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“<br />
To anyone interested in<br />
adopting an exotic animal,<br />
Daniels has three words of<br />
advice: Research, research,<br />
research!<br />
”<br />
resident Grace Clampitt. Although Clampitt had never<br />
had a leopard gecko, she had previously cared for two<br />
bearded dragons, and had the lamps and enclosure<br />
necessary for housing a reptile. She reports that Ducky is<br />
doing well and enjoying his diet of meal worms along with<br />
the occasional wax worm—a particular favorite of his.<br />
Like Charizard and Ducky, Scuba Steve wouldn’t be the<br />
pet of choice for most people but, thanks to HRA, this<br />
bark scorpion also found the right home. Discovered<br />
in an apartment hallway last December, Steve—who,<br />
it turns out, is actually Stephanie—was rescued by<br />
HRA Animal Care and Control Officers and taken to<br />
the New York Avenue Adoption Center, where she<br />
quickly caught the eye of HRA Law Enforcement officer<br />
Stephon Daniels.<br />
“I’ve always loved exotic pets,” says Daniels. “As a child<br />
I watched documentaries and shows that depicted<br />
animals in their natural environment. Now I enjoy setting<br />
up enclosures for them as close to their natural habitat as<br />
possible. I already had nine tarantulas of various species<br />
and wanted a scorpion as well.”<br />
Before bringing Stephanie home, Daniels, who has<br />
more than 20 years of experience caring for exotic<br />
pets, researched both the legality of owning—and the<br />
responsibilities of caring for—a scorpion. Today, she lives<br />
comfortably in her own secure enclosure.<br />
“She’s awesome,” says Daniels, who recently introduced<br />
Stephanie and a couple of his tarantulas to youngsters<br />
at HRA’s Caring Kids Camps. “When I’m working on my<br />
artwork late at night and look up, I’ll see her patrolling her<br />
personal territory.”<br />
To anyone interested in adopting an exotic animal, Daniels<br />
has three words of advice: Research, research, research!<br />
<strong>The</strong>se animals often have more specific and possibly<br />
more time-consuming care requirements than more<br />
traditional pets, and if people aren’t properly prepared,<br />
the animals end up in shelters or worse.<br />
ALLIANCE<br />
9
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