Small Animals

Written by Isaiah F.

       On April 19, we had our fourth Small Animals project.  Sadly, at our third meeting Joe the Reptile Guy did not show up.  So all the kids left with frowns, including me.  Our next meeting was scheduled for the next week and because Joe the Reptile Guy could not make it he decided to bring a special animal.  Finally the next Tuesday he came.  As the whole class sat in the Corsentino’s living room awaiting Joe… suddenly the doorbell rang.  It was Joe!  Everybody sprang up from their seats to help Joe with some heavy crates.  The crate I grabbed was not too heavy but when I set it down, the box moved, I was terrified, I had forgotten this was a small animals class, so obviously there was a small animal in that box. (Any way back to the story)

        The first animal Joe and his assistant showed us was Sal. Sal was an African Spur Thigh Tortoise.  Sal was nine years of age when he brought him, and weighted about 55 pounds; Sal in captivity would live to be over a 100 years.  Next came Pac Man.  Pac Man was a Frog, Pac Man would grow to probably be the size of a diner plate. Third was another kind of frog.  It was a Chubby frog, normally you can find chubby frogs in swamps, and in the mud; their life span is about 15 years in captivity.  Next, we got to see Crusher, Crusher was a Bearded Dragon, who eats mostly worms and crickets.  Fifth was Lucy, Lucy was a dwarf monitor; she eats the same thing as Crusher.  King was after Lucy, King was an Argentine Tegu, and he eats old fruits, and meat.  King will live to be about 4 to 5 in captivity.  Then came Mystery, Mystery was a Honduran Milk Snake. Her owner found mystery in American Canyon abandoned.  They call her Mystery because no one really knows where she came from.  After that came Charlene. Charlene was a Savannah Monitor.  

       Next, my favorite; an 8 foot long Burmese Python weighing over 40 pounds, and you would never guess what his name was... so I will tell you, TANK was his name.  The name said it all; Tank was truly a tank.  Next, they showed us Apple, a Burmese Python as well same length and everything.  Last was the best of the best, our little surprise "Small Animal" was Erwin the Alligator.  Everyone was shocked that Joe brought a live alligator; Joe told us Erwin had never been to a show before.  Joe said Erwin would grow to be a whopping 15 feet long.  Well I hope you can join us next year to see what Joe the Reptile Guy brings next.