The Animals
LIVESTOCK
PROGRAM ANIMALS
COMMON BOX TURTLE
While some of our box turtles have been with us for nearly four decades, they generally live for about 35 years in the wild, but a few have lived to be a hundred years!
These wonderful creatures are omnivorous. Our turtles can be found munching on lettuce, berries, peppers, and more! Our box turtles will never turn down a juicy worm. Their wild counterparts delight in eating snails, insects, berries, fungi, slugs, worms, roots, flowers, fish, frogs, salamanders, snakes, birds, and eggs.
Young box turtles often exclusively eat a carnivorous diet, while the adults are primarily herbivores.
RUSSIAN TORTOISE
When you visit with our Russian Tortoise you will notice that they are most active during dawn and dusk meaning they are crepuscular.
Since they are indigenous to the warmer climates of the Middle East to east Asia, they are inactive during the hottest part of the day.
Ours are most active when eating their gourmet salads. Russian Tortoises are herbivores whose diet consists of fruits and vegetables such as carrots, berries, lettuce, peppers, and more!
EASTERN PAINTED TURTLE
Meet one of the locals! Eastern Painted Turtles can be found at New Pond Farm, but also throughout many different wetland habitats in the US. Like many other turtles, they have a flat, smooth shell that allows them to swim quickly through the water. You will also notice that they have webbed feet which also aids their swimming abilities.
These turtles are omnivores. In the wild, they will eat aquatic plants, algae, snails, fish, insects, and crustaceans. Our turtle particularly enjoys eating crickets and mealworms. These turtles are surprisingly social and can often be seen in groups of 50!
BEARDED DRAGON
Bearded dragons are uniquely adapted to survive in the arid deserts of Australia. These animals are covered in spikes to deter predators. They get their name from the spikey patch of skin under their mouth which they can inflate and change colors to communicate with other bearded dragons. These animals are omnivores who enjoy feeding on plants, insects, spiders, small rodents, and lizards.
Did you know that bearded dragons actually have 3 eyes! Their third eye is located on top of their head and can only see in grayscale. This eye helps them spot any predators flying overhead. See if you can spot that eye when you come visit!
PLATED LIZARD
These lizards get their name from “plates” or osteoderms that cover their body. They have a band of stretchy skin running down either side of their body. This allows them a little bit of room to expand if they are about to lay eggs or have eaten a particularly big meal. They are known for confusing their predators by running really fast and then suddenly stopping with their tail up in the air.
These lizards are native to the savannas of eastern Africa. They are omnivores, and are known to eat plants as well as insects. Ours is content to eat a hearty meal of crickets, mealworms, and wax worms.
DESERT BLONDE TARANTULA
These arachnids can be found in the deserts of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. They are ambush predators feeding exclusively on small insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, cicadas, and even caterpillars. This species is covered in small hairs called urticating hairs which can cause irritation when flung at their predators. Like other tarantulas, the females are not only bigger than the males, but the females often live about 10 years longer than the males.
PUEBLAN MILKSNAKE
These beautiful snakes are non-venomous and known for their mimicry. They have the same colors as the venomous Coral Snake. The following saying will help you remember the difference between the two: “Red next to yellow, and you’re a dead fellow. Red next to black, and you’re ok, Jack”
These snakes are native to the arid deserts of Mexico. Milksnakes were often found in barns which led some farmers to believe that they were drinking milk from their cows. This of course was false, these carnivores were only interested in the mice that were hiding in the barn. Snakes are great at keeping rodent and other pest populations under control.
CORN SNAKE
This southern species can be found in the southeastern part of the US. Their name comes from the patterns on the belly which resembles corn, and because they were often found hunting rodents living near cornfields.
Like other snakes, cornsnakes are carnivores. These non-venomous snakes are constrictors feeding on small mammals, amphibians, and even birds!
WHITE’S TREE FROG
White’s Tree Frog is native to Australia, New Guinea, and New Zealand. Like all frogs, they require a moist environment. However, this frog is uniquely adapted to survive in slightly dryer conditions due to a milky white substance on their skin called caerviein which keeps them moist. They also prefer to live in trees rather than ponds. They will drink water that has gathered on leaves. They will feed on insects such as locusts and moths. Our frog loves to eat crickets.
Like other amphibians, frogs absorb oxygen through their skin, and the oils on our hands pose a risk to clogging those pores. When holding our frog, we are always sure to have wet hands to keep him happy and healthy.
HISSING COCKROACHES
As their name may suggest, these creatures hiss when they feel threatened. They will also push, shove, and stand on their “toes” to intimidate each other. However, hissing cockroaches are not aggressive towards people. They are quite docile, and we often let children hold them at New Pond Farm. These animals are detritivores meaning they feed on dead and decaying matter. This trait is really important for the ecosystems because they recycle nutrients back into the soil. Unlike most other cockroach species, Hissing cockroaches do not have wings.
Hissing cockroaches are native to Madagascar. They are light sensitive and can often be found hiding under rotting plant matter.
DOMESTIC RABBIT
While many people confuse these animals for rodents, these Lagomorphs are closely related to pikas and hares. Lagomorphs are known for having two sets of front teeth (incisors) to chew their food even more efficiently. Like wild rabbits, they eat a herbivore diet. Nearly 80% of their diet is hay! They will also nibble on a fresh salad including lettuce, berries, carrots, and more! Rabbits are very social creatures and do not like to live alone. A group of rabbits is called a colony or herd.