January 4, 2014

My Goldfish are in an Abusive Relationship

For those of you that do not know, I have had my two goldfish (Midas the fantail and Jones the comet) for over four years. Neither of them are still gold, but that’s besides the point. I’m a very good fish mom, and I’ve done a lot of research over the years about how to take care of them (it’s not as easy and simple as I first thought). I actually spend a lot of time worrying about my fish, which has led to a recent attempt to fix an ongoing problem that has pretty much resulted in failure. What did I do wrong? We’ll get there.

In the Beginning…

When I got them, I was a senior in high school. Like any other brilliant teenager, I thought, “Hey! I should do something without thinking it through!” So I went out and bought Midas, my beautiful little fantail. Initially, my supplies consisted of a one gallon fishbowl and some food flakes. Ha! Naiveté! But when I got home with my new little fishy, I had no idea that he would be spending his first several days with me sitting at the bottom of his bowl, not moving much, and just generally hating life/the world. So, I decided he needed a real tank and room to swim.

I got a ten gallon aquarium and dressed it up with gravel and fake plants. In these first few days I did some basic research and discovered goldfish are actually just little poopers that need good filtering, so I got one of those too. [Note: I know I broke one of my own rules by not doing research until after I bought a pet, but what can I say about high school me? I didn’t really take anything seriously then.] Despite his new digs, though, Midas’s outlook on life did not improve much. He still just kinda hovered in a corner of the tank being depressed. So, I then decided he needed a friend. Enter Jones, stage left. They were roughly the same size (and actually grew pretty much in sync for about the first two years) and they were instant best friends. Every time I looked over at the tank, there they were, swimming around together. Ahhh those blissful times.

The Problem

They have grown quite a bit since I got them, but in those early days I had no idea that you are not supposed to keep a fancy breed with a faster-swimming breed because there isn’t a level playing field for food (and in turn, growth). So in the last year and a half or so, I started to notice that Jones was out-growing Midas quite significantly, and I was worried that Midas wasn’t getting enough food. To add to the problem, Jones interpreted his new physical prowess as permission to be a little jerk fish.

Jones had been getting worse and worse with how he treated his tank-mate. At first, I only noticed that their little games of tag (where one of them would swim up to the other one and bump him and then swim away) had become one-sided. However, it still seemed friendly. Jones would swim up to Midas and tap him and swim away. But as the size disparity grew, so did the harshness of their little game. I noticed more aggression on Jones’s part, mostly around feeding times at first, but then just any time he felt like it (and then just constantly). For a while now, I had been watching Jones just become awful as he constantly chased the slower-swimming Midas around the tank, pushing him into the sides and corners, and just overall harassment. The kicker? Midas seemed to take the abuse with a grin. On the off times when there was peace in the tank, he would still be by Jones’s side every second, and he even hid behind the larger fish when something happened to startle them. It was even a little cute how Jones got all protective when they were both hiding in a corner (because, well, fish hide all the time, when anything in the room moves).

My Solution

I had been dreading their behavior, and even more dreading separating them. To anyone else, this would seem like the ideal solution, but I didn’t exactly have the room/time/money for another tank set-up and I knew it just wouldn’t work with these two. You see, I go to school out of state, and twice a year I move my fish from Illinois to Missouri (and vise versa). Mostly we’ve kept them together in various temporary containers, but one time (after the aggression had started but before it got really bad) we moved them in two separate tupperware containers. Since the trip is over six hours, we leave the day before move-in after my parents get off work and spend the night in a hotel before moving in the next morning (because my parents also have to then turn around and make the drive back after helping me haul boxes and a heavy tank all morning). So anyway, we had the containers sitting next to each other in the hotel with the lids off. We kept laughing because it looked like Midas was going to try to jump over into Jones’s container. True fish love. A bromance for the ages (even though I have no idea if they are male or female, I just call them my boys).

So separation wasn’t the answer. If I did separate them, Midas would have gone back to his depression and would have needed another friend anyway. This past August, I did upgrade them to a 20 gallon tank hoping that would stem the worst of the fish bullying, but alas, it just gave Jones more room to chase Midas around. After all the watching and worrying and hair-pulling-out, I finally decided on an internal tank separator (the box specifically said it could be used for “separation needs due to breeding or aggressive fish”). It’s the perfect solution, right? Jones can’t physically abuse Midas, but they can still look at each other and be by one another. Well…

In Conclusion

I put the divider in three days ago. Now, every time I look at my tank, instead of the horrible chasing thing happening, all I see is Midas and Jones looking longingly and one another through the mesh. They are constantly swimming together next to the divider. I don’t think I’ve seen Midas move away from the divider other than to feed, except once to hide behind a plant when the tank lid wouldn’t close gently because it was stuck. Sometimes I could swear that they are having a conversation in some sort of fish language (and okay, I might be going a little bit crazy but that’s honestly what it looks like). It just breaks my heart to see them like this, but it will hurt either way. It’s one of those classic catch-22’s; I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t. So basically, their unhealthy/abusive relationship cannot be fixed. But on the bright side, at least this way they can’t physically attack each other (that is to say Jones can’t attack Midas).

So that’s the story of how my two goldfish are the best/worst friends and how they are driving me nuts. Maybe it’s just me being neurotic, maybe it’s the fact that I’ve had them so long, or maybe it’s just that I have no other pets here on campus away from the zoo, but I’m a little overly emotionally-invested in my fish. I know I will cry for days and days if anything happens to them. And now every day I get to watch them long to be together, knowing that I can never let them be together again. And on that depressing note, I’ll end this post and go look at cute pictures of baby animals instead of staring at my tank feeling sad.

Pictures to (hopefully) come soon! The tank is still a little dirty from Christmas break, but once I get it cleared up and figure out how to take good pictures through glass without a flash, I’ll post pics of their new arrangement. Also, if anyone wants to give free advice on new things to try, I’m all ears!

November 14, 2013

Our Cold Blooded Friends Part 2

In my previous post, Reptiles Revisited, I talked about leopard geckos, blue-tongued skinks, bearded dragons, and sulcata tortoises. This time, I’ll be talking about a few more of our herpetological friends: a Mali Uromastyx lizard, a Pacman frog, and our beloved Eastern Box turtles. As I mentioned previously, these aren’t the kind of pets that you would get to cuddle, but they are fun to interact with nonetheless, and they’re super interesting to observe.

Even as a child, I’ve always loved reptiles and amphibians. It was pretty much impossible for my mom to keep me from chasing after frogs and toads or whatever else I could find when we would go camping. She mostly let me play with the animals I found (and I’ve been peed on by more than a few frogs and toads), but the deal was I always had to put them back before we left. As a kid I didn’t realize the importance of not taking any animal from the wild, but I’m sure glad my mom tried to teach me about that. So I’ll say again: never ever take an animal from the wild. These animals are all available in pet stores and from breeders, so no excuses! Put them back when you’re done.

This picture shows a box turtle showing off its beautiful shell. The yellow coloration is much more vibrant in males. A quick trick to figuring out the sex is to look at the eyes; males have red eyes and females have yellow or brown colored eyes. Click on the picture to visit the turtlepuddle.org box turtle page.

This picture shows a box turtle showing off its beautiful shell. The yellow coloration is much more vibrant in males. Fun fact: males have red eyes and females have yellow or brown colored eyes. Click on the picture to visit the turtlepuddle.org box turtle page.

Eastern Box Turtle

These little fellows can be found all over North America in many different varieties and species. At the zoo, we have two Eastern Box turtles, so I’ll mostly be talking about those, but other breeds have mostly the same care information; however, you should always double-check the needs of the particular animal you are interested in because some types (like the Malayan and Chinese box turtles) have different needs that must be met to ensure a happy and healthy life. For the most part, turtles are not extremely difficult to keep as pets, but as with all animals, they require routine care and maintenance. Wild box turtles eat pretty much everything (plants, insects, carrion), but a balanced diet with appropriate vitamin supplements are a must for captive turtles. Another important consideration for keeping turtles as pets is their very long lifespans. It’s not uncommon for properly kept box turtles to live past 50 years. The commitment level for getting such a long-lived animal is on par with marriage, so make sure you’re able to provide 50 years of care before you get one. To start your research, check out turtlepuddle.org and anapsid.org’s box turtle page.

This info-graphic shows how box turtles box themselves up. These pictures come from the turtlepuddle.org’s box turtle page. Click on the picture to check out more of their information.

That being said, box turtles are really cool to have around. They’re just fun little animals. The two that we have, Jessie and Woody, are so used to being handled and held that it is sometimes hard to get them to box up in their shells for a demonstration when we do educational programs. Box turtles have a hinge on their bottom shell that allow them to completely close themselves off for protection from predators. When I started working with the turtles at the zoo, I was surprised how much they seemed to like being held. To my knowledge from talking to other turtle owners, it’s uncommon for turtles to be that enthusiastic about interacting with humans, but Jessie and Woody prove it’s possible for them to be absurdly tame pets. There is some debate among turtle enthusiasts about the benefits and risks of hibernation in captivity, but we do not hibernate our turtles in the winter, although I see that issue as more of a matter of personal taste for the pet owner.

Pacman Frog

This little guy is a pacman frog. These frogs are in the horned frog family, and it’s easy to see why since they have such pronounced eyes meant to stick up to see prey when the frogs are burrowed. Click on the picture to check out the pacman frog care sheet at reptilechannel.com.

I’ve always loved frogs even though, yeah, they are a bit slimy, but I don’t mind. As with all reptile and amphibian pets, it’s important to remember to wash your hands after handling them to prevent illness and bacterial contamination. But with frogs, I also recommend cleaning your hands before you hold them. Their moist skin is extremely sensitive, and bacteria on your hands could hurt them. Moderation is important, however, since I’ve seen quite a few people slather on a ton of hand sanitizer and reach for the frog. This is also not good because they can absorb the harsh chemicals into their skin and become seriously ill or die. Antibacterial soap and water are really all you need, and make sure to rinse and dry your hands thoroughly. It’s also not recommended to handle these animals more than necessary because it could stress them out, so it’s not the kind of pet to get if you want to hold them super often.

Keeping them isn’t overly difficult. Since they spend most of their time burrowed down waiting for food to pass them by, big enclosures aren’t necessary, and a 10 or 20 gallon tank with lots of moist substrate should be fine. They need a steady supply of crickets, a few mealworms, and occasionally extra treats like pinky mice or feeder fish. Feeding them can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing. These guys get their name for their unending appetite; dead specimens are routinely found in the wild trying to eat something larger than themselves. They have even been known to be cannibals if they get the chance, so these are definitely pets you want to keep by themselves. When they strike to eat, it’s really impressive, and admittedly, it was a little scary the first time I fed him. Needle nose pliers are what we use to get the food close but keep our hands as far as possible. These frogs have teeth and a powerful bite, and they can draw blood if they latch on to you. Fingers can look like worms, so it’s never a good idea to stick your fingers by their mouths. Keep in mind it’s a food thing for them; they’re not monsters trying to attack people, they’re just programmed to eat everything in sight. They can easily live up to 15 years or more if properly maintained, so make sure you’re ready to keep them for that long before you consider buying one. A few good places to find more information are the pacman frog care sheet and the pawnation page about different tank set ups.

This Mali Uromastyx has much more yellow that ours, but these lizards come in a wide range of colors from dark black with bright yellow to mostly brown. Click on the picture to check out uromastyxcare.com.

Mali Uromastyx

These lizards are really fun to watch. They tend to be pretty active, especially when they’re warmed up after a few hours in the morning. We haven’t really been taking the Mali to programs and events because he’s pretty fast, and he knows how to trick people into thinking he isn’t going to make a break for it by sitting very still and calm before he springs to action, often startling the unsuspecting person. These lizards definitely have distinct personalities, so you might not get one that’s such a little stinker, but then again you might, so be prepared to handle escape artists. Due to their active nature, they also require much larger living spaces, so take that into account as well. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, take the 15 year lifespan seriously before deciding to get one as a pet.

Since these animals are from the desserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East, they need a warm, dry environment to be happy. Somewhat surprisingly to non-biologists such as myself, Malis are mostly herbivores that can’t really handle more protein than a few crickets as a treat every once in a while. They mostly eat dark greens, peas, carrots, squash, seeds, fruits, and calcium rich veggies, so it’s not hard to get their food since it’s already at the grocery store, no extra trip needed! Always make sure the food it chopped up into pretty tiny bits since lizards don’t really chew. A few good places to start your Mali research are: uromastyx care page and uromastyx information page.

November 7, 2013

How Much Wood Would a Woodchuck Chuck if a Woodchuck Could Chuck Wood?

This photo really shows how cute these little guys are. The picture was taken by Melissa Farlow for the National Geographic’s website. Click on the picture to check out their info page!

This week I’m talking about another wild animal, so again, don’t just run out and try to get one. You need to be properly trained and licensed to handle and care for wild animals, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting topic! For starters, woodchucks (also known as groundhogs, marmots, and whistlepigs) are pretty darn cute. Just look at that little furry face! Pretty much everything they do is adorable. Chuckie, our little woodchuck, absolutely loves granola bars. They’re her favorite treat, so I like to bribe her every now and then to be cooperative when I try to pet her. She’ll tolerate my appreciation for her fur and squishy sides as long as she gets to chop away on one of those bars. It’s so fun to watch her eat them too. She’ll hold it in her front paws and nibble on it in much the same way a squirrel eats, which makes sense because woodchucks are the largest members of the squirrel family (yes, making them rodents too!).

Woodchucks have stout, pudgy bodies, but they aren’t really the solid fat (like humans), they have more of a squishy fat (like skunks, or really any animal good at squeezing through tight spaces). Their fur isn’t the softest, but it’s still an interesting thing to feel. Their tails are bristly and have really course fur, which is also an interesting texture.

In this photo you can see the bristly tail. The picture was taken by Phil Myers of the Museum of Zoology at the University of Michigan. Click on the picture to see the photo gallery at the University of Michigan’s BioKids website.

The Truth Behind the Myths

One thing a lot of people ask is whether or not woodchucks eat wood. The answer is no, they don’t actually eat wood, but since they are rodents, their front teeth grow continuously, so it is necessary for them to constantly wear down their teeth by gnawing on pretty much anything, including wood. They’ve also been seen eating bark in the early spring when their food sources still haven’t grown in yet (they are herbivores that mostly eat different grasses, leaves, berries, and occasionally insects when other food is less available). I’d like to point out, though, that bark is not actually wood, so this behavior doesn’t count as them eating wood.

Another thing not many people seem to know is exactly how far off Groundhog Day traditions are. Rational people already know that these animals have no affect on the weather, but not everyone is aware that woodchucks are still in hibernation on Groundhog Day. In fact, most tend to hibernate until late March or early April. The myth probably comes from people seeing groundhogs who have woken up too early going back into their burrows to finish hibernating until the weather improves. Interestingly enough, though, woodchucks in captivity or wild ones at the Southernmost areas of their natural range do not hibernate for as long or sometimes even not at all.

More information is available at the Animal Diversity Web’s woodchuck page, at the National Geographic’s groundhog info page, and at the University of Michigan’s BioKids critter catalog.

Okay, I just couldn’t resist another cute picture like this one. The photo was taken by Victor Loewen. Click on the picture to go to the Animal Diversity Web woodchuck page.

Chuckie’s Story

I would never advocate people caring for a wild animal when they have no idea what they’re doing. However, with the right skills, training, and experience, professionals can care for these animals very well. As a matter of fact, the owner and operator of the petting zoo, Deb Moreland, has a very high success rate for rehabilitating injured or orphaned wild animals. And so when a couple found a mother woodchuck that had been hit by a car, they knew to bring the babies to the farm if they were going to have a shot at surviving. While one of the babies died very soon after arriving, the little girl Chuckie was able to survive and grow. Unfortunately, being raised alone did not make Chuckie a good candidate for release into the wild. She lacks the skills necessary to surviving predators, finding food, and making adequate shelter by digging a burrow.

Should you find a wild baby woodchuck, and you don’t know what to do, first and foremost assess whether or not you have an orphan on your hands. In most cases, the mothers are nearby, and they are waiting for you to leave so that they can safely retrieve their babies. If you do know that the mother is either dead or hasn’t been around for several hours, then you should contact local wildlife rescue agencies. If you can’t get into contact with anyone, a good place for the basic information is here (orphanedwildlifecare.com).

I’m happy to report that Chuckie is still doing very well in these few years she has been at the farm. She is still a wild animal, though, so we do not allow strangers to pet or hold her, but we do take her to some educational events for people to observe. In the house, she has an enclosure where she spends most of her time, but she is occasionally allowed to roam around, provided one of us is available to watch and make sure she doesn’t get herself into trouble. She likes to go after the cats and bother the skunk, get into things, chew on whatever she can find, or just try to explore somewhere unsafe, so we do limit her free time to when we can keep everyone safe. Other than being such a trouble maker sometimes, she’s really fun to have around. She’s so smart and curious; watching her can give you a real appreciation for these wonderful animals.

October 31, 2013

Oh Deer!

Our deer, Grace, is in the middle, and the little fawn was rehabilitating as a rescue on the farm after his mother was killed in a car accident. The dog, Fella, just couldn’t resist getting in the picture too!

You might think that this post is going to be about how cute little Bambi is and how everyone should go out an get a deer, but you’d be wrong. This might be the first time I’m not recommending an animal for people to keep as pets. I’m basing that opinion on their comparatively wild personalities and the difficulties involved with keeping them. In addition to adequate (i.e. extremely fortified) housing for such a large animal, there are usually licenses and/or permits for keeping them depending on the local laws. Keeping white-tailed deer is beyond my personal skill set, and it will probably stay that way. Grace, out resident deer, can be more than a handful. Don’t get me wrong! Most of the time she is a sweetie, even though she does like to find trouble when she can. But the thing is, she can be a bit territorial, and so for my safety (and the safety of visitors) she is kept in a tall fenced-in area up by the house. Grace and I get along very well on opposite sides of the fence; she loves to lick the salty sweat off of my hands and to have me scratch her head. Years ago the fence was set up so that you had to go through her enclosure to get to the house. We learned the hard way that if a deer decides to dislike you, it can get pretty bad.

Don’t Get No Respect…No Respect at All

One misconception that almost everybody has is that deer are fragile little pushovers waiting to be hunted. This idea is so far from the truth. Deer go toe-to-toe with nature’s top predators on a daily basis, and yet there are still huge populations of these animals throughout North America. Deer would never have been able to survive and thrive were it not for their incredible speed, agility, strength, and a very tough attitude. This video might be hard to watch, so if you decide to skip it, I won’t tell. It is a great example of why you should never come between a doe and its fawn, and it shows that if the deer feels like it wants too, it can kick your sorry butt.

Okay. Now imagine being that dog. I can tell you from experience, it’s not fun and it will hurt a whole lot. That day when Grace got me cornered and started stomping me, I was really scared. It took me quite a while after that day before I could go up to her again. We still haven’t figured out why it happened (or why she randomly chooses people to hate, like Deb’s brother, who is out at the farm all the time), but I don’t take it personally. I know that she wasn’t really trying to kill me (although the thought did pass through my mind!) because she could have done so much more damage if she had really wanted to hurt me. Luckily, I got away with a few bruises and a wounded pride, but I got the chance to see first-hand how powerful these animals really are.

Gimme the Run Down

This is a size comparison between an adult buck and a 6 foot tall human. For more cool deer facts, click on the picture to check out the National Geographic’s “White-Tailed Deer” page.

In order to truly appreciate these magnificent creatures, you have to recognize that they are so much more than just fragile little fawns. Adult white-tails generally grow to around 6 to 7 1/2 feet tall, and they consist of between 100 and 300 pounds of muscle. And yet, the image that comes to mind is one of gentle grazers peacefully prancing along in the fields, flicking their bright white tails, and batting their huge dark eyes. And I’m not saying the “pretty” image isn’t true, but it’s not a complete picture. I love deer so much more now that I know how powerful they are underneath all that graceful beauty. I love watching Grace prance around the yard, and the best parts are at dawn and dusk when she gets extra frisky and just runs around the enclosure in such an impossibly stunning way. Sometimes, if you blink, you might miss her passing by. Deer can run up to 30 mph, so it can get a little hard to keep track of where she is in the enclosure.

Even though Grace still only loves me if I am outside her fence, I have developed a love for deer alongside my healthy respect for them. In the fields and wooded areas surrounding the farm, it’s fun to watch herds of wild deer (from a very very safe distance!) scamper around as the sun sets. In the winter, we’ll go out and look for the antlers that the bucks have shed since they grow a whole new set every year. These incredible animals truly deserve our respect and admiration. Learn all about them at the National Geographic’s website or on the Nature Works website.

A quick note on hunting:

This photo really shows off the deer’s natural beauty, but you can also see the powerful muscles of its body. The photo comes from the Nature Works website. Click on the picture to check out more of their deer info!

I, personally, do not hunt. That being said, I see it as more of a personal choice. I do not respect “for-the-sport” hunters who are only after a trophy, but I do respect hunters who process the animal and make use of all the parts instead of being wasteful. In my opinion, there is nothing inherently wrong with hunting if it is done in the most humane way possible with respect given to the animal’s life and body (which, to me, includes not letting the body go to waste). I’ve tried deer, and it is actually pretty tasty if prepared well.

Sadly, deer populations are out of control in most of the country, which I trace back to the wolves being driven out. And so now, many people die or become injured by deer due to run-ins with cars from overpopulation. In fact, more people die as a result of deer than of sharks each year. Efforts to control the deer populations (for the safety of people and health of the animals) are usually handled on a local level so that counties can respond to changes in deer population patterns. Illegal poaching, deer baiting, or just unfair/cheating hunting practices are not ever solutions to the problem. Necessary population culling should always be done legally and with the animals’ best interests in mind.

October 24, 2013

Finely Feathered Friends

This is a photo of an Indian peacock displaying his familiar but exotic tail. The photo comes from the San Diego Zoo’s website. Click on the picture to check out their pictures!

When we had some time in between travelling and taking care of the animals, I like to go out to the peacock house to look at the fancy birds that live there. That is where we house the peafowl, the golden pheasant, and a few other odd birds (like the fancy pigeon and a few more of the silkie chickens). Peafowl is a collective term for peacocks, peahens, and peachicks. Right now, there is one male, one female, and two one-year-old babies in the “pea-family” we have out there. Like in the barn, the bird flock that we have is an interesting and nontraditional flock, but a flock nonetheless. The pheasant, peafowl, and the other birds all get along very well.

Peafowl in all Their Glory

While the females might not have the impressive tails or as much coloration as the boys, these little girls are still more colorful than some birds. Peahens typically have at least some blue or green on their necks and breasts. Photo from Arkive.org. Click on the picture to go to the Arkive.org slideshow!

While not everyone has had the chance to actually encounter this wonderful pet, it’s very unlikely that people have never seen a picture of one or at least heard of these birds. Surprisingly, though, people tend not to know very much beyond “peacocks are the ones with the blue feathers and long tails” in spite the wealth of information available. Peafowl are actually rather popular as pets because of their beauty, calm nature, and tail feather production (at least with the males). Peacocks typically first grow their magnificent tails (“train plumage”) when they are three years old. The long notable feathers that everyone can identify as peacock feathers are actually long train feathers that grow on top of shorter tail feathers that help hold the “train” up when the male displays his plumage. They shed these train feathers every summer, and we’ve been trying to gather and count the ones from this past summer. I believe there were well more than 100 when I left in August.

The blue peacocks that everyone knows and loves is actually an Indian variety of peacocks. They were first domesticated some 3000 years ago, and have mostly been used as decoration for the very wealthy. In India, peacocks are the national bird, and they are considered sacred because they eye spots on their feathers are said to represent the eyes of the gods. While they may have been merely ornamental for much of their domesticated history, these little guys can be quite fun to have around. Be warned though! If you’re not a morning person, you may not like their loud calls. They call mostly in the mornings and evenings, but during the breeding season (or after the one peahen moved to a farm down the road) peacocks will call all day long. Over the years, there have been some that were quieter than others, but personally, I find their calls really interesting to hear (although I like them less early in the morning). This video has a really clear capture of the peacock’s call.

Peafowl are really not horrendously difficult to take care of, but if you’re not used to caring for birds, it can be challenging but still rewarding. Like with all animals, knowledge goes a long way in ensuring a long and healthy life for your pet. Be sure you can make the huge time commitment before considering getting peafowl. It is not uncommon for them to live 20 or more years when properly cared for and maintained. Like with any pet, it is important to consider whether or not you have the facilities to care for them and if there is a qualified veterinarian in your area that handles peafowl. Some good places to start are the United Peafowl Association’s information page, resource list, and their “do’s and don’ts” list page. For more information on the species, check out the San Diego Zoo’s in-depth look at peacocks.

The Golden Pheasant

This is our Golden Crested Pheasant who lives out in the peacock house. He is a little camera shy, but he finally struck this pose to show off his beautiful coloration.

This is another bird that has always been quite striking to me. I’ve found that not a whole lot of people have heard of or seen these wonderful birds, which is really a shame since they are so beautiful and tend to have mild personalities. While pheasants may be related to peacocks, these colorful little fellows are originally from the forests in China. In fact, the Chinese consider them very lucky because they are a sign of good luck and prosperity. Pheasants don’t tend to be thought of as pets since most species are considered game birds, but the golden pheasant is one of the most popular pheasant species in captivity because of their vibrant coloration.

Caring for these birds is very similar to caring for peacocks and other fowl. They need proper nesting areas, shelter from too much sun or bad weather, plenty of fresh water, and protection from predators (even in town). Our birds get cracked corn supplemented with wild game bird feed. Always do your homework to make sure you are prepared for the responsibilities of owning a pet, and some good places to start for pheasants are the Avian Web (also for peafowl) and the Allandoo Pheasantry website.

October 18, 2013

Is That a Llama or an Alpaca?

This is a picture from when I brought some of my friends out to the farm for my 15th birthday. I’m in the middle, holding Louie’s halter. Harley just had to get in the picture too!

Over the years I’ve helped out with the zoo, I found that many people could not tell the difference between a llama and an alpaca. To someone who has never encountered these animals, it’s really understandable to be a bit confused. When Louie, the llama, was still with us, we would sometimes take both him and the alpaca (Harley) to different places. People would guess that Harley was Louie’s baby. This was funny to us because we knew that both animals were male, but it was fairly common for people to make assumptions about animal familial relations based on their sizes. People have even remarked that the box turtle must be the sulcata tortoise’s baby, but that is getting a little off topic.

Both llamas and alpacas are members of the camelid family, but they are not even in the same genus classification. They are more like cousins than siblings as scientists do not think they have a common ancestor. And yes, llamas and alpacas both are able to spit like camels. There is a ton of information about caring for these animals, and like always, it’s important to do your homework before you decide to get one. A few good places to start are the Southwest Llama Rescue’s website, this page from Michigan State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and the Mount Airy Alpaca Company’s website Caring for a farm animal takes more effort than caring for a house pet, so make sure you have the time, knowledge, and facilities to provide a good life for these wonderful animals.

This is a llama and its cria (baby llama). Photo courtesy of Stuart Mills Farm’s website. Click on the picture to check out their website, which is full of useful information on llama care and helpful links.

Easy-to-spot Differences Between a Llama and an Alpaca

The most obvious difference to the untrained eye is the difference in size. Fully grown llamas are almost twice the size of alpaca adults. Llamas usually weigh between 300 to 400 lbs when fully grown, and alpacs usually grow to be between 100 to 200 lbs. With a younger animal, it might be a bit harder to notice the size difference, especially if you can’t tell whether or not the animal is fully grown. There are other tell-tale signs, however, such as the shape of their ears. Llamas’ ears are a bit longer and noticeably more curved, whereas alpacas have a bit shorter and straighter ears.

Fur and Fiber

One of the biggest differences between these animals is a direct result of the origins of each species. Alpacas were specifically bred for their thick, high thermal quality fiber. And, no, it’s not technically wool; it’s called fiber because it’s not the same as sheep’s wool, even though it is used for much the same purpose. Llamas were bred for strength as pack animals, and they have vastly different fur. Llamas actually have two coats: a long, coarse overcoat for protection against the weather, and a soft undercoat close to their bodies to keep them warm in the mountains where they first originated. Alpacas only have a single thick coat of soft, fuzzy, warm fiber. As a result, the shearing practices are different between the two animals.

This is a huacaya alpaca (one of the two types, Harley is this type). The photo comes from the Mount Airy Alpaca Company’s website. Click on the picture to check them out. They have a ton of information about alpacas.

Personalities

Please bear in mind that I’m talking about my personal experiences with individual animals, so this is by no means a blanket statement or guarantee that all animals will have similar personalities. That being said, Louie was one of the sweetest animals I ever had the honor of knowing. We were pretty close, and it was very hard to lose him. He would always make my day better, and sometimes he would reach over with his nose and give me kisses. He was extremely gentle, but people were sometimes afraid of him because of his size. I’ve heard people say that llamas are supposed to be more aggressive than alpacas, but I did not find that to be true. Sure, they may be commonly used to protect herds from predators because of their impressive loyalty and defensive abilities (they can kick in 360 degrees around their bodies in addition to spitting and having “fighting teeth”). Louie was very easy to lead, very cooperative, and very patient with excited children.

Harley, on the other hand, seems to just be a little keyed-up and skittish. He has gotten more and more used to people being close to him and petting him, but he still isn’t a big fan of getting lots of attention. That’s just the way he is. He is very easy to startle, and he absolutely loathes having his head touched in any way. The fluffy mass on top of his head that doesn’t get sheared is such a magnet for people because it looks so soft. He’ll dodge people’s hands and try to get away, and if people don’t get the hint he will spit at them. We always try to tell people before it becomes a problem, but some people choose to ignore our warning and keep trying. It’s silly too. He’s perfectly fine with being petted on his neck or his back, but he just doesn’t like anything else.

October 17, 2013

Technical Difficulties

I found a better picture of Emmett before he died. This picture really shows how fluffy he was and how sassy he always looked.

I’d like to apologize to my loyal readers, but I’m currently running a fever. The post scheduled for tonight, all about llamas and alpacas, will be delayed until tomorrow. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. In the mean time, I managed to find a better picture of Emmett before he passed away, so enjoy!

October 10, 2013

Unconventional Farm Animals

One of the things I miss the most being away from the farm is just being able to go out to the barn and hang out with some pretty interesting and unusual animals. Don’t get me wrong; I still miss all of them, but these somewhat-funny-looking fellas just always seem to make my day just for being who they are. So this week we’re going to talk about three pretty unusual animals: a miniature zebu, an emu, and a silkie chicken. We don’t usually take the zebu with us when we travel because it really stresses him out, and, sadly, the emu passed away two years ago, but we always get people asking questions about the chicken whenever we take him places.

This is a white silkie chicken hen displaying the characteristic fluffy plumage. The photo is courtesy of mypetchicken.com. Click on the picture to go to their website and read more about these amazing chickens.

Does that chicken have hair?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. These kinds of chickens have feathers that are really thin and fine that resembles hair, but they are still feathers. These little guys always bring a smile to my face with their fluffy good looks. I would even say that they are the most stylish chickens around. Other than their unique looks, however, these chickens still make great pets because they tend to be a very docile and tame breed that doesn’t seem to mind being scooped up and petted (or if they mind, they don’t really do anything about it). Occasionally, one of the males might get a little territorial, but once you shoo him away once or twice, he usually calms down. Other silkie roosters that we’ve had in the past were some of the most gentle birds to ever walk the Earth.

These little fellas have some pretty interesting features too. They’re in the Bantam family of chickens, so they’re on the small side and have five toes on each foot instead of the usual four. Another rather weird thing about them is that their skin and bones are black, which can be hard to see due to their thick, fluffy feathers. We have two white silkies now, but in the past we’ve had the “buff” colored ones, which is like a red-ish/tan coloration. They also come in “blue” (think deep shades of grey) and “splash” (mixed colors), and there are bearded and unbearded distinctions as well. They’re really more of a decorative chicken, but they do still produce eggs and they are still regularly eaten in Asia. If you’re getting a chicken specifically for eggs or meat, you probably want to look into other breeds, such as the Buckeye chicken, which is the only breed created by a woman. But for a little fluffy pet, silkies are definitely the way to go. Read about how to care for them here at mypetchicken.com’s page all about silkies!

This is Emmett before he passed away. He was a little camera shy! Click on my picture to see the arkive.org’s emu photo gallery.

A Tribute to Emmett

Emmett the emu lived happily among the other odd animals out at the farm for many years. Even though he is no longer with us, I still have a collection of his feathers to remember him. An emu’s feathers are really neat because they’re double feathers. As a matter of fact, they are the only birds in the world that have two feathers coming out of one quill. They’re incredibly soft if you can get close enough to pet them. Emmett was rather shy, but he would occasionally let me near enough to pet him and simply walk away when he had gotten enough attention.

If they don’t want to be petted, you have no chance of getting near them. Their powerful legs let them up to 30 mph in short bursts (click to go to fact page) or a little bit slower for long distances. They would also use their beaks and feet for defense, but I never actually saw Emmett try to hurt anyone or any of the other animals. He could usually just outrun them. I remember one time I decided to feed him out of my hand just to see what it felt like. After looking at me for a few minutes with eyes that said “Are you sure you want to do this?”, he finally started pecking at the grain I was holding. It hurt. I wouldn’t recommend it. Okay, maybe with thick work gloves it would be bad. But my point is that they are very powerful animals that should be respected and fed out of a bowl.

Just for fun, here’s a video of a flock of emus running around, having fun, and just being silly:

The Miniature Zebu

This little guy’s coloration is similar to Krishna’s. This photo shows Komokos Racer, a bull belonging to Rick Bogle, courtesy of the International Miniature Zebu Association’s website. Click on the picture to go check out the Association’s page, which is full of photos, information about how to care for zebus, and information about the organization.

Last but certainly not least, is one of my all-time favorites: the miniature zebu! These guys are really fun to have around. They originated in India, and they are one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the world. When he was a calf, our little zebu bull, Krishna, was the cutest thing in the world! At that age, I could pet him and even hug him, and he really wouldn’t do anything about it. Nowadays, he thinks he’s a big tough bull, so it can be pretty darn hard to get close enough to pet him. In the last few years, I’ve cornered him one or twice so that I could pet him, but it’s only ever for a few seconds until I eye up his horns and decide to back away so that he won’t feel the need to use them. But remember, he’s not the bad guy in that situation; I am. I know it makes him uncomfortable to have people close to him, and I know that he has every right to defend himself if I cross the line of his comfort zone, but every once in a while I’ve still got to try to pet him. I just can’t help myself sometimes. So far, he hasn’t felt the need to retaliate, but if it ever comes to that, I’ll blame my own stupidity before I’d ever blame him.

That being said, most of the time I’m around the barn, I just get to watch him. I could waste many days just watching him walk around like he owns the place. One time, when we had the tractor in the barnyard to haul some hay, I almost died laughing from watching him shake his horns at it and charge at it time and time again. It’s really funny because he’s on the small side, especially next to the big tractor, but I genuinely think he has no idea that he’s not a full sized bull. He’s just kind of funny-looking too, what with that ridiculous hump right next to those huge, wise eyes of his. Much like a camel, these guys store fat in their humps that can be converted into water in times of drought. Learn more about these awesome little guys here at the International Miniature Zebu Association’s website.

October 3, 2013

Reptiles Revisited

I really found it funny that so many people were afraid of the animals that were the least likely to do anything besides sitting there looking cute (in my opinion). Time and time again, I would watch people curiously approach one of the lizards to see what it is and then quickly back away, sometimes also screaming or gasping. I’ve never understood why people had such an aversion to the lizards. I’ve found them to be really enjoyable pets because they are so calm and laid back that not much really bothers them. I’m mostly talking about the blue-tongued skink and the bearded dragon for those qualities. We had to stop taking the geckos because they were really too small to be manhandled regularly by the unafraid people; the geckos would still never bite or scratch to show their displeasure, but they would try to squirm away from someone handling them roughly, usually resulting in the person squeezing them harder.

This cute little guy is a leopard gecko! The image is taken from the National Zoo’s website. Click the picture to go to their fact page.

Leopard Geckos

While you can find these guys in pretty much any pet store, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone should have one. In fact, one of the leopard geckos out at the farm was rescued from neglectful owners. Most reptiles and amphibians require a level of care much, much higher than that for a cat or dog. Before buying any pet, be sure to do your homework about the animal’s needs and lifespan. Seriously consider whether or not you will be able to provide a good life for your pet. This website is a good place to start for geckos.

If you are willing to dedicate the time, effort, and finances, then these little guys really do make rewarding pets. Geckos seem to really enjoy just sitting on your hand (if they feel safe!) and even being pet gently on their backs. They’re really fun to watch when they’re hunting their cricket prey. It sounds a little gruesome, but it’s fascinating to watch them practice their predatory nature at feeding time. If you can’t handle buying and feeding your pets crickets, mealworms, or pinky mice regularly, then don’t get one. I do have to mention, though, it’s a little bit cute to watch one of our geckos, Lizzie, because she twitches the end of her tail just before she strikes.

This is a Northern Blue-Tongued Skink at the National Zoo. The photo is courtesy of their website. Click the photo to go to the National Zoo’s fact page.

Blue-Tongued Skink

Bella, our blue-tongued skink, is another one of my favorites. They look a lot like snakes with legs, but don’t let that scare you! I do really like snakes, although I’ve never cared for one, but many people see the skink and shrink away as if she’s going to strike. If you’re not put off by the scales, though, she’s one of the most relaxed and calm animals that we have. Skinks are a bit larger than most other lizards, and I find that larger animals tend to be easier to handle because they aren’t scared quite as easily as the little guys. Unfortunately, Bella lost her toes before we got her when her previous owner left a male in her enclosure too long after breeding. It’s very important to research the animal you’re interested in before you decide to get it so that you know whether or not it needs companions or if it should be kept by itself. A good place to look for information on blue-tongued skinks is this website.

Skinks are really interesting to watch because they “taste” the air with their blue tongues much like a snake does to sense their environment. They are really interesting to pet and feel too. Many people think snakes are slimy, and they associate that with other scaled animals as well. However, neither snakes nor skinks are actually “slimy” in that they don’t secrete anything through their skin. They feel incredibly smooth, though, so it’s easy to see why people think they are slimy. I promise you, your hands will stay dry!

This is a bearded dragon basking under the heat lamp. Those claws don’t look too bad, do they? Photo from beardeddragon.org. Click the picture to check them out!

Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragons make for really fun pets if you’re ready for the commitment of owning a lizard. They look really scary and spiky, and they feel like rough sandpaper, but they are very unlikely to actually try to hurt you. Some younger kids or elderly people might be too sensitive for their rather sharp claws, but I’m not hurt by them, and most people are okay to hold them. They really don’t try to scratch or anything, but they use their claws to hold on, so if you’re not fully supporting their bodies and feet, they are going to try to grip on so they don’t fall. The spikes on their bodies aren’t really sharp; those are more for decoration to make these lizards look unappealing to predators. In general, if you’re holding one correctly and calmly, they are happy to just sit in your hands forever.

These guys eat crickets and meal worms with dark greens and some veggies available in their dish. With a lizard cage, one end should be the “warm” end where the heat lamp is, and the other side should be much cooler so that your lizard can regulate it’s temperature by adjusting it’s position in the enclosure. All cold-blooded animals (which means they do not produce their own heat) need this outside source of heat to move, eat, and digest their food. When bearded dragons are adequately warmed, they can be very active and fun to watch. That being said, they are also very laid back and a little lazy, so if your pet is just sitting there, it might not be a heat issue, but it could be a sign that their enclose is too small. Click on the picture or here to go to a good website on bearded dragon care.

This is a sulcata tortoise at the Oakland Zoo that is slightly smaller than Sahara. Click on the picture to go to the Oakland Zoo’s fact page.

Sulcata (African Spurred) Tortoise

I saved the best for last. We also have a sulcata tortoise named Sahara. She’s only 12 years old, but she’s already over 35 pounds and about a foot across (almost a foot and a half long!). I say only 12 years old because these guys can live to be over a hundred years old and grow to over a hundred pounds. This is not an animal for someone who’s not prepared to accommodate the massive size of an older tortoise or include them in his/her will. Read more about their care here.

If you are ready for such a massive commitment, however, they are fun to have around. Sahara has free range in the fenced-in yard by the house (during the summer), so she moves around almost constantly during the day after she warms up in the sun. I would have never imagined how fast she could move or how much ground she could cover. We’re starting to have trouble picking her up because she’s so heavy and quite big, but she manages to move herself all over. I really like sitting outside and watching her munch on the grass or push rocks, chairs, food bowls, really whatever’s in her way. She’s like a little bulldozer. Her shell is really fun to feel too, because it’s got an interesting texture. It’s ridged and a little bumpy. The spikes on her shell and legs make her look really interesting too. I just really enjoy having her around. It’s really fun when everyone gasps in amazement or runs to tell their friends about her when we bring her out.

September 26, 2013

What in the World is a Patagonian Cavy (Mara)?

This is a close-up of a Patagonian Cavy’s face. The photo comes from the Lincoln Park Zoo’s website. Click here to go to their fact page!

I would always somewhat dread holding the leash for the Patagonian Cavy (also called Maras) whenever we went anywhere. Not because holding the leash was difficult, although there was a trick to it, but really it was because I’d have to mentally prepare myself to say the words “Patagonian Cavy” at least three million times. Okay, probably not three million, but it was always a challenge to not sound sarcastic or annoyed by the twentieth time in a row that I had to explain what that weird thing was on the end of the leash.

Rodents Revisited:

It really is unfortunate that people don’t get to see or interact with these fun little guys often enough for anyone to know what it is. After explaining that they originally come from Argentina and that they’re the second largest rodents in the world, a lot of times people would just laugh and say how surprised they are that the cute little guy is a rodent. Or, people would later come back to show their friends the cavy, Joey, and say how he’s a rat.

Somewhere along the line, people began associating the word “rodent” with the word “rat” to the point where the two became synonymous to many people. It’s like people forget how many different animals are in the rodent family (link to species tree with examples listed). While I do like rats (and think they make excellent pets), it’s really not fair to pin the qualities of an entire class of animals on just one of those species. I think rats are cute, but not a whole lot of people would agree. However, you’d be hard pressed to find someone to say that rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, chinchillas, guinea pigs, prairie dogs, and hamsters aren’t incredibly adorable. Cuteness is certainly not limited by being a rodent.

These are two Patagonian Cavys at the National Zoo. Photo taken by Stephanie Garnett for the National Zoo.

It isn’t what it looks like!

If people were surprised to learn that Joey is a rodent, then they were almost certainly shocked and a little confused when I said that he’s pretty closely related to guinea pigs. In fact, wild guinea pigs are even called cavys. They have a lot of shared characteristics (such as having four toes on the front feet and three toes on the back feet, and also make the same types of squeak, squeal, and grunt sounds), but when people saw this 25 pound (small dog size) animal, they would have trouble making the connection between Joey and the commonly-known household pets.

Another thing I heard all the time was “Is that a kangaroo?” Even after telling some people that he was a rodent (not a marsupial), people would still make associations between his curved back legs and kangaroos or wallabies. Or we would be asked is he is a cross between animal x and animal y (such as a cross between a deer and a rabbit or a wallaby and a dog). First of all, kangaroos are about 6 feet tall (Colombus Zoo animal guide) and probably would be too cooperative on a dog leash. Secondly, cavys have small, hairless tails that rather resemble waste coming out of their back ends, which are notably not the expansive tails kangaroos and wallabies use for balance. Thirdly, it is scientifically impossible to cross different species of animals. If it was possible, don’t you think you’d have seen some crazy hybrids running around?

See that back there? It's a tail, not poop. This photo was taken from Arkive.org's Patagonian Cavy slideshow. Click here for to see the rest of the awesome pictures!

See that back there? It’s a tail, not poop. This photo was taken from Arkive.org’s Patagonian Cavy slideshow. Click on the picture to see the rest!

I try to stay understanding, though. It’s a perfectly normal psychological response to try to fit new information (the cavy) into pre-existing categories (kangaroos!) in our minds. It’s actually a little bit funny to watch people watch the cavy closely, just waiting for him to hop. Surprise! He walks around like a cat or dog. The curved back legs are used for speed when running (up to 30 mph) and not for hopping around like a rabbit or kangaroo. They certainly can hop, and they do when they’re playing or startled (Arkive.org video), but mostly they walk.

Fun/gross Fact:

Let’s end on a fun note! It’s only a little bit gross, I promise. So, the fun fact is that Patagonian Cavys mate for life. Awww! Well, the gross part is that they like to claim their mates and territories with urine. Somewhat unfortunately, Joey took a shine to me early on in the summer. Once I figured out what was going on, I could yank on the leash or jump out of the way in time to avoid a stream of pee. Usually.

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Petting Zoo Tales

Promoting knowledge, admiration, and love for unusual animals