Holy cow. Man U aussies have got things we only read about in books. Totally cool. Though there are mt. Lions in ILLINOIS. My wife saw one on an overpass out in the country. And two wandered into Chicago and came to a bad end.
I’m glad they still exist here. Not glad to ever meet one.
Mountain Lions - don’t know what I would do if I ever met one of them either! Was talking with my aunt about what we do when we meet highly venomous snakes which is… wait for them to slither off. Mostly they’re not interested in us.
I also hoped I would see a moose in North America, but I didn’t. I did see a chipmunk and that was SUPER COOL.
we have only porcupines here in the states and if one walks on your foot you wisely tell him he can have it if you can keep the rest of the leg. tell us more of your adventures. thank you.
Yeah that was me. “Oh, you want my foot? Fine. Sit on it. Sit on it as long as you like as long as you don’t spike me.” Actually, the echidna’s underside was very soft.
The thing I was scared of, in the States, was bears. Not that I saw one, but… I wasn’t quite sure what to do if I did see one, whereas I know for Australian animals what to do. The only “scary” native creature I saw was a turkey, which leaped out of the trees, fluffed up its tail, and gobbled at me. All the hotel staff laughed when I described how I high tailed it away from the turkey. 🤣
The echidna looks more like the one I photographed at Freycinet Peninsula in 2012 than the one I photographed at Brunswick Heads in 2010, which is not surprising given the location of your humble abode.
My kids think she likes me. I hope it’s true. Certainly, not in the least scared of me, and if anything, quite curious and happy. Did get slightly taken aback when she climbed in the herb pot - I guess there must be ants there too…
I live in the panhandle of Florida, one giant anthill. My earliest memory was from about 3-yrs-old and unaware that I was stepping on a hill of fire ants. It was my first trip to an emergency room. She would be very welcome here!
When one is a small child and is standing in the ant bed for a minute before realizing where her feet landed, the entire ant hill has swarmed upwards. My even younger brother had the wherewithal to take my hand and lead me back to our grandparents home a few blocks away, screaming and covered in biting ants from head to toe. Needless to say, I'm always on the lookout.
OH MY GOODNESS. What a traumatic experience! Awful ants. I did once get bitten on the butt by a bull ant - it hurt - but it was just one. I’d accidentally sat on their nest (I was 13 or so). Really I was lucky just to get bitten by one!!??
They dig in our lawn, mainly - but we had to fence the vegie gardens to keep them (and the rabbits) out. They dig these deep but narrow holes, really just big enough to stick their noses in.
Holy cow. Man U aussies have got things we only read about in books. Totally cool. Though there are mt. Lions in ILLINOIS. My wife saw one on an overpass out in the country. And two wandered into Chicago and came to a bad end.
I’m glad they still exist here. Not glad to ever meet one.
Mountain Lions - don’t know what I would do if I ever met one of them either! Was talking with my aunt about what we do when we meet highly venomous snakes which is… wait for them to slither off. Mostly they’re not interested in us.
I also hoped I would see a moose in North America, but I didn’t. I did see a chipmunk and that was SUPER COOL.
It sat on your foot! This tale just gets better and better!
I couldn’t believe it. The underside of the echidna is actually quite soft. It didn’t scratch me (which is what I was a bit afraid about!).
Hands down the best story I’ve read on here in a while. Bravo for ur brave foot.
We need more stories and pixs plz.
Wonderful. Ty
we have only porcupines here in the states and if one walks on your foot you wisely tell him he can have it if you can keep the rest of the leg. tell us more of your adventures. thank you.
Yeah that was me. “Oh, you want my foot? Fine. Sit on it. Sit on it as long as you like as long as you don’t spike me.” Actually, the echidna’s underside was very soft.
The thing I was scared of, in the States, was bears. Not that I saw one, but… I wasn’t quite sure what to do if I did see one, whereas I know for Australian animals what to do. The only “scary” native creature I saw was a turkey, which leaped out of the trees, fluffed up its tail, and gobbled at me. All the hotel staff laughed when I described how I high tailed it away from the turkey. 🤣
This is magical! Thank you for sharing
The echidna looks more like the one I photographed at Freycinet Peninsula in 2012 than the one I photographed at Brunswick Heads in 2010, which is not surprising given the location of your humble abode.
Roughly what area are you in Katy? I haven't seen any echidnas around Box Hill. Though a few foxes, which isn't really the same!
We have lots of foxes too. I’m in Eltham area. I used to live in Box Hill—actually I was born there—and I never saw an echidna there!
Wonder of the world right in your yard. This story is a stress reliever. I like to think she was making a new friend.
My kids think she likes me. I hope it’s true. Certainly, not in the least scared of me, and if anything, quite curious and happy. Did get slightly taken aback when she climbed in the herb pot - I guess there must be ants there too…
I live in the panhandle of Florida, one giant anthill. My earliest memory was from about 3-yrs-old and unaware that I was stepping on a hill of fire ants. It was my first trip to an emergency room. She would be very welcome here!
YOWCH!!!! I gather they’re painful. We have these big ants about half an inch long called bull ants - they do hurt, but not enough to go to emergency.
When one is a small child and is standing in the ant bed for a minute before realizing where her feet landed, the entire ant hill has swarmed upwards. My even younger brother had the wherewithal to take my hand and lead me back to our grandparents home a few blocks away, screaming and covered in biting ants from head to toe. Needless to say, I'm always on the lookout.
OH MY GOODNESS. What a traumatic experience! Awful ants. I did once get bitten on the butt by a bull ant - it hurt - but it was just one. I’d accidentally sat on their nest (I was 13 or so). Really I was lucky just to get bitten by one!!??
I guess bull ants move slowly, but fire ants move at the speed of light.
How adorable!!
We've had generations of bandicoots living in our yard, who intermittently get very friendly with my wife. But your echidna trumps that!
My aunt was telling me bandicoots dig up her seedlings! We have antechinus as well, but no bandicoots.
They dig in our lawn, mainly - but we had to fence the vegie gardens to keep them (and the rabbits) out. They dig these deep but narrow holes, really just big enough to stick their noses in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quenda
OMG @Nika Scothorne