Redback Spider In 1995 a colony of Redback Spiders was found around the port area in Osaka, Japan. Despite attempts to eradicate the spider it seems to be thriving, and there are fears that it will spread throughout Asia. Japanese authorities don’t really know...
RSPCA – Worst Job in the World A few weeks ago we did a story on designer dogs and puppy farms. The new types of dogs being produced by some of the better puppy farms have better temperaments and make excellent pets. From the letters we received it was clear...
Taxidermy Australia has world champions in many fields, but some receive more recognition than others. For example few people are aware that at the 1999 World Taxidermy Championships held in Illinois, USA, Australian Gary Pegg won ‘Best in World’ with his...
White-tailed Spider Over the years white-tailed spider bites have been blamed for severe skin deterioration and ulceration in some victims. Dr Julian White believes that for most people the bite of a white-tailed spider is a very minor affair, and that a range...
Keeping Seadragons When Pang Quong was a child he loved catching tadpoles, but that was only the beginning of a fascination with aquatic creatures which has lasted for decades. At his home there are about 30 aquariums containing fish, seahorses and seadragons....
Pet birds need a variety of foods for good health, and if you want your birds to breed it’s even more critical to feed them correctly. Seed, water and shellgrit are vitally important, but they don’t go far enough. There are lots of treats you can either...
Many common weeds and seeding grasses form part of the diet of wild birds, and it’s not surprising that aviary birds enjoy them too. As well as being excellent treats, fresh seeds and greens are very important for the happiness and wellbeing of breeding birds....
In the last few years there’s been a progressive and very alarming rise in the number of deaths from snake bites. Many of those deaths are associated with brown snakes. It’s thought that the reason for the increase is that snakes, and brown snakes in...
Dog Restraints The importance of wearing seatbelts when driving is widely accepted, but all too often dogs travelling inside cars are not restrained. If an accident occurs both the dogs and the passengers in the car can be seriously hurt or killed. In the same way...
Feeding Native Animals For over thirty years Geoff and Christine Smith have been looking after orphaned or injured native animals. Around 1500 kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats and possums have been saved, and then released back to the bush where they were found....