CONTACT
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UNCOMMON CRITTERS
STUDENTS SHOWCASE THEIR LOVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH UNCONVENTIONAL PETS
SARAH GREGORY
Audrey does on a cut each week. She spends her days stinking around or hiding under a rock. Around the house she is the object of a cat's desire and frequent warm shirt sleeves. When she is out and about, she is the life of the party. Audrey also happens to be a ball python, and Natalie Peterflügen, Overland Park graduate student, is her proud parent.
Peterfluugen decided to take an alternate route when picking a pet. In lieu of the common cat, dog or goldfish, some students choose something a little less common — a snake, hedgehog or turtle, for example. Sometimes these animals double as night-out accessories or conversation starters, but always they seem to be a companion above all, just like their more cuddly counterparts in the world of pets.
Peterfluugen wanted a snake since she was
in elementary school, but her mother thought otherwise. When Peterfluogen came to college, she took advantage of her independence to get the animal she had always wanted. Four years later, she is still glad she made that decision.
"Snakes are the easiest pets in the world to care for," she says. "You feed them and clean their cage weekly. You can leave town; you can take them to parties. They are the ideal pet."
Sherry Emerson, owner of Pet World, 711 W.23rd St, can vouch for this: "Reptiles are usually well-suited for people with active, busy lifestyles," she says. "As the 'convenience pet of the future,' it's not surprising that people of all ages and types keep reptiles as pets."
Peterfluugen also says people's opinions of snakes have changed upon seeing Audrey.
"I feel like there were a lot of people in my
life who were iffy about snakes, then they meet Audrey and they end up having a different attitude. Even my Mom."
Peterfluugen isn't the only one jumping on the uncommon critter bandwagon. Kyle Flynn, Denver sophomore, just brought his baby hedgehog Maximus home three weeks ago. He originally wanted a dog, but couldn't have one in the house he moved into. That's when one of the roommates remembered that his babysitter used to have a hedgehog. The boys found a hedgehog breeder in lola, and a few weeks later they brought home their little prickly girl. She has been a crowd pleaser ever since.
Though Flynn and his roommates are quick to point out some of Maximus' distinct qualities, they don't think she's very different from other small mammals. "The way we see it, mice, rats and hamsters are just basically quill-less hedgehogs," he says.
However, different types of pets do come with their share of challenges. Christen Nelson, Wichita junior, is the first to admit that. Two years ago she tried her hand at owning an aquatic turtle. "I've always liked turtles," she says. "Ninja turtles, regular turtles..." The creature died within two months. It wasn't until a few weeks ago when she brought home the newest addition to her apartment — Jeffrey the yellow-bellied slider — that she learned what the problem with the first turtle was, which the Florida shop owners who sold him to her failed to mention.
"A lot of people are intrigued by the fact that we have a hedgehog. It's obviously not a common pet," Flynn says. "Girls especially want to see her."
Photo by Jerry Wang For the guill of it: Owning an exotic pet like a hedgehog can be just as rewarding as cuddling up with a purrying cat or barking dog. Many unconventional animal owners find their pets to be conversation starters, as well as companions.
"Aquatic turtles need full spectrum lighting and calcium in their diets." Nelson says. She immediately went and bought all the necessary supplies — a properly-sized tank, attachable rocks for basking, and a UV-B heat lamp. Jeffrey is now living a happy and healthy turtle life.
“Aside from the fact that I can't cuddle him or play fetch, it's still the same [as owning any other pet],” Nelson says. “I love him just as much.”
CONSIDERING A NEW ADDITION TO THE FAMILY? CONSIDER THESE COOL ANIMALS:
+ Gecko
+ Small-breed snakes (ball python,
corn snake, kingsnake, gopher snake)
+ Chinchilla
+ Sugar Glider (in small gliding marsupial native to Australia)
+ Tarantula
+ Tree Frog
Ferret
ESEARCH LIBRARY
SPENCER RESEARCH LIBRARY
lica of Naismith's rules hanging on the wall at Amyx Barber Shop, 842 1/2 Massachusetts St.
He said the copy has been there
-Edited by Alex Tretbar
SUSTAINABILITY
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04
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KU EcoHawks convert donated car to electric
Kansas Libraries will use the car to deliver on-campus mail
BY KELLY STRODA kstroda@kansan.com
Josh Petty always liked tinkering with machines when he was
younger. Hed work on his mom's broken dawn mower until it was finally running smoothly.
right now — no tires, a battered back fender and a missing front end. The EcoHawks removed the Jimmy's engine last week.
EcoHawks' GMC Jimmy project. The group is working to convert the car into a fully-electric vehicle. Petty said the group hopes to have the project completed by the end of spring.
Wires and tubes are exposed that some people will never see in their entire lives. Blue painting tape marks the wires and tubes — the gas pedal line here, air bag wires there.
Instead of a gas engine, the Jimmy will be powered by a main electric motor and two auxiliary motors, Petty said. The motors
The 1997 GMC Jimmy, a small sport utility vehicle, sits dropped up on car jacks in the KU EcoHawks' garage on West Campus. It's a definite change of scene from the police impound ot where the Jimmy sat for two years before being donated to the EcoHawks.
Now he has a bigger project.
Petty, a senior from Olathe,
s team leader of the KU
But for now, the conversion is a work in progress.
"It's that hands-on learning that makes them the best engineers."
The car looks a bit dilapidated
out
The full conversion is estimated to cost $55,000
CHRIS DEPCIK EcoHawks advisor
Student Senate passed a bill which gave the EcoHawks $2,500 to use for the conversion project.
Other funding for the project is coming from the EcoHawks' budget and sponsors.
will run using more than 1,000 rechargeable batteries. The batteries — similar to those that cordless drills use — are about the size of AA batteries.
Jon Kallinowski, a senior from Wichita, is focused on power steering. He said he enjoys the freedom and hands-on learning that the project provides.
"I love the fact that we aren't just doing theory," he said. "We're not just sitting in a lab. We're not just on the Internet or reading books."
The students have to research
Just as each system in the car's engine has to work in unison, Petty said the group members have to work together as well. The 12 students working on the project have a different area of focus.
Edited by Lisa Curran
After the car is finished, KU Libraries will use the car to deliver on-campus mail. The campus mail route includes main and West Campus buildings in addition to continuing education buildings on Kasold Drive. On a typical day, the KU Libraries mail vehicle travels about 22 miles.
theorize and then put their work into practice.
There shouldn't be any worry that the Jimmy won't be noticed. Petty said the EcoHawks hope to paint the frame lime green and the body white.
Petty said the electric vehicle would be able to travel 80 to 90 miles before a recharge.
"It's that hands-on learning that makes them the best engineers," said Chris Depcik, EcoHawks advisor and assistant professor of mechanical engineering.
Lars Leon, associate librarian for KU Libraries, said the libraries encourage sustainability. The electric vehicle is another step in that direction.
LARRI-BMX seeks the city's approval of a plan to construct a course to fulfill Lawrence's BMX interest.
"It will almost be a billboard for the idea of sustainability," Lars said.
LAWRENCE|3A
New biking club proposes local BMX racetrack
Classifieds...9A
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...10A
Sudoku...4A
INDEX
Check out The Wave for up-to-date stories on Kansas football, including the scoop on new redshirt freshman Erick McGriff and commentary on fan attendance this season.
WEATHER
makes sense in historical context
Columnist Luke Brinker explains that the apparent jump in 18- to 24-year-old voters in 2008 actually wasn't all that dramatic. By comparison, Baby Boomers were driven to the polls by factors such as the draft.
Find extra football coverage in The Wave
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