Creepy Crawlies and other cute critters
After a day at the mad house yesterday figured it was time for a bit of rest and relaxation. Nothing like a mug of coffee and some munchies to recover from the crazies. But the best medicine of all is a trip to the zoo for an hour or two. Had intended to visit last week but had to change plans.
Been a Zoo Friend for almost as long as being in Oz. Back in 1996 the adult entry price was $6 and the annual pass was $36. Now the respective prices are $22 and $80 but Izzie gets a discount for being a local. At one stage that literally meant living at the end of the side street directly opposite the entrance. Izzie's lurking ground back then was a first floor flat with a balcony being the only connection to the great outdoors so the zoo was the perfect garden spot. Would often just slink over with a book and sit under a tree or in the sunshine watching the squirrels and assorted wildlife that have adopted the place as their home.
Visiting for a couple of hours and looking at only a couple of critters instead of feeling the need to ‘Do the Zoo’ makes a massive difference to the experience of the place.
Izzie’s preference is for the little critters far from the maddening crowd rather than the usual suspects such as lions, giraffes and elephants. It is sad that humans have trashed the planet so much that it is not safe for the megafauna to lurk in their usual habitat but a zoo especially one so small as the local one is not much more than a prison in spite of the attempts to make the place look like home with all the plants, rocks and stuff. At least the little critters do not have the lack of space infringing on their usual behaviour in the wild.
Made it to the nocturnal house and that was for the first time in nearly a year. Could not believe just how much has changed in there. The big attraction is the spooky beautiful and very graceful ghost bats but then there are other cuties such as cane toads, assorted ratty furry things and the giant cockroach, centipedes, tarantulas and the frogs in the toilet. But the toilet was gone as well as the cockroach. In their place was a very pretty creature that could only be described as a Hufflepuff python. Stunningly beautiful with its black and yellow patterned scales which were so rough that even without touching you could see that it could not possibly be slimy.
One of the ghost bats was munching on a very tiny dead mouse while another just flapped around before landing and wrapping its wings around itself like some oversized pale white cloak. Was hoping there’d be some ghostie babies but no luck this time.
No visit to the zoo would be complete without a visit to the reptile house. There are tiny baby radiated tortoises sunning themselves under little heat lamps, a very vivid green iguana that almost looks fake and the Pilbara death adder with its wormy glow in the dark tail. The biggest and fattest of the bunch is the reticulated python who is looking the worst for wear lately. Rather like a large lump of rubber tyre. Her scales are now a dull shade of blobbish black grey and there are big wrinkle marks on the first third of her body. She’ll be dumping that old coat any day now and it will be wonderful to watch the amazing transformation. No yawns today just the odd hiss and flick of that forked tongue. Got to love a zoo where the reticulated python is called Cuddles and a koala is called Medusa
The two tiger snakes were rather less laid back. They were entwined and doing what could only be described as some sort of tango. It looked suspiciously like it could be a session of snake baby making.
Even the big cats were putting on a bit of a show. Two male lions standing side by side like best of mates while the lady lion looked rather bored with the pair of them. The cheetah had come out of hiding and even the hyenas were strutting about instead of slinking off into corners where they could remain unseen
Guess word gets around very quick one the witching hour of 3pm has passed and most of the wee human beasties have left the premises. The zoo is like a most peaceful garden of Eden in the middle of the city at that time of day.
Last visit two weeks ago was around 2pm and it was much busier. Kept away from the crowds and paid a visit to the cassowary and tree kangaroos in a quiet corner. Hardly anyone seems aware of them or interested in their existence. Tree kangaroos are adorably gorgeous and look rather like teddy bears with tails or like oversized brown and gold possums.
Next week is the school holidays so resisted the temptation of returning to the Lair on the two hour bus ticket. Was so so glad to have gone to the zoo instead. It is such a relaxing and magical way to switch from work mode to play.
Aside from the occasional special visit to the reptile house for the 11am keeper talks where they let people pat the snakes, normally zoo visits are reserved for afternoons after work.
Next time will want to check on the reticulated python’s new technicolour dream coat and the very cranky Tassie devils. Izzie has a rather unorthodox view of what is cute and cuddly which is just as well because it is nearly always quiet in the corners we choose to visit.
Been a Zoo Friend for almost as long as being in Oz. Back in 1996 the adult entry price was $6 and the annual pass was $36. Now the respective prices are $22 and $80 but Izzie gets a discount for being a local. At one stage that literally meant living at the end of the side street directly opposite the entrance. Izzie's lurking ground back then was a first floor flat with a balcony being the only connection to the great outdoors so the zoo was the perfect garden spot. Would often just slink over with a book and sit under a tree or in the sunshine watching the squirrels and assorted wildlife that have adopted the place as their home.
Visiting for a couple of hours and looking at only a couple of critters instead of feeling the need to ‘Do the Zoo’ makes a massive difference to the experience of the place.
Izzie’s preference is for the little critters far from the maddening crowd rather than the usual suspects such as lions, giraffes and elephants. It is sad that humans have trashed the planet so much that it is not safe for the megafauna to lurk in their usual habitat but a zoo especially one so small as the local one is not much more than a prison in spite of the attempts to make the place look like home with all the plants, rocks and stuff. At least the little critters do not have the lack of space infringing on their usual behaviour in the wild.
Made it to the nocturnal house and that was for the first time in nearly a year. Could not believe just how much has changed in there. The big attraction is the spooky beautiful and very graceful ghost bats but then there are other cuties such as cane toads, assorted ratty furry things and the giant cockroach, centipedes, tarantulas and the frogs in the toilet. But the toilet was gone as well as the cockroach. In their place was a very pretty creature that could only be described as a Hufflepuff python. Stunningly beautiful with its black and yellow patterned scales which were so rough that even without touching you could see that it could not possibly be slimy.
One of the ghost bats was munching on a very tiny dead mouse while another just flapped around before landing and wrapping its wings around itself like some oversized pale white cloak. Was hoping there’d be some ghostie babies but no luck this time.
No visit to the zoo would be complete without a visit to the reptile house. There are tiny baby radiated tortoises sunning themselves under little heat lamps, a very vivid green iguana that almost looks fake and the Pilbara death adder with its wormy glow in the dark tail. The biggest and fattest of the bunch is the reticulated python who is looking the worst for wear lately. Rather like a large lump of rubber tyre. Her scales are now a dull shade of blobbish black grey and there are big wrinkle marks on the first third of her body. She’ll be dumping that old coat any day now and it will be wonderful to watch the amazing transformation. No yawns today just the odd hiss and flick of that forked tongue. Got to love a zoo where the reticulated python is called Cuddles and a koala is called Medusa
The two tiger snakes were rather less laid back. They were entwined and doing what could only be described as some sort of tango. It looked suspiciously like it could be a session of snake baby making.
Even the big cats were putting on a bit of a show. Two male lions standing side by side like best of mates while the lady lion looked rather bored with the pair of them. The cheetah had come out of hiding and even the hyenas were strutting about instead of slinking off into corners where they could remain unseen
Guess word gets around very quick one the witching hour of 3pm has passed and most of the wee human beasties have left the premises. The zoo is like a most peaceful garden of Eden in the middle of the city at that time of day.
Last visit two weeks ago was around 2pm and it was much busier. Kept away from the crowds and paid a visit to the cassowary and tree kangaroos in a quiet corner. Hardly anyone seems aware of them or interested in their existence. Tree kangaroos are adorably gorgeous and look rather like teddy bears with tails or like oversized brown and gold possums.
Next week is the school holidays so resisted the temptation of returning to the Lair on the two hour bus ticket. Was so so glad to have gone to the zoo instead. It is such a relaxing and magical way to switch from work mode to play.
Aside from the occasional special visit to the reptile house for the 11am keeper talks where they let people pat the snakes, normally zoo visits are reserved for afternoons after work.
Next time will want to check on the reticulated python’s new technicolour dream coat and the very cranky Tassie devils. Izzie has a rather unorthodox view of what is cute and cuddly which is just as well because it is nearly always quiet in the corners we choose to visit.