Jayla the chinchilla

Jayla

She may look (and jump!) like a rabbit, but she’s a relative of the mouse.

Everyone loves Jayla’s super-soft fur, and watching her take a bath in dust!

Species: Chinchilla

Animal Type: Herbivore

Native to: Andes Mountains, South America

___________________________

Sonic

Sonic

Sonic’s isn’t blue, like that other hedgehog… he’s albino (he has no skin pigments at all!)

He can roll into a spiky ball to hide from predators.

He loves to sleep all day, and hunt and play all night. He’s not a picky eater – he loves spiders, insects, even scorpions!

Species: African Pygmy Hedgehog

Animal Type: Onmivore

Native to: Africa

Sonic in ball

___________________________

cockroach

Hissers

Maybe you’ve seen a cockroach like this in the movie Men in Black!

These are nicer, but they will hiss at you if you bother them.

They like to live in rotting logs and stay out of the light.

Species: Madagascar hissing cockroach

Animal Type: Herbivore

Native to: Madagascar, Africa

___________________________

Carlita

Carlita

Carlita is a rose-haired tarantula, who’s often hiding in her log, waiting on an insect like a fat cricket.

She can go weeks without eating, though!

She’s calm and rarely bites – even then, it’s only mildly poisonous.

Species: Chilean Rose Tarantula

Animal Type: Carnivore

Native to: Chile, Bolivia, Argentina

___________________________

Max

Max

Like many reptiles, Max loves hot, dry climates.  He loves crickets, crunchy beetles and worms,

but he also enjoys his fruits and vegetables. His favorite treat is apples!

Species: Bearded Dragon

Animal Type: Omnivore

Native to: Australia

___________________________

The Geckos

The Geckos

Voted coolest animal at HOSC in 2007, these little nocturnal reptiles are like Max in more ways than one.

They’re terrestrial and carnivores (meat eaters). These guys love  beetles, worms and crickets.

One of the coolest things about these guys is how they store extra water and fat in their tails. They also shed their skins, which they then eat for an extra boost of calcium.

Species: Leopard Gecko

Animal Type: Carnivore

Native to: Pakistan, India

gecko-blurry-except-for-fac.jpggecko-very-close-up.jpggecko-with-legos.jpggecko-close-up-looking-out.jpg