# Pictures from the Ponderosa.



## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Since I have tried multiple times and had issues posting several pics at one time I'll post them a few at a time. Thought I would share some of the other animals around the farm.
Taffy is our 12 year old Calico Tabby cat, She was adopted after Hurricane Katrina along with another Cat Cushie, Their owner was killed during the storm and we adopted them from a one of the shelters. Cushie passed three years ago from a Tumor on his Kidney that couldn't be removed. 
Dixie is our 4 year old female Sulcatta Tortoise, Spike is a 13 year old Bearded dragon, and Dozer is a 2 year male Sulcatta. Dixie was adopted two years ago from a owner that couldn't give her the proper care and gave her to us because they knew we had Dozer. 
All three of the snakes were also adopted from a keeper that had to thin their collection due to hard times and couldn't afford to feed them due to loss of job. The Albino King was just re-homed this week to my daughter for Christmas. She's handled snakes since the age of 6 and she ask me for it for Christmas. So I'm sure it will have a good home, and if she can't take care of it knows it can come back here. The reverse California King and the corn snake are both up for adoption but will stay here until I can find someone that can properly care for them.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Where are you located?


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Hammond, Louisiana


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Here are some pics of the indoor tanks. ^ gallon Nano planted shrimp tank, 150 gallon South American Cichlid tank, 65 gallon Lake Tanganyika tank, and 75 gallon Goldfish tank, along with some close ups of some of the fish.


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Our Dogs, Cujo, is an adopted/rescued Leonburger mix. Drake is our male Chocolate Lab. One of the few four legged animals on the farm we didn't rescue. Drake was purchased when we tragically lost Johnny our other male Labrador shortly after we moved to the Cabin. Sadie is a black pug was adopted this year. She is blind and seven years old and needs special care. Her original owners had health issues and could care for her any longer. We also have a Chow mix breed that is actually my sons but he stays here with us because my son can't have dogs where he lives right now. Sorry I couldn't get a pic of Butch to down load so I'll have to try again later.


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Here are some of our flock of chickens. We only have one rooster right now. 16 hens. several different varieties.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You've got quite the menagerie!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Neat animals and such, LOL


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

That's quite a feed bill ya got going there!  Nice pics


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

NyGoatMom said:


> That's quite a feed bill ya got going there!  Nice pics


 Thank you, and yes, You can say that again! LOL Total food and medical cost for 2013 was almost $6000, energy bills are about the same. Thank goodness for farm tax breaks! 
BTW, the best pics are still to come, IMO IF I can get them to load up.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Wow! That's a good chunk o' change! I think we average 5,000 a year...but I have no idea about the energy costs...but we are not tax exempt 

Looking forward to more pics


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

This is the front entrance of the farm. We have 18 acres, The front yard has a 1.5 acre pond, The side of the farm has a small river/stream that flows the entire length of the west side of the property. There are a total of 10 ponds on the property which is where the name Ponderosa originates from. Well that and I was a huge Michael Landon, Bonanza and Little house on the Prairie fan. The barn and fenced in area's are all in the back and are one the back 5-6 acres. Our home is a modest 2000 sq ft log cabin we purchased in 2011 after I retired from working in the Oil and gas industry after 15 years in the Gulf of Mexico. My wife and I have five children, 7 grandchildren. So this is our retirement home so to speak. The kids love to ride the trails along the woods on the 4 wheelers, fishing in the front pond, and of course helping Pappy feed and water the animals when they come over.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Very pretty


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Uhhh.....excuse me while I wipe my chin :drool:


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

The first three pics were taken when we first purchased the Cabin, The next pictures are of the front yard taken this fall.


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

So here are some pics around the front, most of these are the Lily/Butterfly koi pond. Looking from the front of the house this is the pond on the right. It's 8,950 gallons, 38" deep in the center and aprox. 21' across on average. This pond runs off of a Bog filtration system which uses plants to help filter the water.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

B-r-e-a-t-h-t-a-k-i-n-g!! What a beautiful Koi pond


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

This is some of the True Japanese Koi we use for parent stock and for showing. These are kept in the pond to the left, This pond is 10,500 gallons. 20' x 17' and a average depth of 5.5' deep and is run off of state of the art filtration designed by Zac Peen of Deep water innovations. Zac helped design the filtration system to handle keeping almost double the capacity of fish that I presently have to allow for their growth, and to accommodate spawning in case I miss a female that is ready and don't get her moved it out in time.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Omgoodness...those are beautiful fish  You have an awesome set up!


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Finally, this is some of our baby koi from last year. We produced our first planned spawn and raised them for resale. The farm produced a total of 1200 Koi after culling, We kept a total of 30 to raise for larger size koi for this spring.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

Gorgeous!!!!!


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Earlier last month I had someone come in and dig the newest pond for the property, It's 145' long, 45' wide, and 7 feet deep. This will be used to raise the grow outs from this years harvest. We also took a good bit of the dirt from the dig and added it to the goat enclosure to help give them more area in case of low land flooding like we had the first year here after the tropical storms. It also allowed me to plant some grazing grasses for he goats during our mild winters. The final picture in this group shows a view from the back of the barn, The new pond is well past the catfish pond you can see in the pen with the goats. The new pond is in the background well back by the wooden fence.


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Our two newest arrivals 12noon 12-31-13 No names yet and not handled. We are letting Sweetie tend to them right now. Mother and kids are doing well and we will go weigh them and sex them later this afternoon. Give them a good check out. sweetie is skittish and we thought it was best to let her feed and clean on her own on this set. 
Our 3 week olds Precious and Rolly Pollie were in a posing mood, so had to add their pictures again.


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## Emzi00 (May 3, 2013)

Beautiful! Soooo cute!
If you want the kids very friendly, handle them a lot later today. The window for imprinting is about 48 hours after birth.


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

Thank you! Oh yea, we will be handling them for sure. The first two have been being handled daily since they were born. I try and spend as much time in the stable with mom and kids as I can make time to and try and hold them and get them very use to us.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Oh my! Super cute! Love how the last 2 posed in exact mirror image!


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

WOW you have one beautiful place! I believe you are on the KOI forum, well, goat keeper/fish keeper, I can relate!


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## fishin4cars (Dec 26, 2013)

The last two are getting lots of personality, they were full of themselves today and were most definitely posing. Yes, I'm on a few Koi forums.


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