News From The Mews

Do reptiles have long-term moods? A research paper published this year would say yes! They found that tortoises who approached a bowl more quickly, hoping for a tasty treat, were also more comfortable in a novel environment. The researchers concluded that these tortoises were optimistic.  A Red-Footed Tortoise, the same species used in the study. Ethologist Karolina Westlund compares this type of animal to Gene Kelly when he sings:  "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain What a glorious feeling, I'm happy again I'm laughing at clouds..."* When we're in a good mood, we can laugh at clouds! Westlund says we perceive potentially negative experiences as laughable, friendly, or safe. The optimistic tortoises didn't know if they would get a treat at the bowl or not, but they approached it quickly as if they thought there was a good chance of getting a reward. And they showed fewer stress behaviors in a new place, perhaps assuming that the new enviro...

As I searched the worm bin for our salamander's next meal, I found a red worm smaller than most. I wondered if it was small enough for our tree frog to eat. I offered it to the frog and she jumped on it immediately. It was a mouthful for this little frog and she used her front feet like my 1-year-old daughter uses her hands to eat noodles, grabbing a fistful and cramming it into her mouth.

Carson the Red-tailed Hawk deserves a bit of fanfare. This was the first year that she chose to participate in every program this summer. After 11 Talon Talks at the Museum and two library programs, Carson met over 580 people! 🎉 Carson met a big crowd at the Hayward Library this summer! 📷 :  Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library