Maurie Don introduced a new member of the Burke’s Backyard team Maurie, the Pug puppy. He spent his first night in a box beside Don’s bed, so whenever he felt lonely Don was right there to comfort him. Like all puppies, Maurie is a bundle of mischief. He...
This week, by popular demand, we showed Misty the Rainbow Lorikeet doing more amazing tricks. (See last week’s road test for more information on lorikeets – click here.) If you have a pet as clever as Misty, why not write in and tell us about it? Send your...
Problem Dog Roger the Red Setter is a fun-loving dog, who is also headstrong, easily excited and frantic around guests. Roger rampages through the garden, breaks plants, digs holes, barks incessantly at parrots that visit his backyard, and will not respond to normal...
Ralph Obituary If you thought that something was missing from this week’s program you were right: it was Ralph, the pug. Sadly, Ralph passed away on December 19, 2000. The cause of his death is not known, but it was possibly snakebite. Ralph was born with the...
Red-back Without Red Back Red-backs (Latrodectus hasseltii) are usually glossy black, with a distinctive red/orange stripe on the abdomen. However, it is not uncommon to find variations on this pattern. Don came across a red-back without any red on its back at all....
Don investigated some mysterious, funnel-shaped holes in a lawn. That night he returned to the same backyard with a torch, and discovered that bandicoots were coming in from the adjoining bushland and digging in the lawn for grubs, worms and other juicy morsels....
One of the issues that many people face when they are thinking about buying a pet is, ‘what do they cost?’. The question really only begins with the purchase price. Often there are hidden costs everywhere when you buy any pet, and new owners often have no idea of what...
Breed: Irish (Red) Setter Temperament: active, affectionate, sensitive Cost: $500-$1000 Lifespan: 12-14 years Maintenance: medium Recommended for: active people, large families History Commonly called the Red Setter, this dog is very dear to the Irish although its...
Lizzie’s Lumps Scott Cam was very worried when he discovered a large lump on his dog, Lizzie. Lizzie is the site manager on Backyard Blitz. The lump suddenly appeared on her front leg, and grew at a tremendous rate. Scott took Lizzie to see the Burke’s...
Meeting People with Dogs If you have trouble making friends, our resident scientist, Graeme Quirk, suggests that you get a dog. Recent research at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom showed that dogs can act as powerful social catalysts, making it easier...