About

The overall purpose of this blog is to appreciate everything “sublime” and awesome about both domestic and wild animals. Nearly all of my work hours and spare time are devoted to the care of and working with animals, and so I’ll record the more memorable/important experiences here.

I am a university student working towards becoming a veterinary technician in the next few years. My hope is that with my career I can help animals by helping veterinarians. In my spare time I volunteer at the local animal shelter and care for my own animals. Other hobbies of mine include art (acrylic paint, ink, and polymer clay mediums) and hiking/walking.

My animals currently include:

Blue the Alaskan husky was adopted at around a year old in 2007 from the FNSB animal shelter I volunteered at in Fairbanks, Alaska. Despite her name, she’s a she! She was surrendered because she refused to work with the rest of the owner’s sled team. Now she’s moved south with me to Pennsylvania to live as a pet and hiking companion rather than sled dog.

Charlie the rat was acquired here in Pennsylvania in June 2008. Rats are my favorite companion animal because of their cat-like playfulness, dog-like affection, and sharp intelligence. The only drawback is their extremely short life span. Charlie loves to ride around on my shoulder and keep me awake as I study or do desk work.

Sid the bearded dragon was purchased in September 2008 from the store I work at. He’s still very young, but developing quickly, and I’m excited to finally have a dragon again. Of all the reptiles I’ve had experiences with, I’ve found beardies to be the most enjoyable to work with as pets. They become attached to their owners, have strong personalities, and are a manageable size.

Mantids I raise include the Chinese mantis (Tenodera aridifolia sinensis) and the Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina). These insects are raised as beneficial insects for the garden as well as kept as pets. I’m fascinated by the process of growth these creatures go through, from the hatching of the egg case to their final molt into adulthood. As pets, they are nonviolent and entertaining to watch, but insects are still insects as far as personality and affection go. Raising them makes an excellent experience for children especially.

…and that’s it! I don’t own very many animals myself so that I can give the several I have the attention they deserve, while also having time available to help others.