DUIKER

by Grace June 11, 2025

The duiker looks like a deer because it has horns but the horns are not sharped the same, next it has hooves and a short tail. Duikers are light brown to grayish brown. Duikers have big ears  and black lines under its head.

Duikers can live in a  lot of places but most live in savannas, but sometimes they live in forests, woodlands, grasslands, and mountains, Duikers are native to Africa.

Duikers are adopted to live in many places in Africa, duikers are camouflage masters, their coat is a light brown to grayish brown. The brown hides well in forests and light brown blends well in the savannas.

If duikers sense danger they can freeze or lie down motionless to avoid detection.

The word duiker comes from the Afrikaan language for diver. They are known for their diving escape. 

🚙 Poop car 🚙 💬

written by Jina Moon, Second grade, Farmland ES, MD

Apples, a drawing of my best friend, Leo

Leo is one of my preschool friends. We are best friends. I am happy to have one of his drawings here.

Pigs

Digital drawing, by Grace Moon

Pigs are very clean animals.

Contrary to popular belief, pigs are naturally very clean animals, and they wallow in mud to keep cool, not for dirtiness. 

Pigs are smarter than dogs.

 Pigs are considered one of the smartest animals on the planet, with intelligence comparable to dogs and even some primates.

 Domestic pigs can run at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour 17.7 kilometers per hour, while wild boars can run even faster, reaching speeds of up to 15 miles per hour 24.1 kilometers per hour.

In many cases, their lifespan can be up to 20 years. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the oldest pig is a 23-year-old, “Baby Jane” from the United States.

Yes, pigs, including mini pigs, can be potty trained, often using a litter box or designated potty area, and they are naturally clean animals that prefer to keep their sleeping area separate from their elimination area. 

That’s all for today! 

Crested geckos 

Digital drawing, by Grace Moon

Crested geckos are solitary and should only be housed alone (but if you plan to breed it’s ok), being constantly housed with a male will often stress the female out, so it would be better to separate them for the rest of the time). Two male crested geckos will definitely fight, as can two females.

The crested gecko, often called the eyelash gecko, is a good pet for beginners because of its easy to keep requirements, and has a friendly nature.

 Crested geckos can tolerate being handled, they are generally not known for enjoying it and are more of a display pet. They are skittish and might try to jump away, so handling should be gentle and infrequent. 

Crested gecko bites are generally not painful and rarely break the skin, often feeling more like a small scratch or a pinch. 

Unlike other geckos, a crested gecko cannot regrow a dropped tail. However, your gecko won’t experience lasting harm from dropping its tail. Keeping your gecko out of its vivarium for too long can cause its body temperature to drop. Return your gecko to its tank after about 10 minutes of handling.

That’s it for today.

A Girl Sleeping

School writing, by Grace, November 1, 2024

one of pictures drawn by Harris Burdick