Trying again without the drugs and the menthol.

After basketball on Saturday, we headed over to our friendly neighborhood pet shop. My intentions were to pick up a ultra cool herp habitat and then let the boys pick out one newt each. I had spent the previous days really talking up the finer points of newt ownership and what great pets they were. (They are really cool pets. Fun to hold, but not too fast. Unique, but not too difficult to care for.)

We were all set to get new newts.

Alas, the pet shop had NO NEWTS! None! They were totally newtless.

We were all disappointed. I was just crestfallen. I think ZooDad was secretly glad. He has this amphibian phobia. I stomped around the store, quite upset and let down. The ZooBoys were sad for the approximately 3 seconds it took for them to discover the small mammal tanks.
Once they saw those little hamster heads, any thought of having newt pets quickly faded away.

As soon as Baby S planted himself belly down on the floor to get a closer look at the little balls of fur, ZooDad knew it was inevitable.
ZooDad was a little reluctant but I convinced him. I've had quite of bit of small animal care experience. In my pre-zoo days, I taught middle school science and our room really was a ZOO! At the high point, our class was home to 5 Zebra finches, some oscars, a few fire belly newts, a few Oregon newts, a fire bellied toad, a Chinese water dragon, a mean-as-heck iguana, a guinea pig, a gerbil, a dwarf lop bunny, and family of Russian dwarf hamsters. They was one substitute that refused to work in my room due to the critters...not the kids.
And then just for good measure, I worked in a pet shop during college. I used to have quite a herp collection. I was one of those tank dweebs that built custom sets. I'll have to dig out some pictures so you can appreciate how committed I once was. (and how patient my parents were.)


The boys picked out 2 tiny little Russian dwarf hamsters and I selected two cages and all the accessories for feeding and playing. It's pretty much the equivalent of a mile of hamster tubing. Our newest ZooCritters have been named Susie and Goldie. Thankfully, our local petshop only sells female small mammals. ZooDad is slowly warming to the idea of us actually taking said creature out of their habitats (or exhibits as M calls them.)and playing with them. He's having a hard time being as patient and understanding as my parents were. (I have to tell the story about my dad and the hamster food. It was the only time he ever got made about my pets.)

Poor guy. He just wanted fish. Not newts and definitely not hamsters.
To make him happy, we cleaned out the tank and bought a pair of grumpy red oscars. They sort of match ZooDad in personality.

I'm still looking for newts though. One day, I'm going to build a new tank. I want a set up like super newt. Are those not the cutest little herp faces you've ever seen?