Our Animals | Fudge & Co. Exotic Animal Encounters

Our Animals

African Fat-Tailed Gecko

Scientific name: Hemitheconyx caudicinctus IUCN status: Least concern Threats: No major threats Where they live: Western Africa Habitat: Dry or moist savannah Lifespan: Up to 25 years Diet: Insects Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: Their tails are used to store excess fat, which enables them to survive for days without food

Asian Palm Civet

Scientific name: Paradoxurus hermaphroditus IUCN status: Least concern Threats: Bush meat, pet trade and capture for production of Kopi Luwak Where they live: Southeast Asia Habitat: Rainforest Lifespan: Up to 20 years Diet: Fruits, small mammals, insects and palm flower sap Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: The world's most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak, is produced from the coffee beans that are pooped out by the palm civet after they eat the coffee cherries!

Blue Tongue Skink

Scientific name: Tiliqua scincoides scincoides IUCN status: Not evaluated Threats: No major threats Where they live: Eastern Australia Habitat: Semi-desert to agricultural areas Lifespan: Up to 30 years Diet: Small animals and plants Activity: Diurnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: Their blue tongue is still a bit of a mystery as to its purpose. Some believe it's used as a lure to catch prey, others think that they flash their tongue at predators in an attempt to confuse them briefly, giving them a chance to escape

Burgundy Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula

More information coming soon!

Burmese Python

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Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula

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Chile Rose Tarantula

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Flat Rock Scorpion

Scientific Name: Hadogenes troglodyte IUCN status: Not evaluated Threats: Habitat destruction and collection for the pet trade Where they live: Southern Africa Habitat: Coarse and sandy savannahs Lifespan: Up to 30 years Diet: Insects Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: They are the longest species of scorpion!

Giant African Millipede

Scientific name: Archispirostreptus gigas IUCN status: Not evaluated Threats: No major threats Where they live: Eastern Africa Habitat: Warm, dark places on the rainforest floor Lifespan: Up to 7 years Diet: Dead and decaying organic matter Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: Instead of breathing with lungs like mammals, millipedes breathe through tiny pores along their body

Giant Dead Leaf Mantis

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Giant Leaf Insect

Scientific Name: Phyllium giganteum IUCN status: Not evaluated Threats: No major threats Where they live: Malaysia Habitat: Tropical forests Lifespan: Up to 1 year Diet: Leaves Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: This species consists of all females!

Leopard Tortoise

Scientific name: Stigmochelys pardalis IUCN status: Least concern Threats: In some areas, unsustainable harvest for the pet trade Where they live: Eastern and Southern Africa Habitat: Varies over large areas Lifespan: Up to 100 years Diet: Wide variety of plants Activity: Diurnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: The shell markings are unique to each individual tortoise

Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec

Scientific name: Echinops telfairi IUCN status: Least concern Threats: No major threats Where they live: Southern Madagascar Habitat: Dry deciduous forest and open grasslands Lifespan: Up to 12 years Diet: Mainly insects, but also small mammals such as baby mice Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: Despite their appearance, they're not related to hedgehogs. They are more closely related to elephants!

Madagascan Hissing Cockroach

Scientific name: Gromphadorhina portentosa IUCN status: Not evaluated Threats: No major threats Where they live: Madagascar Habitat: Tropical lowland rainforests Lifespan: Up to 5 years Diet: Decaying plant material, smaller insects and animal carcasses Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Found in colonies Interesting fact: Hissing cockroaches hiss by exhaling air through breathing holes, a unique trait among insects

Meerkat

Scientific name: Suricata suricatta IUCN status: Least concern Threats: No major threats Where they live: Southern Africa Habitat: Arid, open country, with short grasses and woody growths Lifespan: Up to 14 years Diet: Small animals, lizards, birds, insects, fruit. Activity: Diurnal Sociability: Found in colonies of up to 40 individuals Interesting fact: While digging, meerkats can close their ears, and also have a second eyelid to prevent dirt getting in

Rat

Scientific Name: Rattus norvegicus domesticus IUCN status: Least concern Threats: No major threats Where they live: All continents except Antarctica

Habitat: Anywhere with a food supply Lifespan: Up to 3 years Diet: Seeds, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, eggs, fish and insects Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Found in colonies Interesting fact: A rat can go longer than a camel without water!

Royal Python

Scientific name: Python regius IUCN status: Least concern Threats: Their biggest threat is the international pet trade. In West Africa, many thousands are captured and exported annually Where they live: Western to Central Africa Habitat: Dry areas, from grassland to open forests Lifespan: Up to 40 years in captivity Diet: Rodents such as rats, gerbils and jerboas Activity: Crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: In Southeast Nigeria, they are treated with great care. If one is accidentally killed, many communities will build a coffin for the snake, and even give it a short funeral!

Skunk

Scientific name: Mephitis mephitis IUCN status: Least concern Threats: Predation, disease, severe winters or droughts Where they live: North America Habitat: Varied, but they prefer open or forest-edge areas Lifespan: Up to 10 years Diet: Insects, small mammals, birds and vegetation Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: Skunks can spray up to 10 feet, and the odour can be detected 1.5 miles away!

Spiny-tailed Monitor

More information coming soon!

Tailless Tenrec

Scientific Name: Tenrec ecaudatus

IUCN status: Least concern Threats: No major threats Where they live: Madagascar Habitat: Forests and wooded grasslands Lifespan: Up to 5 years Diet: Insects, frogs and mice Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: If threatened, this tenrec will scream, erect its spiny hairs to a crest, jump, buck and bite.

Western Hognose Snake

Scientific Name: Heterodon nasicus IUCN status: Least concern Threats: No major threats Where they live: Central America Habitat: Shrubland, grassland, desert and savanna Lifespan: Up to 20 years Diet: Small rodents Activity: Diurnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: When threatened, they can imitate a cobra, by flattening their neck to look like a hood

White's Tree Frog

Scientific name: Litoria caerulea

IUCN status: Least concern Threats: Pollution, predation and habitat loss Where they live: Australia and Southern New Guinea Habitat: Dry forests and grasslands, near streams and swamps Lifespan: Up to 16 years Diet: Insects Activity: Nocturnal Sociability: Solitary Interesting fact: They are nicknamed