Critter Corner
Room 42’s Animal Spotlight
This special section of our USMS page highlights the amazing animals currently living in Room 42.
February’s USMS mini-zoo’s Pet of the Month
The Leopard gecko is February’s USMS mini-zoo’s Pet of the Month. Our leopard gecko in Room 42 is a popular pet in animal stores, and can be an excellent beginner reptile. These charming animals are very easy to handle, and it is why they are referred to as the first domesticated species of lizard. They won’t replace your cat or dog (haha) but it will keep you entertained with its neat behavior. In the wild these types of geckos are mostly active at night, which means they are nocturnal. They sleep under rocks during the day, just being lazy, but their personality changes at night to becoming more active.
Critter Diet: Leopard geckos are insectivores , which means that they eat primarily insects (Yum!). Ours is fed store bought crickets on a weekly basis. However, they can eat small worms as well, and occasionally it's fed 6th grade students who don’t complete their science work (Lol).
Gecko facts: The name “leopard gecko” is a very appropriate name for this critter, as the body color is often yellow with black spotted coloration. These great looking reptiles can be found in a variety of patterns, colors, and different sizes. With good care, leopard geckos typically can have a 15-20 year lifespan. The one in our USMS mini-zoo is about 2 years old.
Conservation status: Leopard geckos naturally live in dry areas and are currently classified as Least Concern, so there are no major threats to it at this time in the wild.
Please Vote: Our beautiful USMS Leopard gecko needs a name. Help us out Leopards by participating in voting for the name below. Thanks, see you next month in March with another pet!
Say hello to Archie!
Meet December’s featured creature at the USMS Mini-Zoo: the bearded dragon! They are named for the expandable throat pouch that they can puff out when threatened. However, the store-bought bearded dragons are normally very easy to handle and are incredibly calm and friendly. USMS students have built trust with our bearded dragon by having positive experiences with the critter. They are arguably the most popular reptiles for beginners. Come by and visit, hold, and pet our awesome beardie in Room 42. You can even take a picture with it after school!
What does it eat? Being an omnivore, it can eat both plant material and small insects. Normally, it’s given fortified formula Bearded Dragon food, but it also chomps down on mealworms and collard greens. If it trusts you, it’ll eat right out of your hand! Rumor has it that it eats the pinky of your right hand if you don’t do your daily science work…So Beware!!!...LOL.
Conservation status: The bearded dragon is native to Australia, where it inhabits hot, arid environments, including deserts and savannas. Bearded dragons have a conservation status of Least Concern, so their populations are stable at this time. They are currently sold at just about every pet store nationwide. Our female bearded dragon was given to our USMS mini-zoo in 2008 by a student’s family, so it’s almost 20 years old!
Meet Project LeBron!
November’s spotlight goes to the leucistic axolotl! With its translucent-white skin and pinkish-red gills, this little creature is fascinating to observe. Part of the salamander family, the axolotl has a unique twist—it never fully “grows up” like its land-dwelling cousins. While not considered rare, axolotls remain aquatic and maintain their bright, colorful gills for their entire lives.
What does it eat?
Our axolotl enjoys a healthy diet of sinking carnivore pellets and bloodworms. It’s a voracious eater, and students have the fun responsibility of feeding it once a week!
Conservation Status:
In the wild, leucistic axolotls are unfortunately critically endangered due to habitat loss and water pollution in their native Lake Xochimilco. Thankfully, they are now commonly bred and available in pet stores.