Six strange animals, but which is the most unusual?
by Gary Rolfe on in Amphibians Lizards Scorpions Snakes
Working with reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates I get to see my fair share of strange animals.
Below are 6 animals that I found in the shop today that I think are a little bit unusual. I’d be interested to hear which you think is the weirdest, or the most wonderful.
Albino Soft Shelled Turtles
These Soft Shelled Turtles are freshwater turtles originally from China. They spend most of their time sifting through the sand for small insects and other invertebrates to eat. Like the vast majority of freshwater turtles they come onto land to bask in the sun. Their long nose enables them to breathe air without leaving the water, to stay hidden. Albinism just makes these guys look even stranger!
Pacman Frogs
These brightly coloured ‘blobs’ are possibly the most voracious predators in the shop. Originating from South America, Pacman Frogs will literally eat anything moving that fits into their enormous mouths. This includes fingers, so use tweezers when feeding! It’s easy to see where they got their name from, although these guys are nowhere near as active as the original Pacman!
Monkey Tailed Skinks
These pre-historic looking skinks are the only member is their genus making them quite unique. They originate from the rainforest canopies of the Solomon Islands where they live exclusively on vegetation. Monkey Tailed Skinks give birth to live young and have excellent parental skills compared to many other reptiles. Their prehensile tail acts as a 5th limb, making them outstanding climbers.
Axolotls
Axolotls are very unusual indeed. They are neotenic Salamanders, meaning they do not need to metamorphosize into adult salamanders at any stage during their life. They even reproduce whilst in this fully aquatic larval stage. They also have amazing powers of regeneration and quickly regrow a limb if they were to lose it. If their environment was to dry up, they can transform into ‘adults’. Amazing animals.
Tailless Whip Scorpion
Although these guys are Arachnids, they are neither scorpions or spiders. They have their own separate order. Like spiders and scorpions they are hunters and eat any insects they can catch. They get their name from their two front legs which have been modified into long ‘whips’. These are used for locating prey when hunting.
Albino Tangerine Milk Snakes
There’s nothing unusual about Milk Snakes, or even Tangerine Milk Snakes, but this albino morph is a little different. It’s no different to care for than any other Milk Snake but the colours on it are just sensational. It may not be to everybody’s taste and a lot of people say she looks odd but she a definite head turner. Comfortably the most striking snake in the building!
Your Thoughts
The animals above are my own personal selection, but what do you think? Comment below on your views of these animals (if you are reading this in an email, click here to visit our blog and comment).
If you have an unusual pet, why not share them with our friends and post a photo on our facebook page?
