So this is a farewell to 2008…  It’s been a crazy one.  I can’t believe everything that has happened at the TDI in the last year.  We have expanded so much in 12 months.  It will be interesting to see where we sit at the end of 2009.  I could probably write 10 pages of everything that has happened.  But i think it’s best (and easier) to simply surrender those moments to our memories.  So i salute you 2008.  You brought many moments of glorious joy and happiness.  You also brought much heartache, tears, and blood.  But so is life.

I wish everyone the best for the new year.  For those of you who are on top of life, kudos.  Enjoy it.  For those of you who are finding themselves at a rock bottom point…  Hang in there…  Life throws out many obstacles and those are the true tests.  After everything is done you can say you survived 2008!

Until next time…

Ok folks, today is Bill’s birthday. For those of you who don’t know Bill, he’s the guy who takes care of the food room. So i’ve got a special deal for today only. If you come into the shop and wish Bill a Happy Birthday, we’ll give you 15% off your entire purchase. It’s that easy. Just come say “Happy Birthday!” Of course the discount doesn’t apply to clearance or sale items. But what the hell, tell him Happy B-Day anyway! Until next time…

Some people value the poisonous Colorado River Toad for its powerful toxin. Unfortunately, this may contribute to the toad’s endangerment.

Colorado River Toads are native to arid desert areas near washes, dry grasslands, and woodlands. They are most often seen during the rains of March and July, and are semi-aquatic. Colorado River Toads often live near large streams, although they have also been frequently found near human-made waterways like canals, or near smaller springs or large rain puddles. These toads eat insects like scorpions, spiders, snails, and centipedes, although it has been known to eat small lizards, mice, or other small amphibians. Where larger insects are not available, Colorado River Toads may eat beetles, termites, or ants. Generally nocturnal, Colorado River Toads use the burrows of other animals to hide in. They may also take shelter under human-made structures like water troughs. When hot daytime temperatures have receded, Colorado River Toads generally make their way toward wet areas, where they congregate.

Growing to about 7.5 inches, Colorado River Toads have pale orange warts on their hind legs and other parts of their body. Usually, about three white colored warts are located near the mouth. The rest of the toad has leathery olive green to dark brown skin. Generally, the underside of the toad is a cream color. They are also characterized by the elongated shape of their parotid glands, and by their cranial crests. Parotid glands are located both on the toad’s broad head and on the limbs. Colorado River Toads secrete a very poisonous toxin that causes powerful hallucinations when ingested and in large amounts may even be able to kill a human. This toxin is known as bufotenine. This can be a major problem for pet dogs in areas where these toads live. It is not uncommon for these toads to wander into yards. Curious dogs will often mouth the toads and this can kill the dog if they are not treated immediately. Flushing out the dog’s mouth with water has been reported to help if this happens. It is recommended that you call your vet if this occurs.

Also known as Sonoran Desert Toads, Colorado River Toads are found throughout the Sonoran Desert. Native to southern California and Arizona in the United States of America, they range down through North America into Sinaloa, Mexico.

Specific Care Information:
In captivity, you should have both land and water areas available to the Colorado River Toad. These toads may be fed insects and pinkie mice.

Breeding and Propagation:
Colorado River Toads require some wet area to breed in. Most often, this is a large, permanent stream, although they have been known to use rain created ponds or human- made waterways like canals. Usually, the onset of warm spring rains stimulates Colorado River Toads to breed. They will congregate near breeding areas and males will call to females. Up to 200 males have been observed in the same area. Generally, between 7,500 and 8,000 eggs will be laid by the female.

Care Sheet provided by centralpets.com

This is for Dan…

The Desert Tortoise is a moderately sized tortoise native throughout the Southwestern United States. The Desert Tortoise is now considered an endangered species and is rarely seen in the wild. Desert Tortoises are sometimes available for adoption to suitable homes, provided the owner does not wish to take the tortoise out of the desert climate.

The Desert Tortoise can live to between 30 and 70 years. They spend the majority of this time in burrows in the desert. In the wild Desert Tortoises feed primarily on grasses, weeds, cactus and cactus fruits. They require very little water to drink and get most of what they need from the food they eat. In the wild, Desert Tortoises often drink only after a heavy rain, when they will drain a puddle of water. The water that they drink helps to flush out toxins in their bodies. They may have only one drink of water in an entire year.

The Desert Tortoise ranges between 9.25 and 14.5 inches in length. The hatchlings are significantly smaller, usually about the size of a silver dollar.

At one time, Desert Tortoises were common throughout the Colorado, Sonoran, and Mojave Deserts. These deserts are in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. The population of the tortoises has decreased greatly since the 1970s. It is estimated that there are now 90% fewer tortoises in the wild than there once were. The reasons for this drastic decrease in population are many and include destruction of habitat, collection for the pet trade, and getting run over vehicles. They are also prone to an upper respiratory tract disease, which has only appeared recently and is usually fatal. Efforts are being made to conserve the Desert Tortoise’s habitat. In some regions, such as Clark County, Nevada, “pick-up programs” are in effect. In this program Desert Tortoises that have been found in areas being developed are released in protected areas. Desert Tortoises

Specific Care Information:
In captivity, the Desert Tortoise should feed primarily on grasses. They should also be offered things such as spineless prickly pear cactus, dark leafy green vegetables, grape leaves, and small amounts of alfalfa and cactus fruits and flowers. They can occasionally be given a treat of fruits such as berries and melons as well.

A Desert Tortoise in captivity should always have access to fresh, water in a shallow bowl. They do not drink often, but do require some water.

Desert Tortoises should be kept outdoors in a desert climate. They need direct sunlight, but also need plenty of shade to escape from the hot sun. If they must be kept indoors keep them in a spacious enclosure with heat lamps as well as full spectrum lighting. The enclosure should have a warm area and a cooler area, keeping heat lamps to one side helps to create the ideal environment.

Care sheet provided by centralpets.com

Komodo Dragon Swallows Pig – Watch more Animal Videos

So i hope you all found some good post Christmas deals yesterday.  We were slammed in here.  A lot of odds and ends went out the door.  It was a nice bit of house cleaning.  But just as some animals are going out, others are going in.  We rescued a pair of Colombian black and white tegus from a friend.  He is finding himself in a tough situation and need to get rid of them.  They are of a pretty decent size.  So we will be bringing them into the shop for adoption today.  So if anyone is looking for tegus that are a bit larger, be sure to check back.

So it looks like today is going to be rainy and crappy all day.  Gotta love it.  The craziest part is the temperature.  I was outside with the dogs last night without a sweatshirt.  That blows my mind when i can do that right around the new year.  It means Spring is coming.  LOL  Slowly but surely.

Anyway, not to much going on this weekend.  We will be swinging out to the STL reptile show tomorrow.  We will be picking up a new tarantula tank.  We decided it was time to expand our bug collection a little more.  For those of you who are unaware, we have the largest in-stock variety of arachnids anywhere in the STL area.  So we will be adding to that for sure.

Well, it’s Saturday morning.  Time to hit it hard again.  Until next time…

What it is world?  I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  We all had a great one.  It’s nice to rest a bit after the chaos.  Now onto the new year!  I don’t know about everyone else, but i’m ready for a new start.  2008 was a rough one.  It seems that all sorts of crazy shit happened.  Maybe 09 will be smoother.  Probably not, but it’s nice to hope.

Anyway, we are having some post christmas sales this weekend.  We have a few animals left from Christmas that are needing homes.  You can check the website for those deals.

On tuesday the 30th, we are getting most of the details worked out for the 09 reptile show.  We will be adding a permanent page to the website with show info.  So stay tuned for all that good stuff.

We have one lone party this weekend in the party room.  We wrapped up some improvements on the room on Wednesday.  I want to extend a special thanks to our friends at the LDS church for their donated time in painting.  That was a huge help that saved me a headache today.

Anyway, it’s almost 10am.  Time for me to get to work.  Happy Post Christmas to everyone!

Wow, Christmas is here again.  I am officially beginning my Christmas break.  It will last for less than 48 hours.    Fun.  Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone.  We will obviously be closed Christmas day.  Regular hours resume on Friday.  Until then…

Two days left everybody!  I hope everyone is ready.  Personally, i’m ready for the radio stations to start playing normal music again.  But its all good.  These next couple days are likely going to be a bit chaotic for us at the shop.  In the mix of all the last minute Christmas hustle and bustle, we are finishing up a few projects in our breeding center.  We are getting the last of the animals into their cooling period.  Moving a few animals around.  You guys may notice that Kermit is no longer in the shop.  He is not dead!  But he is getting close.  So we decided to move him into an area of peace and quite for his last few months.  So Kermit is now living next store with our breeders.  We will also be doing a little bit of work on our party room for a party this weekend.

Other than that, not much going on.  Schwagstock is 147 days away.  That’s exciting.  And the dates are posted for the 2009 Chicago Reptile Show.  We will be booking two rooms this year.  If you think you are interested in traveling with us, let us know.  We will be selling the spots on a first come basis this year.

Anyway, its Dec. 23.  It’s going to be a hectic one today.  On that note, it’s time to get cracking.  Until next time…