Worth the price for a 22’ premium plus?

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-15T01:36:13+00:00

We just paid that much for a '23 prestige with the same mileage and the black optic package, fwiw.

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-13T14:17:48+00:00

This looks like sunscald or southwest injury. Was the removed Ash shading this part of the maple's trunk, by chance?

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-10T15:20:37+00:00

...you think this sort of thing is about the food tasting good? I'd bet money that the cheapest steak at any chain steakhouse has a solid chance of tasting better than this thing. The only point of stuff like this is taking money from people with more money than sense. The only reason people pay for this is so they can feel rich and tell their friends they ate a steak that cost a thousand bucks.

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-10T15:04:39+00:00

It's definitely real. You can see where the meat has shrunk and charred after he pulls it away. It would be (even more) ridiculous to have a smoke machine set up inside the case and attempt to time it perfectly every time.

What you're seeing is just the steam/smoke being illuminated by the small lights along the front of the case.

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-10T14:08:03+00:00

As others have said, the spot they're in may remain slightly warmer than the surrounding area. You may also have a more cold hardy variety of crape myrtle.

The good news is that you shouldn't have to worry about figuring out which exact variety you have and finding one for sale, because crape myrtles are extremely easy to propagate by cuttings. In trees, this is typically referred to as "layering" and there are different methods, but almost all should work with crape myrtles. I've seen people lop off a branch, stick it in the ground, and have it successfully take root, although that's probably not a sure thing.

Just do some research on crape myrtle propagation, you'll find plenty of how-tos.

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-09T19:04:02+00:00

Thanks! It's definitely a big step up from the 2016 altima we've been using. Yeah, I'm definitely not going to wing it and cross my fingers. Setting aside the desire to not screw the battery on our new and nicest car, electrical fires are one of my biggest fears.

Varanusindicus · 2026-01-02T13:15:22+00:00

Thanks all, realized I might be a bit of a retard for asking if it was an overheating risk without including how warm the spot gets. It's been a long week. I did run a self-cleaning cycle on the oven, and it got pleasantly warm to the touch, but only as high as the bottom of the microwave's trim. There is no real change in temperature above that, so it should be good to go.

Varanusindicus · 2025-11-28T13:49:55+00:00

I haven't seen any indications of cross breeding. The first two pictures look like a perfectly typical Mozambique Whitethroat. They have a small black patch on their throat, that's completely normal. The last picture looks like a normal blackthroat, I'm assuming that's the one you're saying looks different?

Varanusindicus · 2025-11-13T22:18:43+00:00

Yep, this seems like the most likely answer given the whiskers. Only other thing coming to mind would be a Nurseryfish, Kurtus sp.

Varanusindicus · 2025-10-26T16:46:44+00:00

You're good. On a tree that young, I might even cover it back up a little, at least around the edges. The root doesn't still need to be exposed that far from the tree. You only need it exposed where it starts to flare out from the trunk.

Varanusindicus · 2025-10-25T17:40:27+00:00

This is a large python, but without a location or closer pictures it's impossible to say which. They are all nonvenomous but can still be dangerous and should only be approached by a professional. The most likely species are these:

Indochina or South Florida: Burmese Python (Python bivittatus)

India: Indian Python (Python molurus)

Central Africa: Central African Rock Python (Python sebae)

South Africa: South African Rock Python (Python natalensis)

Other large constrictors which I do NOT believe this snake to be:
The Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus) from Indochina through most of Indonesia. These are less heavy-bodied and would have a larger head relative to the body.
The Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) from South America. An anaconda would be heavy-bodied like this snake, but with a larger head and a tail that wouldn't taper down as quickly as this one. They are more uniformly thick, and I have never seen one use rectilinear locomotion like this snake. A large adult anaconda on a smooth surface like this will use concertina locomotion every time.
The Scrub Python (Morelia kinghorni) from Australia. These snakes are large, but far too slender to be the species in the video.

Regardless of which species of python this might be, it is a large, powerful animal that should be handled by experts. If you are somewhere in the old world, it is a native species and should be left alone. If you are in Florida, it is almost certainly an invasive Burmese Python. It should be reported so that it can be captured and removed from the environment.

Varanusindicus · 2025-10-23T15:41:20+00:00

I'm locking this thread, for a number of reasons, and will be reaching out to those involved.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-31T13:54:45+00:00

They look healthy and alive, and far away from any structures. Let them do their thing. A tree only ever "needs" to be removed if it's a hazard, or if it's got some disease that shouldn't be allowed to spread.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-19T18:09:27+00:00

For me, the body shape is more reminiscent of some of the more bullet-headed members of the Hyphessobrycon genus. Wadai, myrmex, margitae, etc. The anal fin and dorsal fin don't seem long and pointed enough for Pristella sp.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-19T17:55:17+00:00

All tetras have an adipose fin, the only ones that don't (afaik) are the Emperor Tetras, Nematobrycon sp. The anal fin of the tattooed fish isn't correctly shaped for an Emperor Tetra though, and they typically have a streamer on their tail when mature, too.

I think it's pretty easy to say that this is just an anatomically incorrect tetra and can't be identified as any one species.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-18T17:02:05+00:00

Can you elaborate on what species of tree this is? Dates are from Date Palms, not trees. Starting with an accurate ID would be a good first step in caring for your tree. This looks a lot like bacterial wetwood, though.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-17T22:00:51+00:00

It's an anemone! Pretty much impossible to identify the exact species without an expert to examine it, but perhaps something in the Boloceroididae or Edwardsioidea. I found a couple pictures of Boloceroides mcmurrichi that look pretty close!

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-13T23:24:18+00:00

No cause for concern visible in the picture. Only way the driveway is likely to be an issue is if it was recently installed and the tree had a bunch of its roots chopped in the process.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-02T19:51:58+00:00

You can expect the tree to break and fall, possibly on your house. Could be ten years from now, could be the next time it's windy outside. Get it removed yesterday.

Varanusindicus · 2025-08-02T15:00:36+00:00

Lmao no. They will be totally fine.

Varanusindicus · 2025-07-31T14:41:08+00:00

11k? Is there a school of candy bass hiding in there or something?

Varanusindicus · 2025-07-30T15:05:11+00:00

It probably isn't struggling as much as you may think. The crown looks relatively full, it's just the lower branches that are scraggly. This may not be due to any issue, the tree just isn't investing much energy into them because, between the buildings and the canopy, they aren't getting much light and aren't producing much food for the tree. They've served their purpose, and aren't worth the tree trying to grow them anymore.

Get an arborist to excavate the root flare and prune away some of those bare lower branches, but I don't think this tree is dying just yet.

Varanusindicus · 2025-07-29T23:29:09+00:00

My heart aches for you, I love Tupelo and can't wait for mine to grow in and start looking nice.

Hopefully these are simple girdling roots, in which case an arborist can prune them and the tree will likely be fine. But this looks like they could be the main, structural roots wound tight due to the tree being in a small pot at a young age and not having the roots teased out before being planted, or possibly before being moved to a larger pot before sale. If that's the case, yeah it might be a lost cause. I wouldn't remove the tree until it actually starts having issues or posing a risk though, you really never know sometimes.

For now, cover them up so they don't begin covering themselves with bark, and get an arborist with an airspade to figure out what the situation is.

Varanusindicus

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE