy to help out if you need some info.
LOL, not all wildlife is cute and harmless!

I was bitten once by a Fawn-footed Melomys (a type of native rodent, also called a Banana Rat) up in Northern Queensland. Well the bugger was trying to get into my cereal packet in the campsite I was staying in! It took great exception to being pushed away from the packet and promptly sunk its very sharp nippers into my finger!
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 1:14 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Hey, you survived! You are seeing life aren't you, Wanderlust!

Hope to see you on the 26th??
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 1:20 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Wanderlust

Come on give us some more!! I want to hear all about the skydiving and surfing lessons.

Marie
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 8:31 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

[QUOTE=JohnAndNetta]
Originally Posted by Wanderlust
Hi all,


And as if he heard me, he wandered over - sniffed my feet - and promptly bit my big toe! I think maybe he thought my pink toenail polish was edible! Anyway - that hurt - but didnt draw blood.



Hi wanderlust - your encounter with the possum was hilarious - not so sure about the jellyfish though! One thing that I'm terrified of is bats - of the fruit variety - when we visited Brisbane in 2003 we couldn't believe how many hundreds of fruit bats were dangling in peoples gardens in Spring Hill. Then we saw several hundred in this small park in the CBD. Then we saw several THOUSAND on our way down to the lone pine koala sanctuary (via boat). Nobody back in the UK believes me when I tell them how big they are - but then we get the video out to prove it! Strangley enough we didn't see any fruit bats in the CBD when we last visited (May 2004). I reckon they must have all flown down to the Sydney botanical gardens cafe, cos that's where they seemed to be waiting for us!

Can't wait to get to Brisbane this year - we're hoping to move to Paddington, but we're going on a property hunting mission on April 9th, then our final move should be July this year. You sound like you're absolutely making the most of it - good luck to you! Whereabouts in Brisbane do you live (if you don't mind me asking?)

Regards from Netta (Currently Rochford - Essex)
We have a bat colony here in the mangrove...fruit bats and flying foxes....just as it is getting dark the sky goes black with them there r thousands of them and when u drive by the mangrove biy does bat piss stink and u see them all hanging from the trees and they are huge!!!!!!!!!! but they are killing the mangrove so not so good!!
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 8:44 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Great post Possum made me Bluebottle sting glad it was`nt too painful... apart from that seems like your having a great time!!

Keep us posted

Sue
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 9:01 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

It sometimes seems like Aussie wildlife deliberately goes after Poms to attack.
l hear lots of stories of Poms being attacked by creatures such as Possums that Aussies are rarely attacked by.

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Old Feb 9th 2005, 9:29 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Originally Posted by biggy
We have a bat colony here in the mangrove...fruit bats and flying foxes....just as it is getting dark the sky goes black with them there r thousands of them and when u drive by the mangrove biy does bat piss stink and u see them all hanging from the trees and they are huge!!!!!!!!!! but they are killing the mangrove so not so good!!
Don't mention bats (shudders!!) - I remember when I first visited Brisbane, and went up to Mt Coot-tha walking; halfway round I visited a ladies loo , in one of the picnic spots, closed the door, sat down (all ok so far...) then looked at the back of the door and it was SMOTHERED in bats!!! I reckon there was about 30 of them, just snoozing, cos this was mid-afternoon, though a couple of them were stirring as the movement of the door had disturbed them. I've never left a loo so quick in my life! Don't mind bats, but I think it was the fact that it was such a small enclosed space, 1 of me, and lots of them! :scared:
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 9:54 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

To top it all off - when I got home yesterday, I found a redback spider setting up home on my stairs INSIDE my house!!!
It's in redback heaven now - dispatched with great haste using the traditional method - the thong.
Even so - A REDBACK....... IN MY HOUSE!!!
I had heard about it on the news that morning - the experts were warning that due to the heat and weather conditions, redbacks were multiplying like mad and were more likely to be seen.... but I never expected to see one in my own home.
YUK!!!!

W.
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Old Feb 9th 2005, 11:57 pm
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Originally Posted by Wanderlust
To top it all off - when I got home yesterday, I found a redback spider setting up home on my stairs INSIDE my house!!!

W.

I had my first snake the other day. After more than two years I had never seen a snake in the wild, only ever behind glass. Hear a noise outside and found a 2m long snake winding itself around the roofbeams of the patio. Not being an expert on snakes I had no idea what it was, or what to do with it. Turns out it was only a python, not venomous, just crushes you to death...
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Old Feb 10th 2005, 2:21 am
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

[QUOTE=JohnAndNetta]
Originally Posted by Wanderlust
Hi all,

Can't wait to get to Brisbane this year - we're hoping to move to Paddington, but we're going on a property hunting mission on April 9th, then our final move should be July this year. You sound like you're absolutely making the most of it - good luck to you! Whereabouts in Brisbane do you live (if you don't mind me asking?)

Regards from Netta (Currently Rochford - Essex)
I dont mind you asking - I live in Runcorn, Brisbane.
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Old Feb 10th 2005, 6:44 am
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Default Re: A run in with the wildlife

Originally Posted by jayr
I had my first snake the other day. After more than two years I had never seen a snake in the wild, only ever behind glass. Hear a noise outside and found a 2m long snake winding itself around the roofbeams of the patio. Not being an expert on snakes I had no idea what it was, or what to do with it. Turns out it was only a python, not venomous, just crushes you to death...

Now can I ask a really stupid, dumb, blonde question. If the python (or whatever snake) decides "hmmmm - I really like it here - I think I'll stick around for a while" - who do you call? Snakebusters? How do you get these buggers removed? Sorry this is going to seem like a really daft question, but I really wouldn't have a clue what to do with a snake that becomes resident!

Would appreciate some advice on this one......I need to prepare myself for the inevitable when I arrive in Oz later this year. If anything horrible can happen with wild animals, then rest assured, it will happen to ME! (I just know I'm going to get a Ginormous fruit bat stuck in my hair!) :scared:
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