Rhino Iguana John Dengate visited Sydney’s Taronga Zoo and chatted with reptile keeper Michael Muscat about the conservation of two rare and endangered iguanas. Rhinoceros Iguana (Cyclura cornuta cornuta) These large, heavy-bodied iguanas are native to Haiti and...
Sex Life of Wrens John Dengate looked at the sex life of blue wrens, and made some interesting comparisons with the sexual behaviour of humans. In nature, the male of the species is often more colourful or ‘pretty’ than the female. The dominant male...
Stabled Horses Don visited the Equine Centre at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, to find out about some very important new research on compulsive behaviours in horses. These problem habits, known as equine stereotypies or stable vices, include continual...
Geckos thrive in warm, dry climates and feel very much at home in deserts. More than 100 species live on the Australian mainland, but there are only a few in southern Australia and none in cooler areas like Tasmania and south eastern Victoria. Most geckos hide under...
Thermal Image Zoo Recently we road tested outdoor heaters using a thermal imaging camera to find out which models gave off the most heat, and where the heat was distributed. We were amazed at the multi-coloured images the thermal imaging camera produced: the blue...
Tick Season Veterinary surgeon Dr Rob Zammit had a timely warning for pet owners living in areas where ticks are found (along the whole of the east coast from north Queensland to northern Victoria, and inland when conditions are favourable). It is very important to...
Trick Horse From the day Bobby the Quarterhorse stallion was born, he and his owner Jack have been inseparable. Jack, who once raced trotters, likes stallions and feels they are more intelligent than mares. He noticed that Bobby had a wonderful temperament and decided...
Heartworm Heartworm disease occurs when infected mosquitoes inject larvae into a dog’s bloodstream. After four to six months the larvae develop into adult worms which grow up to 26cm (10″) long, and live inside the dog’s heart and pulmonary arteries....
Within Australia there are complicated rules and regulations governing the keeping of native wildlife as pets. These vary from state to state. Recent proposals to allow the keeping of native animals as pets have sparked a fierce debate between those who support the...
Oldest Budgie in Australia A few weeks ago on Burke’s Backyard we featured celebrity gardener, Rob Guest. Don was interested in Rob’s 11 year old budgie, because he thought that maybe it was the oldest budgie in Australia. Since then we’ve...