Guide 4B Animals
Resources
Additional activities, a behind-the-scenes gallery, recommended books, and more.
About this Guide
Small & Amazing
This week we are meeting the terrestrial isopods, one of the most interesting groups of animals. I have run across them my entire life while playing in the mud, but this is the first time I have kept them as pets and studied their behaviors over time. Every day they blow my mind! Some species have maternal care; females protecting their young for two months or more. Other species make a low hissing sound to warn each other of danger. Some have the capacity to learn in response to food rewards. There is a lot more going on under our feet than I ever realized, a totally new perspective of something that I barely noticed before.
Lesley
Behind the Scenes
Can’t get enough river otters? Neither can we!
At home on land and in the water. This gives an idea of how large an enclosure needs to be to house a few of these animals.
Show Cat!
When Uschi-Swirl was a kitten, he went to cat shows. He certainly is not living that lifestyle now, but occasionally Mark helps him pose for his adoring audience :). Uschi was diagnosed with both intestinal and pancreatic cancers over a year ago, one month after we lost his younger brother to pancreatic cancer. We sought assistance from OSU’s Small Animal Veterinary Hospital, and unbelievably his cancers are in check. So Uschi gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants it.
New Isopods
Porecellio scaber 'Orange Dalmation'
Porcellio haasi 'High Yellow'
Armadillidium maculatum 'Zebra'
Armadillidium vulgare 'Magic Potion'
Recommended Books (animal art edition)
Illustrations teach about insects, but also demonstrate the importance of understanding your art subject.
Phaidon books are gorgeous, this is full of timeless animal art.
Stunning and memorable images, natural history includes small organisms.
Build a Library
Whether its digital or print, collect resources that assist in exploring, describing, and explaining the natural world.
Animals Product Page
Complete this guide’s products before advancing on to the next guide
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This week’s overview
This Guide
4B: Animals