About
Crayfish are also known as crawfish, crawdads, mudbugs, and yabbies; they resemble and are related to lobsters. Crayfish most commonly live in freshwater, only a few have the ability to survive in salt water. There are over 500 different species of crawfish in the world and more than half of them are located in North America. Specifically, Louisiana produces 90% of the world’s crayfish for consumption as food.

Care
To keep your pet crayfish comfortable you will need to keep it in a freshwater aquarium, a fish tank will work just fine. Make sure to cover any holes in the lid of the tank to keep your crayfish from escaping. Feeding your crayfish is simple; many common fish foods will work. Pet crayfish will eat shrimp pellets, vegetables, fish food, algae wafers, goldfish, and minnows. Be careful which fish, if any, you put in the aquarium with your pet crawdad because they will attack and eat fish if they feel threatened or if they appear to be an easy snack. When using a prepared food, do not overfeed. The excess food will spoil the water.

Crayfish from the wild may have mud on their swimmerettes. The crayfish need to be purged (placed in clean, dechlorinated water) to remove the mud. Depending on how much mud is present, several water changes may be necessary.

Crayfish like to have a place to hide. The crayfish will molt, shed it’s exoskeleton. During the few hours after the molt, the crayfish has a soft exoskeleton and is vulnerable to predators. The larger the crayfish grows, the longer the time is in between molts. Crayfish have gills for breathing underwater, but can also breathe air.

The following information is general care information for a hermit crab and is provided by Heath Scientific. Heath Scientific has a full supply of live critters for educational institutions and home school environments. See the Live Critter section of our website.

If you want detailed information on caring for a hermit crab, visit the Hermit Crab Care Blog.

Temperature – 72-88F

Light Requirements – Indirect sunlight (Classroom lighting)

Feeding – Prepared invertebrate diet, supplement with fresh fruits and
vegetables.

Habitat – As a “tree crab” they live on land in coastal areas where it is
warm and humid.  They return to salt water to lay their eggs.

Handling – Crabs don’t bite but they will pinch very hard.  Handle them by
their shell.  They may be placed on the floor for exercise.  If they are
inactive, dip them in warm water and they will become active again.

Care – Hermit crabs need little care other than daily food and water
changes.

Ants are insects that evolved from wasp-like creatures over 100 million years ago. Today there are over 12,000 species of ants that have been classified.

Ants form colonies that range in population from a few dozen living in small natural cavities to millions that live in larger structures they build in the ground. The colonies consist of three types of ants. Sterile, wingless females, fertile males, and fertile females referred to as queens. The sterile female ants serve as soldiers or workers in the colony.

Ants work together in colonies to build their habitat and recreate. The process can be fascinating to watch for children and adults alike. Due to the fact that most ant colony behavior takes place beneath the ground, humans must use ant habitats or ant farms to observe ant colony behavior.

Ant Farming

The ant farm is designed to study ant and ant colony behavior by offering a great observation tool for the classroom or just for fun. Myrmecologists study ant behavior, and with an ant farm you can take a look into the world of myrmecology (the study of ants).

Ant Farm Types

The Ant Farm by Uncle Milton is a classic ant farm that has a green farm scene with a clear viewing pane surrounded by a green frame. The farm is usually filled with sand, dirt, or other media. These ant farms have a low price point making them accessible to classrooms and families of all budgets. In order to properly care for your ants, you will need to open the ant farm and make sure the ants have food and water. The down side is that this increases the chances of the ants getting out of the farm and into places you do not want them.

In recent years the Ant Farm has been modernized with improvements to visibility. A modern alternative ant farm is the AntWorks Illuminated Habitat

AntWorks Illuminated Habitat

The AntWorks ant farm is completely see through thanks to a gel that NASA developed when studying ants tunneling at zero gravity. The gel holds nutrition and water so that you do not have to provide the ants with nourishment. The AntWorks Illuminated Habitat is available with either red, green, or blue gel. The setup also includes LED lighting in the base so that you can view the ants at night. All of this is housed in a tightly sealed 6.5L x 6.0W x 1.25D clear acrylic habitat to minimize ants escaping into your house, lab, or classroom.

Set Up

Set up of the green AntWorks Illuminated ant farm was easy using the provided instruction manual. After assembling it and testing the LED lights the next step was to go out and find some ants. There are two options for getting your ants, you can either send in the coupon provided with the kit or find your own ants. After finding the ants, they were put into the ant farm which was covered with a towel for 3 days to allow the ants to get used to their new home. After adjusting to life on the ant farm the ants have created a spectacular tunnel system that looks even better in the dark with the LED lights on. They are fascinating creatures to watch and learn from.

For more information, Wikipedia has in depth information about insects including ants . You can always call Heath Scientific as well.

The following information is general care information for a fire-bellied toad and is provided by Heath Scientific. Heath Scientific has a full supply of live critters for educational institutions and home school environments. See the Live Critter section of our website.

Temperature – 72-88F

Light Requirements – Indirect sunlight (Classroom lighting)

Feeding – 2-3 crickets, twice a week. For easier care, a larger number of
crickets can be added (1 dozen) with a small piece of potato for nutrition.

Habitat – Semi-aquatic. Use spring or tap water treated with chlorine remover. Add water to a level equal with the top of the gravel. The Toads will often hide under a damp piece of moss.

Handling – Do not handle with dry hands as this may damage their skin.
Do not handle frequently. Wash hands before and after handling.

Care – Change water 1 time per week. Dirty water can allow contaminates

General Information:

Fire bellied toads are members of the genus Bombina. this genus has 4-5 different species. The most common species in the pet industry is Bombina orientalis and is found in NE China and Korea. The dorsal side is light brown to bright emerald green with shiny black spots. The ventral side is marbled red and black. The Bombina species is both diurnal and nocturnal, live in groups and are largely aquatic.They will float on the water with their legs out, soaking up the sun.

In The Wild

Bombina spawns throughout the summer and “rest” from the end of October to March. During this time they will hide under damp leaves for moisture and protection. When frightened, the toad will lay on it’s back, displaying the red belly. These bright colors can frighten away predators. The main predators consist of large aquatic frogs and snakes. When food supply is short or the concentration of animals is too high, cannibalism is a common occurrence. When laying eggs, they will attach them to floating plants or inside hollow spots in rocks.

In Captivity

The fire bellied toad needs a habitat that is well ventilated to prevent fungal infections. Indirect sunlight will assist in hindering fungal growth and provide certain vitamins. Breeding in captivity is more common in  orientalis than other species. Many hiding places, clean water source and proper over-wintering are necessary for breeding success. One interesting fact is that captive bred toads develop a yellow belly instead of the normal red. Experts say that supplemental canthaxanthin can reverse this phenomenon.
to enter through the skin.

Betta (Fighting Fish)

The following information is general care information for a beta fish and is provided by Heath Scientific. Heath Scientific has a full supply of live critters for educational institutions and home school environments. See the Live Critter section of our website.

Temperature – 72-88F

Light Requirements – Indirect Sunlight (Classroom lighting)

Feeding – Prepared tropical fish bites (Betta Bites). 2-3 pellets (or flakes) per day. If the fish is overfed, frequent water changes may be necessary.

Habitat – Slow moving or standing water.

Handling – Never touch a fish with dry hands as this will damage their slime coat. Bettas can jump and require a lid or lower water level.

Care - Use distilled water or tap water with chlorine remover added. Aclimate water to room temperature prior to adding to tank. Change the water when it becomes cloudy.