How Gardens Have Changed.

[Mups]

New garden new creatures, lots of different birds, crows, mating pairs of blackbirds. Doves, Robins, Pigeons, lots of great tits, squirrels, frogs no sparrows, I like sparrows,  21 koi fish.

Sounds lovely, Vlad, especially the Frogs.    I would love to have those. Haven't seen any in years.
I wouldn't know how to look after all those Koi,  but I'd be happy to encourage the birds.  
Have you seen any signs of Rats this year?    I've had the damn things here.

I remember several years ago my oldest dog went outside for her bed time wee,  and when she came back in she looked awful.   She was literally foaming at the mouth,  shaking,  and her eyes looked peculiar.  She really scared me.
Then I remembered the big Toad I had seen near the back door that morning. He must have come back and she probably grabbed it, and toad skin can emit a nasty toxic substance.   
She looked so ill, so quickly.  I phoned the vet for advice even though it was late at night,   and he said its only the foreign toads, like Cane toads, that kill,  and very quickly too,  often within 15 mins! 

Luckily I remembered something from the archives of my mind about milk being an antidote. I bathed her nose, and lips, and poured some in a small bowl for her to drink to hopefully soothe her tongue and throat,  and do you know what -  it did.   It was like a miracle.  I could have wept.  
She slept with me that night so I could keep an eye on her and by morning she was back to normal. 
Telling you this  incase Fang ever touches one.

[Ruthio]

David Attenborough has a programme about gardens starting Easter Day BBC1 @ 6pm

[Vlad]

Sounds lovely, Vlad, especially the Frogs.    I would love to have those. Haven't seen any in years.
I wouldn't know how to look after all those Koi,  but I'd be happy to encourage the birds. 
Have you seen any signs of Rats this year?    I've had the damn things here.

I remember several years ago my oldest dog went outside for her bed time wee,  and when she came back in she looked awful.  She was literally foaming at the mouth,  shaking,  and her eyes looked peculiar.  She really scared me.
Then I remembered the big Toad I had seen near the back door that morning. He must have come back and she probably grabbed it, and toad skin can emit a nasty toxic substance. 
She looked so ill, so quickly.  I phoned the vet for advice even though it was late at night,  and he said its only the foreign toads, like Cane toads, that kill,  and very quickly too,  often within 15 mins! 

Luckily I remembered something from the archives of my mind about milk being an antidote. I bathed her nose, and lips, and poured some in a small bowl for her to drink to hopefully soothe her tongue and throat,  and do you know what -  it did.  It was like a miracle.  I could have wept. 
She slept with me that night so I could keep an eye on her and by morning she was back to normal.
Telling you this  incase Fang ever touches one.

Yep we did have rats when we moved in, but we laid out traps caught three not seen since...thanks for the info on toads.. I haven't seen my frog for a couple of days, I suspect he ended up as lunch  for either the koi or the crows.