As an open-access shelter, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) will take in any animals surrendered from within the jurisdiction, and those animals are not always cats and dogs. At any time, you might meet a variety of residents here at the shelter, from rabbits to guinea pigs, mice and birds, and a wide variety of reptiles. Our staff needs to be prepared for the varied needs of all these animals, so we were excited when our friends at Reptiles Alive! stopped by to offer a refresher course on the various reptiles we might see come through our doors.
We started small, with several animals we’ve seen at the shelter in the last few months, including bearded dragons and red-eared sliders, a type of turtle. We also met a gorgeous ratsnake named Rachel who was happy to let our staff handle her. Then instructor Caroline brought out the big guns…or maybe we should say big shells, since the snapping turtle she introduced us to was larger than a housecat. Wild snapping turtles are common in northern Virginia, and AWLA’s Animal Services often receives calls about how to help these animals, who may appear lost or are having trouble crossing the road. Caroline showed us the proper technique to pick up a snapping turtle if necessary to avoid being bitten, as a snapping turtle’s neck can reach the length of its shell to catch prey or warn off potential dangers. Caroline also stressed that in the wild, snapping turtles should not be disturbed if they are not in need. Snapping turtles live their lives in very small areas, and removing them from these habitats may make it difficult for them to find food, water and shelter, and to continue to thrive in the wild. If you find a wild turtle and you are worried it is in danger, it’s always best to contact Animal Services rather than moving it and potentially causing harm to the turtle or yourself.
Finally, we met Alex, one of the four Argentinian Tegu lizards that were abandoned at the AWLA last spring. Reptiles Alive! took Alex in and she appears to be thriving. Staff members were happy to be reunited with this once-hissy lady, who was now content to be held and teach us a bit more about Tegus. You can check out all the reptile friends we met in the photo gallery below, courtesy of Dirty Paw Photography.
Thank you to Caroline and Reptiles Alive! for stopping by and teaching us more about our cold-blooded friends. If you are interested in learning more about the wide variety of animals who join us at the AWLA, you can see all our available adoptables on our website.