Good Night, Sweet “Faith”
Zooniversity lost one of its most precious teachers today, our sweet 10-year old fennec fox named "Faith." Faith spent years traveling to schools, libraries, and private events, teaching people about this elusive, and beautiful, desert species. She spent the last seven years with us, battling many obstacles — juvenile cataracts, glaucoma, prosthetic eye surgery, and in her final year, cancer. Faith lost her battle today against the spindle-cell sarcoma that crippled [more...]
Introducing “Tuck” — The South American Armadillo
Yes, we’re a Texas wildlife company, but this is NO Texas armadillo — this is Tuck, a La Plata or 3-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) from the dry, grassy Chaco region of Paraguay in South America. This armadillo species is a favorite of wildlife educators throughout the world for its tame, gentle nature and especially for its unique ability to do something other armadillos cannot do. This is the only armadillo species to be able to retract, or "tuck," into a [more...]
African Cave Spiders, Anyone?
Whoa…it’s creepy, it’s crawly, it looks like a very large, squashed scorpion with some daddy-long-legs glued onto it! It’s actually an African Cave Spider, officially called a tailless whip scorpion (Damon variegatus), and it’s perfectly harmless. How novel… a creepy crawly at Zoonversity that doesn’t bite, pinch, or sting – our creep-phobic zookeepers are very grateful.
Unlike other arachnids, such as true spiders and scorpions, these guys have only six legs. Their other two legs have been [more...]
Meet Baby Sheila, the Joey Wallaby
Ahhhh…meet our newest baby, little Sheila. She is a 7-month old joey wallaby that we’re fostering until she is big enough to return to her mob at another wildlife educator’s Texas ranch. She is still a pouch baby and travels with us everywhere. She sleeps most of day still, but will remind us that it’s bottle time with some gentle chirps. We’ve introduced her to her first grass and hay, [more...]
Name the Hyrax!
This is Zooniversity’s newest animal ambassador, a yellow-spotted hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei) who needs the perfect name — and we’re asking our Zooniversity friends to name him! Something, cute, yet dignified, that suits his species and his personality. Here’s a bit more about him to give you some creative inspiration…
This 8-pound, football-shaped, herbivore was sent to us by another wildlife educator who just didn’t have the time to work with him. He is usually found in the savannahs and jungles [more...]
Avoid Those Holiday Pet Hazards
What’s your pet going to do when the house is filled with the sights, sounds and smells of the holiday and no one is looking? Probably get into trouble. This holiday, safe guard your pet against these common dangers.
MISTLETOE, especially mistletoe berries, can cause gastrointestinal upset and heart arrhythmia.
HOLLY leaves and berries can cause gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting and diarrhea.
EVERGREEN BOUGHS such as fir, balsam and pine, although not toxic, also [more...]
“I need your help. I found an animal…”
Springtime is in full bloom here in Texas and our phones have been ringing off the hook with animal lovers who have stumbled upon a wild species that they think needs our help. Lots of baby bird, baby cottontail, opossum, and "I’m not sure what this is" phone pleas for help and "rescue."
Abandoned Babies: One thing we’ve learned at Zooniversity is that "rescue" is not only sometimes unwarranted, often it can [more...]
Cancer: Exotic Animals Battle it Too
The big “C”—cancer, that erroneous fluke in cell division that multiplies, invades, and eventually destoys normal cells. Unfortunately, most of you have all had loved ones who have bravely battled this dreaded disease. Some of you have even had cats and dogs that have fought it. But, have you ever considered that wildlife and exotic animals get cancer, too? They do.
Here at Zooniversity, we’ve accepted donations of animals with all [more...]
Simon – The Iguana Who Started it All
As a professional biologist, I knew better. But, I am also a mother; which means that I too sometimes abandon all sense and logic to appease the pleadings of one of my adorable, and always convincing, children. Meet Simon, the iguana who started it all.
There was Simon, perched lopsided on that branch in that crummy pet store. He was maybe 6 inches long and bright green. His twisted and broken [more...]
“Sydney,” Journey of a Joey Wallaby, Part 2
I’d like to be a joey wallaby. I’d spend long hours sleeping peacefully in a fuzzy pouch, stretch my oh-so-big feet upon waking, guzzle milk when I was thirsty, delicately nibble on hay and grass when hungry, hop-hop-hop faster-faster-faster at play time, and “huff” for my humans to give me some always needed attention and cheek rubs.
Such is the life of our little joey wallaby, “Sydney,” who came to Zooniversity [more...]
