Greetings - joining SP

[Jaeda]

Seems as likely a forum as any to send a Salut! to everyone here, I'm new to SP, though not new to the e-community. I see a few names here and there that I recognize. SP always seemed to have been spoken of in generally good terms by others and in the waiting to see if my favourite "place" for such minds will become active again, I figured I might as well get my feet wet elsewhere (in the event that inactivity continues in that other place) since I am trying some things new and renewed in interest this year in respect to growing.

In the past my observation was that "in general, most people" in the entheo community were far more interested in "copping a buzz" or "catching a high" and cultivating plants to such ends was a mission for wholly that purpose. I'm not knocking it, it's just not how I am, it's not my "thing". I enjoy growing things more often than not simply for the sake of seeing them grow, and feeling that I am assisting in conserving or preserving species. I'm in a tough zone... not really south, not really north.. right on that line that makes most things an adventure of trial and error and lots of patience. I don't have a greenhouse, I don't have any "fancy" set-ups of grow lights or anything like that. Without it being an intentional or deliberate act, I seem to have a "thing" for the Solanaceae family of plants. In fact, I find it a bit funny that even in choosing new seeds/plants (guided to them by unseen hands) and after the fact researching them to have it revealed that they are in this family - even when I found it unlikely.

I was initially courted by Datura spp. and for a time, excluding the native species, I held only an interest but stopped cultivating entirely. I did hope over to her cousin Brugmansia spp. though and over the last two years began acquiring a quaint collection. Near the end of last year though, Datura called me back.. and I didn't deny her. I'm currently awaiting germination on eight or so different varieties. The Brugs, which I over-wintered indoors here and turned the house into a jungle, have almost all been moved outdoors now. We had a light frost the other night so some leaves have a bit of damage, but it wasn't cold enough to do any damage to the root systems. "Roots" likewise made their call last year, so I started simple with some ginger - "just to see". It wasn't long after that I was "called home" to many of the plants that I grew so many years ago but through the passage of time and multiple geographic relocations, I let them stay behind me... I thought my time with them was done, but it seems not, for now they are knocking and urging me to begin anew. I've spent enough years with plants to know that when one 'speaks', I should listen... there's a reason. I may not know what it is at the time, but that doesn't negate the fact that I should act upon it.

So, here I am... Daturas and Brugmansias, Henbane and Belladonna, a scant few succulents that urged me to just give them a try again, Bromeliads, Basils, & Bulbs... Mandrake and Monkshood, to name a few. The counter-balance to the plants are the animals...I'm "heavily" involved in domestic/exotic/wildlife rescue & rehab - and they somehow became merged, the animals and the botanicals, as I am spearheading an organization to handle not just the animals but also in establishing - for the purpose of preservation, conservation, and public education - many plants on secured land. Grand plans to be sure, but everything about it says it is the right thing to do. It's a long way from being able to offer public tours of the botanicals though. Some things of course will not be for public display... some things remain for personal or not-so-public access (you know how it is, the burning times never really burned out) though. I've also been checking into the requirements to be *legally* titled/labeled for "organically grown". (and fast-learning that no matter what you seek to do, someone wants money for it -- I'm drawing no small amount of comparisons between the gov't and "the mob"... everyone wants "their taste" - geesh!)

At any rate, I'm generally an amicable individual - mellowing with age or pain or both... not to say I don't get my knickers in a twist now and again, I just try to leave my ****-stirring stick in the closet and don't usually got prodded enough to pull it out and beat someone with it anymore.

I try to live a simple life in harmony with the animals and plants...

Jaeda

[neonaut]

:mrgreen:  :mrgreen:

Welcome!!

[boomer2]

Hi and welcome to the forums here.

Since I noticed that you like resscuing wild animals and such you might want to checkl out mj's furry and not so furry animal friends. 6 pages at :

http://www.mushroomjohn.com/fur1.htm

and have a shroomy day.

boomer2

[Jaeda]

Thank you for the welcomes neonaut and boomer...

Hmm I hit "reply" but it's asking for a subject line - so I hope this actually replies rather than defaults to a new thread!

I enjoyed your photo album pages of the various critters boomer... had two kids wander up and start viewing with me. Most they were able to identify (so I've done something right!)

We don't deal with too many reps/amphibs (herps in general) - not for lack of wanting to, but because we have some pretty good contacts that specialize and are already set-up for proper habitats for the herps and accustomed to their special needs. There's not too much that gets turned away here. I *had* to set some limits on various species though lest we become overwhelmed and worse, the critters themselves suffer for not getting enough one-on-one attention. Like with domestic canines and felines - we had to set limits because I outright refuse to end up like so many rescues (large and small, community and private alike) with kennel after kennel, cage after cage, and the animals living their lives like that. We have a no-kill policy ourselves at Kerridwen's Sanctuary and any creature that comes here is welcome to spend the rest of its natural life if need be/if never adopted out or capable (in the case of wildlife) of being released back into the wild. We are of course working towards expanding our capacity-abilities - like flight cages and the like for some of our avian friends. There's also a section of the property that is being dedicated not just for the plants, but as a habitat for the indigenous species should they need refuge.

I've never bothered to go to the extent for keeping the larger wild cats - not just the licensing - but because so long as we handle some of the domestics we do, it would not be a good mix. I was going to get things lined up for the raptors, but there is an elderly gentleman in our area who has been doing it "forever" - state-sanctioned, and the state likes it just the way it is with him. He's good, he knows his stuff that's for sure. Until he passes away though and in the event that he doesn't have someone already training hands-on with him, there's not a niche for us to fill there. So my birds of prey work is limited to collecting road-kill and staying on good terms with the game wardens (who don't bust me for say, saving feathers and such) and keeping them abreast of the population shifts and noted deaths. (We had a run for several months on a few miles of nearby highway where Barred Owls were being hit/killed in such numbers that there was unquestionably a huge dent made in the population.. scary)

I "worked" for a time in helping to re-establish the heritage breed turkeys in the area. Some states had been working on it, but with the vast number of hunters we have here.. well, it wasn't balancing out well. But we did save many poults whose mothers had been killed and also reintroduced some heritage breeds into the area so that now - it would appear - the population is more back to what it should be and we are visited often by the flocks. Those that were hand/home-raised until they were old enough to decide to join the wild flocks of their own accord still recognize us... and are more brazen than those who never had human contact, and like to display for us and come closer than the others to feed and investigate.

I can only hope to have just as much luck in preserving/conserving and establishing various botanical species here.

We have a resident cougar here on "the hill"... she's a welcome addition. It hasn't been too many years since our Rotties were accused of killing a neighbour's fighting cocks that they had staked out behind their place in the woods. They (the Rotts) were accused because of the size of the paw prints left in the soft dirt. I went and looked at the prints and knew instantly they were NOT canine. They didn't believe me though and went to the ends of hiring a professional tracker to confirm their accusation - only to be told pointblank that what took out their poultry was a cougar with two young cubs. She was just teaching her babies was all... they ate some, others were just practice kills. It did my heart good to have the canines exonerated to be sure. We're still cautious though. One year my brother was at the back of his property and heard a mewing.. and found himself looking down upon a cougar baby... his first instinct was to collect it, because it was crying as it was, and try to help it. Then it dawned on him, "If the baby is here, mama isn't far away," and he backed off and in short order she came to collect her offspring. Most of the time we don't have a problem with our wild friends, but our property connects on the north to several hundred acres of pulp wood forest. That's all fine and well until every 10-20 years when they come in and cut the trees down to harvest and then take 1-2 years to replant and add to that a few years for growth... between harvest and a few years after replanting, the wildlife that lives in that area finds itself forced to seek their meals elsewhere - frequently on domestic livestock (rabbits, chickens, turkeys, etc.) because their natural prey is just as much in need of relocating for their own survival. The saddest loss because of man's interference though was the disappearance of a pair of Golden Eagles that once included this hill in their territory. No clue what happened to them. Plenty of hawks and falcons and such.. but the Golden Eagles are seemingly gone from this place. If I ever win the lottery the first thing I'd try to do is buy that pulp wood forest land from the company that owns in.. and turn it into a preserve or refuge...

Jaeda

[neonaut]

I think you came at the right time.  DO you have any knowledge of chilean tarantula's.  I have coexisted( i dont own animals) with her for 7 years.  She was bought on an impulse but has had the best of care.  For the past 2 days she has been upside down on her bed of web she usually uses for molting.  Its seems she cant molt or is slowly dying.  She still reacts to light and other stimuli.....but i think she might be dying.  Please help if you can
   

[Jaeda]

Very limited experience with the arachnids... always tempted to buy them though.. along with scorpions.. but always resist the urge. What I can tell you is that the "symptoms" you describe sound almost identical to what an oversized out of her range spider we happened upon here went through prior to her demise (sex/gender was confirmed because shortly before that she surprised us with an egg sac). If she is still reacting to stimuli, double-check all of the stats for her habitat - make sure everything is as "perfect" as perfect can be for her. Check for any uneaten or minimally used prey that you have put in for her (thorough habitat/containment check)... sometimes if their appetite drops their prey can become the predator upon them or, in the case of unused bits of prey it can set up bacteria, etc. that could be creating a toxin in her environment and making her sick. You are the longest I have ever heard of someone having this species in captivity though (that wasn't a zoo or some specialized facility), so it may simply be her time to pass. But don't give up hope entirely - first look for the obvious and not so obvious that could be affecting her in her habitat. Think back -- any recall of any other out-of-her-norm behaviour or observations that you might not have thought anything of at the time, but now might shed some light on the state of things? Could be days or weeks or even months ago... any pattern? any fluctuations in environment? Change even in water or moisture levels? temperature? prey from a new/different source? (not sure if you raise your own prey or not but if you do, then check into that too - any variations? even in what you might have raised prey on - sometimes secondary poisoning can happen from prey to predator... have seen this happen with spiders, snakes, chameleons, etc. - prey was fine but because of what they were raised on, changed their chemistry and subsequently when dined upon had malaise or fatal effects on the predator)...

Jaeda

[boomer2]

I mioght mention that the wild cats in the images with me, Jaguars and tigers, etc, are fed vegetarian cat foods by the bags. Theya re not eat meaters and are already into several generations of domistication. These are tamed cats (domesticated) for generation upon generation.. Not trained cats (circus, etc)

The baby tiger I was feeding on an earlier page was the large grown one on page 6.  So I have spanned a few of their generations.

have a shroomy day,

boomer2

[neonaut]

Thanks Jaeda.  She was acting erratically for the past week and was added massive amounts of web to one spot.  This is the spot she would always molt.  I think it is her time.  There is the possibily of contaiminated food as i went to a big box pet store to get crickets last time, and she only devoured a few, i had to clean the others out.  Well, she was the scariest creature I have ever had contact with, and I enjoyed the time we had.

[Jaeda]

Unless you are opposed - I will inquire to a somewhat local man via email that we met - the kids around here know him as "The Crazy Critter Guy" - I met him through working with Boy and Girl Scout troops and he's really into "everything" - he made a special trip here to positive ID our "Alixe" (and wanted her should we decide not to keep her) -- he may have more insight into this behaviour - though I can't guarantee how long it would take him to reply to an email as he usually keeps pretty busy with his job, wife, critters, and tons of volunteerism with various youth groups to educate them on a variety of species... but with your permission I will copy what has been written and quote it to him and inquire... - J.

[neonaut]

If you want to help more go right on ahead  It is greatly appreciated.  I added some more moisture to aid in molting, if that is what she is going thru.  Its a day by day thing....................

[Cassie]

Welcome Jaeda!
I do hope your spider is ok Neo; how long to they usually live?

[OBODAOUR]

Welcome J!!! Hows your tarantula neo?

Blessings
OBODAOUR

[neonaut]

SHe is fertilizer now.

From the earth back to the earth.  Tarantula flavored tomatoes anyone:)

[fuzz]

welcome:)

[Jaeda]

I'm sorry about your Tarantula Neonaut... but look on the bright side, you had her a good long while and you did recognize the signs that her time was drawing to a close... that's experience to draw upon in the future if you get another or to help someone else out.