Hi I'm Pico! I'm an African Pygmy Hedgehog, one of 15 species around the world. I love to go hunting for delicious insects to eat, but only at night because I'm nocturnal. My nose is so sensitive that I can smell my meals even if they're hiding underground. I also have excellent hearing to avoid bad guys, but if they get too close I can just roll into a ball and let the 7000 quills that cover my body protect me. Not even lions or hyenas will mess with me then! Some say that hedgehogs are the most primitive animals on Earth today, but I say we're pretty darn cool.
Pico's favorite afternoon snacks are delicious mealworms. His owners really pamper him with weekly pedicures and baths to make sure he's clean and happy!
Yaaaawwwnnnn, hi I'm Sienna. You're lucky you caught me between naps since I'm usually only awake 4-6 hours per day. I live in the rain forests of Central and South America but I'm a good hider so you have to look hard if you want to find me. I spend most of my life hanging upside down from the trees. I eat, mate, and even sleep upside-down! I'm not ashamed to say that my family are the slowest mammals on earth. We are so slow that algae will grow on us but we like it because it helps us hide so we can sleep undisturbed. Speaking of sleep, I have some catching up to do…
Sienna achieves a level of relaxation that even the laziest teenagers could never imagine. Her favorite sleep buddy is her stuffed teddy bear. She's affectionate also and likes sharing eskimo kisses with the dogs.
G'day I’m Dezarae and I'm a Bennett's Wallaby! Like my mate the Kangaroo, I'm a marsupial and my mum carried me around in her pouch until I was about 10 months old. That was the life! I don't eat shrimp from the barbie because I'm an herbivore, but I do love grass, roots and some fruits. If I hear or smell bad guys coming, I can run away or even swim. I've heard of some wallabies running at 22 MPH, not too shabby!
Dezerae is hoppin' crazy! She hops around the house and splashes in the kiddie pool in the summer. After the pool she loves chin-scratches and some cheerios to eat while in front of the TV.
Hssss I'm Bikram, a Ball Python. I get my name because if feel threatened, I will roll up into a tight ball. I don’t have ears so I smell out my food with my tongue. Because I continue to grow throughout my life, I will shed my old skin every 4-6 weeks for a newer prettier one. I've heard that Cleopatra thought my ancestors were so pretty that she wore them on her ankles, wrists and neck as jewelry!
Bikram was named after the the yoga practice and his extreme flexibility. He's so flexible and strong that he is able to climb very high without the use of arms or legs! When not showing off his climbing skills, bikram loves to snack on small rats.
G'day I'm Elliott, another Aussie! I'm a dragon, but not the kind that breathes fire. I'm a Bearded Dragon! My friends call me Beardy because when I get excited or want to show dominance, I can expand a spiny pouch under my jaw that looks like a beard. During the day I love to sunbathe and will flatten myself like a pancake to absorb as many rays as possible. This flattening prevents me from fitting in the mouth of any hungry predators!
Elliot is very curious and outgoing and loves to ride on Robert's shoulders while taking a walk. Elliot's name comes from the movie "Pete's dragon".
Hssss I'm Ssssalazar. You can find my family on Hog Island in South America; that's how I get my name. I'm not venomous, but I do give a mighty powerful hug! When I get hungry, I slither in search of scrumptious meals like frogs, rodents, and birds. Due to human interference in our habitat, some scientists are worried about us becoming extinct in the wild. If you visit Hog Island, take a picture, not a Boa.
Salazar's favorite foods are large rodents. If he snacks too much, he'll jump into the bathtub for a couple laps to work it off!
Lloyd Jr. and I come from Africa where we are the largest of the African mainland tortoises. We grow up to 200 lbs in weight and regularly live to see 80 years of age. We like to eat greens, fruits and veggies. During the day we will dig a burrow to avoid the heat and then come out in the evening to feast. If L.J. and I get into an argument, we settle it by pushing each other around and sometimes tipping the other one over onto his shell!
Lloyd and L.J. like to follow Jennie and Robert around and keep them company while they are working around the yard. Because they like to eat grass, they are natural lawn mowers and keep the yard looking good.
Caw! I'm a Macaw! My buddy Legend and I are native to Central and South America. We love to eat fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, and some insects. Even though we're big and beautiful now, it wasn't always that way. We were actually hatched without all of our beautiful feathers! Now that we're so pretty, we like a lot of attention so if we're ignored be prepared for a screeching Macaw cacophony. If we feel bored, we might entertain ourselves by using your furniture as our chew-toy but we'd prefer to play with our bird-toys. We are very intelligent and are capable of learning to mimic sounds and solve different puzzles. No bird-brains here!
Legend loves to get clean by jumping in the shower and washing off.He's a real showman and loves to show off for new friends. His favorite things are wooden toys to chew and destroy, ice cubes on hot summer days and singing in the rain. What a wonderful feeling!
Phoenix is full of energy and loves to play all day long. Her favorite activities include hanging up side down, acting like a clown and stealing as many of Legend's toys as possible.
Hello, I'm Rosie, a Rose Hair Tarantula from Chile. My cousins and I can be found in the deserts of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Many people are frightened of me because I’m venomous, but in reality I’m more scared of humans than they are of me. When I feel threatened I can flick hairs from my body, which can irritate your skin and eyes. If one of my legs gets hurt in a fight, I can actually grow a new one after a few molts. In the wild I prefer to be alone, but with some tender loving care I make a very sweet pet.
Rosie loves when Jennie feeds her crickets, they're one of her favorite meals. With the proper attention, Rosie and other members of her family actually make very gentle, sweet pets!
I'm Maddie, a Hissing Cockroach. My brothers and sisters are very environmentally conscious and survive by “recycling” decaying plant and animal matter in the tropical forests and riverbanks of Madagascar. When disturbed or threatened we voice our displeasure by pushing air out of our body through holes called spiracles. This produces a loud hissing sound that can be heard up to 12 feet away! You can identify my brothers from my sisters by their heads – the boys have horns & hairy antennae while the girls have smooth heads and antennae.
Maddie and her family like to hang out in cool dark places. They don't have wings like other species so they like to crawl around on the ground. One of Maddie's favorite toys are shoots made from empty paper towel rolls. Her feet are like velcro which allow her to climb onto interesting new places......like your arm!