Our Desert Critters - in and around Joshua Tree
The desert is home to numerous varieties of wildlife from the tiniest of insects to big horn sheep, coyotes and Bobcats, and yes, lizards too.
This is a 7-inch Desert Gecko sitting atop the kitchen counter with a pair of US 25 cent coins.
It wasn’t very difficult capturing the little critter. I set ‘em in a plastic box for about 30 minutes, allowing it to settle down while I fiddled with camera settings.
These guys are a bit delicate. If you hold onto its tail, you very likely will see the critter scampering away from you while you’re still holding onto it’s wiggling severed tail.
Did the bunny survive?
Hi Branson…
Truth be to point and according to photographer Charlie… NO. And, bunny will not be eating Charlie’s plants either.
–BF
Thanks for the reply. Bunnies vs. Plants?
We all love both species that share our planet. Here is how I have dealt with the problem. It has taken me 11 years to understand exactly sort of plants will survives droughts, floods, funky climate anomalies and hungry bunnies.
Everybody I know comments on my landscape. It is certainly nothing fancy… just a selection of the right plants. I water my plants sometimes. Maybe twice a year. No bunny problems.
Bunnies vs Plants…
If we all “planted” rock gardens there’d be no need to worry about water or the critters.
The critters will take advantage of what ever we plant with certain exceptions… like rocks, dead branches of anything and similar non-productive goodies.
Jackrabbits seem to love poisonous oleanders…creosote… Cottontails shun ‘em. Cottontails will eat Texas Sages, mesquite tree saplings and hanging branches, red-yucca, beaver tail cactus… and the list goes on. This is especially true during prolonged droughts and our winter seasons. And, this “spring” there is no dandelions, or other seasonal flowering plants or native grasses for them to munch on so they go for what ever is available. In fact, my rescued tortoise (now 5 yrs old) has no native foliage to munch on… only store bought stuff.
I put out a mix of birdseed and rabbit pellets in about 4 or 5 distant locations from my “garden” along with a low-boy ground level birdbath for water. The critters tend to stay away from my “garden”… with exception of the Jacks messing with my oleanders and cultivated creosotes.
Wire cages around some plants works too, but not a good sight to be looked upon. So, we take what ever measures are available to thwart total destruction and yet provide some kind of landscaping interest.
–BF
I guess I could plant rocks and eliminate all that nonsense.