Last month we picked up a couple young toads as we walked our neighborhood and turned them loose in our condo patio area where they made use of the habitat we’d created for lizards. On occasion, we’ve seen both, but more often we’ve seen just one in a pie plate we’d sunk into the ground …
We’ve lived in our Arizona condo for nearly four years now. And since the beginning, we have tried to create a habitat in our patio area that would entice lizards to take up residency. Building a Habitat At first, we stacked broken ceramic pieces, piles of rocks, and skeletons of cholla cactus in a corner …
When and how do people develop a fear of snakes? Often these fears begin in childhood, whether experiencing one’s own frightening incidents or adopting a parent’s fear. We have even perused a children’s reptile book with pictures demonstrating snakes attacking an unwary adult or lurking in wait with scowling menace for innocent victims. Rather than …
When asked by Ranger Justin at White Tank Mountain Regional Park to lead a group of Girl Scouts on a hike recently, we readily agreed, recalling fondly the school fieldtrips we led at some refuges where we’ve volunteered over the past few years. The theme for this hike, we were told, was “Leave No Trace.” …
“My dad used to take me fishing and hiking, and I like to do that for my son, too,” a father told us the other day while we displayed and discussed snakes at White Tank Mountain Regional Park. His son stood nearby dressed smartly in his Cub Scout uniform. “I love seeing snakes on the …
Behind the reptile exhibit at White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a “kitchen” of sorts that contains lettuce, red peppers, mealworms, insects, and other items to feed the rats and mice. All these rodents are, in turn, scheduled to be fed to the reptiles on exhibit. All, that is, except one. Pardoned Simon is a …
Searching for activities to occupy us while sequestered in our home during the pandemic, Chuck and I decided to remodel our kitchen. In reality, all that entailed for us was adding handles to the cabinets and drawers. For $30 and a little time, what a difference that made! But that wasn’t the only remodel job …