The Perth Thread

[Beerfish]

Great stuff. I've never seen a bandicoot. Had no idea they were on Rotto.

Not so great news for the Gilbert's Poteroo with the recent fires. Feel for the people that have been involved over the years in the breeding program and monitoring them after their release.

 

[Scotland]

Bandicoots aren't on Rotto that I know of.

Their population in the hills has become like quokkas at Rotto in that they are everywhere. You can sit down to dinner outside and hear them rustling about.

 

[Beerfish]

Bandicoots aren't on Rotto that I know of.

Their population in the hills has become like quokkas at Rotto in that they are everywhere. You can sit down to dinner outside and hear them rustling about.

I can't believe how badly I misread that post.

I'd love to see a bandicoot. Had a full size echidna walk across the patio in front of us up at Moore River a while back. I couldn't believe my eyes.

 

[LeakyValve]

I've always called them bobtails. They are part of the blue-tongue family, but when I think of a blue-tongue I think of a longer, smoother lizard.

The bottom one is what you see around Perth. I grew up in the hills and you'd see them almost on a daily basis. Actually ran over one the other day (unavoidable, it moved quicker than I've ever seen one move at the last second when I was doing 110 on Forrest Hwy) but I skillfully avoided two while mountain biking (and had to bail off the bike in the process) so I'm still 1 up in bobtail karma.

What I've noticed more in recent years is the explosion of bandicoots. I don't think I ever saw one as a kid then going back to the hills in my early to mid 20s you'd see the odd one and now they are like quokkas at Rottnest to the point that had to put these bastards everywhere:

The ochre coloured one in the second picture is what I recall as a sprog.

That blue one in the top shot ..what a beautiful animal.

Looks like a mini perentie as they occasionally have those spectacular blue/grey markings.

Can bandicoots be pests like possums in built up areas or do they shun all human contact?

 

[Scotland]

They're around too, but not as common.

I'd like to see a Numbat.

 

[Scotland]

The ochre coloured one in the second picture is what I recall as a sprog.

That blue one in the top shot ..what a beautiful animal.

Looks like a mini perentie as they occasionally have those spectacular blue/grey markings.

Can bandicoots be pests like possums in built up areas or do they shun all human contact?

I think bandicoots are only ground dwelling, so they don't get into roof spaces and whatnot from what I know.

They do tend to make your lawn look like the tee on a driving range, though.

 

[Beerfish]

They're around too, but not as common.

I'd like to see a Numbat.

Same here. In fact, that's what I thought you were talking about earlier. Trying to do too many things at once. One of their last few natural habitats is the Dryandra woodland near Cuballing. They're trying to put a rubbish tip right next to it in order to attract foxes, crows and feral cats.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Onya Cat.

Keep looking out for them and it is heartening to hear they still are around.

They are rather endearing creatures.

When I was a kid I liked to think of them as a tiny Komodo Dragon.

Since you have a healthy population, do you mind what me inquiring as to what suburb are in you in?

I remember my mum used to feed them raw eggs and cabbage (obviously not fussy eaters) and this never seem to bring about farty responses or cause harm in any way.

Also, it must be a generational thing re the name as bob-tail was mostly used in the 60's and 70's but blue-tongue is now
more commonly used.

I'm in Cockburn on 5 acres.

I think we called them both bob-tails and blue-tongues back in the olden days but I am a Victorian, so am not sure if that was what they were called here. Another name is shingleback.

I don't know exactly how many we have but I'd estimate there to be a few pairs.

Just make sure if you lift them up, you keep your fingers clear of their poop chute. Their poop stinks to high heaven and it's almost impossible to remove the smell from your hands!! *spew*

 

[Beerfish]

I'm in Cockburn on 5 acres.

I think we called them both bob-tails and blue-tongues back in the olden days but I am a Victorian, so am not sure if that was what they were called here. Another name is shingleback.

I don't know exactly how many we have but I'd estimate there to be a few pairs.

Just make sure if you lift them up, you keep your fingers clear of their poop chute. Their poop stinks to high heaven and it's almost impossible to remove the smell from your hands!! *spew*

Any other interesting wildlife on your property?

 

[LeakyValve]

I'm in Cockburn on 5 acres.

I think we called them both bob-tails and blue-tongues back in the olden days but I am a Victorian, so am not sure if that was what they were called here. Another name is shingleback.

I don't know exactly how many we have but I'd estimate there to be a few pairs.

Just make sure if you lift them up, you keep your fingers clear of their poop chute. Their poop stinks to high heaven and it's almost impossible to remove the smell from your hands!! *spew*

Sage advice.

With a diet of mulberries and strawberries, I would assume there would be some epic sharts!

 

[WCErevival]

If you want to see a bandicoot just go to Murdoch Uni. There are heaps running around the campus.

 

[Beerfish]

If you want to see a bandicoot just go to Murdoch Uni. There are heaps running around the campus.

Yeah a friend of mine used to live next door to Melville Glades GC and had them in his back yard quite often. Quite a few roos on that course too.

 

[Smeg Head]

Yeah a friend of mine used to live next door to Melville Glades GC and had them in his back yard quite often. Quite a few roos on that course too.

I live a suburb away from there and have had a young roo in my front yard so they occasionally get around.

 

[Beerfish]

I live a suburb away from there and have had a young roo in my front yard so they occasionally get around.

They'd be pretty isolated now with Roe Highway and such. The golf course would want to be looking after them. That all used to be scrub up to Jandakot airport and beyond.

 

[Smeg Head]

They'd be pretty isolated now with Roe Highway and such. The golf course would want to be looking after them. That all used to be scrub up to Jandakot airport and beyond.

Well it managed to get over at least 6 lanes of South St.

 

[ioppolo]

Wild Rabbits love the lookout area on Welshpool Rd in Lesmurdie.

 

[kane249]

For those who have been in the Melville area for awhile, anyone else remember the tale of Brenda Abattoir AKA the cow on the run?

 

[AAACockburn]

Scratching my head at the fish kill in Cockburn Sound and the top advice from "authorities" if the waters murky don't swim in it

Don't worry about it.

Just get the broom out and bury the mess under the rug.

Surely it will sort itself out and people will stop talking about it soon.

When you want a Clicktavist to jump onto a real subject to moan about.

They are never around.

 

[kfc1]

Well it managed to get over at least 6 lanes of South St.

Probably used the pedestrian overpass

 

[Teriyakicat]

Any other interesting wildlife on your property?

quenda- we used to have quite a few and they would come out in the evening and eat the chook food Not as many now but there was one living in my garage a few months ago, nicking food out of the bag of chook food that I'd put next to my car.
Snakes- brrrrr... the less said, the better!

The usual half dozen or so magpies. Used to be 14 but dwindled to about 4, there are now about 8, I think.

spiky lizards- I will see if I can find a photo
Plus the usual skinks and some little see-through lizard thing- don't know what it's called.

^^ sorry- typed this up ages ago and thought I'd posted it.

Yeah a friend of mine used to live next door to Melville Glades GC and had them in his back yard quite often. Quite a few roos on that course too.

I was talking to someone from Cockburn Council and they said that there's a bandicoot protection area just west of the airport land, or west of Berrigan Dr, near Lakes Way. We had a fox problem and he said they trapped them extensively through there, in order to protect their bandicoots.

As for roos, the whole Airport land is being cleared right up until a bit before its eastern boundary, apparently. Loads and loads of warehouses, etc. going in there. We used to have roos in our back yards, also rabbits all over the place but the roos are well gone and rabbits only right out the back. We've been here about 11 years I think and the roos were only around for a few early years. You can still see the odd dead roo on the side of Jandakot Rd near Warton Rd.

Unfortunately all that activity- plus the new development where the old quarry used to be- has also driven the snakes away... and into our homes.. in the last weeks of spring, I think we had 5 or 6 big dugites (5'+) between me and two of our neighbours, plus a few smaller skinny 3-footers. Last year I think we had 1, the previous year, no snakes. Well, that we saw, anyway.

 

[Beerfish]

see-through lizard thing

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Probably used the pedestrian overpass

 

[Teriyakicat]

Bahahaha!!!

You have to wonder if these things are fake, don't you? Very funny, though.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Like this:




They're little transparent geckos. Quite small and very cute.

 

[Teriyakicat]

For those who have been in the Melville area for awhile, anyone else remember the tale of Brenda Abattoir AKA the cow on the run?

Haha. Yes I do. Quite well! We lived in Bateman at the time and my kids were quite young. 15 or so years ago, maybe?

Truck dropped a load of cows on Leach Hwy- could not catch the last rebel cow for quite a few weeks. Helicopters, police cars, the works- she was being hunted like a common criminal.
By day she hunkered down in the wilderness that was Piney Lakes, by night she snuck out into the gardens of nearby residents and helped herself to some tasty morsels.

I have a feeling that they didn't end up turning her into steaks- she became quite famous in the local area, didn't she?