Wrap-up

So far, I have written about hedgehogs, kiwis, spectacled bears, piranhas, maltipoos, and bot flies. I really hope that you have learned something from reading my blog. There are so many interesting animals in the world, and many people don't even know half of them. That's why, you should try to take the time to read up about different animals that you find interesting. They can be really fun to learn about and look at.

Try to challenge yourself to learn everything you can about one animal a week. Even if you think that it isn't worth your time, you will enjoy it. Just take about 15-20 minutes a day to search for and read one article. You may even be surprised at what you find out. I wish I knew as much about animals as my younger cousin. He knows so much about animals and how they live and how to treat them, that his parents let him take care of a chinchilla and a rabbit all by himself. He is only eight years old right now. I definitely don't know enough about chinchillas or rabbits to take care of either of them, and they are common pets. It just goes to show that there is always more that you can be learning about animals.

Human Bot Fly

Bot flies are probably the grossest animals I will be talking about on this blog. I was at my uncle's house watching t.v. when I flipped the channel and saw a picture of a guy with like seven bot flies IN his back. It was really disgusting, but it gave me the idea to write about them. I won't be posting any pictures of bot flies because they can be very disturbing, but if you want to see some, just go on google and type in bot flies. You will get some gross pictures.

There are different types of bot flies, but today I will only be talking to you about human bot flies (you don't want to read about bot flies in rabbits). Bot flies are indigenous to parts of Mexico, Central and South America. Adult bot flies tend to lay their eggs on mosquitoes and the eggs hatch when the mosquito starts to feed on the host. When the eggs hatch, the larvae begin to burrow into the host's skin. The hole that they create is called a warble, which allows the larvae to breathe while they feed on the host.

Common signs of bot flies include pain or discomfort (you're going to feel something while they make your body their home), a growing bump, and swelling and redness. People native to the areas where bot flies originated are used to bot fly infections and treat them by using a lighted cigarette to draw the larvae out of the host. The smoke forces the larvae to come out to breathe.

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/botfly.html

http://animal.discovery.com/invertebrates/monsters-inside-me/human-botfly-dermatobia-hominis/?_context=in?headerText=SEND%20TO%20A%20FRIEND

Maltipoo

This week, I am going to be talking about the maltipoo. Maltipoos are a mix between a maltese and a poodle. I personally have one and I love him. His name is Biskit. Recently, maltipoos have become more popular and many people are beginning to adopt them.

This may be because of the fact that they don't shed. Because maltipoos are part poodle, it is very rare to get one that sheds its fur. However, an owner must brush their maltipoo's fur a couple times a week depending on the length of the fur. This will prevent matted or tangled fur. This is important because if a maltipoo's fur becomes too unruly, the owner will probably have to shave their maltipoo. It is very difficult to clean a maltipoo when their fur is messed up.Maltipoos tend to have a lot of energy, so they are good outdoor family pets. However, owners should keep small children away because maltipoos easily become excited and could accidently hurt small children while trying to play with them.

Piranha

Most people know not to mess with piranhas. They are deadly little creatures that usually attack in groups. Although adult piranhas still aren't very large, they do have very sharp teeth. However, their teeth aren't very large either, so when a piranha attacks, it is rarely a killing blow. Instead, when attacking, piranhas eat their prey alive by tearing off its flesh.

http://www.extremescience.com/zoom/index.php/animal-kingdom-records/100-piranha

Even as babies, piranhas are still killers. When first born, a piranha will eat small crustaceans or any other small animals that get too close. Baby piranhas will also eat fruits and aquatic plants. Even though piranhas are born with sharp teeth and ferocity, they are not safe. Adult piranhas have been known to eat their own babies and other piranhas will certainly sink their teeth into baby piranhas, if they get the chance.

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/piranha-eat-cows.htm

Adult piranhas, which travel and hunt in groups, will eat just about whatever they can catch. Their diet includes other fish, animals that get too close to the water, and even sometimes people.

http://www.gurlygoround.com/setting-up-a-piranha-tank

In my opinion, piranhas aren't really that amazing. At first, I thought they would be a perfect topic to write about because I haven't talked about any fish yet. It was cool reading about how piranhas eat their prey alive, but, like birds, I've never really been interested in fish. Piranhas just seem like tiny sharks that can't get their mouth around their food. I really don't know what a piranha looks like a cross between. If I had to guess, I would say that the piranha looks like a mix between a shark, a trout, and a barricuda and the result having swallowed a ping pong paddle.

Spectacled Bear

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/printable/spectacled-bear.html

The Spectacled bear, also known as the Andean bear, is the last of the "short-faced" bears. This species if indigenous to South America and more specifically Panama, Ecuador, and Peru, along with a few other locations. These bears are right at home in these areas, where there are lots of trees, because they have the ability to climb even the taller trees.

The Spectacled bear is a relatively small species of bear. Males are generally 286-440 lbs and females can reach up to 77-181 lbs. They are very distinct in that they have mostly black fur with beige-colored marking across their face and chest.

http://ursafreedomproject.ning.com/group/andeanbearsupport?xg_source=activity

While most people believe that bears are destructive killers, most bears, including the Spectacled bear, are very docile creatures. The Spectacled bears are generally peaceful animals that are non-territorial, but prefer to be solitary. Spectacled bears will most often run away or climb a tree when they encounter a threat, except when their cubs are in danger.

Surprisingly, a Spectacled bear's diet consists mostly of plants and fruit. Only about 5% of their food is meat from small mammals or birds.

http://www.thenaturewatch.com/2008/05/natural-world-spectacled-bears-shadows.html

I know I say this every week, but I like the Spectacled bear. I usually choose animals that I'm interested in, unless someone wants to leave a comment and suggest an animal. I thought of a raccoon when I saw the Spectacled bear's face. It also reminded me of a panda because of its flat face. I would say that the Spectacled bear is a cross between a raccoon, a giant panda, a wolverine, and a polar bear.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20127015.500-rare-animals-to-feature-on-google-earth.html

Kiwi

Just as its name describes, the kiwi looks much like the furry fruit we can find at local grocery stores. An average kiwi is about the size of a chicken, but their eggs are much larger. They lay the largest eggs in relation to their body size of any other species of bird in the world. Currently, there are five species of this endangered animal, which must be protected from both deforestation and natural predators.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0217_060217_kiwi.html

Just like any other bird, kiwis do have wings. However, their wings are so small, that they are completely covered by their feathers most of the time and are very difficult to spot. Because of their wing's tiny size and the fact that they have bone marrow, kiwis are unable to fly.

Another thing about kiwis is that they are usually nocturnal. When they come out at night, they use their keen sense of smell, which is unusual for a bird, to locate their food without having to see it. Kiwis generally eat grubs, seeds, worms, fruit, and amphibians.

http://theora.com/msdb.php/OriginOfSpecies/msdbCat/title/06-04%20-%20Transitions%20in%20Habits%20of%20Life

I am usually not very interested in birds, just because I see them all the time, but I actually liked learning about the kiwi. It definitely looks like a cross between a penguin, a hummingbird, an ostrich, and a kiwi (fruit). It was also cool to find out that it is a flightless bird. I can only think of a penguin as another flightless bird, unless I count the dodos that were in Ice Age.

*This picture just made me laugh*

http://www.bluebison.net/content/?cat=145

Hedgehog

If you have seen a hedgehog then you know that they are almost completely covered with spines and can roll up into a ball to protect themselves. There are currently 17 different species of hedgehog living in Europe, Africa, Asia, and New Zealand. However, the hedgehogs in New Zealand were introduced to the area and are not indigenous there.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/sonic-hedgehog-11-year-old-change-pet-laws-kansas.php

Most hedgehogs are nocturnal and are most active during the night. This makes it very rare to see a hedgehog in the wild. Small and agile, a hedgehog is difficult to spot for humans in the night, especially if they live in a dense forest. It is also challenging to spot a hedgehog during the day when they are sleeping. Depending on the habitat a hedgehog lives in, it may sleep in a bush, in the grass, under a rock, or in a hole. No matter where a hedgehog lives, they generally tend to dig dens for shelter.

http://animalpetdoctor.homestead.com/hedgehogs.html

Hedgehogs have been classified as being insectivores, which means they eat only insects. However, once again, depending on the area that a hedgehog lives in, they can eat insects, frogs, snails, snakes, mushrooms, grass roots, and berries. In this sense, hedgehogs could be seen as omnivores.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/zacharyj/swimming-hedgehog-4aj

When they feel threatened, hedgehogs are able to curl up into a ball and protrude their spines outward. However, some predators have found ways to force the hedgehogs out of their protective "shell". For example, some foxes have been observed dropping a hedgehog into the water, which makes the hedgehog unroll and swim. Once the hedgehog is exposed, the fox will go for the kill by biting at the hedgehog's head.

I personally think that hedgehogs are very unique little animals. There aren't many animals that can roll up into a ball for protection. I think the only other animal that has that ability would be the armadillo. There are probably others, but at the moment I can't think of any more. I also like how hedgehogs look like a mixture of a mouse, hamster, and porqupine.