My Pets’ Revolt

My pets’ spring fling has morphed into a full scale summer assault on my good will.  Last night, I composed my ad:  “Pet writer seeking peace and quiet seeks loving home for three parrots and one dog.”

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Pet Birds: Wild or Not So Wild?

January 5 is National Bird Day, so named by a couple of organizations that want the nation’s activists to be sure the nation’s 17 million pet birds are not exploited. I have three pet parrots. I try not to do things that encourage people in other countries to export birds, legally or illegally, or to encourage “parrot mills,” the bird version of breeding without regard for the health and welfare of the animals.

What I prefer doing is spending the day with my feathered companions. My engaging, playful, gorgeous parrots fascinate me. A well-nourished bird, even a “plain green one,” glitters like a gem.

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Creepy Crawly Animals

Have you checked out the scare power of tarantulas, rats, and lizards? Have you ever heard of an animal called an axolotl? At the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Life Science Laboratory, I found a collection of animals just right for Halloween.

Chris Stockner, Life Science Educator at OMSI shared his secret for working with the creepy and the crawly. “They’re not frightening, if you know more about them.” In fact, Chris has been keeping bugs and reptiles since he was a kid, and never grew out of it.

On OMSI’s second floor lab, you can see representative arachnids, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and lone mammal up close. Chris or his counterparts are on duty to answer your questions. Stockner explained that several of the scary looking ones make good beginner exotic pet.

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