Fauna NYC Blog
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Fauna at P.S. 9’s Annual Spring Fair
On Saturday, May 16, 2015, Fauna participated in P.S. 9’s annual Spring Fair! Educators and civil servants from all around Manhattan (EMS workers, science educators, police and FDNY, etc) gathered in the P.S. 9 school yard to help celebrate wellness, science and ecology, gardening, and technology. The P.S. 9 Spring Fair helps introduce kids to science through hands on learning, experimentation, and games. Fauna’s booth welcomed the students from P.S. 9 and their parents to learn about and interact with some of the animals from the shop. Utilizing our kid-friendliest animals, Fauna displayed several insects, reptiles, and small mammals to teach kids about proper pet care, the ecology of the animals on display, as well as giving the community a chance to interact with and see how friendly some of our animal friends can be. Who was the most popular, of all the animals on display? Fester, our Madagascar Hissing Roach! Kids of all ages were fascinated by his immense size and gentle, patient nature, and even allowed toddlers to pet him. Several children got the opportunity to pet and hold him, and learn the important role these insects play in their native forest habitats. To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Herpetology Club: February 2014
February’s Herpetology Club met to learn about and compare the feeding behaviors of several of the reptiles housed at Fauna. The reptiles we focused on were Bearded Dragons, Crested Geckos, and Corn Snakes. Our students were taught well-known terminology such ‘omnivorous’, herbivorous, and ‘carnivorous’, as well as lesser known feeding classifications such as ‘frugivore’, ‘insectivore’, and ‘nectivore’; animals that specialize in eating fruit, insects and nectar respectively. Our club members were also taught that while these terms are a convenient way to group animals according to what they eat, very few of them strictly adhere to their label. For instance, Crested Geckos are both frugivores and insectivores, accepting both fruit and insects. We went on to examine the following: The different commercially available food items for reptiles. This included powdered forms of Crested Gecko food, canned invertebrates such as grasshoppers and snails, freeze-dried crickets, and pelleted tortoise food. The salad mix that is prepared and fed to the plant eating reptiles at the shop such as the Bearded Dragons. The various vitamin and mineral supplements necessary to round out the animals’ diets. To finish off our lesson, the children helped prepare food for Crested Geckos and also observed a corn snake feeding. Our club members learned the importance of feeding snakes outside of the enclosures they occupy, as well as the importance of feeding pre-killed food items as opposed to living. A live rodent will not simply let itself become a meal. Feeding pre-killed rodents lessens the likelihood of injury to the animal you are feeding. Mice, rats, gerbils, and other rodents...
Stocking stuffers at Fauna
Looking for a last minute STOCKING STUFFER for your fishy friends? Check out Envvy’s Clownfish iPhone 5 case currently available here at Fauna. You can purchase reusable stainless steel chopsticks at Fauna for $15, and help save salamanders! CHOPSTICKS FOR SALAMANDERS aims to increase awareness about deforestation for the production of disposable chopsticks and educate about salamanders, and their diversity within the United States, while raising money to support salamander conservation, education, and research. Learn more at our blog post. Lots of great stocking stuffer bird toys for your pet or your birdie friend – all under $10! Nutri-berries are a ball. They come in a variety of flavors from hot peppers and fruits to garden veggies. Best of all is that they are nutritious and an easy way to sneak some pelleted food into our picky feathered friends. Avi-cakes are a nutritional treat enjoyed by pet birds of all sizes. There is a tropical fruit variety and the regular pellet blend. A great way to get fruits and pellets into those picky eaters! Here at Fauna one of the most common reptilian issues brought to our attention during these cold winter months is low humidity. Some of the signs that can be seen include decreased appetite, firm stool or constipation, inactivity, poor shedding, and may possibly include respiratory problems. Many people are unaware of how humidity actually affects their animals, especially when dealing with desert dwelling species that we associate with very dry habitats. There are many things you can do to help increase the humidity for your reptile...
Baby Cockatiels at Fauna!
Cockatiels make the perfect pet bird for the family. Our hand fed babies are well adjusted and socialized, not to mention gorgeous! They are very accepting of multiple family members and bond with children easily. When people ask us what species we most often recommend to families with smaller children, our answer is always the cockatiel. Most all of our baby cockatiels learn to mimic sounds, whistles and some even speech! Stop by and visit one of these beauties before they are all gone. . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Herpetology Club: December 2013
For this month’s club meeting, we decided to briefly shift our focus from reptiles and amphibians, and expose our students to some other animals. This month we will spend time learning about Patsy, a special breed of rat known as a Cornish Rex. Often misunderstood, we wanted to teach our students how intelligent, gregarious and sensitive these animals are, and provide some insight regarding their behavior and their role as a pest species. We also learned basic rodent care by cleaning Patsy’s enclosure, preparing her meal for the day, and putting together small enrichment toys to keep her busy and happy. Being extremely intelligent, pet rats require not only the company of other rats and their human companions, but also a fair amount of environmental enrichment. This can include items to climb, boxes to nest in, and toys to chew. Portions of their food can be offered in small cardboard boxes or paper bags so that the animals have to work to find and access their food. Owning a pet rat can be a very rewarding experience, but it can also bit a bit of work. Our club members experienced what it was like to interact with rats, and found a great appreciation for these amazing animals. Jose Rodriguez is Fauna’s Eco-Education Coordinator and he runs various programming aimed at different age levels. If you are interested in any of our outreach programs such as Classroom Visits, Birthday Parties or our Herpetology Club, please contact our director of education, Jose at: jose@faunanyc.com . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our...
Winter Reptile Humidity Issues
Here at Fauna one of the most common reptilian issues brought to our attention during these cold winter months is low humidity. Some of the signs that can be seen include decreased appetite, firm stool or constipation, inactivity, poor shedding, and may possibly include respiratory problems. Many people are unaware of how humidity actually affects their animals, especially when dealing with desert dwelling species that we associate with very dry habitats. When we look at humidity it is important to understand that generally during warm weather the humidity is higher than during the cold. According to the Mayo Clinic, the average relative humidity for someone’s home should be maintained between 30-50%. Humidity greater than 50% can cause mold, mildew and bacterial growth resulting in other health problems such as increased allergy issues. Once the humidity level drops below 30% we start to lose hydration from our bodies. This equally happens to our pets! Low humidity can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, dry itchy skin, dehydration and actually increases the risk of catching the common cold, which thrives in dry conditions. Simply breathing releases a lot of the body’s fluids. Under optimal conditions this does not result in a major loss as moist air enters our lungs. However when the humidity is below ideal conditions it can result in dehydration. We happen to manage our own hydration level by drinking more fluids or increasing the wet foods we consume without much thought, such as soups. Since most reptiles do not tend to increase the amount of fluids they are drinking during these times to maintain...
Reuse Chopsticks – Save Salamanders
Chopsticks for Salamanders aims to increase awareness about deforestation for the production of disposable chopsticks and educate about salamanders, and their diversity within the United States, while raising money to support salamander conservation, education, and research. The Salamander Fund Reusable Stainless Steel Chopsticks – $15 Although the primary mission of ChopsticksforSalamanders.org is the dissemination of information about the ongoing deforestation for the production of chopsticks, this project also strives to provide an alternative to disposable chopsticks. All proceeds will be used to continue this conservation effort and the remainder will be offered through a grant process for salamander conservation, education and/or research. The hope for this money is to support continued efforts to protect and preserve this continent’s salamander diversity. Purchase your reusable stainless steel chopsticks at Fauna for $15, and help save salamanders! WHY REUSE CHOPSTICKS? 3.8 million trees are felled each year to supply timber for the disposable chopsticks industry. The deforestation for the production of disposable chopsticks is an international problem and comes with the loss of critical animal habitat. Disposable chopsticks cost approximately two cents a pair for restaurants and reusable chopsticks cost around $1.17 a pair. However, reusable chopsticks have a life span of about 130 meals, making them cheaper in comparison. In 2006 to combat the massive deforestation in China the “Bring Your Own Chopsticks” movement (BYOC) was developed, helping raise public awareness and eventually galvanizing legislative action. Disposable chopsticks are an unnecessary commodity that, much like plastic bags, have an environmental friendly counterpart. WHY SAVE SALAMANDERS? Salamanders are the most abundant vertebrate in many...
October Herpetology Club
Fauna’s Herpetology Club gathered, once again, for its second meeting of the school year. After reviewing a few things from last month’s lesson on the difference between reptiles and amphibians, we moved on to a brand new topic; the four living orders of reptiles. We learned that scientists classify reptiles according to the structure of their skulls, comparing special openings known as temporal openings. We are also able to differentiate between the various orders by way of their physical traits. Once we got a good handle on the four orders of reptiles, we moved on to the differences between reptiles and snakes, the two members of the Order Squamata. While there are differences between snakes and lizards, both are distinguished from the other orders of reptiles by way of specialized jawbones. The quadrate bones, as they are known, are very mobile allowing the upper jaw to move independently of the skull. This gives squamates the ability to ingest larger prey. However, the two are fairly distinct. Amongst the many differences, snakes lack the limbs, traditional eyelids, and ear holes that lizards possess. We utilized our resident Desert King Snake and Blue-tongued Skink to observe these differences, as well as learn proper techniques for handling a constricting snake and a large, elongate lizard. Written by Jose Rodriguez, Fauna’s Eco-Education Coordinator. Jose runs various programming aimed at different age levels. . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Product Spotlight: the California Roll
This week we would like to spotlight one of our favorite products for birds, the California Roll. Unlike its sushi friend this one is far from fishy! This item was designed to be a fantastic toy for pet birds. We have found that it is one of the best foraging toys for birds with little effort for the lazy human! Simply by inserting dry treat items into the perfectly sized opening in the mat you can create hours of foraging opportunities for your feathered friend. While we may not like to work for our food it has been proven in scientific studies that birds do. The study showed that when offered an open dish of food that the birds in the study preferred to feed from stations where they had to forage. . . Foraging can help with behavioral issues such as screaming when you leave the room, feather picking and self mutilation among many other things. Over weight birds and birds that typically don’t play with toys can benefit from working for food as well. Give it a try and share photos of your birds using the California Roll with us! . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming events....
Santa Isabels (Epipedobates anthonyi)
Santa Isabels (Epipedobates anthonyi) are a very prolific species of poison dart frog. Like many dart frogs, they get their name from the locality in which they are native. Here is a picture of a male guarding some freshly laid eggs. This photo was taken just as the tadpoles were hatching. They can freely wiggle in the jelly mass until the male comes to transport them into a puddle of water left by the rains. Males are capable of transporting more than 20 tadpoles at a time! . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Golden Mantellas (Mantella aurantiaca) Calling and Breeding
Mantellas are a colorful and diverse genus of terrestrial frogs from Madagascar. At Fauna, we have a breeding group of golden mantellas (Mantella aurantiaca). You may have seen them hopping around in their terrarium on the front counter. Given the right conditions, Mantella aurantiaca breed readily in groups. They breed during the wet season, which means they need high humidity (over 80%), lots of misting, and LOTS of flightless fruit flies dusted with calcium and vitamins. If everything is right, the sexually mature males will begin to call. Unlike many species of frogs, mantellas only call during the day. Their throat puffs up and they make a short clicking noise to attract a female. If a female deems him adequate, she will follow him to a secluded spot to lay her eggs – usually on the water’s edge. He then fertilizes them and they both abandon the eggs. The small, white eggs develop into a tadpole in 2-6 days. Then the round, protective jelly encasing each egg collapses into a large blob of fluid. In the wild, rainwater would wash the tadpoles out into the water below. We remove the eggs and place them on a rock at the water’s edge in our tadpole tank. They are misted to keep moist until they are large enough to wiggle themselves free. The tadpole tank has a few rocks and plants for them to hide. A partially submerged piece of slate, placed at an angle, allows the hatching tadpoles to slip into the water. It is also useful for metamorphosing tadpoles to exit, emerging as...
Yellow-banded poison dart frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
Here’s a group of 5 eggs eggs from a poison dart frog called Dendrobates leucomelas. Like most terrestrial species of darts, the females will lay the eggs on a flat, well hidden surface on the forest floor. This female chose a small leaf that was covered by a few larger ones. After about a week, the tadpoles will form. Here they are almost fully developed but still encased in their eggs. You can see how each one is separated into a small sphere surrounded by the jelly mass. At this point, we moved the eggs and put them in a petri dish on top of wet sphagnum moss to provide the necessary humidity. If the eggs are not removed from the tank, the male will carry the developed tadpoles on his back. He will then deposit them in a small pool of water. They are left there to fend for themselves. . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
In-Home Grooming for Hockney, a Bronze-winged Pionus (Pionus chalcopterus)
Hockney is a Bronze-winged Pionus (Pionus chalcopterus). Daniel making house calls this week! Alex assists as Daniel trims Hockney’s nails using a dremel tool, smoothes out some rough edges on the beak and tip, and trims his wings. If you have wings, nails or beaks growing out of control, don’t stress your animal by taking it to be groomed when we can get it into shape in minutes right in your home. This minimizes stress, and eliminates exposure to other animals that could be ill. Call us to learn more (212) 877-2473. . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Close-up with Huey, Fauna’s resident Panther Chameleon
Huey is our resident panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) who lives in an extra-large screen cage in the front of our store. He’s usually mostly green, but with all the red in his face, you can see why they’d say he was, “fired up.” A lot of people say that when they greet Huey, he will respond by climbing up the screen to meet them. The name Panther Chameleon comes from it’s scientific name Furcifer pardalis. Furcifer means “forked”, referring to their feet, and pardalis means “spotted” as in a leopard or panther. These fascinating creatures can grow to be 20 inches in length! . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Herpetology Club is back!
September means back to school, and it also means we welcome back members of Fauna’s Herpetology Club! Our first meeting served as an introduction to the science of herpetology as we learned the key distinguishing characteristics of reptiles and amphibians, as well as the differences between the two. We then had an extensive hands-on session in our Reptile Room, as we met all the new reptiles at the shop. We had a chance to compare the different textures of the reptiles’ scales, and learned about key differences between lizards and snakes. Our meeting ended with a behind-the-scenes tour of the shop where we got to see where the animals’ meals are prepared and where our breeding reptiles are kept. Written by Jose Rodriguez, Fauna’s Eco-Education Coordinator. Jose runs various programming aimed at different age levels. . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
American Frog Day
Yesterday was an exciting yearly event held here in NYC called American Frog Day. This year it was held at the Staten Island Zoo where Daniel, Christian and Collin from Fauna were in attendance. American Frog Day is always a treat as we reunite with old friends, colleagues and meet new faces all with the same interest of conserving, maintaining and propagating amphibian species in captivity. It was such a great crowd of enthusiasts and professionals, all more than willing to share their experience and expertise. There were guest speakers giving informative lectures throughout the entire event and an auction with all proceeds and donations supporting the conservation efforts of the Amphibian Ark and Tree Walkers International. Not to mention access to see all the animals at the zoo! We were so grateful to the Staten Island Zoo for providing the location in their auditorium beneath the reptile house and aquarium for Frog Day. Who knew Staten Island had a zoo? Actually, the Staten Island Zoo first opened it’s doors in 1936! They have always been well-known for having one of the largest collections of rattlesnakes in the US. For the past year the Staten Island Zoo has been making some major changes to improve the facility and diversify the species kept there. Fauna has been helping out by providing them with some additional Uroplatus geckos and other rare reptiles for their breeding programs. One of the zoo’s newest additions is a young binturong on display in their nursery. ...
Corn Snakes – future breeders at Fauna
Corn snakes come in a variety of color morphs. We are very excited about this trio that we picked up to have as future breeders here at Fauna. This particular morph is called “extreme pied sided hypomelanistic“. This is a relatively uncommon morph that is highly sought after. When found, they command a pretty high price. We hope to be able to provide them at a more reasonable amount once they start producing young. They are just one example of the many beautiful colors in which corns can be found. . To learn more about Fauna NYC, visit our website! Sign up for our eNewsletter for new animal arrivals, product discounts, and upcoming...
Starting Your First Coral
Written by Christian Morehouse Many people that start their first saltwater aquarium, myself included, seem to convince themselves that they would be happy with just fish. “Oh no. I don’t need to do corals. That’s too hard.” After a few months, they reach what seems to be a natural progression to stagnation. Their tanks are fully stocked with fish and they are learning new things every day. With a little experience and confidence under their belt, they decide to venture onto their first coral. That is when people make their way into Fauna and ogle at all the variety, but they have no idea where to start. Some corals are incredibly easy while others are particularly challenging. Different families and genera have different care and compatibility requirements. The types of coral you choose often help dictate the equipment and setup you will need. This post will be about the four major classifications of corals and the general requirements for each. Soft corals Soft corals are often the easiest to keep and a great choice for a first coral and include, leathers, zoanthids, polyps, and mushrooms. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and many offer a wonderful amount of movement to a tank. They are hardy and are not particularly sensitive to less-than-perfect water quality, which allows the new owner a small learning curve. Most will also do well with lower levels of light and flow, which makes it an easy choice for someone just starting out who has not yet invested in a high-end light setup. However, they do need adequate amounts of light and...
Meet the Fauna Staff: Daniel Kopulos, Owner
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...