CMS Animal Science

7th and 8th grade Animal Science class. Updates on our animals, student work, and life at CMS to come.

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Sulcata Tortoise

- Scott J. 

The Sulcata tortoise also known as the African spurred tortoise lives in the southern part of the Sahara desert in northern Africa. they can weigh up to 200 pounds and have known to live up to 150 years. The Sulcata tortoise are willing to eat almost anything vegetable or fruit based but mainly eat grass and leaves. Most of the tortoise activity occurs in the rainy months where food is plentiful. Females can lay any where from 15 to 30 eggs every season. The Sulcata tortoise has been listed as vulnerable because of urbanization and desertification. They are the 3rd largest tortoise in the world behind the Galapagos Tortoise and the Aldabra Giant Tortoise. In Africa some villages use the tortoises to communicate with their ancestors. The African Spurred Tortoise has thick skin for restricted body loss and uses shell for protection and also to blend in with its environment.

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The lizard pictured above is my pet bearded dragon Merlin. He is about 6 months old. In our animal science classroom we have a bearded dragon named Glitter. Bearded dragons are very intelligent reptiles that come from Australia. They are ectothermic which means they are cold-blooded. They eat insects, plants, and sometimes even small reptiles or rodents. Bearded dragons predators include dingoes, other large lizards, and birds of prey. They have rough tan or beige skin that helps them camouflage in their natural habitat, the arid woodlands or deserts of central Australia. Bearded dragons became popular household in the 90's and can now be found in almost any pet store around. They can grow up to about two feet or 24 inches in length. In captivity they live around 10 years while in the wild they have shorter life spans. There 8 types of bearded dragons. This includes Pogona Vitticeps, Pogona Barbata, Pogona Minor Mitchelli, Pogona Minor Minor, Pogona Nulabor, Pogona Henrylawsoni, Pogona Minor Minima, and Pogona Microlepidota. Glitter is a Pogona Vitticeps or Inland Bearded Dragon which is by far the most common type kept as pets. They are known for being smart and docile and for not attacking humans. In the wild when approached by a predator a bearded dragon puffs its spiky "beard" up and turns different colors. Overall bearded dragons are great lizards with cool features that makes it one of the most popular pets in the United States.

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Ferrets

- Joey K. 

Care

To care for a ferret, there are many key points to keeping it healthy and happy. A ferret will need a high back litter box. This will prevent unnecessary clean ups on the floor or walls. Paper pellets are recommended for the litter box instead of litter because the ferret may inhale the dust, and it will cause lung problems. Ferrets will also need fresh food and water at all times. The ferret is an active creature, so it will need 2-4 hours of exercise per day. They are very social animals so you will need to pay a lot of attention to the ferret or buy a friend so it wont get lonely. Ferrets can be easily injured. These pets are not recommended for young children because they bite and scratch. Ferrets sleep a large part of the day, usually around 18 hours. They are usually active at dawn and dusk, but they can adapt to their owners sleep schedule.

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Fancy Rat Facts

- Ana Karen T. 

Fancy rats are one off the 56 species that are known. Their teeth can grow about 4 ½-5 ½ inches long every year as they wear them down gnawing on everything around them.

Rats can fall about 50 feet and land uninjured.  

Rats are members of the order Rodentia kingodom, which also include mice, hamsters, beavers and porcupines.

The normal life span for a rat is about 2.5 to 3.5 years.

Specially bred rats have been kept as pets, since the late 19th century.

The name fancy rats comes from the idea of animal fancy or the phrase "to fancy" (to like, or appreciate).

There is a Hindu temple dedicated to the rat goddess, where she houses more than 20,000 rats.

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- Tristan R. 

Video of Mini Mocha having dinner. 

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About Peggy the Cockatiel

-         Mackenzie R.

Peggy is a cockatiel that enjoys being around humans. She has a spunky personality. She only bites when something upsets her, but they just feel like little nibbles. She has light gray wings with yellow streaks. Her head is bright yellow with very vibrant rosy red cheeks. To hold her, you just put your fingers up to her belly and say, “Step up” and she climbs up. She has a little play set that she LOVES because it has a bell and a swing. She also likes it because she gets a better view of the whole room.

I was kind-of scared of her at first because I knew birds could bite. I had seen other people try and take her out and she would squawk and nip. However, as soon as I put my fingers in the cage to get her out, she just climbed up and sat there. Once she was on my finger there was an instant connection.

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Ferrets

- Nicholas P. 

           One of my favorite animals are the ferrets. We have two ferrets, Shadow and Bandit. Ferrets belong to the genus Mustelidae, and are related to weasels and badgers. Did you know that the Egyptians first tamed ferrets around 1500 B.C.? Ferrets were used in ancient times to hunt for rabbits and other animals, like dogs. Ferrets are usually around 50 centimeters long, including a 13 cm. tail. Ferrets sleep from 14 – 18 hours a day, and are active around dusk and dawn. In the wild, ferrets, or weasels to be accurate, ate small prey like birds and mice. They would actually eat the whole animal – bones, feathers, and all. Most ferrets are black or brown, but some are albino, and are completely white. There is also a ferret defect where they have a white stripe on their nose, and turn deaf. This is known as Waardenburg Syndrome.

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- Lexi M. 

Peggy! 

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- Cecilia M. 

Beaker is a Quaker Parakeet, she came to Carroll Middle schools animal science, at the beginning of the school year from Kookaburra birds. The Quaker parakeet, also known Quaker parrot, is native to South America. Quakers are one of the most common parakeets, due to there low cost and amazing mimicking skills. They're bright colorful birds, usually around 12 inches tall. Some Quakers live up to 30 years when taken good care of. Quakers are very talkative birds, so anyone that doesn't want a chatterbox of a bird shouldn't get a Quaker. They're very intelligent though and some can get a relatively big vocabulary. They can learn tricks, and when raised well will even become affectionate towards their caregiver. The average Quaker nests quickly, and lays six to eight eggs. Quakers are usually green, but can be found in blue and other colors. Quakers are a great family pet when you pay attention to them, and even if you keep them with another Quaker they will still keep a strong bond to you, if you care for them. Overall they are very social birds, and could be a great addition to your family.

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Flash Writing  Terra

- Sophia P. 

‘Not again’ I think as an aggravating sound bares throughout the room. I close my eyes as I relinquish the last few moments of silence left in the day. I slowly slither out of my black, plastic hut only to observe a human’s face pressed up against the glass, his eyes curiously starring inside with his prying eyes. Irritation surfaces every time they peer in to watch my every move. I can feel my fury slowly building up as more students gather around me and wag their fingers at me. I don’t know what to do to get them to retreat back to their desks. I rancorously turn my body and raise my head to better observe the juvenile delinquents whose faces are against the glass. The poor kids didn’t have time to blink before I rapidly extended my body, hitting the side of the glass with unmatched momentum. The throbbing in my head pushes me back down. But when I look back up, the children scurry away in fear. Attacking the glass was definitely worth it. 

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Voting is over! Terra by Sophia P. was the class favorite!! 

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Guinea Pigs and You

-Hernan T. 

This document will teach you everything you need to know about taking care of a guinea pig and keeping it happy.

Housing

  Guinea Pigs need at least eight square feet of floor in their cage. They are very social animals and will like a guinea friend, but this will double the space needed. Because they have delicate feet, you should NEVER put them in a wire-bottomed cage. Because guinea pigs are small animals, they are easily scared, so you should have a place for them to hide in when they get scared. Boxes and pipes will serve this purpose well, and can be found in most pet stores. A guinea pig’s teeth are always growing, so you will need to put something in their cage for them to gnaw on, like a piece of wood or cardboard. Bedding will need to be a few inches thick, and can be made from paper or aspen shavings. Don’t use cedar as your bedding, because it contains chemicals that are harmful to guinea pigs.  Remember to change it at least twice a week, or else you’ll have a stinky cage and an unhappy guinea. Take out stale food, poop, and soiled bedding from the cage every day. Completely clean the cage weekly by changing out the bedding, and then rinsing down the bottom of the cage with warm water. Make sure the cage is dry before you put more bedding in, because it would be a shame to waste it like that.

Diet

  The main source of food for your guinea pig should be pellets. Feed them these pellets twice a day. You can also give your guinea pig some fruits and veggies. Half a handful of it is plenty for your pet. Just make sure to pick up any uneaten food before it spoils, because it smells really bad and could be bad for them. You should also give your guinea some hay every day, because it helps their digestive system and gives them something to gnaw on. Remember that growing and pregnant guineas will need more food, just like any other animal. Interestingly, guinea pigs are unable to produce Vitamin C, so you’ll need to supply them with this in the form of an orange slice. Make sure that your guinea always has access to water whether in the form of a bowl, or a bottle. Change the water daily.  

General Care

If you want to be able to interact with your guinea pig, they’re going to have to get used to you first. To start with, feed them some treats so that they get used to you and see you as a positive thing. Once they’re comfortable in your presence, try picking them up, with a hand on its bottom, and the other on its back. It may take a few tries, but they’ll get used to it. After that, you can set them uncaged in a closed room. Make sure there are no exit points it can slip through, guineas can jump and they’re very determined! You’ll also want to keep an eye on them, since they’re liable to chew up anything in their path. Unless you have a long-haired variety, your guinea will not be very grooming intensive; they only need to be brushed every other week. Sometimes, a bath will be needed. Wash them with warm water and some pet shampoo. Wrap them up in towels afterwards so that they don’t feel chilly. If your guinea uses bedding, then you’ll also have to trim their claws. You should probably do this once every month or so. You should probably take your guinea to the Vet once a year, to do check-ups so that you can monitor their health, and remember to spay or neuter it unless you want a mountain of guinea babies!

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It should be noted that the cage in the picture is way too small, as are all pet store cages I’ve seen. Proper size cages can be seen at guineapigcages.com. 

The main source of food is actually hay, unlimited amounts (as guinea pigs don’t overeat) is essential to help prevent GI stasis as well as help prevent teeth overgrowth. Most sources list hay as 80% of a guinea pig’s diet. They only need about ¼ cup of pellets daily. Guinea pigs need varying sources of vitamin C in the form of “people food,” but oranges shouldn’t be given in excess as they’re high in sugar. Tomatoes, lettuce, and other greens have lots of vitamin C as well. Oxbow makes vitamin C supplement pellets (water drops should be avoided as it evaporates quickly and may cause water aversion).

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Thanks for the notice. The cage isn’t tiny, by any means, but bigger is always better. We do have our animals out often, and she is allowed to roam around a fenced in area during the day in another part of the room. To address your concerns about food, this is a work from a student using online resources/care guides. So, while there is probably ‘best care practices’, this is pretty prevalent information and at least meets their needs. Our guinea, Ms. Bella, has unlimited access to hay and receives greens and other fresh foods daily as well. :-)  Thanks for your concern! 

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- Sophia P. 

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Flash Writing  Terra

- Sophia P. 

‘Not again’ I think as an aggravating sound bares throughout the room. I close my eyes as I relinquish the last few moments of silence left in the day. I slowly slither out of my black, plastic hut only to observe a human’s face pressed up against the glass, his eyes curiously starring inside with his prying eyes. Irritation surfaces every time they peer in to watch my every move. I can feel my fury slowly building up as more students gather around me and wag their fingers at me. I don’t know what to do to get them to retreat back to their desks. I rancorously turn my body and raise my head to better observe the juvenile delinquents whose faces are against the glass. The poor kids didn’t have time to blink before I rapidly extended my body, hitting the side of the glass with unmatched momentum. The throbbing in my head pushes me back down. But when I look back up, the children scurry away in fear. Attacking the glass was definitely worth it. 

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Flash Writing The Turtles

- Lexi M. 

A big majestic turtle was making a hole on the beach. Her spiky legs so unique. Her yellowish, greenish colors shine in the sun. She feels happy, but scared for her eggs. She sees the big blue waves. She thinks about her youngs adventures. Any month she knows its time. The sky darkens. She walks away knowing she won’t see them again, but loves them with all her heart. 

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Flash Writing Who Am I?

- Emily B. 

Yellow on the top and white on the bottom, like an unflipped pancake. Head with spots like a giraffe. Nose and mouth a triangle, waiting for crickets. My tail is spongy and purple like a marshmallow. My skin is bumpy like hills and valleys. My eyes are waiting for something interesting. I drag my body in the warm sand and stop to take a nap.

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Flash Writing Who am I?

- Bailey K. 

My skin is bumpy like goosebumps on a cold day. My back and head, yellow-green like the sun shining through the trees. My gentle but claw-like hands move slowly yet jerkily as I drag my heavy tail along the sand. Its color, purple-gray like a sunset on a stormy day, spotted like a cheetah. Its shape like a Christmas light yet soft and squishy like a water balloon. My tongue darts in and out rapidly as I await my dinner of crickets. 

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Flash Writing Untitled

- Eddie R. 

In a tree, sitting, slithering, waiting for one to pass by. I see it out of the corner of my eye. I wait until it gets closer. I strike fast and grab it with my fangs. I wrap around it, starting from the neck and going down. You can hear bones crunch and snap as I squeeze harder. Finally, I had my meal.