"New Kids On The Block - Part 2" - Just in Jenson

As mentioned last week we have had a recent influx of new animals which is very exciting for everyone involved.

When I first had connections with Animal Care back in 2009  some very interesting lizards called "Uromastyx"  also known as the "Spiny Tailed Lizard" arrived from Heathrow Airport; they had been part of an illegal import case. Over the years I have become very attached to the Uromastyx we had as they make great animals to handle and  to show students who are more nervous of handling reptiles.

Uri who became Sahara later (long story) was one of my firm favourites - we had no idea how old she was due to the fact she was originally taken from the wild and was being illegally imported in to the UK.  Heathrow like to rehome these animals to places where they know they will be well cared for and have the expertise they need, that is why she ended up at "MKC". Sahara was likely to be quite old so is no longer with us. Uromastyx are known to live as long as thirty years.

"Sahara (formerly Uri) and me of course !"

A decision was made to get a new Uromastyx as they are popular with students, but can be quite hard to get hold of. The good news is that we now have a new "Spiny Tailed Lizard" who this time is a male. Jo O wanted a nice manly name for him so came up with the name "Jenson", which I like as it sounds like Jen's Son :) So here is another of our "New Kids On The Block".

Jenson says "Who's the kid around here? It's certainly not me?"

Like Sahara, Jenson is a "Gery" Uromastyx but is a yellow phase rather than a red one (Sahara). He is captive bred and still quite young. Although a little nervous at first; he has quickly settled in to his Vivarium and has been in the classroom a few times with me and enjoys head tickles.

A surprise for this type of lizard is that they are Herbivores so live mainly on plant matter and due to this diet actually do not need to have a separate water supply. Uromastyx are from very hot, desert countries mainly in North Africa.

"This is my side profile - how handsome am I?!"

Although Jenson will not replace Sahara - I am sure he to will be a popular choice for students to handle - I certainly have already become very fond of him.  

Stay tuned for some more newbies.

New Kids On The Block - Meet Minerva

It has been rather hectic at college recently in more ways than one and there have been some updates and changes in the animal rooms.

As you may know we have quite a number of animals who have been getting on in years and have lived with us for a very long time. I have featured Zoe the Guinea Pig previously and many of you may know that she is no longer with us and we have been looking at getting a new partner for Pimms.

The good news is that we have found another lovely Rex Guinea Pig who has come via the same breeder as Pimms. Her name is Minerva and even though she is very shy she is getting used to being handled and is slowly being introduced to Pimms.

"Meet Minerva"

I am not sure how old Minerva is but I think she is between 1 and 2 years old. She is not used to having other animals around her, but yesterday when I put her in with Pimms she did start eating and seemed to be more relaxed. She is also getting used to being handled and even went in to the classroom with Bradfields last week. Hopefully Pimms and Minerva will continue a long and happy friendship. Stay tuned as we have more new arrivals to feature.

"Hello Pimms my name is Minerva"

Pimms asks "Are you going to get on my Minervas then?"  

 

"Geck A Load Of This"

Over the last couple of weeks  I have been introducing Level 1s and the School groups to the Geckos we have here at the college.

From the picture see how many of our Geckos you can recognise - "Match The Gecko". I'll give you the answers in the next blog.

 

"How many can you name?"

There are over 1500 species of Gecko around the world. Geckos are usually found in tropical and hot regions near the Equator. South America and Asia are two very common places to find Geckos.

 

Geckos are Insectivores which means they usually feed on invertebrates like mealworms, cockroaches and locusts. Some Geckos have tiny hairs on their feet which allows them to stick to surfaces like the Crested.  Many species of Gecko do not have eyelids so lick their eyes to get moisture on to them, again the Crested Gecko is a species that does this.

 

At "MKC" we have the following Geckos so see if you can match the names to the above pictures. Only some of the Geckos have names. 

Leopard Geckos - Norris and Dorris and Spike and Eddie.

 Madagascan Day Gecko - One

 Sand Dwarf Gecko - Kirky 

Crested Gecko - One 

Tokay Gecko - Two  

Geckos are quite easy to handle and like to sit on the bridge of your hand. I usually start students off with handling Geckos as they are relatively easy, especially if you stay still.  They should live in Vivariums with heat lamps to keep them warm. You also will need to spray their enclosures with water everyday to create a humid environment. 

 

"What am I?"