After a two-year quarantine period, the turtles finally have their own new habitat! The turtles’ owners sold their house, and over the last two years of construction on the new home, their fish and turtles were living in my quarantine facilities. At the old house, the turtles lived in the koi pond. However, this time …
As outside temperatures move from the sublime to the ridiculous, more people will be spending time in and around their pools and ponds. Hazards such as drowning are frequently addressed in the media. However, there is another potential danger to people working and playing outside: bites from venomous snakes. A primer on snakes and snake …
The benefits of place-based learning Thanks to millions of years of the evolution of our species, humans are innately drawn to aquatic environments. Every major civilization this world has ever seen has relied on water for sustenance, agriculture, protection, transportation, economics and the survival of its people. Our pre-human australopithecine ancestors were aquaphiles, too — …
Every time I am contacted for help on a project that involves an animal exhibit—bears, moose, ostriches, big cats, alligators—I get a bit excited. It’s probably the kid inside me who grew up in the country trying to catch any critter I could get my hands on. (Who knew porcupines could climb trees?) My parents …
Water Feature Construction for Exotic Animal Habitats Read More »
When we started Backyard Getaway in 2004, we knew we wanted our business to be community minded. Giving back and helping local nonprofits was important to us. We held yearly pond tour fundraisers and hosted moonlight socials to benefit our favorite nonprofits. >> See the related sidebar to this feature article, “Exotic Animals’ Home Away …
Exotic Animal Sanctuary Gets Duck and Turtle Pond Read More »
A regulation dog-jumping pond — what even is that? I certainly knew nothing about until I happened upon this opportunity by chance. My neighbor who sold us our German Shepherd posted on social media that she had ordered an above-ground pool so that she could offer dog jumping to her boarding clients and possibly host …
The act of pond keeping is a powerful thing, with an appeal that is broad and deep. Pond keeping can mean many different things to as many different pond keepers. We all have our own reasons for keeping a pond. As a pond professional, I tend to lean toward the romantic side of ponds when …
Water gardening and the entire experience of having one can become a passion, if not an obsession. It can consume a person’s thinking to the point that some non-water gardeners might question the person’s sanity. (To be clear, we who have this passion would never question it!) So, what makes the hobby so pleasurable? For …
I remember my mother refusing to get me a turtle as a pet after hearing that they could transmit salmonella. (She probably had no idea at the time that they can also transmit Hepatitis B.) She also told me not to touch the ducks in the neighborhood lake. She probably had heard that they can …
Community Spread of Algae Contributes to Antibiotic Resistance Read More »
We water gardeners generally enjoy seeing nature and the ecosystems that surround us. Adding a water garden to a landscape is a great way to add more nature that is up-close and personal. While many enjoy the sound of water and others are drawn to the beauty of waterlilies and fish, there are other ways …
Natural Ponds Attract Wildlife to Your Water Garden Read More »