Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Happy Mother's Day from the animals and me! I decided to post this picture in honor of all the great mothers out there! These are our gorgeous Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. They happen to be the only true mothers at the reserve. They have had over two hundred little roaches this year and counting. The babies if you look closely look like watermelon seeds! Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches live only in Madagascar and live up to 3 years. They make interesting pets and if you are not careful they multiply like crazy!

What pet best fits you?

A lot of people ask me what pet would best fit them. Although this is a very general question sometimes it is not that easy to answer. There are a lot of different factors to look at before you attain a new pet. Your work schedule, space, time, budget, etc. Throughout this week and next I am going to be profiling different species of animals and pairing them with the best possible pet owner.    

If you

·         Work fulltime

·         Have very minimal space

·         Can devote 10-15 minutes on a daily basis

·         Feed frozen/thawed mice and rats every 7-10 days

·         Have always wanted a python….

The Ball Python just might be the perfect pet for you. These small African pythons grow between 4-5 feet long. They can be kept in 30-55 gallon aquariums and are very little maintenance. They also have very docile personalities when frequently held. They only eat every 7-10 days and only poo once a week! What a pet! Matter of fact my very first pet snake was a Ball Python! They are a great beginner reptile and have fascinating personalities.

I would recommend only captive bred animals. I would also look into checking out your local herpetological society’s rescue/adoption network before purchasing an animal.

Invasive species

I absolutely LOVE receiving your pictures! This was sent by Annie from Miami, Florida. Now I was a little confused when I first saw it. I didn't know if Annie knew that this was a reptile site not a flower site! As I looked closer though I could see a very familiar face...a Green Iguana! Look at this little guy's amazing bright green coloration. Now this picture was taken right outside Annie's backyard in South Beach. There is only one problem. Green Iguanas are naturally found in Central and South America (NOT in Miami). Unfortunately Green Iguanas have been living in Florida for several years now due to irresponsible pet ownership. These pet owners released their unwanted iguanas into the wild and now the iguanas have established themselves very well in Florida's climate. Green Iguanas are notorious for competing with other species of reptiles, birds, and even mammals. Make sure if you own animal that you no longer can take care of, please contact your local humane society.

A day at the beach

Every day is a day at the beach for one of my favorite reptiles: the Green Sea Turtle (at least for this one at Sea World). These magnificent marine reptiles can be found in the tropical/ sub tropical areas of the world in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They feed primarily on various species of sea grasses in shallow lagoons. Just like other sea turtles, Green Sea Turtles migrate long distances between their feeding grounds and where they were hatched.

Like all the sea turtles, Green Sea Turtles are facing serious threats out in the wild from pollution, harvesting for their shells, meat, and eggs, and from habitat loss. They are considered endangered and are protected throughout their range.

Scooter in the summer time

With all this nice weather about to come into Meridian, Idaho I decided to share with you a picture of Scooter our Green Iguana. This was actually taken last summer by my phone (I had it as my wallpaper forever). In the summer time the majority of my animals get to enjoy the outdoors in specially made exhibits soaking up the natural sun rays as much as they want. This happens to be Scooter's favorite rock! He LOVES sitting atop this big rock and bobbing his head up and down. When he bobs his head up and down he is telling every other lizard and animal that "This is his territory." As the day progresses when he is in his outdoor exhibit, he even turns darker from the sun's rays. This is when Scooter is in his prime! I just cannot wait for summer!