Empathy

One of the most exciting aspects of The Drawing Zoo is how many new applications I get asked to approach.

Empathy is so obvious and natural, I'm definitely thinking "Why didn't I think of that?"

Through Young Audiences of Maryland, I am visiting schools in Anne Arundel County to expand upon their "Be kind" program.  This program repeatedly encourages students to:

-Treat others with respect and patience

-Use appropriate language

-Have an open mind and accept differences

-Solve problems in a calm and mature manner

This new spin off program is still STEAM powered, but highlighting the "how to touch" portion of the lesson. The method we use to touch the animals is based on how they interpret our actions. We cover many ideas like "How would an animal feel if a stranger poked it's face?" and even dive into specifics, like how a turtle can feel you touching its shell.  It requires us to imagine we are small animals, with instincts fit for being at the bottom of the food chain and picturing how certain interactions would make us feel.

In detail, empathizing with animals teaches us to see from a perspective that does not match ours. Animals are diverse with a variety of needs and therefor points of view. For example, the chameleon feels safe by hiding in plain sight. Camille hates being in a confined space. As far as she's concerned, she's green + her plant is green = she's hidden and safe. Snakes on the other hand like to be in the tightest space possible. Some immediately call out "abuse" when they see my snake squeezed into a toilet paper tube, which is firmly wedged in a plastic container. But if it can feel the container (whether it be a rock in nature or a toilet paper tube in captivity) on all sides of its body, it cannot be surprised. As far as they're concerned, they've prevented another animal from sneaking up on it. Also, it means that in a bumpy car ride, they're not being flung around. Even in their big cages, I need to provide them lots of nooks and crannies for them to squeeze into.

More snakes in tubes here

How can this apply to every day life?
Think of an argument or disagreement you've had. We've all been guilty of preparing our own statements and rebuttals while the other person is still talking- at least once? Animals, however do not participate in dialogue. They communicate through body language, secreting odors and sometimes making noise, which forces us to listen to what they are saying instead of trying to sway them.
And who doesn't love a good listener?

The best part is how much fun the students have exploring their skills with animals. I love this new program so much, I could go on for 10 more paragraphs. However, I think I've hit the important points and I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below.

-Brittany 

The Dull Side...Paperwork

As adults responsible for children, "insurance" and "liability" are words that pop into our heads. It's no surprise that some paperwork has to be filed before our visits.

In house Checklist
As we promote on all of our platforms, we only bring animals who have proven to be good with children, travel, strange noises and smells. This comes with experience, which I have detailed in our "Animal Practices" post last year. This covers not just my personal experience with animal behavior, but the animals' experience as well. For example, Coby the Corn Snake is going on 18 years old! And he's been great with kids the whole time.

Policies
Should you poke an animal in the face just because I said it won't bite? Should I poke a teacher's face just because I'm confident he/she won't bite? No!
Respect is a foundation of this service. Just because this team of animals can handle stress, doesn't mean we're subjecting them to stress needlessly. We have company polices in place to protect our animals from disrespectful and potentially harmful situations. All educators contracting The Drawing Zoo must read and agree to these safety polices.

BCPS Guidelines
At The Drawing Zoo, we follow the Guidelines for the "Use of Animals, Plants, and Other Organisms in the School Setting and in Outdoor Science Programs" as written by the Baltimore County Public Schools Towson, Maryland Office of Science. This not only ensures another level of safety, but also convenience for the school. You know that our services are compatible with your goals, needs and rules! (http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/animals.aspx). 
Insurance
And as responsible owners, we carry liability insurance and will provide the COI and any additional details that administrators may need.

Letter of recommendation
As and extra seal of validation, I am happy to share the expert opinions on The Drawing Zoo's animals from Dr. Vivian Ho and Technician Darcey Bowen.

Background Check
As the teaching artist who frequents classrooms, I've had my background checks and fingerprinting completed in multiple counties. My receipt is always on my person.

Entertainment Agreement
Some schools request we sign an Entertainment Agreement, which I complete promptly.

It can seem like a lot, but I do my best to make the paperwork quick and painless. I might also add that repeat visits yield an even quicker process. And what dull mornings are spent organizing the proper precautions, are more than made up in these unforgettable, colorful, adventurous lessons!

-Brittany
If you're considering working with The Drawing Zoo please email TheDrawingZoo@gmail.com

Rescues and Breeders

We have a new precious baby Chameleon, named Skittles!

He is a 4 month old Panther Chameleon. He differs from our precious Camille because this species is from Madagascar (like our popular Roaches) while the Veiled Chameleon is from Yemen. The former is a wetter climate with more colorful surroundings. But just like Camille, Skittles doesn't change color based on what he touches or is in front of. They change based on how they feel and the surrounding conditions. They have happy tones, angry patterns, cold values etc. We are quite excited to get to know him!

Skittles is the first pet since 2012 that I've purchased from a breeder. It is important to me to note this because The Drawing Zoo has allowed me to accomplish my hearts' oldest desire, helping animals in need. I'm committed to being a forever home to as many beasts in need as I can manage. Since 2012 this includes (in no particular order):

Pogo the Bearded Dragon, Camille the Chameleon, Leo, Lisa and Littefoot the turtles, Bowser the tortoise, Angel the Ball Python, Petunia the Milk Snake, Slim Jim the Carpet Python, Gunther, Sam and Miller the Ball Pythons, Jupiter, Smiley, Tucker and Dylan the geckos, Burger the Uromastyx, Sylvester the Hognose Snake, Escher the iguana, and of course my first, Pierce the iguana.

Weighing at the vet

I am and forever will be a voice for the voiceless. But taking in animals in need is hard to say the least. Most of the animals, especially Pierce, were in rough shape when they got here and cost a LOT of money, time, emotional stress and consistency to get them better. It is not for everyone! But other responsible pet owners will need to start out with healthy animals from someone who takes responsibility for the animals.

It is my opinion that responsible breeders are hard to find. Wolf-dogs, dogs, cats, bunnies, lizards etc. There will always be breeders (and pet stores) out there who will tell you whatever you want to hear to make a sale. They will also omit information to make a sale. Or even if they prepare you 100%, don't care if they ever see that animal again. Don't care if you "don't have time for it" when you get a new job, don't care if you move and sell it on Craigslist. Some pack as many animals as they can into the bare minimum space, with minimum diet thinking they'll get rich if they sell high volumes. *Cough* puppy mills *cough*
I urge that if you are not like me, putting thousands of dollars and hours into an animal with slim chances, that you spend time looking for a responsible breeder.

And it just so happens I found one. Charm City Glam Chams is a small, home business run by a lovely couple who just can't get enough of chameleons. They don't sell to kids or impulses. You have to show them you already have everything the animal needs. They also want you to make an appointment to learn about the animals and meet "the one" for you. They want you to keep in touch, send pictures etc.

"I think that we are unique breeders in that we do not advertise much online at all. We prefer to build a loyal base of customers who become friends and family to us. It is much more important for us to place an animal with a perfect home that to bring in revenues. This is not a business for me ... it is a passion ... born from a desire to put some beauty into this often not-too-beautiful world. Each one of these babies takes a piece of my heart with him or her when he/she leaves here. As much as I know we need to sell them, it is hard for me to see them leave. They are my kids! I am so happy that Star ... now Skittles ... is staying so close by!" - Barbara, Breeder from Charm City Glam Chams

I spent two hours in their house holding most of their lizards, and a huge parrot. I fell in love with Skittles! I just couldn't stop thinking about him when I went home. So I made a rare decision.
There can be a lot of heated conversations about how to best protect animal rights. Did I have to right this blog and put myself out there? No, but this is a really good opportunity to stand up for pets from a different perspective.

-Brittany

Happy New Year

This has been a wild year. In 2016 The Drawing Zoo rescued 3 new turtles, a veiled chameleon, a new baby iguana and a bunny! We also suffered the loss of our first ever rescue- Pierce.
We also appeared in the Baltimore Sun, on WBAL-tv and I had the privilege of speaking at Stoop Storytelling at the BMA's Art After Hours.

Photo Credit to Jessica Voss

Our dearly departed Pierce

Behind the scenes at WBAL-TV

As we head into 2017, I want to give everyone a heads up about what to expect. The Drawing Zoo will be offered through Arts Everyday, Young Audiences of Maryland and Futuremakers! The Drawing Zoo will also be offered as its own class at the Howard County Arts Council as an Intro to Scientific Illustration from Jan. 24-Mar. 24. We will also be performing at their summer camp from July-Aug. TheDrawingZoo.com will soon be under construction to reflect these exciting changes.

Expect to see more information about booking programs on social media, in our email subscriptions and we will also be more active on our Youtube channel. We have too much fun not to share in more detail. Be on the lookout for updates on our butterfly garden, conservation, rescues and of course- the students' experiences!

Cheers to a new year,

Brittany Roger

Why Roaches Rock

The first typical reactions when people hear or see our Roaches, "Yuck!" and "Ew!"
The typical remarks at the end of our visit, "Wow!" and "These are so cool." People ending up really enjoying the roach visits.
What happens during our visit that changes so many minds?

While the artists are drawing, photographing and observing this seemingly repulsive animals, I like to share some facts:

- Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are not the same roaches that people find under their fridge.
These animals are actually rather rare. Not because they're endangered, in fact, they're quite popular as pets. But their natural distribution is limited to the island of Madagascar. Some scientists want Madagascar to be considered the 8th continent because the plants and animals are not found anywhere else in the world. The ecosystem on this island is astoundingly specific. Even though this roach is not extinct in the wild, Madagascar is in of wildlife conservation.

4th Grade drawing with model

- There are over 3,500 species of roaches on the planet. And believe it or not, a lot of them are not considered pests. The few species that are associated with humans and being dirty are actually dirty because of the mess we leave for them, not the other way around. Roaches can't spread contaminants unless we provide it first. Roaches don't like being dirty. Roaches even clean themselves like cats! The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach in particular is very clean. It's role in the ecosystem is to keep the rainforest healthy. They can't very well fill their niche if they're spreading disease.

- Despite what you see on TV, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches cannot bite you. Their mouths are similar to that of a grasshopper. Think of it this way: These animals feed on decaying plant matter. Does an animal need flesh ripping teeth to eat a rotten banana? No! They're bodies aren't built for scaring or hurting you, they're for keeping the rainforest healthy and clean. They also lack stingers, pinchers, venom, and wings.

We donated a dozen from our own colony to this very enthusiastic class!

- In my opinion, their role in the environement translates into these animals being "Eco friendly" pets. Yes, they need heat, but otherwise are low-cost. I feed my colonies organic table scraps. This could be a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Some other eco-friendly pets include the black soldier fly and earth worms. But let's get into that on another post.

I have tons more to say about the Madagascar Hissing Roach. I didn't even get into their social habits, heirarchy, the differences between males and females or their personalities. So keep a look out for our classes and events to learn more!

-Brittany Roger

Sources:
https://today.duke.edu/2014/10/madagascarbiodiversity
https://www.lvzoo.org/animals/madagascar-hissing-cockroach/
https://www.quora.com/Why-are-cockroaches-bad
http://rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/Madagascar%20Hissing%20Cockroach.pdf

The Tortoise and the Hare

A closer look into our Tortoise and Hare...



Tortoise- Bowser is a 13 year old, male Russian Tortoise. This is his 3rd home. His dominating personality and long lifespan makes him quite a commitment.
A tortoise is not a turtle. Turtles are semi aquatic animals with webbed toes, a hydrodynamic shell. While the tortoise lives on land, can't swim and has a shell more suitable for digging.

Hare- Okay, he's not really a hare. Rocket is a Dutch Rabbit. What's the difference?  Visually, hares have longer legs and more angular features. The real difference is their babies. Baby rabbits (bunnies) are born hairless with their eyes close, completely dependent on their mom.  While baby hares are born independent and ready to go! Hares are not as social as rabbits.
But for our purposes, our young man, Rocket is perfect. He's fast, cute, and fun to draw!



When we bring these guys into the classroom, we let the students pet the animals and listen to The Tortoise and the Hare read out loud. Then they discuss the differences between the real and story animals, what happened in the story and what they can learn from it.
Just as an example, we introduce the students to gesture drawing. First the students only have 10 seconds to draw our animals. Then we give them a few minutes to draw the same animals.
Do they accomplish more with more time? Do they use their time wisely? Do they go slow and steady? Bring us in and find out!



-Brittany Roger

Animals You Didn't Know We Had

Our mission includes caring for animals that don't make it to class. Sometimes we take in animals that need a good home and find out that they do not meet the standards for class visits.
Reference our the standards of classroom-safe animals here.

Personality. Once all the other factors are fully addressed, the last and most uncontrollable factor is the animal's personality. Over time, many animals learn through consistently interacting with people that we are not going to hurt them, and even associate us with their food, warmth and safety! I like to call this"conditioning". Conditioned snakes, lizards and even spiders and scorpions can make great class visitors. But once in a while, there is an individual who is simply a grump. And though you won't see them in class, we love and appreciate these animals for who they are and give them the same love and care as all the friendly beasts.

At my house, the animal who fits this criteria is Scandal. She looks very similar to her cage-mate, Dexter, who we use in our Heredity programs. Scandal is even more willing to bite than wild snakes I've picked up. Scandal has been pampered since 2010, so I'm confident she's adjusted to her life with me. Her check ups result in a perfect review. Black Rat Snakes like Scandal are considered an adult when they reach 4 years old, 4 ft long and weigh over 400grams.

Which means she is just a grumpy lady. What does a grumpy snake do? Sure, she is likely to bite me. But it also means that she frequently rattles her tail to warn me away. If I interact with her against her wishes she will also musk on me. It's like an invisible stinky pee- talk about defense! She does NOT like being held or taken out of her cage. She likes to be warm, hidden and alone.
I'm confident that if she lived out in the Maryland wild, she would do just fine! So fine that one may even suggest that captive life isn't for her and she should live free. And I don't whole heartedly disagree. But Scandal was a captive born and raise snake- making it illegal to release her outside. Even though Scandal is a handful, we love her and give her everything a grumpy snake needs!

-Brittany Roger