twinkles

we are a plague on this earth i didn't mean all farmers think like that, i'm sure there's a wide range between both extremes, i just found it interesting that the ones who wrote in to the paper did.

i'm just saying thats what they could try, as a sensible alternative, using the same amount of moneys. i thought the farmers supported the drops too, which is why i was suprised by what they all said.

did it show much about the birds eating it? i've seen their earlier doco, while it was good i thought if they'd concentrated more on the effects on our natives they'd gain alot more support. However horribly they die, alot of people see dead deer etc as exactly what we want, and just something for the hunters to moan about. Something i thought was very telling was the letters to our local paper lately. One person wrote in about how good 1080 is, and the next few weeks it was packed with letters from cow farmers about how its destroyed their 'morning chorus' and killed most of the birds on their blocks. These being the farmers who are supposed to support 1080 protecting them from tb. I can't see why we don't just have paid pest controllers. The amount spent on 1080 last year is enough to hire and train 840 young jobless people, buy them a ute and gun, pay their petrol and a wage of 60k to go out shooting and trapping possums, deer, pigs etc. The meat could then be used by the local community, maybe distributed by the foodbank or something.

perhaps he sideswipped a pole or something cause he can only see out one side? I hope he gets better for you

i use nz couriers, since they had the best recomendations from people on here. It'll cost you 15.50 for overnight to there, for a normal small poly box. I've sent and recieved a fair few fish with them and haven't had any problems

he doesn't look like a little baby though state he's in probably best to offer him everything he might be interested in, seeds, puha, nectar, chewed worms lol, i must say i admire your dedication there :lol: did it still wriggle after you chewed it?

looks like a boy, the girls are less green and yellow, more brown

oh and we fed ours finch seed and puha, he got really friendly too

looks like a greenfinch to me, poor little guy

neons are $4 here, but less if you buy ten or so i'd expect them cheaper in the city though

if one comes along we will, but i'm not looking. I'm not dogless, couldn't stand that, still got my other boy, he's a big cuddly shepherd

wow can't wait to see some full shots of it finished

We said our final goodbyes to a loved member of our family a month ago, didn't want to post about it at the time. But here's his story to share now, he deserves to have it told just how special he was i remember, as if it were yesterday a trip to 'death row' for dogs, to see who could be saved watching six puppies tear up and down, full of life and trying to choose the three who would make it out but distracting me from weighing up the merits of size, breed, temperament was the gentle nudge of a soft muzzle on my thigh i'd look down, and see your warm brown eyes, staring deep into mine a tail wagging slowly, asking for a pat, no more i'd give you a rub, then walk away, not wanting to look any longer the pound worker would sigh and look down, knowing what must happen that day, no question of it, for an old dog like you but again and again, you'd be at my thigh, and i had to admit, grudgingly, that i'd known it from the first, you'd be coming home with me 'too old, too stiff, too worn out' i reasoned, i knew i was setting myself up for heartache but those eyes still shone out, with nothing but love to give so home you came, to stay. the pound worker had told us your story too old and slow to be of use, exhausted after 14 years of loyal work, they'd left you tied, outside the dairy, whether hoping someone would take you in, or too cheap for a bullet, we'll never know. a week sleeping on wet concrete had made your legs stiff and painfully slow, so we lifted you into the car. at home, after a bath, we gave you a proper check, finding a mouth with only the stumps of a few teeth, a crumpled up ear, showing the signs of having been shredded and stitched some time long ago and realising you were stone deaf off came the old leather collar, stiff and cracked, with the work dog chain welded on, and off to the shop we went, for a new soft purple one with name tag. 'Cash' it proclaimed, after the musician with a list of phone numbers and a note that you were deaf and very friendly i worried you'd try to go home, confused by this new life as a pet the second day you were here, we did lose you you'd jumped the fence when i popped out, following as far as you could and i found you standing on the road, looking lost so relieved when you saw me, tail wagging frantically the first walk we took, a group of cows appeared your ears went up, a spring came into your step, and you hobbled after them, ready to show what you could do the confusion on your face when i ran after and called you back broke my heart but over time, you learnt all we wanted you to do was relax and you were able to lie in the sunshine without feeling guilty about skiving off in time, your walk grew smoother, your jump got higher, and your coat shone seeming as if the years fell away and we dared to hope you'd be with us for a long time you'd snuck so far into our hearts, you see a constant presence, endlessly radiating love and comfort your loyalty amazing me, as nothing that had gone before seemed to matter and all you thought of was pleasing us but then, nearly a year later, you slowed down again finding it increasingly hard to make your body work when you wanted it to your eyes were growing foggy, but they never lost their shine we started leaving lights on to make sure you could see the last few days, you started falling over when you went outside, and we knew it was time you fell over in the kitchen the next evening, and when i came to help your eyes told me how much you wanted to stand, to come back to bed for me but you just couldn't do it so i picked you up and carried you there, and you snuggled up for a cuddle making your funny purry noise you used to show you were happy and then you were gone we all gave you our final pats, and told you how much we loved you i held one of those massive paws in my hand, and marveled again at the way it dwarfed my palm finding it hard to believe you weren't here anymore after the funeral, as word spread you had many friends come to pay their respects people not usually bothered by other peoples dogs but seeing in you, something special, some rarely encountered spirit of overwhelming love and loyalty the house was strangely quiet, gone were the soft sounds of your feet, your presence i still find myself pausing by your bed wanting to rub that crumpled ear once more the short time we shared with you feels an eternity and we will forever remember the lessons you showed us of loyalty, of forgiveness, of courage at the end but most of all, of what it truly means to love, in the way that only a dog can

not yet, but when i bought new led's for our dollhouse the other week i ordered some blue ones too, thought i'd put a couple in one of my tanks to see how they look. They're a dark blue moonlight effect colour, can't wait to get some wire and try them out

and an update on my fish.. she seemed alot better, started feeding her a little, then the next day she was dead..guess it was dropsy On the good side, the others are looking much slimmer and fitter, nice healthy fishes

defrost one, and squeeze it out of the skin, they just eat the inside part

so sweet i've set up a tank at our preschool and in daughters class at school, its great the way the kids really get into it and want to learn all about it. They should be compulsory

i was reading on the niwa site though that its not really native, just called that for some strange reason..

ditto - where from and how much? :bounce: and are they easy to sex?

i'm trying to build up my numbers of the endlers at the moment, got down to just 3 girls, but if you give me a few months i can give you a group if you like? I think they're the nicest type, love to see more people breeding them

i love the little ones, they're like fat little submarines hope we get update pics as they grow :bounce:

i used dwarf sag in the front of my tank with terrible lighting, wasn't sure if it would grow but thought i'd have a go and see. The tanks about 70 high - 220 litres and only has a 20w light, but the sag is going well. I planted 20 about a month ago and now i can count 38 It probably wont be as thick as it could be, but its looking good so far and covering well. If it can grow in there it should be good in yours.

i have wild/endler x, flagtail snakeskin, and now my new pretties, gold snakeskin and blue/green/red snakeskin

hi and welcome

that first part is one page, the second part is page two. Its mostly for the people that ask lots of questions and want a decent amount of info, like the mayor is bound to *gulp*. Neighbours, locals etc are just spreading the word between themselves, and we've got a good bunch of people on the street who are home 24/7 and ready to race over and block the contractors if they suddenly show up early 8) Since horizons is promoting it as 'flood protection work' i figured i needed something proper-sounding to hand out to anyone thats not sure about which way to lean. People already have ideas for stage 2, once we get this sorted out - to fix the rest of this part of the river edge. There's a big long strip which was a paddock with willows and poplars along the water, and they cleared all the trees a month ago. Now its a paddock and a mountain of mud next to the river. Everyones been raging on about how the cows need to go and some bush needs to be planted instead, and some river edge plants by the river, but all they've done is moan about it over beer, now people are getting keen to try and do it once we sort this part :bounce: Surely the regional council should be setting a good example, instead of putting stock in the waterways and leaving the edges bare of vegetation.