Video of the Day: Cockatoo Babble

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJbJanE9sKE&feature=BFa&list=PL68DF031B41CA55CE&index=6

Goffin Cockatoos are well known for the babbling noises they make that sound like they are telling an engaging story

Species of the Day: Common Pinktoe Tarantula

Scientific Name: Avicularia Avicularia
Range: Tropical areas of Brazil, Trinidad, Guyana, French Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela and throughout the Amazon Basin.
Type: Arboreal
Diet: Appropriately sized insects and the occasional feeder lizard or pinky mouse
Adult Size: 4 1/2 to 5 inches
Growth Rate: Moderate
Preferred Temperature: 75 to 85 degrees F
Preferred Humidity: 78 to 82%
Temperament: Docile and active
Housing: Spiderlings can live in a clear plastic container with holes. Adults can live in a 10 to 40 gallon tank; height is more important than floor space. Common Pinktoes can be kept communally if they are provided with adequate space, food and plenty of places to hide and if all the tarantulas are the same size.
Substrate: 2 to 3 inches of peat moss, potting soil or wood chips
Decor: Branches, live plants, vines, etc. make good hiding places and bases for webbing.

    This species of Pinktoe tarantula, known simply as the Common Pinktoe tarantula, is widely available, docile, beautiful and can be a little speedy. Although generally easy to care for, they can become more of a challenge if more than one are kept together in a terrarium. Unlike other tarantulas, the Common Pinktoe may be kept communally if done properly. Ventilation is very important with this species, and many people have lost tarantulas due to poor air quality. These tarantulas need higher humidity than most other species, and if the air in the tank is damp and stale, molds can grow, making it a dangerous environment. Overall, the Common Pinktoe tarantula can be an inexpensive and rewarding tarantula species for beginners and experts alike.

Video of the Day: Jedi Bird

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIHCN3a99cY&feature=BFa&list=PLFEFFA47419AB3F33&index=2

The force is strong in this one...

Species of the Day: Taiwanese Beauty Rat Snake

Scientific Name: Orthriophis taeniurus friesei
Family: Colubridae
Adult Size: Averages 6 feet in length; occasionally exceeds 8 1/2 feet in length
Range: Occurs only in Taiwan
Habitat: Generalist. Occurs in wooded areas, agricultural lands and along water courses. Semi-arboreal.

    The Taiwanese Beauty Rat snake is a species of long, slender, semi-arboreal snakes native to Taiwan. Their average length is about 5 to 7 feet, with an  unofficial record of just under 1 feet. It is a beautiful snake, with a ground color of yellowish-brown to olive, with jet-black patterns throughout the body. The markings on the back almost always consist of two pairs of black, round spots, which join together. From each eye there is a dark stripe, which extends to the corners of the mouth.
    In captivity some individuals tame down to be very nice pets, but others have been known to be quite temperamental even many years after capture. Wild collected specimens are often very defensive and may even injure their snouts by striking against the glass of the terrarium, which means that they will bite the unwary hand that ventures into the enclosure while cleaning or delivering prey items. Wild caught Taiwanese Beauties are also heavily parasitized, dehydrated, emaciated and difficult to acclimate. Many have problems shedding and most will not feed readily at first. Going through the trouble and higher price of captive-bred individuals is a much better choice, and well worth it to have a calmer and pre-acclimated snake. Captive-bred specimens are seasonally available and come in both normally colored snakes and albinos. Captive-bred hatchlings will readily accept pinky mice and grow rapidly. Adult snakes will eat breeder-sized mice and appropriately sized rats.
    This is an active, alert and shy snake. It should be provided a large enclosure containing a hide box and assorted visual barriers such as cork bark or sterilized driftwood. One or two babies can be housed in a 10 gallon terrarium, but due to their rapid growth rates, it will be less expensive to just house them in the adult sized enclosure. A pair of adults can be housed in a 50 to 125 gallon terrarium. If provided with sturdy branches, a well-adjusted snake will climb on them, coil up and rest. Cypress, fir, aspen chips or bark mulch are all excellent choices for substrate. A temperature gradient of 76 to 82 degrees F during the day and as low as 68 degrees F at night is ideal for these snakes. A basking spot of 88 degrees F should be provided during the day periods. A large water bowl kept scrupulously clean should always be provided and should be large enough for the snake to be able to soak in and submerge its whole body.

Video of the Day: Introducing New Chickens to the Flock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgLsGPoTSCc&feature=BFa&list=PL630708F8BB833EA9&index=4

An exciting time as new chickens are brought home, but how will the resident hens react?

Species of the Day: Winter White Hamster

Scientific Name: Phodopus sungorus
Size: 3 to 4 inches long
Origin: Southwest Siberia
Average Life-Span: 1 1/2 to 2 years
Temperament: More social than other hamsters. Willing to live in same-sex pairs if the two are brought up together from a young age. Like other hamsters, it is nocturnal, but may be active for brief periods throughout the day. It is a good natured pet, in general and rarely nips, but its small size makes it a little hard to handle and a frequent escapee.

    Often referred to as the Siberian hamster, the Winter White hamster was introduced in the early 1970s. Although currently less common than the Campbell's hamster, they are rapidly increasing in popularity. Because of their unique ability to change colors (from dark grey to white) as winter camouflage in the wild, they have earned the title of Winter White. Around 1988, a mutation appeared in the Winter Whites; a pure white top-coat with black guard hairs, grey ears and black eyes. This variety is now known as the Pearl variety. At about the same time, the Sapphire variety appeared with its smokey grey top coat with a slight blue tinge, with black eyes and soft grey ears. Crossing Sapphires to Pearls will result in Sapphire Pearls. The Winter White hamster is often confused with its very similar cousin, the Campbell's hamster. For many years scientists classed them as the same hamster, then they considered the Winter White a subspecies of the Campbell's hamster, and only recently have they become classified as two distinct separate species. Winter Whites are not often found in pet stores, and if you bought a Winter White it is almost certainly a Campbell's hamster. Winter Whites are best acquired by directly going through a breeder.

Video of the Day: Ferrari Vs. Porsche 911

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blDh04HvtZs

In this excerpt from the BBC show Top Gear, host Jeremy Clarkson learns that there is a lot to love about the small but speedy Porsche 911 over his favorite Ferrari.