BY: KAILEE MANDEL
Matt & Maura-Eurasian Eagle Owl
Eurasian Eagle Owls are arguably the largest species of owls, with an average wingspan of 6.5ft. These owls usually build their nests on the edge of cliffs and prey on mammals the size of hares or young deer, but will also eat other large birds like geese or grouse.
“I was with her when she was born, took her out of her shell, and raised her with my two bare hands.”
David & Godzilla – Iguana
Iguanas change colour depending on their mood. Fully grown, they can achieve a length of up to 6.6 feet including their tail and can weigh as much as 9.1 kilograms. In the rainforest, most of their lives are spent in 40ft to 50ft high treetops. When submerged underwater, Iguanas can hold their breath for nearly 30 minutes.
“I have owned and bred some pretty cool Exotics including 18 foot Burmese Pythons, 6 foot Caiman Alligators. 12 foot Albino Burmese Pythons, a 6 foot Eastern Diamond Back Rattler, Mangrove Snakes, Boas of all sizes and Monitor Lizards just to name a few. Godzilla, though, is a great friend of mine.”
Suzanne & Fancy – Savannah Cat
Savannah Cats are the world’s largest domestic cat breed, growing up to 40lbs with an 8ft vertical jump. They play fetch and have behavior more akin to a dog’s than a standard house cat’s.
“I was fiddling around on the Internet, came upon Savannah Cats, did some research, found a breeder with kittens available. So I made some inquiries and everything just fell into place.”
Sherri – Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos excrete uric acid composed of nitrogenous waste in solid crystal instead of urine. Their eyesight is better than any other studied lizard with vision similar to the sensitivity of a cat’s.
“Exotic animals have been a part of my life since I worked at PJ’s Pet Centre when I was sixteen. I would help mothers, who were often buying for their children, to overcome their fear of the creatures.”
Anna – Hognose Snake
Much like Cobras, Hognose Snakes will scare off predators by opening their hood to appear more threatening. When in deep trouble, they will play dead to avoid being eaten by lying on their back with their mouth open and giving off a foul smell to increase the believability of their deception.
“I got my snake when I was with my mom at the reptile show. We would hide the cage when grandma came to visit, so she wouldn’t have to know.”
Jeff, Calvin & Casper – African Spurred Tortoise and Albino Burmese Python
African Spurred Tortoises are one of the biggest species of their kind on earth. They can weigh up to 43 Kilos when fully grown. During hot desert days with little moisture, they will dig burrows that are can be up to 10 feet below the surface and 50 to 60 feet long. This species can live for 150 or more years.
The Albino Burmese Python is a species capable of growing up to 19ft long, killing its prey through suffocation. There is a documented case of a Burmese Python eating a full-grown crocodile although it died in the process.
Jan & Tippy – Coyote
Coyotes usually hunt in groups of 2 to 3, being able to detect other predators from up to a mile or more away. They can run at a speed of up to 40 miles per hour and use a plethora of vocalizations to communicate.
“Tippy the coyote was born in the spring of 2013, in Alberta. He was found orphaned, and kept too long by his rescuer before being turned over to a wildlife rehabilitation centre. Attempts to integrate Tippy with other coyotes undergoing rehabilitation were unsuccessful. Tippy was far too habituated to humans to be rehabilitated and released. Now he is a companion to our other coyote, Zoe”
