Opossum

It’s 12:45 amмаси и столове in Dallas, Texas right now…

I just took our kitchen garbage out to the trash can and noticed one of our neighborhood stray dogs laying in the middle of the street.

As I focused in and started approaching, I noticed that it was sitting next to another animal, also in the middle of the street…I thought it could have been a run over cat or something like that…

…As I came upon the dog, I took a look at what kind of animal was laying there and lo and behold, it was the opossum I’ve been noticing walking through the neighborhood some nights, playing dead – completely still, eyes open and all.

The dog, who’s usually quite skiddish when you come near him, wanted to hold his ground even though I was very close and clapping him away to go home.  He even growled at me.

I’m sure he was deciding whether he wanted to eat his catch or play with it for a while before eating it, but he finally took off down the way to his house – I don’t know what’s up with his owners.

Anyway, now I’m outside in my pajamas waiting on our street corner for this opossum to “wake” back up and get off the road to disappear into the night again.

I’m telling you, I had to wait

Playing Opossum in Dallas: Saving Our Wildlife is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

American Cockroach

They’re called water bugs or Palmetto bugs, but they’re actually American cockroaches and they’re huge.

They can fly, they run fast and will even come back to life on you after they’ve been smashed.

When we lived in Louisiana, they were a real problem especially when it rained or got cold as they’d find any tiny hole to get into your home. We actually set mouse traps for them and they worked!

They’re so large, you can hear them shuffling around in cupboards and on tile floors, even though we keep everything really spic and span.

Tonight, we just got rid of our 4th one this week that somehow found a way into our home here in Dallas.

Tough to catch, really smart and super fast, it’s not easy to pick one up to put back outside. They have been clocked at 3.4 mph – that’s equivalent to a human running 205 mpg (50 body lengths per second)!

My husband tried to corale #4 into a brown shopping bag, but it was too smart for all of that…It took a good 3-4 minutes trying to convince it to even step foot on the bag. Then, there was a mad dash to the door because it crawled out of the bag and almost up his arm!

Creepy crawlers that are so big, you can’t help but see them run across the floor or on the wall out of the corner of your eye.

Instead of being the typical roach black, they’re rusty in color! Yikes!

Here’s a photo I found of a bunch of them, except the ones we get down South are much bigger!

I guess I’m just not much of a bug person!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Blattaria
Family: Blattidae
Genus: Periplaneta
Species: P. americana

Conservation Status: This is not a threatened animal species. In fact, it is joked about that they’d be the only animal to survive a nuclear bomb.

American cockroaches are actually found all over the world due to global shipping and travel.

***

I hope you enjoyed this Insect Information on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the American Cockroach, check out this really informative book:

American Cockroach Catherine Chalmers’s second Aperture monograph invites us to meditate on the pleasures and terrors of the common domestic pest, Periplaneta americana, also known as the American cockroach. In three different series of photographs, “Infestations,” “Imposters,” and “Executions,” Chalmers challenges us to reconsider how we distinguish between creepy infestation and acceptable nature. With a slight B-movie quality, the images push us to think carefully about the ways in which we determine some creatures to be lovable and others best squashed under a shoe.

Technorati Tags: water bugs, cockroaches, Texas bugs, Texas insects, Texas cockroaches, roaches, big roaches, Palmetto bugs, American cockroach

Cockroaches 5 Inches Long in Texas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:

A Kentucky man, Kenny Mahoney, has a motion sensor hunting camera in his backyard, which often picks up images of rabbits, turkeys and deer.

What he found was an unidentified mysterious animal (UMA) on the photo raiding his garden. Check out this video:

Skeptical that it could be bigfoot, but unable to rule it out completely, the investigation moves on in the woods of Kentucky for bigfoot.

They say the figure looked to be six feet tall and had black fur, but they can’t be certain it wasn’t a bear, although it didn’t appear to be one. The form looks like it has a gorilla like head and shoulders with it’s arms crossed.

What do you think it was mulling around his back garden? Let us know by leaving a comment below…

* For more information, check out: Kentucky man says photo might show Bigfoot raiding his garden

***

I hope you enjoyed this Unidentified Mysterious Animal Sighting on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the history of Bigfoot, check out this really great DVD:

History’s Mysteries Bigfoot And Others Monsters Rated: NA Synopsis: The mermaid, Abominable Snowman, giant squid, and dragons are all parts of myths and mysteries. But are some real? The Komodo Dragon was merely the stuff of local legend–until the dinosaur-like, very real giant reptile with an orange

Technorati Tags: bigfoot, yeti, sasquatch, mysterious animal, cryptozoology, UMA, unidentified mysterious animal, latest bigfoot sightings, bigfoot sightings, bigfoot video, Kentucky bigfoot, cryptid, Kenny Mahoney

Bigfoot Sighting in Kentucky on Film is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Ladder-Backed (above) & Nuttall's (below) Woodpeckers

Out of all the exotic animals I’ve ever seen, for the first time in my life, I saw a woodpecker in person.

I’ve seen photos, heard them pecking, videos and know a bit about them, but have never seen one before.

I’m from Canada, so I’m sure there are more varieties there, but here in Dallas, there was a tiny, black with white speckled woodpecker with a touch of red on it’s head.

I’ve done my research online and found out that it’s a Ladder-Backed Woodpecker!

I knew it was a woodpecker from it’s tuft of hair on the back of it’s head, it’s pointy beak and how he was pecking the bark on the tree outside our window.

He didn’t just haul off and peck the tree to death…He hopped up the branches, pecked a few times, hopped some more and so on…

He was such a cute, little bird and I knew right away what I was looking at. They’re so quick in flight and flit around on the tree.

So neat! So exciting to me!

Woodpeckers are known to eat insects and their larva, as well as caterpillars, cockroaches, beetles, ants and sometimes berries and fruit from cacti.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Picoides
Species: P. scalaris

Conservation Status: This species of woodpecker is not threatened.

***

I hope you enjoyed this Bird Watching post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Grab this book for information on all North American Woodpeckers:

Woodpeckers Of North America Book: Woodpeckers Of North America

Technorati Tags: birds, woodpecker, woodpeckers, Texas birds, Dallas birds, Texas woodpecker, animals, bird watching, Ladder-backed woodpecker

Ladder-Backed Woodpecker Sighting in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

One of the simple joys in my life is watching the squirrels in the trees play around the neighborhood.

They do vex our crew of dogs at the house, but they’re so fun to watch at the same time.

They chase each other, run up and down the trees, and they’re so busy with all of their chores, like cleaning themselves, watching out for predators like dogs and cats, and tending to their meals.

Today, I took a look out of the window to see a squirrel actually lazing around in this midday Texas summer heat!

I’ve never seen this before. He was just “chillin’ out” in the tree with it’s arm hanging off a wide enough branch to lay down on.

Squirrel Hangin' Out in Tree

Too cute! Look at him with his leg hanging off the branch “chillin’”!

I’m glad my hubby was quick enough to catch a great photo…

Who knows…a minute to us might be an hour to them since they move around so fast and have shorter life spans than we do! LOL

When you’re looking for some simple pleasure, take a seat and watch the squirrels outside…

***

I hope you enjoyed this North American Animal post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Do you love Squirrels too? Check out this awesome art poster print:

Art Poster Print Red Squirrels By Steve Shachter Print Size 7.75 x 10 inches. Image Size 7.75 x 10 inches. High quality art poster. 7.50 Flat Shipping Rate to Continental US. No Extra Charge for Additional Prints Find all your favorite Red Squirrels posters art prints and framed art at Barewalls.com the Web’s leading art retailer. In business since 1997 Barewalls offers unmatched selection service and prices. Browse our huge selection of wall art including fine art popular posters vintage posters and decor prints.

Technorati Tags: squirrels, squirrel, North American animal, animals, arboreal species, arboreal, tree animals, common animals

Hanging Out with Squirrels in the Trees is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I have a little lizard friend that comes by my window and walks along the fence running the length of our home in Dallas.

Mock Chameleon

He’s a cute little guy – maybe 10 cm from nose to the end of his tail and is a khaki color.

When he sees me looking through the window, he starts showing off by forcing this rounded fan-like piece of skin out from his throat area. It turns a beautiful bright, ruby red color surrounded by sunshine yellow.

Now, I think he’s showing off to me. He’ll bob his head then thrust his beautiful fan out, walk a few inches and repeat, all the while peaking to see if I’m looking.

I think he thinks he’s a tough guy! LOL…

I don’t know if the showing off is because he feels threatened or he fancies me!

Today, just as I was telling my mother about him and describing what he does, he runs down the fence only to see me looking out the window again.

He stopped in his tracks and started his beautiful display. Just in time to accurately recount what was going on to my mother.

He came across a tree near the fence right outside my window that was about 1 foot away from him and he decided to really show off by jumping onto a limb for me to see.

This made him eye level with me and he continued to climb slowly, stopping and showing off.

The closer he got to green leaves, he turned a green color. As I wasn’t sure what kind of lizard he was, when he did this, it immediately hit me that he is a mock chameleon.

This does not mean he is actually a chameleon. He is a lizard that changes color like a chameleon.

Anyway, “Toughie” – this is what I’m calling him from now on, I enjoy our daily encounters and can’t wait to see him tomorrow.

He’s really got some personality! What a funny guy!

***

I hope you enjoyed this Reptile post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this great Field Guide for identifying all of the reptiles in Eastern & Central North America:

The Bartletts’ guide to the alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards of eastern and central North America features all 207 species inhabiting the… The Bartletts’ guide to the alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards of eastern and central North America features all 207 species inhabiting the region from west Texas, to western Manitoba, to the eastern seaboard. Each species account is accompanied by a color photo, distribution map, and description including appearance, behavior, range, habitat, and prey. Some introduced species covered in theiGuide/i, such as the large and predatory Nile monitor and spectacled caiman, illuminate ever-worsening environmental and ecological conditions, particularly in Florida and Texas.   This authoritative and user-friendly reference will appeal to hobbyists, amateur naturalists, biologists, and herpetologists seeking a focused, detailed, well-organized, and richly illustrated field guide. “The Bartletts have completed a monumental undertaking in compiling information on and photographing all the diverse amphibian and reptile taxa of eastern and central North America.”—Kevin M. Enge, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission “My choice as an effective primer for budding naturalists and young naturalists at heart wishing to become acquainted with this interesting segment of North America’s natural legacy.”—Walter Meshaka Jr., Section of Zoology and Biology, State Museum of Pennsylvania The Bartletts’ guide to the alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards of eastern and central North America features all 207 species inhabiting the region from west Texas, to western Manitoba, to the eastern seaboard. Each species account is accompanied by a color photo, distribution map, and description including appearance, behavior, range, habitat, and prey. Some introduced species covered in theiGuide, such as the large and predatory Nile monitor and spectacled caiman, illuminate ever-worsening e

Technorati Tags: mock chameleon, chameleon, Texas lizards, lizards, cute lizards, North American animals, reptiles, Texas reptiles, Dallas lizards

Mock Chameleons in Texas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Well, as we all know, TCU’s (Texas Christian University’s) mascot is the horny toad. Actually, it’s also called a horned lizard.

They are ridiculously adorable and are great, placid pets, that are even great with children.

The problem with the Texas horned lizard, native to Texas, is that their food supply is waning. Even as a lizard owner, it’s gotten tougher and tougher to find natural sources for their food.

What Do Horned Lizards Eat?
A typical horned lizard should eat between 20-100 harvester ants per day. This is necessary because harvester ants provide this horned lizard with the formic acid it needs to survive.

You’re thinking, “Well, just find some harvester ants outside and be done with it!”

Problem: Harvester ants have been displaced by the fire ant in Texas, especially Dallas. So, you need to be educated and knowledgeable when looking for harvester ant nests.

Also, you certainly don’t want to capture fire ants for 2 reasons:
1. Their bite can be very painful to a human and they can swarm you quickly.
2. Horny toads will eat a few, but can also be poisoned or get sick from the fire ants’ venom.

For more information on harvester ants, which may help you find a local, natural source for your lizard, check out Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_harvester_ant

If you’re not that “outdoorsy”, then feel free to order them online. You can often find them for about $0.02/ant when ordering 500 or more.

I’ve only rarely seen them available in local stores freeze dried, but they are more expensive for the amount of ants you get. Most local pet stores do not provide ants as a food source for these babies.

Of course, feeding your horned lizard live ants is best and more “natural” for them. Plus, it’s fun to see them in action catching them.

So, before you adopt a horned lizard, be sure you know where to get it’s food. Have fun!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Genus: Phrynosoma
Species: P. cornutum

Conservation Status:
This species of lizard is not endangered! Yay world!!!

***

I hope you enjoyed this Reptile post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the red ants these horned creatures need and desire, check out this really helpful book:

The native red ants of Texas, favored prey of the endangered Texas horned lizard, are but one of many New World ants known as harvesters. The two genera Pogonom The native red ants of Texas, favored prey of the endangered Texas horned lizard, are but one of many New World ants known as harvesters. The two genera Pogonomyrmex and Ephebomyrmex range from southern Canada to southern Argentina and the western half of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Haiti).PHarvester ants are generally noted for their habit of building large gravel mounds in the center of huge clearings, for harvesting the grain of favorite grasses, and for their fiery stings. Some early naturalists believed that harvesters planted their favored grasses around their mounds — a claim that, though mistaken, could be imagined to be true of these well-organized, highly social insects. Two hundred years of study are summarized in this volume, which covers all aspects of the lives of the harvester ants.PThe book begins with the mythology and folklore surrounding the harvester ants of the Southwest and Mexico: the Aztecs believed that the red harvester brought corn to humankind, and Native Americans of the southwestern deserts invoked special rituals to placate the ants when their mounds were disturbed. Following sections describe the ants’ evolution, distribution, nest structure, habits, foods, predators and cohabitors, defenses, chemistry and communication, and sex life. The final chapter considers the ants’ interaction with humans, including its perception as a pest and the history of pesticide use.PAppendixes give the scientific and common names of each harvester ant species, explain how to identify harvesters without technical devices, and provide a complete key to all sixty species. The key is supplemented by illustrations and distribution maps for every species. Anextensive bibliography and a detailed index are included.PThis beautifully illustrated book will serve as both a general guide to harvester ants for the lay audience and a quick, accurate, and inclusive reference for scientists.

Technorati Tags: horny toad, horned lizard, Texas horned lizard, horned frogs, lizards, reptiles, herpetology, harvester ants, fire ants, reptile care

Keeping a Horny Toad as a Pet in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I’ve been enjoying the bird life we have around our new property in Dallas in Lower Greenville.

We’ve got some beautiful cardinals with young, blue jays, cute, little sparrows and miscellaneous brown birds I haven’t completely identified yet.

However, this morning I thought I saw a blue jay in the tree from our kitchen window.

I kept watching it and low and behold, it wasn’t shadows on his blue color. He was a grey, black and white jay with a long tail!

Quickly, I ran to get my camera and when I returned to the window, he was gone.

I looked all over online for different types of jays in our area that may look like this and what I found was the Black-Throated Magpie Jay.

Why is this so interesting?
Because their range is Northwestern Mexico.

This means, either I’ve found a “rogue” jay or they’ve been expanding their habitat, for whatever reason.

What’s marvelous is that this is a species that isn’t endangered (yet)!

Either way, it was pretty exciting and I hope I see him again around here, so I can snap a photograph.

Keep your eyes to the trees because you’ll never know what you may find!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Calocitta
Species: C. colliei

* For more information on the black-throated magpie jay, check out Wiki.

***

I hope you enjoyed this North American Bird post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this book for more information on housing and feeding this type of bird and others like it:

Contents Include: Housing and Feeding The Goldfinch, The Bullfinch, The Linnet, The Greenfinch, The Chaffinch, The Bramble finch, The Siskin, The Redpoll, The Twite… Contents Include: Housing and Feeding The Goldfinch The Bullfinch The Linnet The Greenfinch The Chaffinch The Bramble finch The Siskin The Redpoll The Twite The Hawfinch The Yellow Bunting The Corn Bunting The Cirl Bunting The Reed Bunting Breeding Softbills The Magpie, Jay and Jackdaw The Song Thrush The Blackbird The Starling The Smaller Softbills Hints on Hand-Rearing Ringing Young Birds Standards and Scales of PointsKeywords: Reed Bunting Cirl Bunting Yellow Bunting Song Thrush Magpie Jay Jackdaw Bullfinch Siskin Linnet Goldfinch Bramble Starling Blackbird Finch Scales Birds

Technorati Tags: North American animal, Mexican animal, Mexican bird, North American bird, black throated magpie jay, magpie jay, jay bird, birds, bird, black throated jay, Dallas birds

A Black-Throated Magpie Jay in Dallas Today is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

That’s what I said!

I’ve been noticing a lot of bats this season in Dallas and to me, that’s a blessing…

That’s right!

I am so shocked every time I point out a bat to someone in the evening or night time and they nearly panic and run…

Bats aren’t the rabid, blood sucking, scary animals horror movies would have you believe they are.

In fact, they would love to stay away from you and have nothing to do with you! LOL…

They’re your best friends if you’re tired of all the darn mosquitoes biting you at night or during activities in the evening or on the weekends!

Why? Because bats love to eat them! Bats aren’t looking to fly down and latch themselves on your neck. They’re not stupid animals…

They are mammals, first of all, and have a highly developed sonar system. It is very, very unlikely that a bat would ever run into you unexpectedly.

They don’t have great eyesight, but they know that you’re there. What’s amazing is we usually don’t know they’re there and we’re supposed to be so much more intelligent and well adapted…LOL

Okay…other than owls, birds sleep at night. So, when you see a “bird” at night and it’s flying somewhat sporatically, it’s a bat!

Just knowing this one fact will open your eyes to bats…

Look at the night sky on a balmy night – surely you’ll see one and you’ll be amazed and happy to know that your insect exterminators are happily hard at work.

They’re amazing and I’m so happy to have seen so many of them this year. They really keep the insect problem at bay when they’re around – they love all flying insects including moths!

So, when you see your “first” bat in the night time sky, point it out to someone and tell them about bats…they’re an important part of our ecosystems and a much needed insect eater! Enjoy them!

***

I hope you enjoyed this Mammal post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Make sure to get your Exotic Animal Lover Updates Here!

Technorati Tags: bats, bats in Dallas, Dallas animals, flying bats, Texas bats, Texas wildlife, Dallas wildlife, North American animals, mammals

There Are Bats in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:
Scientists have finally discovered where the heck those basking sharks go during the winter months.

Previously thought to be a cold water fish, this shark will migrate from New England in the Western Atlantic all the way down to the Bahamas!

They even recorded one of the sharks they tracked hanging out for 1 month at the mouth of the Amazon River.

Animals are just full of surprises, arent’ they?

What was most intriguing about basking sharks is that no one has ever seen a baby or a pregnant female or a basking shark giving birth.

They measure up to 35 m long and are the 2nd largest fish in the world behind the whale shark.

They are slow moving and generally harmless in nature. Even though they’re sharks, this species is a filter feeder.

They are labeled a threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Lamniformes
Family: Cetorhinidae
Genus: Cetorhinus
Species: C. maximus

***

I hope you enjoyed this Fish post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Exotic Animal Lover Updates are Just 1 Click Away!

Technorati Tags: basking shark, sharks, shark, fish, marine animals, North American animals, South American animals, ocean animals

Basking Shark Mystery Migration Solved is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover