Greetings!
November is here, and it's time for Thanksgiving! There are lots of things for which to be thankful. Courtney and I are thankful for teachers, family and friends...and AuthorHouse Publishing Company! We're also thankful for some *different* things.
In October, Courtney and I traveled with some of our critters to Chicago to be on Rosie O'Donnell's Enchanted Halloween Special. We've included quick links (right column) to a few of the places we visited along the way.
~Erik
 | | Rosie Stares Down a Tarantula - The Rosie Show - Oprah Winfrey Network |
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We are thankful for clean-up crews!
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Vultures
One of the many things we are thankful for are the clean-up crews, like black vultures. Vultures help clean up by eating the carcasses of dead animals.Black vultures can be found in the southeastern United States and down to Central Chile and Uruguay in South America. The black Vulture wingspan is about 5 feet long and they weigh between 4-5 pounds making them one of the smaller species of vultures. The largest species of vulture is the Andean Condor which can have a 10 ½ foot wing span and can be 4 feet in length. The male Andean Condor can weigh up to 33 pounds making them the second heaviest flying land bird.
When resting in trees, the vultures are called a committee, volt, or venue, and when feeding they're called a wake. Vultures often have their heads in animal carcasses, so many species have bald heads which help them to stay clean. Black vultures do not build nests. They lay their eggs in places like hollow tree stumps and between large rocks. I love the fact that they decorate around the area with pieces of glass and other shiny objects. Black vultures lay about 2 eggs a year.
~Courtney
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Dung Beetles
Dung Beetles (aka Tumblebugs) are about ½ inch - 1 inch long. But don't let their size fool you. They are hard workers and manage to remove 80% of cattle droppings in Texas. That's a lot! Dung Beetles are very beneficial to the environment! Just like the vultures, they help clean up things that most people don't like in their yard! One species was introduced by USDA scientists in the 1970's to help keep pastures clean. Dung beetles are now common throughout the state. Courtney and I have plenty in our yard! Most Dung Beetles are in the family Scarabaeinae, which means they are related to the sacred Scarab Beetle of ancient Egypt.The three different groups of Dung Beetles are: rollers, tunnelers, and dwellers. These groups explain what they do with the dung when they find it. The rollers shape pieces of dung into balls and roll them away from the pile. They either bury their ball so they can eat it later or they lay their eggs in it. Tunnelers bury their dung by tunneling underneath the pile, and dwellers actually live inside dung piles. There are over 5,000 species of Dung Beetles! That is just in the family Scarabaeinae! I think Dung Beetles are very interesting and extremely helpful. I hope you continue to learn more about these fascinating critters, and how they help the earth! ~Erik |
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We are thankful for teachers!
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Courtney and I are thankful for teachers! Teachers guide us. They cheer for us and worry about us. Teachers laugh with us and enjoy watching as we discover.
~Erik
Erik and I are homeschooled and have had many wonderful teachers. We come from a long line of teachers, including our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Many of you knew our great-grandmother, Grace Knolle. She taught in public schools for 42 years, but she never truly retired from teaching. She taught us how to laugh, work hard, and to always find the good in everyone. She passed away October 20, 2011 at 101 years old. We believe 'Nana' wanted to be with us on all our adventures. She loved to be with kids and enjoyed traveling and learning! ~Courtney
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Erik and I spend about 6 months to a year learning about a critter before we decide to buy it. It's always good to know how big the critter will grow and how much it costs to feed it. Finding a reputable breeder who can help you decide if the critter is right for you is also important. Check out our website for reputable breeders in Texas.
~Courtney www.notsocreepycritters.com
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To order your copy of Not So Creepy Critters, click on the front cover of our book. Thank you! ~Courtney, Erik and Dylan Not So Creepy Critters is a book that both entertains and educates, as well as doubles as a nature journal. It is appropriate for children ages 2 - 8.
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Bearded Dragons
Douglas is a 3 year old bearded dragon who made his TV debut on Rosie O'Donnell's show this past Halloween! Bearded dragons are native to Australia and need a lot of sunlight. They are diurnal lizards which means they are awake during the day and sleep at night. When kept in captivity, they must have UV lighting. Baby bearded dragons eat a lot of insects- about 70 small crickets each day! Once they reach 1-2 yrs old they eat less insects and more fruits and veggies. Spinach can be harmful to beardies, so we offer Douglas red and green leaf lettuce with his peas, carrots and occasional crickets. Bearded dragons can reach up to 24 inches from the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail. Douglas likes attention and to explore.We take him outside to go on walks with us regularly.
We bought Douglas 3 years ago at a reptile show from Lynn's Bearded Dragons. Lynn has been breeding and selling bearded dragons for many years. Check out her website by clicking on Douglas's photo! ~Erik
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Reptile show
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Reptile shows are a great place to find the perfect pet(s) for your family. At reptile shows you can meet reputable breeders who have tables set up with snakes, geckos, tortoises, tarantulas, and more. Erik and I buy our critters from breeders like Don and Sally Shores at Shores Enuff Snakes. We collect business cards from various vendors in case we have more questions after we leave the reptile show.
Click on photo above for Shores Enuff Snakes. ~Courtney
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Thankful
to be Published Authors!
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Last year Erik and I were invited to present to a group of young kids ages 1-3. This was our youngest group, so we wanted to write a special presentation just for them. My mom suggested we turn the presentation into a book. Erik and I took her advice. We added photos and illustrated the book with our cousin, Dylan Crespo.
We used AuthorHouse as our publisher, and our book was published in October.
Erik and I are already planning our next book. It's exciting to be published authors!
~Courtney
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