Day 6 - Independent Work

    Today I had the fortunate opportunity to do tasks by myself, which was incredibly rewarding. I first tended to the insects that were on display in the Brown Hall of Entomology, and this time I got myself to clean and change the food in the katydid enclosure. It took me a total of 15 minutes to do so, but nevertheless, I was proud of myself! 

    Since one of the volunteers had already done a butterfly release, Celeste had me do tasks in the Conservatory. For the butterflies, I sliced fruit to put on the plates and in the suet cages, and for the turtles and iguanas I cut up leafy greens and a few other fruits and vegetables. I also renewed the banana brew and the nectar in the hangers. After placing Nacho's food and the turtles' food in the Conservatory, I got to hand-feed the elderly iguana (I'm not sure what to call him- it's either Charlie or Charzo) for the first time! He's usually lounging beneath his heat lamps, so when I picked him up to help him eat up he was super warm. When I placed him back down, I just gently offered him strawberries and figs- he refused to eat any of the vegetables & lettuce. After feeding him, I moved on to the torches in the conservatory. I gathered up sponges, torches, stoppers, and the nectar (specifically for the torches). This was a repetitive process: there were nine in total, and for each one, I took the old torch out and replaced it with a new one that had a stopper and a sponge. After that, I topped it up with nectar. Once I was done with this, I fed the cavefish, cleaned the 'deceased butterflies' bin (and dumped it out), and wiped down the kitchen. Success! 

Facts I learned: 

• Nectar is very easy to spill and very sticky!
• To make it easier to feed some insects, change their food and then mist their enclosures- they get a lot more crazy when they've been drenched.