Compassion Crossing

Happy Morph Day!

May 11, 2017Olivia G. Schweikart6 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit this post is long overdue. Around Spring break, I figured Milo would complete his change within the week, but I was surprised to watch it undergo another month. That being said, he is now a happy seven-inch salamander!

HANDLING SALAMANDERS:

Be sure to have completely moist, clean hands, as lacking to do so can present harmful salts and oils to the salamander; Limit handling to short intervals.

The first noticeable sign of his change was the regression of his gills. Eventually, he began to loom around the surface of the water, so I moved him to a shallower enclosure with a hideout to crawl out on. I will say this was the more tedious part of the transition–not so much the change of environment but waiting for him to fully make the leap from aquatic to terrestrial.

Beginning of Gill Regression

Once they do make the switch, it’s best to allow them an enclosure of moist, loose dirt (NO fertilizer) with plants and shaded areas to hide under. As for diet, crickets, mealworms, and earthworms can be let loose in the enclosure for the salamander to feed on as it pleases. The benefit of having mealworms over crickets appears to be centered around Milo residing most of his time underground. This way he is not forced to come up for food and is able to remain under the dirt where he is currently the most comfortable.

He is definitely camera shy in his terrestrial form, but I do hope to have more pictures of his transformation in the weeks to come.

Adopt before you Shop: Easter Bunnies

April 13, 2017May 17, 2020Olivia G. Schweikart14 Comments

Around April, many people decide to purchase bunnies from pet stores as the perfect Easter present. Unfortunately, a majority of unsuspecting new owners end up unable to care for the animal due to a lack of funding or knowledge on fundamental care.

That being said, there are a lot of owners that will end up taking great care of the animal, which then turns the situation into a matter of where to attain one.

An overwhelming amount of rabbits enters shelters each year as unwanted Easter presents in search for another family to love them. Usually, adoption fees are lower than the prices at pet stores, and you can still find the cuddly companion you would at a local shop.

Rabbits can be very affectionate and loyal pets when you put into them the effort and love they deserve. If at first they are shy, don’t worry! They are bound to warm up once they realize you mean them no harm.

This Easter, if you have the ability, please give a bunny a second chance at a home. It may be the best basket you unwrap this year.

In Terms of Care

Aside from a staple diet of pellets, rabbits can also be fed a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables to meet their dietary needs:

Kale and Romaine Lettuce

Carrots

Grapes

Strawberries

Blueberries

Carrots and fruits should be fed in limited amounts or small treat portions due to their high sugar content. For additional required nutrients, feel free to see the care sheet below. This also encompasses housing for the pet, as well as recommended exercise.

Rabbit Care Guide

The Slaying Mantis

April 5, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. Schweikart1 Comment

crocus-100157_1280 You come home from a long day’s work to relax in your garden, only to find yourself swatting at pests that keep multiplying. Not to mention, you’ve begun to notice recurring holes in your plant leaves.

With all the hard work you’ve put in, wouldn’t it be nice to have a form of pest control that you didn’t have to constantly re-apply?

Mantis religiosa, commonly known as the praying mantis, serves as an excellent protector in that it defends plants from invaders while itself requiring little human care/attention.

What’s the benefit?

Mantis religiosa casings typically hatch around 300 eggs, but do not be alarmed at this large value! On average, only around one fifth of the hatchlings survives to reach maturity.

After reaching adulthood, these insects will eat anything they can grasp. Often perceived as slow, mantids are actually voracious hunters and are able to take in their prey within a matter of seconds. Assuming sixty mantises make it to adulthood from the casing, you’re looking at a decent-sized army for your garden.

The average lifespan of a mantis ranges from four to six months. This allows for cases to be let down twice a year, saving you added time for routine pest maintenance. The odds are, however, that the mantises you place originally will breed to form their own cases, causing the initial purchase to turn into a long-term, compounding investment.

Common mantis | Common Black Ant

How do you raise them?

When hatching, the mantises will need to be placed in either a hatching net or an enclosure that is large enough to accommodate the soon-to-be nymphs. Due to their small nature, the younglings will need to be fed fruit flies (flightless options are available at minimal cost). When they grow large enough to eat other, larger insects (e.g. ladybugs), they can then be released into your garden to be self-sustaining.

Where do I get them?

Mantid casings can be purchased for as low as $5.00 each from Arbico Organics. In addition, cases can be found from locations such as Amazon and Ace Hardware.

In case you are interested, I have listed a few general items to consider purchasing below:

Egg Cases | Arbico Organics

Egg Cases & Habitat | Amazon

Wingless Fruit Fly Starter Kit | Amazon

Let’s Talk Crested Water Dragons

March 31, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. SchweikartLeave a comment

My friend Terri Napier was generous enough to allow me the use of Reptar, her male dragon for the filming of this video. For that, I send her many thanks!

CHOPPED MIXTURE

Vegetation Bowl/Feeding Area:

Romaine Lettuce

Spinach

Zucchini

Cauliflower & Broccoli

Carrots

Apples & Bananas

Mangos

Insect Bowl/Feeding Area:

Mealworms

Dubia Roaches

Crickets

If you would like the total care guide for these animals, you can
download it from the link below.

CrestedWaterDragonCareGuide.pages

The Problem with Exotic Trading

March 30, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. SchweikartLeave a comment

There is nothing more exciting than walking into a pet store to find a new companion. For the most part, animals in stores come from captive breeders–meaning they can sustain numbers without having to catch more from the wild.

A problem has potential to emerge when the animal under desire can only be wild-caught. Take the Sungazer lizard, for example. Commonly called the Giant Girdled Lizard, these animals are native to Sub-Saharan Africa.
Popular for their dragon-like appearance, these animals quickly became popular in the exotic pet trade. Unfortunately, these animals do not perform well during captive breeding, and because of this, they must be caught individually.

The increased desire for Sungazers quickly caused numbers to dwindle, and without regulations on their species, these girdled lizards now face extinction. Since then, methods have been set in place, pulling these animals from the exotic pet trade in order to raise their population numbers.

What’s happening with these lizards isn’t uncommon in other species as well, another being Ontario’s Spotted Turtle.

While regulations can be set in place after the fact to protect numbers, it seems logical to have a scale in place to limit overexploitation from the start. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) strives to halt illegal pet trade, while encouraging legal numbers coming from the wild to be reduced–as to not harm the individual species.

With the pet trade increasing, the need for further regulations follows in parallel. From WWF’s viewpoint:

“Historically, such overexploitation has caused extinctions or severely threatened species and, as human populations have expanded, demand for wildlife has only increased.”

Hopefully, a stronger desire for conserving these species numbers in the wild will catch hold, and animals like the Sungazer Lizard will no longer dwindle due to a growing industry.

What’s your opinion?

Munchin’ Mice

March 28, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. Schweikart2 Comments

When from a reputable manufacturer, commercialized diets for mice offer a great deal of protein and additional nutrients. A lot of the time, however, fillers are used–such as corn–which can limit the daily nutrients your pet needs to be healthy.

One way of getting around this is making your own chops for your pet. When creating your own mixture, it is important to remember mice need plenty of fruits and vegetables in their diet as well as protein. In order to create the best chop possible for your mouse, here are a few possible vegetable options:

Romaine Lettuce

Kale

Cabbage

Spinach

Bean Sprouts

Carrots

Zucchini

Broccoli

Protein can be introduced in a variety of ways. Lean cut turkey, shelled beans, as well as insects are all perfect options to include into your mouse’s diet. When selecting an insect, it is best to choose a size appropriate to your pet, so they do not face the risk of biting off more than they can chew. I would personally choose small mealworms and Dubia roaches.

After introducing vegetables and protein, it is nice to leave your mouse with carbohydrates in the form of fruit. Listed below are a few options suitable for your pet’s mixture:

Keep in mind, it is crucial to skin the fruit before giving it to your mice in order to reduce the risk of impaction!

Strawberries

Blackberries & Raspberries

Grapes

Tomatoes

Apples & Bananas

The lists I have provided certainly aren’t the only foods you can feed your mouse, just some of my suggestions. If you have any questions about foods you are using or are wanting information on chops for other species, feel free to shoot me an email and I will be glad to help!

Meet the Family

March 18, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. SchweikartLeave a comment

https://youtu.be/Viov5_zjS6I

Though it’s a little overdue, here’s the introduction to our new youtube channel as well as a tour of all my critters!

Eye of the Tiger: Caring for My Eastern Tiger Salamander Larva

March 13, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. SchweikartLeave a comment

Earlier in the semester, I stumbled across an Eastern tiger salamander at Petco, still in his waterdog form. This type of salamander is known for its hardiness compared to other salamander breeds.

My little guy’s name is Milo, though he hasn’t stayed little for long. Spanning a length of 140 mm, he is an ideal size for metamorphosis. While docile to humans, I would hate to be an insect crossing his path.

No one is certain what causes these water dogs to initiate their change. Speculations range from their fear of a shifting external environment to simply random initiation. I have seen owners induce the transformation in the past by removing a filter and gradually lowering water levels; coupled with increased time between feedings, this can cause the water dogs to morph into their terrestrial form.

Diet for these animals consists of insects, freeze dried krill, as well as pinky mice. The latter, as well as some variations of insects, must be given in moderation due to the tiger salamander’s increased risk for obesity. Milo’s diet currently consists of 4 freeze-dried krill a day, with a mealworm every other day.

I choose to feed him with feeder tongs, just to ensure his quantities remain consistent. Dropping food in by hand or dangling is perfectly suitable, though sometimes they will mistake your finger for a nibble. That being said, because they lack teeth it will just feel like a rubber ball bouncing off your fingertip.

I have my water dog housed in a three-gallon aquarium right now and am hoping to move him to a new ten-gallon tank in the upcoming week.

Look out for an update post featuring Milo’s new enclosure as well as any growth progress made!

Hopping to the Spotlight

March 9, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. SchweikartLeave a comment

One of my favorite things about hiking is getting to interact with the beautiful creatures around you. Around this time last Spring I was meandering through Chewacla—a park in Auburn, Alabama—when I came across these social fellows.

Both Fowler’s toads, the toad pictured on top held a darker pigmentation, causing him to beautifully stand out against the moss.

These kinds of toads can easily be identified in the wild not only due to their markings but because of their unique song and chirp.

A native to North America, these animals spend a majority of their life on land. However, at the time of mating, they will return to shallow waters to find a mate and obtain an area to lay eggs.

These two were quite social when being handled, and had no problem striking a pose for the camera.

I plan to hike the same trail on Friday, and, needless to say, I’m feeling froggy.

A Helping Hand

March 6, 2017April 5, 2017Olivia G. SchweikartLeave a comment

Pictured Above: Fred, A Sugar Glider From a Past Clinic

“I have no fear of losing my life—if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it.” -Steve Irwin, Wildlife Conservationist

I grew up watching Irwin as a kid and was fascinated by his devotion to the wildlife around him. His desire to help never faltered despite the situation presented. Sure, there were moments where he was fearful, but his driven passion helped override his apprehension.

I knew animal medicine and rehabilitation was the route I wanted to take when I found my Eastern box turtle, Eartle. A little over the size of a quarter, he was dropped by a bird and suffered a hairline cracked shell. After movement made a slight improvement within a few weeks, I looked at the percentages of survival with young box turtles: mortality rate rests among 95%. I took one look at the little guy and how hard he was struggling to eat his cucumber slice and knew he was going to be my long-term companion.

More recently, I was walking outside my complex when I noticed a female sparrow convulsing. Her leg was awkwardly bent inward, forcing the bird to drag herself when trying to move. There was no hesitation. I asked my boyfriend to go inside and grab the softest kitchen towels I had. With a scooping motion, I picked up the sparrow and brought her inside to be placed on a heating pad. She laid there, allowing me to stroke her head with her shaking decreasing. Together, my boyfriend and I pondered what to call her, but I knew eventually she would be released. To avoid getting attached, he suggested we just call her Bird. I reminded him she was indeed a lady.

Miss Bird it was.

Over the weekend she remained on low heat, as well as was transferred to a larger enclosure. Around two days after finding her, with a belly full of sunflower seeds, Miss Bird flew on home.

There was no tangible reward for helping that sweet bird, as there isn’t for helping most wildlife. What you do receive, however, is what I felt that day—a deep and joyous satisfaction knowing she was pruning in a tree somewhere, spending the night with her own kind versus lying on the harsh cement.

I guess you could say stories like Eartle and Miss Bird are what my blog is about. I’ve never been one to walk away from an animal in need, and I hope that by documenting my path at least one more person will realize the importance and beauty of the creatures around us.

There’s a lot out there to learn, and I know I am just at the beginning of my journey. What I can be confident about, though, is it only takes a little compassion to get started.