by Fauna | Sep 5, 2013 | Blog
Daniel was raised in Nashville, TN, where the forest and nearby farms nurtured his passion for nature. During part of this time his family was actively involved in wildlife rehabilitation. Although they did have the typical pets such as dogs and cats, there was nothing odd about unusual animals scurrying about the house. From the time he was in sixth grade, he could be found spending his time after school at the local fish store where he eventually started helping out and then working at a young age. At this point his interest and experience in the reproduction of exotic birds was rapidly growing. Once in college he started working as a zookeeper at the Nashville Zoo, while maintaining a sizable flock of birds at home. A few years later his desire to know more about animal medicine had increased and he accepted a position as a veterinary technician for a prestigious veterinary clinic in Nashville. It wasn’t long before he became the lead technician where he remained for several more years. In 2001, Daniel moved to New York City, bringing a select few of his feathered flock along to join his then partner. He continued his work as a veterinary technician, while doing some animal handling for theater, film and photography on the side for the next several years. During a meeting with one of his avian clients, the concept of opening a store was conceived. Through his work at clinics Daniel had always felt a strong need for there to be a place for people who wish to share their lives with exotic animals to be educated on how...
by Fauna | Sep 5, 2013 | Aquatics, Blog
Written by Christian Morehouse It is often stressful when introducing new fish to an aquarium. You want to make sure that the transition is as smooth as possible and that the fish does well in his new environment. There are many different water parameters that can vary from tank to tank. The best way to acclimate a fish to these changes in water chemistry is using the drip acclimation method. Dripping Fish Dripping fish is a way to slowly mix the water from the bag with the water from your new tank Start off by pouring the water from the bag into a small container. You want to make sure it is small enough for the fish to be completely submerged with the amount of water in the bag, but large enough to allow you to add more water from the tank. A heater is also important to maintain proper water temperature. If the water temperature of the bag does not match the water temperature of the tank, the change can shock the fish. You must also be careful that the heater remains entirely submerged and covered. If left uncovered, the fish will often hide against the heater and can burn themself. To prevent this, submerge the heater in a filled water bottle. Then stand the water bottle upright in the container with your new fish. This will keep the fish warm while preventing him from burning himself. An air pump is also important. After a while of being bagged, the fish’s oxygen starts to deplete. If left for too long, this can starve the...
by Fauna | Aug 13, 2013 | Blog, Workshop
About Barbara Heidenreich After receiving her degree in zoology and trying many different types of animal-related jobs, Barbara Heidenreich discovered the world of animal training… and what a wonderful discovery it was! Finally, a career where she could get to play with animals! In 1990 Barbara began training birds and staff in zoos around the country for free flight educational programs. This eventually evolved into consulting on animal training around the world. Barbara has served on the board of directors for the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators for 12 years and was honored to be the first female president of the organization. “I’ve always known animals were my calling,” Barbara Heidenreich The companion parrot community is one that is near and dear to Barbara’s heart. She has had a companion parrot, a Blue Fronted Amazon parrot named Tarah since 1987, and now has several other parrot additions to the household. Barbara has been a featured speaker on animal training on six continents, over 20 countries, and has been published in nine different languages. Barbara teaches parrot training workshops around the world and is thrilled to have had the opportunity to train thousands of companion parrots. This experience makes Barbara’s teachings truly unmatched. This hands on experience with so many different individual parrots has been invaluable to helping her provide caregivers the tools they need to have a great relationship with their parrots based on trust. Testimonial from Workshop attendee “Just wanted to drop you a note and let you know the seminar today was AWESOME! It is so different to see the training in person and then watch...
by Fauna | Mar 8, 2013 | Aquatics, Blog, Staff
Gen Katz had recently been figuring out what his future could hold. After attending Syracuse University for a year and a half, he decided to search for something that he had a true passion for. During the last semester however, there were two prominent items in his apartment, a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium and an attempted saltwater aquarium. He didn’t put much thought into the tanks at the time until he returned to NYC and had the opportunity to get a much larger aquarium. It was the beginning to a new endeavor that eventually led to a new career. Plastic decorations weren’t satisfying enough for Gen and he felt there was more that he could accomplish with an aquarium. The thought of having a saltwater aquarium was something he considered, but with no true experience it seemed too intimidating. As he started to browse YouTube videos and other online aquarists forums, he found the answer; a planted tank. From the moment Gen aquascaped his first planted aquarium, the passion for planted tanks took off. Gen has since gone through many planted tanks to find his style of aquascaping. As he began setting up tanks he decided to vlog his process throughout all the tanks. Having this video record has allowed Gen to occasionally look back at where it all began. Once Gen found Fauna he quickly became part of the family and decided to plant some roots of his own! After revamping the freshwater plant department, he soon had the store littered with small planted aquariums throughout. Within a few...
by Fauna | Dec 12, 2012 | Blog, Staff
Megan grew up in Fairfield County, CT where she immediately made a connection with the horses under her mother’s care. She began riding horses at a very young age and still manages a quick ride whenever she visits her parents. Throughout her childhood Megan grew up with her dog Abby, a black lab mix, and several cats all of which were adopted from the humane society. Being an only child, her pets were some of her best friends and she gained a deep empathy for the animals she grew up with. From Megan’s influence, her parents currently still have three dogs, three cats and three horses, while Megan has two cats of her own. Megan’s affinity for animals lead her to pursue a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Science from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. The summer before her senior year, she was fortunate enough to be selected for an internship at a local aquarium that she visited as a child. During her internship, Megan worked closely with both educators and aquarists and learned many important skills that peaked her interest in animal care and training. It was in the aquarist department that she learned about IMATA (International Marine Animal Trainer’s Association) and continued on to attend an Animal Training Seminar at the Annual IMATA Conference in September 2010. This seminar was an enlightening experience for her; one that she hopes to expand upon in the future. After college, she began working in the education department at The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT. At the aquarium she taught children of all ages...
