by Sandra Krug What is a tortoise anyway? Is it just a fancy way to say “turtle”? Well, there is a difference. “Turtle” is the umbrella term for all 200 species of the Testudines group, which includes turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. All tortoises are turtles—that is, they belong to the order Chelonia, reptiles having bodies encased in a bony shell from which their head and limbs protrude—but not all turtles are tortoises. Reptiles are cold-blooded,
Read more →Pets and COVID-19: What you need to know by Sandra Krug, RRT, ARNP, CRNA About the coronavirus and COVID-19: Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause cold-like illnesses in people, while others cause illness in certain types of animals, such as cattle, camels, and bats. Some coronaviruses, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals and do not infect humans. Public health officials and partners are working hard to identify the
Read more →Owls, Bats & Black Cats, Oh My! Bats, black cats, ravens, crows, and owls what do these creatures have in common? They are all associated with Halloween as evil or bad omens. Truth is, each of these creatures has many good qualities and in some cultures they are revered as symbols of good luck. Take the Black cat, in Western culture; they are viewed as a symbol of bad omens, especially if one crosses your
Read more →Setting up a bird feeding station Cooler weather is just around the corner, which means many bird species will soon be migrating south for the winter. Setting up a bird feeding station in your garden can help keep migrating and native birds full and happy this winter and give you hours of bird watching enjoyment. What’s for Dinner? What you choose to place in your feeder will depend on the species of birds in your
Read more →… The Barking Squirrels A few years ago there was an article on a local news website about a prairie dog who decided to make his home on (or should I say in) the first hole green at a local golf course. The manager at the golf course had the area roped off so not to disturb him and told the news that he was welcome to stay as long as he wanted. Although Prairie
Read more →They are furry, tiny enough to fit in the palm of your hand and can glide through the air. Many people see a cuddly sweet looking Sugar Glider at a pet store or online and decide they have to have one, not realizing how much time and money goes into caring for them. If you don’t do your research you will soon find out it is not easy living with a nocturnal “party” animal that enjoys
Read more →One of the many species of animals that live at Farmhouse Animal & Nature Sanctuary is the Llama. I have to admit, years ago, when I first started volunteering at a friend’s sanctuary, I was a bit nervous when I saw the herd of Llamas. I remembered my first experience as a child with one of these intriguing creatures. I could not wait to get up close enough to pet this large eyed animal with the
Read more →Meet Sunday our resident Sun/Nanday Conure. She is the farm clown and loves to squawk every time she hears or sees someone coming to her habitat. She is a beautiful mix of a Sun Conure and Nanday conure which gives her a very unusual color pattern. Sunday is a typical conure in all other ways from her silly mischievous ways to her extremely loud call. She will happily perch on your shoulder or head and
Read more →The Flemish Giant is the largest breed of rabbit. On average the males…
Read more →by Lisa Burns, Farmhouse Sanctuary Get Them Outside Seems kids today are spending more time inside on computers and playing video games, instead of playing outside in nature. It is increasingly difficult to get them outside. What if you had a project that would get them outside, allow you to spend time together as a family and teach them about wildlife and nature all at the same time? The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and Florida
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