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.

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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

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!!!

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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

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!

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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

Well, it’s a mammal and is often called a scaly anteater with hardened plates made of keratin that look like scales, and are razor sharp for an extra armored effect. They come from Africa and Asia.

Photo left: A pangolin invading a termite mound for food

They are nocturnal and use their amazing sense of smell to find insects to eat. Their tongues are elongated and also extend into their stomach so they can snag insects from tight places. They don’t have teeth and cannot chew, so this internal structure serves them well.

Pangolins will curl up when confronted or feel threatened, much like an armadillo or hedgehog would. For an extra defensive mechanism, they will emit an awful smelling acid from their anal glands, similar to skunks, to fend off predators.

They are great burrowers and climbers, not to mention great swimmers, with their short legs and sharp claws. Some species actually live in trees, and some live in tunnels underground.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Eutheria
Superorder: Laurasiatheria
Order: Pholidota
Family: Manidae
Genus: Manis
Species: Manis culionensis, Manis gigantea, Manis temminckii, Manis tricuspis, Manis tetradactyla, Manis crassicaudata, Manis pentadactyla, Manis javanica

I would say that the pangolin is somewhat endangered, especially the giant pangolin, as they are hunted for bush meat in Africa, and are considered a delicacy in China.

The Chinese believe the scales reduce swelling, improve blood circulation, and help mother’s produce milk when breast-feeding. The preparation of the pangolin in these kitchens is typically an arduous and slow death…Very sad! They are often illegally trafficked.

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

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S.

Technorati Tags: pangolin, anteater, spiny anteater, mammal, African animal, Asian animal, insectivore

What in the World is a Pangolin? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover