Creature Quest Animal and Reptile Shows

Earth Day Weekend 2010

2010-04-13T09:32:00.004-04:00

Creature Quest will be at Erin Mills Town Centre on Saturday, April 24th. Since Earth Day this year is taking place on the Thursday, the weekend is a much better time to organize these fun shows.

We will be running 4 shows throughout the day. The theme is animals and their habitats so it will be a little different than the shows over March break. The animal line up is pretty different as well, although some fan favourites may be back. Like last time, it will be a 40 minute (ish) presentation followed by a 20 minute meet and greet.

Please contact Guest Services at Erin Mills Town Centre before the event to register. More information can be found on their website, http://www.erinmills.ca/

See you all in a few weeks.

April 11, 2010 - Hiring

2010-04-11T08:24:00.002-04:00

We are looking to hire one or two new members to our staff. Sadly we will be losing two of our great staff this summer as they have some very exciting plans for the future (ones off to university and the other will be teaching in Honduras!)

At first the position is for the assistant animal handler but there is room for promotion.

We had to interviews on Friday morning and have a few more to go before we make any decisions.

Thank you to all that have applied. It was a pleasure meeting and chatting with with everyone that was selected for an interview. It really is hard for us to choose just one or two from the bunch!

ttfn...

March Break was a HOOT

2010-03-30T09:55:00.002-04:00

We're finally getting back into the regular routine after all the wonderful craziness that was March Break. Here is a pic of just one of our adventures. I'll try to get a small album up on our FaceBook page in the very near future....

March Break Day 3

2010-03-17T22:25:00.003-04:00

What an interesting and slightly crazy day. We were at Oakville Place all day with a display and a few small stand up shows. We'll be back again tomorrow (Thursday,) Friday and Saturday. For stand up show times please call guest services. There are no posted show schedules on site.

We were also at Milton Mall and Sheridan Centre for a 40-minute stand-up show followed by a meet and greet at each. I can't believe the HUGE interest. We must have had over 200 people at each show. Jon, Daniyal and I are still talking about what an incredible experience it was for us. We really hope that you like the animals.

On a personal note. If you have come out and seen on of our shows and fallen in love with any (or all) of the wonderful animals that you met, please remember that you are the key for these animals' survival. The main reason for animals to end up on the threatened or endangered list is habitat loss. Other key reasons are pollution, over hunting/harvesting and the introduction of non native species into an environment. To learn about how you can help these animals in the wild, visit sites like www.panda.org

March 16, 2010 - March Break MaDdNeSs

2010-03-16T15:51:00.002-04:00

Had a great time at Erin Mills Town Centre on Monday. It was really neat to see SO many people at our four shows. At times it was a little crazy and I want to thank everyone for their understanding and their enthusiasm once we got our show going!

We are definitely looking forward to future events at Erin Mills Town Centre ie Earth Day (cross our fingers!)- and we even picked up a beautiful mic and amp in anticipation!

Right at this second, we gearing up for our other shows. There are many camps and birthday parties planned for this week.

Tomorrow we're starting our 4 day display show at Oakville Place in Oakville (QEW at Trafalgar). We'll be there during mall hours and will have a lovely array of animals both on display and to touch.

We will also be at Milton Mall in Milton (Main St/ Ontario St.) from 10 am until noon. We will be doing a 40-minute stand-up presentation followed by a 1 hour and 20 minute meet and greet.

Later tomorrow afternoon from 2 pm until 4 pm we will be at Sheridan Centre in Mississauga(2225 Erin Mills Parkway) for a 40-minute show followed by an 1 hour and 20 minute of meet and greet to follow.

Bring your cameras and we'll see you soon!

Yolanta

Thursday, March 11, 2010 - Daytime Mississauga

2010-03-11T15:57:00.002-05:00

Thank you to the folks at Erin Mills Town Centre, Roger's Television and Daytime Mississauga. We really had a blast filming our segment on Daytime Mississauga. Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity.

See everyone at Erin Mills Town Centre on Monday, March 15 for one of our shows. Remember you have to register with Guest Services before had and the net proceeds from the show will go to the Credit Valley Hospital Foundation. It's only $5.00 for a great show and a fun craft so come on out!!!

Erin Mills Town Centre is located at Erin Mills Parkway and Eglinton Avenue in Mississauga. It features some great shopping opportunities and of course is a great place to see Creature Quest this March break! EMTC will be running March break activities throughout the week of the 15th. For more information on registering or about this or other activities, please visit www.erinmills.ca

Daytime Mississauga is a local television show that runs Monday to Friday on channel 10. Daytime is an entertaining lifestyle show that highlights the people, events, and topics in and around the Peel Region. Guests will help reveal the richness and diversity of our community, while professionals will offer their expert advice. daytime is “local talk” about “life matters” including topics such as fashion, fitness, cooking, lifestyles, and more.It features local life and entertainment topics. http://www.rogerstv.com/option.asp?lid=12&rid=51&sid=1993

PS Thank you Amy Heffernan for the cd's. We all ready listened to them and think that you're great! Hope you get signed very soon!!! www.myspace.com/amyheffy

March 4, 2010 - Elongated tortoise eggs

2010-03-04T10:58:00.002-05:00

After two weeks of digging and digging, our dear female elongated tortoise FINALLY laid two eggs. Now these aren't just any eggs... These eggs are bigger than her head! Ouch!!!

We're really hoping that these eggs hatch into beautiful healthy babies. Elongated tortoise are currently listed CITIES Appendix II, which regulates legal international trade. This species is under some extreme pressure in it's natural habitat in Asia (from Nepal to Malaysia) because of over harvesting for the food market. Even with CITIES protection it is still the most common tortoise shipped to the Chinese food markets from Vietnam and are still featured on importer’s price lists.

Captive breeding of these species is very important and I encourage any hobbyist with these little guys in there collection to make serious efforts to help continue the survival of this wonderful animal.

It would be a dream for all animals to live peacefully in their natural habitats but that is not the world that we are living in. Our way of life are threatening other living things and in the end are threatening our own existence too....

March 3, 2010 - New site design is up FINALLY

2010-03-03T17:15:00.002-05:00

Finally finished and posted most of the new site design. I still have to add the section for retirement residences - they're so much fun to go to - and add several other colouring pages but the basics are up.
Yippi!!! Now time to celebrate with a sandwich... ttfn

March 2, 2010 - New look for the website

2010-03-03T09:00:00.002-05:00

Creature Quest's website is going to have a slightly different look hopefully by the end of the day. We have so much going on right now that this change is taking longer than normal. Things you can look for
-Some great new pictures
-A downloads page with colouring sheets and the invitations
-Many new events added

If you have any suggestions terms of content or even layout of the site, please feel free to let me know.

Thanks!

Monday, February 22, 2010 - Owl Prowl FUN!

2010-02-22T13:12:00.002-05:00

Although we didn't see any owls during the hike - it seems that they were all off hunting. Everyone had a lot of fun. So much so, that it looks like some more owl prowls will be scheduled for March!

Thank you to the Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority for setting this up for us, providing the hot chocolate and the two taxidermy owls.

We'll keep you updated on future dates and times....

February 18, 2010 - Bushnell and Owls

2010-02-18T15:27:00.003-05:00

We're really excited that we got our binoculars back from Bushnell. They needed a bit of repair and came back right in time for this weekend's owl prowl. We are big fans of Bushnell. Not only do we really like their products but there service is also very good.

It seems that there are 60 people signed up for Saturday's Hoot and Howl at Heart Lake. Great news for everyone is that we have found owls at Heart Lake. On two different scouting trips we have found 7 short eared owls and 1 great horned owl. There have also been some signs of screech owls.

Let's cross our fingers and hope that Saturday is a good owling day!

February 15 - Family Day at NAMF

2010-02-15T21:22:00.002-05:00

Thank you to everyone one at the North American Muslim Foundation (NAMF). We really enjoyed being part of the 3rd Annual Family Fair. It was wonderful to meet all the the people - especially the very excited children - who came out to enjoy an evening filled with friends, family, good food, wonderful shopping and live entertainment.

Also, I would like to say thank all of the kids and adults that we met at the many parties we attended this weekend. We certainly have lots of great memories and hope that you do too!

And to our staff, Daniyal, Jon, Nin and Allison, we really could not have made it through this weekend without you. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and passion. We are so happy to have all of you on board.

February 11, 2010 - Hoot and Howl at Heart Lake

2010-02-11T18:43:00.004-05:00

Join our own Jon Triffo and Duane Bailey as they set out for what should be a terrific night of adventure! After an interesting slide show introduction on owls and coyotes, we will head outside to try to make 'contact.' Bring a travel mug for hot chocolate!!

When: Saturday, February 20, 2010, 7 pm - 9 pm

Where: Heart Lake Conservation Area

10818 Heart Lake Road, Brampton

This is a free event. To register, please visit http://www.trca.on.ca/events/event.dot?id=75007

February 9, 2010 - FAMILY DAY 2010

2010-02-09T13:54:00.003-05:00

Come and join from 4-7 pm. This is a free family event. There will be lots of food and entertainment. A great way to spend family day together!

February 4, 2010 - Allison off to Houndras

2010-02-04T15:05:00.004-05:00

We just got word that the fantastic Miss Allison has accepted an offer to teach grade 6 at an international school in Houndras. While we are very sad to see her go we are very happy that she is pursuing her teaching dream and exploring an exotic country. Allison will remain with us until the end of July when she plans on taking off to her new career.

Congratulations Allison! We know that you'll do an incredible job teaching and changing the lives of all your students. Your new school is very lucky to have you as part of their team. I can't wait to see photos of your Ms Frizzle-esque classroom!!!

January 28 2010 - Baby Gargoyle Gecko

2010-01-28T14:24:00.003-05:00

Our first baby gargoyle gecko has hatched and he's looking a lot like his daddy. He first stuck out his little nose last night and finally absored his yoke sack early this morning.

We still have one more in the incubator that was laid on a different day so it may be another until junior here meets the little critter that's been in the incubator with him.

In a little while when he's bigger we'll be able to know for sure if he's really a little mister or if he's actually a little miss! For now we're going to just interchange them :)

Jan 4, 2010 - Bye, bye calabar python

2010-01-04T14:45:00.003-05:00

We LOVE our calabar pythons. So much so that for the past year or so we have been talking about breeding them - this way others could enjoy them the better way through captive bred specimens.

Right now in Canada there really are few if not no captive bred calabars. This may be because it is supposed to be rather difficult to bred this type of snake. I guess we'll soon find out....

So we are rolling up our sleeves, doing our research and hoping for lots of luck so we can one day have little babies!

What this means to everyone else is that we will no longer be offering calabar pythons for any shows. We need to be able to reduce as much of the animals' stress as possible. We also want to include all of our animals so we can better increase our chances of success.

With any luck, one day in the next few years, you can meet Mocha's off spring!

Jan. 1, 2010 - Starting the year off nicely

2010-01-02T17:51:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was the beginning of not only 2010 but the first day of Peach's babies's lives!

We're really happy to announce that Peaches the guinea pig had three beautiful babies yesterday. They are orange and white (but mostly orange). Like I said before, this was very much a happy accident where she was accidentally placed into the male's enclosure. So after some debate while she was pregnant, it's official the daddy is Toby! One baby even has his Friar Tuck hair do!

Because we were not at all planning these births we may be looking for homes for some or all of the babies in a few months. Please enquire if you are interested. These will be lovely pet animals.
416 554-1940 or info@creaturequest.ca

Dec 31 - 2009 - Happy New Year

2009-12-31T18:54:00.002-05:00

As 2009 comes to a close, we would like to take the time to be thankful for all of the opportunities that we had this past year. We would also like to thank everyone that invited us to their birthday parties, schools, day cares, churches and other events. All in all, 2009 was a very wonderful year!

We would like to wish everyone a very prosperous and health 2010.

A special note to Allison, Ally, Daniyal and Nin, rest up - 2010 looks like it will be very exciting! ... and thanks for helping to make 2009 so great!

December 27 2009 - Relaxing Winter Break

2009-12-28T11:32:00.002-05:00

It's been a rather sleepy few days at Creature Quest. With winter break being in full swing, we are not hosting too many shows. It's a wonderful time for all of us to become re-energized for the coming New Year.

January is booking up fairly solidly and we're now getting February and March bookings which is nice to see. We want to keep this momentum up and are very hesitant about changing our pricing although the HST will make it hard for us not to.

With more time at our base, we're using these moments (and our children's energy) to get our 'to do list' taken care of with of course some additions like switching up some enclosure decorations!

We were would also like to announce that we are now working with a Green Basilisk. This guy is as beautiful as he is quick - they're known for running on water! We are planning on using him in our Habitats and Adaptations programs for schools. Unfortunately he will not be a birthday party animal any time in the near future.

We are also eagerly awaiting the arrival of Peach's baby(ies). We are unsure how our little female guinea pig ended up with the males but are sure that coming from such great parents that the babies will be excellent additions to Creature Quest.

That's all the exciting news for now. Have a lovely New Year's Eve everyone!

December 14 - Holiday Parties

2009-12-14T09:35:00.002-05:00

A big thank you to Heenan Blaikie: Canadian law firm, the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health and the Markel Insurance Company for inviting us to their holiday parties this year. Daniyal and I had a blast and hope that you enjoyed our display and meeting all the different animals. We certainly hope to work with all of you again in the future.

Another big thank you to the Gatehouse Family Daycare and the Moss Park Armoury for also inviting us out to their holiday events. Duane, Allison and Ally all had lovely things to say about all of your events and would be thrilled to work with you again - anytime!

To all of the wonderful families we met this past week and all of the birthday children we met to. Thank you for having us. We love every second of what we do and a big part of that is because of all of you. Thank you!

ttfn
Yolanta

December 11 - Chameleons

2009-12-11T14:33:00.002-05:00

We're really excited to be able to now offer panther chameleon's for our school group shows. We have two very beautiful males that can be sent off to visit classrooms. Our chameleon's are of the Nosy Be and Ambanja localities and thus show some gorgeous blue colours.

We do intend on breeding and babies may become avaliable in the next two years.

November 13 - New Staff

2009-11-13T10:42:00.004-05:00

We are really happy to announce that Daniyal will be joining our team. Daniyal has a keen interest in animals and is pursuing a post secondary education as a veterinary technician at Seneca College. His future hopes include going to university to become a veterinarian. Daniyal is also a huge car enthusiast.

Another new face we'd like to mention. We're very happy to have master naturalist and wildlife photographer Jon Triffo will be joining our team in December to help out with some of our holiday display shows. With years and years of experience in the natural history field, Jon will be an easy match for our display shows.

With lots of excitement we're moving towards a bright future!

November 10 - Chameleons

2009-11-10T10:03:00.002-05:00

This one's for you Allison!

WE HAVE CHAMELEONS!!!

We recently purchased a male/female pair of panther chameleons. We'll be using the male for school programs only and he's sure to be a big hit. These two are absolutely amazing! What a treat to see.

We have also have pygmy bearded chameleons. These tiny and ADORABLE little guys will be part of our display shows. They too are sure to be a huge hit. Totally adorable and definitely more than lovable.

All of our staff and family that has met these chameleons so far have definitely fallen in love - and so have we.

PS the uromastyx babies are doing great and our sugar gliders just had babies too!

Oct 15, 2009 - The worms are here!

2009-10-15T12:48:00.003-04:00

Cathy delivered our cute little red worms today. She delivered them 'dry' so I had to add water to the subtrate myself and in my typical fashion I added too much! So after a few minutes of correcting my mistake I was able to properly set up my worm tank. The little wormies quickly dove into the subtrate and am looking forward to feeding them.

Go worm composting!

Oct 14, 2009 - Wiggly Worms!

2009-10-14T10:14:00.002-04:00

We just ordered a red worm composter and we are SO EXCITED! Not only will this unit help turn our kitchen waste into great soil for the garden but it will also be a food source for our worm eating creatures. I can almost hear a very loud 'YUM! YUM!' coming from our critters.

Red wrigglers reproduce very quickly so we're pretty sure that we won't be depleting our force too much. In fact, worms are hermaphrodites so each worm can lay eggs (but they do need to exchange sperm with another worm to do so). They form a cocoon around part of their body and then they basically slip out of this cocoon leaving it to incubate in the soil (the eggs and sperm are deposited as they slip out). Each cocoon can contain up to 20 fertilized eggs, the average is 2 - 6. That's a lot of hungry babies!

To learn more about worm composting or to order your own worm composting system, visit this website:
http://www.cathyscomposters.com/

As for us, we are eagerly awaiting our composting that will be arriving tomorrow afternoon.

Yolanta

Oct 13 - Thanksgiving

2009-10-13T15:28:00.002-04:00

I hope that everyone have an enjoyable Thanksgiving long weekend. It was nice spending some relaxing time with family on Sunday and Monday after a very busy beginning to the new school year.

Business is certainly growing and we love every second of it. It is so wonderful to be able to follow our passion and have people love it just as much as we do.

This Thanksgiving, Duane and I are very thankful for some of the wonderful and caring staff that we have, the super animals that we share our lives with and the fun clients that we are meeting all of the time. Like I said, it is a dream for us to be able to follow our passion.

The up coming months are booking up nicely and we are so excited to see where the future takes us and our Creature Quest gang.

Looking forward to seeing all of you soon!

Yolanta

Oct 13 - P.S.

2009-10-13T15:20:00.003-04:00

The tortoise table is all finished now. It looks great and the little guys seem to be happy with it too! Still working on all of the other stuff. It's funny how something that you think will only take a day or two ends up taking much longer than expected!

Oct 3&4 - October is starting off with a bang!

2009-10-05T10:54:00.002-04:00

Our first weekend of October was a busy one. Between birthday parties and Park Lawn's Fall Fun Fair, we were certainly kept on our toes and kept entertained. What a great way to start October!

This week we are going to be busy one. We still have to make a few final adjustments to your new tortoise tables. We have some breeding tortoise so this is a very important thing. Allison is back for the month (yippi!) and we need to set her up with a schedule. We need to rent a carpet cleaner (finally) and scrub down. There's also updating our website and creating some promo materials! I'm really looking forward to getting everything settled.

I guess it's time for me to roll up my sleeves and help Duane get'er done!

Sept. 29 - Enclosure Success!

2009-09-30T14:09:00.002-04:00

This past summer we built a large outdoor enclosure that was used by the rabbits, guinea pigs, doves but really mostly the tortoises. We had decided that since we know that their are red tail hawks, peregrine falcons and coopers, and sharp shined hawks all living in the neighbourhood that we better be safe and put a chicken wire roof on the whole thing - we just had visions of one of our baby tortoises being scooped up and eaten!!!

Today we had two doves out there enjoying the sun when a Cooper's hawk decided to come by for a visit. The little guy tried and tried and tried to get into the enclosure and eat our two 'sitting ducks.' He tried for about 15 minutes - walking across the top, walking along the ground, all around the enclosure - before he found a sparrow that became his dinner. We thought that this amazing bird watching for the day when suddenly he came back after about half an hour, once again trying ever so hard to eat our little birdies. Although he was trying to eat our birds, this guy was truly GORGEOUS! What fantastic bird watching!!!!!

It's safe to say that we are really proud of our construction skills... And I think the doves like it too!

Sept 17 - New Arrivals are coming RIGHT NOW

2009-09-17T17:50:00.002-04:00

I'm SO unbelievably excited. Our tailless whip scorpion is HAVING BABIES RIGHT NOW!!!

They are still emerging. They are green and white and oh so delicate. I think that we've counted about 10 or so. I hope that we can keep them alive.... I'd love to have a cute little colony going. These are MY favorite animals :)

Yolanta

September 17 - Get the carpet cleaner!

2009-09-17T14:27:00.003-04:00

Our big female red-foot tortoise has recently learnt a new trick - how to escape from her tortoise table. At first we were not too concerned about her escaping and taking a little stroll. There really isn't too much trouble for her to get into and she is a very curious tortoise so it's good for her to peek in at her neighbours. We would just put her back in the evening and she would climb back out around mid morning after she had eaten and sat under her heat/UV lamp for a while. It was a nice routine.

Having Bella chase us around looking for attention was cute until today when we learnt why we keep her in an enclosure. Bella decided she needed to poop on the floor and this wasn't your run of the mill just-clean-it-up-with-a-damp-cloth-and-your-good-to-go poop, this was the king of poops. And the king of all poops 10 times on the carpet and stuck to the bottom of her shell and feet and all over EVERYTHING poops. It took over 10 minutes to clean these poops!

Tomorrow we'll be heading to the hardware store to buy some lumber - and rent a carpet cleaner. I wasn't prepared to clean the carpets again until my birthday in November but I'll have to suck it up as I love my animals and I love laying on my carpet and playing with them.

Sept 14 - Thank you Borden

2009-09-14T10:24:00.002-04:00

We had a very busy (and slightly exhausting) weekend. We would like to thank all the families that invited us to share in their special days and hope that you had lots of fun.

I would personally like to send a special thank you to the lovely people at Base Borden. For the second year in a row we were invited to be part of their Family Day celebrations. The weather was fabulous - something that I wasn't really expecting. Just like last year, everyone was so welcoming, open to meeting all the animals and just really, really nice. I hope that you had as much fun as we had. I really hope to be invited back again next year... this time I'll make sure to bring the big tortoise! And maybe next year I won't get lost... again :)

Have a super Monday everyone! :)

Yolanta

Sept 11 - New PreMade Loot Bags

2009-09-11T10:35:00.001-04:00

We've just finished making a few updates to our website, including some new premade loot bag options. Now there are a few more money and time saving options for your upcoming party.

Sept 8 - Back To School

2009-09-08T17:03:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's that time of year again... some say that it's the most wonderful time of the year.... But whatever ever you call it, we're wishing all the students out there much success in the coming year.

Creature Quest urges every student that regardless of how challenging it may seem at times to persevere as it's all worth it in the end.

So to our own kids, Dylan and Jerad and all of the kids that worked with us this summer who are returning to their studies ( yes, that's you Allison, Agi and Nathan), all the best and believe in yourselves!

Sept 1, 2009 - New Addition

2009-09-01T19:42:00.002-04:00

They've just arrived - 3 adorable little hedgehogs. They are still very shy and not really interested in being patted too much. We'll be working on taming them up over the next several weeks. One has been promised to Mary-Ann at Nova's Ark but the other two will be heading out to shows in the near-ish future.

Aug 26 - Debriefing after the summer

2009-08-26T13:57:00.002-04:00

The summer is almost over for us here (only 4 more days of programs left) so we have started our regular end-of-summer-debriefing. We have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work with many people over the past few months and have been party to many new situations. It's been a learning experience which is wonderful.

When thinking of next year we have a three major questions in mind.
How can we make these experiences more positive for the animals?
How can we make these experiences more positive for the participants of our programs?
How can we ensure the happiness and well-being of our staff?

Its easy to say that next year there will be small changes to the booking and delivery of many programs. Some changes we wish were not necessary but our goal is to ensure that our programs are a wonderful and positive experience for EVERYONE involved so they will be made. We believe that positive experiences during our programs will not only help familiarize people with the animals and help dispel some of the myths/fears they may have but will also help us move forward faster to save our planet.

If you have any ideas on how we can improve our programs, please let us know. We'd be happy to hear from you :)

August 21, 2009 - Wild Weather

2009-08-21T17:20:00.002-04:00

We had some real wild weather yesterday evening and I am so happy that when the clouds started rolling in that we decided to bring everyone inside. I expected a little light show but not that much rain or wind! We're very lucky to have escaped the worst of the storms yesterday.

After the news came on the kids became very scared. Especially since Duane was out with Allison doing a show very near to the Vaughan Mills Centre at around the same time as the twister. Fortunately, they weren't effected.

I really hope that everyone that has been effected by yesterday's storms is able to put their lives back together quickly. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of the boy who lost his life in the chaos.

Yolanta

Aug 15 - Baby Corn Snakes

2009-08-15T19:17:00.002-04:00

Yippi! We've just had three corn snakes hatch and they are just Ssooo cute! One egg still needs to hatch so we'll keep our fingers crossed for it. We're still not sure if we're going to keep these little ones or if we'll be selling them once they're a little bigger.

Yippi!!!

Aug 13 - Beautiful Day!

2009-08-13T09:43:00.002-04:00

It's going to be a hot one - just the way the tortoises like it! After I'm done with the email, I'll set off to let them all out into the back pen. With all of this rain the grass is growing well in the pen so there will be plenty to eat for my always hungery little guys.

The guinea pigs and bunnies will be let out for a little while too but I'm afraid that it may become too warm for them as the afternoon wears on.

Enjoy the nice weather!

August 8 & 9

2009-08-08T10:08:00.002-04:00

Birthday parties today and more birthday parties tomorrow - with the added bonus of the Canadian Gift and Tableware Show. I'm really excited to see everything the vendor's will have on display. We're always on the lookout for new and cool toys and packaging ideas.

Yolanta

Poop Hike

2009-07-20T08:49:00.002-04:00

Duane and Allison are getting ready to leave for their poop talk and hike at the Toronto Botanical Garden in Toronto. Poop is so interesting. Just by examining the stuff you can figure out who left it, what they're eating and sometimes if the animal is healthy or not. In some animals you can even tell if the animal was walking, running or standing when it left the poop behind. It's really neat and in a way, I'm kinda of jealous that they're going and I'm not.

Today, I'll be manning the office in the morning. There are, of course, many things that need to be tackled on a Monday morning so we'll see how far I get. I'm sure I'll get distracted a few more times then I'd like as the kiddos are home for the summer holidays :)

Have a super day.

Yolanta

Yikes! What a way to start the summer!

2009-07-04T17:54:00.002-04:00

We took this week (Monday to Friday) after a very hectic June so we could start July nice and refreshed. Although it did start off relaxing it seems to have ended off with a bit of a bang.

Duane and I took our kids to Ottawa to celebrate Canada's day in our nation's capital. All went well and we had a blast.

However, after meeting up for lunch with one of our dear friends, Duane feel ill. He had a terrible pain in his side. This lasted for at least 2 hours before Duane decided he needed to go to the hospital - big step this guy never complains about any pain. It was our great fear that he may need to have his appendix removed.

We went to a gas station where the lovely lady running the station called an ambulance and Duane was picked up. I had no idea where we were... After about five hours of being in the hosptial, blood work, ultrasounds, etc. they had no idea what was wrong with Duane. What they did know is that the pain killers made his horrible pain go away and that his white blood cell cound was up slightly. So Duane was released.

Fortunately, Duane is feeling better but no great yet. I'm hoping that he'll come back to his own self by the end of the week.

We then got a call on Friday where Nathan told us that he too was in the hospital. The poor guy put out his back. Yuck.

It seems that we are one hurting unit here. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that these two guys get better and soon! They will be missed while they are getting better but their health is paramount.

Get better guys! :)

Yolanta

Happy Canada Day

2009-07-01T18:19:00.002-04:00

Happy Canada Day! Let's all celebrate the great country that we live in :)

Yolanta

Happy the weekend is over.

2009-06-29T10:36:00.002-04:00

Ugh. What a weekend. At least for me. I got side swiped on the 401 on my way to my first show on Saturday while driving a rental car. Despite getting there an hour late, the Nature Walk at the Toronto Botanical Gardens went very well... although I did end up with red ants crawling up my leg and a hornet trying to get under my watch - I guess it could have gone worse.

I had to head back to the office to get some things for the second Nature Walk and of course there was HORRIBLE traffic on the way back - ended up getting there late.... The second Nature Hike at the TBG went well too. I'm glad we had such nice weather and great kids! For me, the parties were fun and awesome, but the connecting pieces to the parties really were the pits!

But I really love the Nature Hikes. We found a magical spot where there are so many Ebony Jewel Wing Damselflies and they were landing on the kids... really awesome. When the kids are into seeing, learning and touching it makes it that much more fun. I love messing around outside.

Fortunately for me, Allison decided that she wanted to try leading up a car on Sunday, so I stayed back and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned.

All the other handlers came out of this weekend better then me (thank goodness). They had some trying moments but many more exhilarating moments. And we're all looking forward to next weekend and all the fun it will bring. As for Monday to Friday this week - we're taking it off!

Yolanta

Outdoor Enclosure - Test Run

2009-06-24T11:46:00.002-04:00

Duane's talked me into it so we'll be letting the small tortoises out today to romp in the new outdoor enclosure. I was hoping to let the grass to get a little bigger and stronger before our shelled and fuzzy critters take over - but the tortoises really, really, really want to go out.

The big tortoises, guinea pigs and rabbits will have to wait until we see how successful today will be - I hope we have grass left!

Here's to hot weather!

Yolanta

Farm Fresh Strawberries

2009-06-22T11:06:00.002-04:00

Since I was a very little girl my mother would always take my siblings and me strawberry picking in early summer. This is one of my fondest memories. For about two decades now, we switched from a different farm, we have been visiting the Big'R Apple Farm in Brampton. And I love continuing that tradition with my children.

Having lots of strawberries in the house is great for the kids and the animals LOVE them too. Since we pick only the finest strawberries, they are always very juicy and sweet. Far better than ANY strawberry I have bought at any grocery store of veggie stand. Plus it's a great way for the kids to learn about where their food comes from, the work it takes to harvest the food and participate in feeding the animals.

This year's strawberries are HUGE, very juicy and very sweet. I would highly recommend that you have a visit before the season is over. Very large 7L baskets are currently running for $13. I never buy the smaller sized baskets so I don't know the fees for them. Bring your own basket or buy one of theirs - they're not expensive.

Big'R Apple Farm
8672 Heritage Rd, Brampton
905-455-8414

They also have pea, pears, apples, squash and pumpkins - of course when the season is right.

Happy picking!

Yolanta

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T11:22:00.002-04:00

Everyone at Creature Quest would just like to wish all the fathers out there a very wonderful day. Thank you for all of your contributions that helped shape our lives to what they are today.

Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Yolanta

Lov'in the wet stuff!

2009-06-19T09:10:00.002-04:00

I've really loved the wetter weather of the past few days and wouldn't mind it hanging around a little longer. The reason: everything IS getting greener!

The grass in the new outdoor enclosure is really getting big and so are some of the veggies in the garden. I'm really excited!

I love green :)

Yolanta

Weekend Success!

2009-06-15T09:59:00.002-04:00

Thank you to everyone. This weekend was lots of fun for us and we hope that everyone that came to our shows enjoyed themselves too.

Yolanta

Getting ready of Saturday.

2009-06-13T09:13:00.002-04:00

We're just getting all set up for all of our shows today. Really looking to have a SUPER day today. The weather is all ready co-operating. Goodness knows we really need to have a good day today...

Yolanta

Lots of Drama - Yolanta's rant about a not always great week

2009-06-12T19:54:00.002-04:00

We had a few 'interesting' moments this week and are really hoping that all of our shows this weekend are lots, and lots, and LOTS of fun. Our goal is to have a positive end to an otherwise not always positive week.

To finish off my Monday to Friday, I actually had a family emergency and had to cancel one of my shows. Not something that I like doing and in fact something that I've only done once in the past.

Unfortunately, the client couldn't understand that we were having a family emergency and couldn't make it. After all, we didn't do this on purpose and would have made it to the show had it been morally acceptable. Emergencies, after all, typically do no come with warnings. Even an offer (which is no longer valid) of a free show that would be arranged early next week was shot down quickly - and rudely might I add. Like I said, this was an emergency and I'm sure 99.9999% of all parents that love their children would have made the same call.

I'm really sorry for the birthday child in this situation. I wish we could have come and I hope you had fun anyway.

Everything on our end turned out ok-ish for now... thankfully... fortunately, we have a great, supportive family that Allison is now an honorary member of.

But now I'm done with ALL unpleasantness - it's going to be my new rule. So let's have a BLAST this weekend and create an awesome fun trend that EVERYONE can enjoy! Fun and learning IS why we do what we do and fun is a HUGE part of it.

So here's to awesome, fun animal shows and to great people!

Yolanta

PS all of our shows this week were great. I'm just not keen on some of the other 'stuff' that we've had the privilege to dealing with.

T-Shirts

2009-06-10T11:32:00.003-04:00

We're getting our artwork created for our first ever Creature Quest t-shirts.

All of our campers will get one of these shirts - that are sure to be pretty cool - just for coming to camp. We're also planning on selling others to birthday parties!

Can't wait to see the designs!

Yolanta

Outdoor Enclosure - Part 3

2009-06-04T19:12:00.002-04:00

All we have left is the door and then the major construction will be over!

It is looking awesome so far. Once the door is on we'll finish up with some landscaping ... hopefully we'll be all ready for critters in two weeks!

Yolanta

PS We jumped the gun a little bit yesterday. We could (and planted) a gorgeous hibiscus....

Very Tired

2009-05-30T19:45:00.003-04:00

It's only Saturday evening but we're all VERY tired. After two days of working on our enclosure and going to shows and doing chores in between it feels like we're running on empty.

Thankfully tomorrow isn't as busy as it could be.

Allison had today off so she'll be well rested and ready to have fun at a few shows tomorrow.

It's back to enclosure making on Monday for Duane and I'll be on most of the admin, cleaning, feeding and other chores.

I can't wait until this building project is over - there are a few other things that need to get built around here!

Yolanta

Outdoor Enclosure - Part 2

2009-05-28T20:35:00.002-04:00

Our new outdoor enclosure is 1/3 finished. YUPPIE!!!!

There's still so much that needs to be finished. Hopefully the lion's share will be completed tomorrow - after all how many hours does Chris and Duane have to toil in the rain for. The rest will have to wait until next week.

Great job Duane and Chris! It's looking awesome so far!!!

Yolanta

Save Steve Irwin's Place!

2009-05-25T20:21:00.002-04:00

The Situation:
The Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve (SIWR) is being threatened by strip mining. Cape Alumina Pty Ltd has lodged mining lease applications which include approximately 12,300 ha of the Reserve. Cape Alumina company documents indicate an intention to mine 50 plus million tons over a 10 year period commencing 2010. The greater part of this mine is on SIWR

The proposed area for mining on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve contains the head waters of irreplaceable waterways and unique biodiversity which will not recover after mining operations are finished.

For more information on the situation and how YOU CAN HELP
visit
http://blogs.australiazoo.com.au/?cat=73

Photos, photos, photos

2009-05-24T14:17:00.002-04:00

I'm really excited to get outside today and take some new animal photos. I wait all winter to get this opportunity!

Right now we're in dire need to change some of the photos online plus we really need to add more photos to our postcard collection.

Yippee. I can't wait to see how they all turn out!

Yolanta :)

Can't wait till the end of June

2009-05-22T12:32:00.002-04:00

We just came back from picking up some supplies (hay, feed, etc). This is easily is the hardest time of the year to feed the critters... or at least the hay eating animals.

From now until the end of June the hay just isn't that good (it's been in storage since the fall) AND there really isn't that much of it around. Our regular supplier run out so we had to go on a hunt for more... and we had to pay the premium price!

Just one more month and we'll have the fresh stuff again. The animals will love it!

Yolanta

Outdoor Enclosure Part 1

2009-05-21T10:15:00.002-04:00

With the warm weather here and the ground finally being workable we have several outdoor projects that we will be working on over the next few weeks.

We are currently getting one of our back gardens ready to plant some vegetables. Not only will the humans in our house love these fresh, homegrown veggies but the animals will delight in them too! This year, we're trying several heritage varieties, old favorites and some strange stuff too - can you say purple carrots? I can't wait for those ones!

We've also started planning out some outdoor enclosures. We know where we're going to put them and how big they will be. Now we have to finish pricing out materials and start doing all of the prep work. We're hoping to have one (for sure) and maybe two great big pens for the tortoises, turtles, rabbits and guinea pigs. Up until now, we've been using movable outdoor enclosures so this will be a new adventure!

Anyhow, so much to do and so little time :)

Yolanta

Happy Long Weekend

2009-05-16T08:51:00.003-04:00

We hope that everyone is enjoying their long weekend no matter how you've chosen to spend it. The cooler, wetter weather will certainly make some activities easier! - think zoo trips....

We've been busy with day cares, schools and birthday parties since Thursday and look forward to taking the day off on Monday. It'll be nice to sleep in. Then some of us are travelling off to see our dear friend Mary-Ann at Novas Ark. Yippi!

See you soon.
Yolanta

Our New Golden Greek Tortoise

2009-05-11T13:13:00.002-04:00

At the Reptile Expo in Mississauga two Sundays ago, we fell in love with a new four legged friend - a Golden Greek Tortoise. This little female is absolutely darling. Her shell is flawless. Personality is sweet and she is a HUGE eater!

We're not sure when or if she will be coming out and meeting people. She is our only Golden Greek. But we do need a name for her. Any suggestions?

Yolanta

Rosie's Fun Fair - The Aftermath

2009-05-10T09:02:00.002-04:00

Despite the on again, off again rain showers yesterday, Rosie's Fun Fair was a blast! Loads of people come out to celebrate the 10th year of this fun event. There was even a big ol' birthday cake at the end!

Thank you to everyone that come out and enjoyed themselves yesterday. We enjoyed meeting everyone.

We hope to see all of you soon -

Yolanta

Rosie's FunFair TODAY

2009-05-09T08:51:00.002-04:00

Rosie's FunFair is TODAY!
10:30 am to 2:30 pm
2 Remington Ave, Etobicoke (Rosethorn JS)

If the threatening weather continues, all the fun will be moved indoors. This is their 10th annual fair and if it follows in the foot steps of the past fairs it will be loads of fun - I'm jealous that I can't run through it all myself!

Hope to see you there rain or shine :)

Yolanta

Rosie's Fun Fair TOMORROW

2009-05-08T10:53:00.004-04:00

Join us tomorrow for the 10th annual Rosie's Fun Fair at Rosethron JS in Etobicoke. Proceeds from this event go to help fund activities at the school.

Where: Rosethorn JS, 2 Remington Drive
When: May 9, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm

This event takes place rain or shine.

On top of meeting some of our wonderful creatures, there will be other fun events such as: carnival games, silent auction, great raffles, carnival treats, activities/attractions and a great big BBQ!

I hope to see you tomorrow.
Yolanta

Happy Birthday Duane

2009-05-05T12:25:00.003-04:00

I would like to take a moment to wish Duane a very happy birthday!

Without you, Duane, there would be no Creature Quest. It is because of your hard work, determination, never ending passion and curiosity for nature and animals that MAKES this company.

We have so many adventures set out for this coming year and I truly hope that each is more wonderful than the last. We have come so far because our dreams are so big and colourful! Let's continue dreaming and bringing people and animals together.

We all love you.
Yolanta and the kids (human and otherwise)

PS Happy 12th birthday to you too Dylan! I'm very blessed to have a child like you :) Love ya.

The Great Vehicle Adventure - It was great :)

2009-04-25T19:43:00.002-04:00

Thank you for everyone that came out to The Great Vehicle Adventure today. It was really nice to see and meet so many people. I hope that we'll be seeing all of your again! :)

The kids - at least my kids - really liked seeing and getting in and on all sorts of really neat vehicles. I liked the free Wheatabix (sp) cereal and Kawartha Dairy Company ice cream. It was also great to meet some of our friends in uniform - first responders and armed forces.

Fun event. If you didn't check it out this year, you should definitely come out next year.

Yolanta

The Great Vehicle Adventure TODAY

2009-04-25T07:41:00.001-04:00

9 am to 6 pm at the Toronto Congress Centre
$10 admission (cash) at the door or print off 2 for 1 tickets from www.Toronto4Kids.com in their events section.

Lots and lots of exhibitors! Will be great fun for the whole family. Bring a camera!

Yolanta

The Great Vehicle Adventure Count Down

2009-04-23T11:21:00.003-04:00

2 days until The Great Vehicle Adventure!

We feverishly getting everything together. I hope everyone comes out to this fun event!

Yolanta

Creature Camp 2009 Registration is Up :)

2009-04-20T18:26:00.003-04:00

Yippi! Camp registration forms are now avaliable on our website!

We'll be having SO much fun this summer. Oh, I can't wait. :)

Yolanta

Creature Camp 2009 Registration Is ALMOST Here

2009-04-20T10:10:00.002-04:00

More information and registration forms should be posted on our website, http://www.creaturequest.ca/, in the next few hours. Register early as space is limited.

Camp will be based out of Wedgewood JS in Etobicoke.

Yolanta

Getting Things Organized

2009-04-17T14:50:00.002-04:00

We have so much on the go lately that sometimes it's hard to figure out where to start.

The Great Vehicle Adventure is coming up next week and despite a few last minute hiccups (and major hair pulling) we should be prepared for the day.

Next week we will also have a few of our new staff come in to get them ready for next Sunday's shows. We'll be doing a more formal training with the lot of them the following week that will be more complete... I have LOTS to get ready for this................

We're SO happy to have a summer camp this year BUT as of right now have a world of work getting it organized. We're hoping to have things up on the website Monday or Tuesday next week.

The website.... yikes.... with the addition of our new summer camps we have decided to make a few changes to the site to make it easier to navigate through. Let's just say that is taking a little longer than I hoped that it would take.

I love having so many new and exciting things happening. It simply gives me butterflies in my stomach watching Creature Quest grow and having so many wonderful opportunities coming to me. But with all of this work (70 hour plus work weeks), I really appreciate slipping away for an hour here or there to get to explore a local park or clean up the garden so my animals can roam... Speaking of which we do need to build some outdoor enclosures this year......

Yolanta

New Staff At Creature Quest

2009-04-14T19:09:00.003-04:00

We are very happy to welcome on board three new members to our team, Nin, Nate and Allison.

Nin comes to us with lots of enthusiasm and wonder for the natural world. She's a brave gal that has been interested in animals from a very young age. Her excitement is very contagious.

Nate lists animals, geography and earth sciences as some of his interests and admits that he is simply obsessed with animals. He will be fine tuning his passion at Guelph University in the fall.

Allison has a flair for working with children and a keen interest in working with our creatures. This former snake sitter has been fascinated and enthusiastic about the animal world since childhood.

We hope that everyone enjoys meeting the fab three as much as we can't wait to work with them. They will be starting in May.

Yolanta

Creature Quest Creature Camp Summer 2009 - Part 1

2009-04-14T19:07:00.002-04:00

We just received a notice that we will have Wedgewood JS in Toronto to run our summer camp. We're very, very excited to be able to run a nature and animal summer camp. More information on the camp and registration forms will be added to our website, www.CreatureQuest.ca, late this week or early next week.

Yolanta

Easter at Sick Kids

2009-04-13T10:30:00.002-04:00

We would like to thank Sick Kids for allowing us to be a part of their Easter Sunday and Passover celebration and share our natural artifacts and make crafts with the children at the hospital, their families and hospital staff. We really enjoyed ourselves and I hope that everyone that visited us did too.

So from Duane, Dylan, Jerad and I - Thank you!

Yolanta

Getting Ready for Easter at Sick Kids

2009-04-11T13:07:00.002-04:00

We are very happy to have been invited to be a part of Sick Kids' Hospitals Easter/Passover event. This event is for the children that will be spending the holiday at the hospital and their families.

We are busily getting our crafts ready for this event. We will also have a display with some animal artifacts (no living animals though) and we will be selling some merchandise too and donating some of the proceeds Nova's Ark (www.NovasArk.ca).

Our eldest sons will be helping us run our crafts table. I am hoping that this event will not only make them appreciate what they have but also teach them that by donating a little bit of their Easter can make a huge impact on many lives.

It's off to work now. Tomorrow REALLY counts and we want it to run perfectly!

Yolanta

Interviews Part Two

2009-04-07T17:02:00.002-04:00

We held one interview yesterday morning. It was really great getting a chance to talk to and learn about someone so excited about animals. We're slowly starting to get ready for tonight's interviews. All the paper work is organized but we need to freshen up before we go out into people! We really are looking forward to meeting up with the people we have currently lined up. It should be a great evening.

Once our interviews are over, we'll be letting the candidates and you know by the end of the week. It's all very wonderful!

Yolanta

Job Interview - Part 1

2009-04-06T09:18:00.006-04:00

We'll be holding our first job interview today! It's very exciting stuff and I can't wait to meet and learn more about the people that we've chosen to come out. Everyone one we've requested interviews has a keen interest in working with a variety of exotic animals and several all ready have some experience. We're looking to find people that would fit into our team, uphold our company's philosophy and make our company stronger. I can't wait to introduce these new people to everyone!

I would like to thank EVERYONE that applied for the position of Assistant Animal Handler.

As an aside, the child care centre presentations at Peek-a-Boo went well. Although I wasn't the craziest or loudest presenter, I think that I gave the participants a good idea about what our company is about. Everyone also got a chance to meet three of our stars: Ashleigh the chinchilla, Mocha the calabar python and Sky the blue tongue skink.

Yolanta

Peek-A-Boo Daycare Informational

2009-04-03T12:28:00.004-04:00

We are very happy to have been invited to Peek-A-Boo Child Care Centre's meeting tomorrow morning to present information about our animal shows. This is a great opportunity to showcase the wonderful animal shows that we offer child care centres.

I am busily getting ready for my two time slots. We're expecting 100 child care providers from the various Peek-A-Boo centres from around Ontario over our two presentation slots. To say that I'm a little nervous would be fibbing. I haven't had to prepare for this kind of show in quite some time so I'll be a little out of my element.

I'll be off to Staples soon to get my printing down and then I have to think more about my speech... I've changed it a few time all ready. I still need to pick the animals that I'll be bringing and then trouble shooting any last minute ideas/changes.

This certainly will be a change from my regular routine of birthday parties all Saturday and although it will be an interesting break.... I do have a few butterflies!

Duane and Stephanie will be hitting several parties tomorrow and are both pretty excited to introduce the animals to everyone.

Yolanta

Loot Bag Party

2009-04-01T10:36:00.003-04:00

We're having a loot bag party today! Very exciting to put all these cute toys into bags and make them look pretty.... Okay who am I kidding I'm wishing that I could play with all of the toys - torture!

I hope everyone enjoys their bags this week!

Yolanta

Is Summer Almost Here?

2009-03-31T11:16:00.003-04:00

Wow, our office sure is busy lately! I can't believe all of the phone calls we've been getting lately - everything from birthday parties and day cares to summer camps and school fun fairs! Yes, summer camps and child care centre are getting ready for the summer season! I suppose its right on time. I can't believe how March just flew by this year!

We're still looking for a few awesome people to add to our team. We are holding interviews on Tuesday, April 7th and hopefully we will come out with a few great ones! If it all works out the way we would like, we'll be able to offer more parties on weekends. Of course if we end up running our own camp, we'll be back to the staff hunt grind before we know!

That's right there may be a Creature Quest SUMMER CAMP this year. I'm VERY excited. We're still waiting to hear about the venue. Once we're given the green light there everything else will fall into place and I'll let all of you know. I can just picture our Nature and Animal camp now..... day trips, ecology games, nature crafts and oh yes.... lots of animals! So let's all cross our fingers and hope that the venue comes through!

Anyhow, off to work again... The work is piling up!

Yolanta

New Ferret Nation

2009-03-30T10:04:00.002-04:00

We got a new Ferret Nation 2 level cage on Friday - thank you Stephanie for arranging this for us. The ferrets are going to be SO happy in their new home... Maybe we'll get one for the chinchillas too..... Right now, we're just cleaning everything up before we begin construction. Honestly, I think this is going to take about 2 hours or so from start to finish. I hope I'm wrong and it goes by faster than this!

After we're finished this project, we're off to clean the animals, answer emails, arrange for space for job interviews, get ready for April 25ths The Great Vehicle Adventure and Easter Sunday's event at Sick Kids' Hospital. All in all, a very busy day. I hope we can get everything done.

ttfn.
Yolanta

Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-29T09:53:00.002-04:00

I hope that Earth Hour 2009 has created some great memories for everyone and hopefully inspired you to turn out the lights more often. Not only will you be able to enjoy candle light more often while creating beautiful memories but it does help our world just a little bit more. After all, we only have this one planet!

Yolanta

The weekend ahead plus some excitement

2009-03-28T09:29:00.002-04:00

We're gearing up for another very busy weekend with an added bonus. On Sunday night, we are meeting with the creator of our brand new colouring sheets for a final approval. We're VERY excited. We're been hoping to create colouring sheets for some time now so it's a bit of a dream come true now that they are almost finished. The first draft that I saw was fantastic. With any luck we'll be down loadable in mid to late April!

ttfn
Yolanta

Spring has sprung!

2009-03-27T14:44:00.002-04:00

Well it's definitely feeling like spring. The sun is beating down through our windows. All sorts of migratory birds are back. We've recently spotted red-wing black birds, robins and turkey vultures - so cool! Flowers are starting to come up in the yard like the lovely snow drops that I look at every day.

With everything seeming to awaken, it's no wonder that the animals are starting to get very restless. They all seem to know that sooner than later they will be able to enjoy the sun on their skin/fur/scales and maybe eat a little fresh grass. They just cannot contain their excitement. It seems that even when given the run of the main level, they all seem to hop/stomp over to the porch door and stare longingly into the back garden.

I really don't blame them. With the sun beaming so nicely into the house, we've made our way into some local parks for a brief walk before starting our day a few time in the past few weeks. It's so nice to be able to connect with nature even for just a moment in this very concrete and steel city that we live in. I love discovering all of the neat things that happen each and every day in nature that just go unnoticed by most people walking by.

Just a few more weeks, I'm guessing, and then the animals will have a chance to walk about outside again. Right now it's still a wee bit too cold for them and their health is the most important thing to us. Until then, I'll have to make sure to keep that back window crystal clear just for them.

ttfn.

Yolanta

Milk and King Snakes Are Shedding Constantly!

2009-03-23T11:44:00.004-04:00

It's driving us a little bonkers right now, but it must mean that our little guys are pretty happy. That is our Brook's Kingsnakes and Tangerine Milksnakes. These little eating machines won't quit shedding! It seems that they finish and two weeks later they start all over again! It's terrible for parties that request these gorgeous snakes and we want to handle them too. Fortunately, we have some really gorgeous corn snakes that we can substitute with!

Well it's off to defrost some mice and rats for Monday's snake feed...

Yolanta

The heat is fixed

2009-03-13T15:27:00.002-04:00

We are so delighted that the heat is finally fixed. Everyone made it our of this little hiccup perfectly. We're now catching up to the work that we missed yesterday - we were blowing fuses with all the heaters going! Duane is finished a big clean before the weekend.

This upcoming week is going to be a big one. We're fully booked with camps. It'll be a little nutty but I'm sure lots of fun.

I hope that everyone has a super Friday the 13th - two months in a row where the 13th falls on a Friday is pretty interesting.

Have a great one!
Yolanta

No Heat

2009-03-12T14:53:00.002-04:00

We woke up this morning with no heat. It seems that our ventilation pipe has collapsed - or something like that. So for the next 24 hours, at least, we will not have the use of our furnace. Fortunately, with the help of electric heaters, a dehumidifier and old fashion cuddling, we should stay warm through what's supposed to be a cold night.

It's situations like these that make me feel very happy with our decision to keep most of these creatures living at home with us. Had we lost the heat in a facility, it could have been many more hours before we would have found out about the problem. But because we all live happily under the same roof, we were quickly able not only to have someone come in asses the situation, but provide a temporary solution that will see us through this rough patch. The animals are, after all, part of our family and they need to feel just as comfy as we do.

I am also very thankful that many of our reptiles have under tank heaters - so they had no idea anything different was going on. The ones that I most worry about are the birds and skinny pigs - but with our heaters they will be fine.

Crossing my fingers for a quick - and rather inexpensive - solution.

Yolanta

Employee Recruitment

2009-03-11T09:32:00.002-04:00

We'll be at Humber College's Lakeshore campus today from 11 am to 1 pm in 'H' Building. If you would or someone you know would like to apply for the Assistant Animal Handler position feel free to come on down and meet us and ask lots and lots of questions!

On Thursday, March 26th we'll be at Sheridan's Oakville campus from 11 am to 1 pm. So if you didn't get the opportunity to apply in person and would like to do so, feel free to visit then.

Have a super day!

Yolanta

A busy Saturday and our daughter's birthday party

2009-03-09T15:30:00.005-04:00

I just want to thank all of our Saturday parties and our one Sunday party. We had a great time and have begun a list of new animal names - like Meghan-Long!

On Sunday, we took the afternoon and evening off to celebrate our daughter's 2nd birthday. We don't take much time off (at all really). So it was nice to spend some time with friends and family while celebrating our daughter's birthday. I am so thankful to our friends and family. They have supported us since the begining and are always there for us even though we are normally too busy to be social (even on weeknights) - yesterday, actually, was the first time since January that I saw my best-friend....

We're back to work full-force today after our day of play. We're a little tired due to the time change, but much more relaxed and ready for a very busy month - we're booked solid for March!

See you all soon :)

Yolanta

New Hire - Meet Stephanie

2009-03-08T14:04:00.003-04:00

We are happy to announce the hiring of an Assistant Animal Handler! Stephanie will be joining us on Saturday shows starting two weeks from today. She's a great gal who has many years of experience with animals. She is currently working full time at PJ's Pets and will be with us on a part-time basis. We are looking forward to growing our company with her on board.

We still have two Assistant Animal Handler positions open. If you know someone, or are someone, that would love to work with animals and children, please submit your resume to info@creaturequest.ca.

For a job description, please visit our website, www.creaturequest.ca. There is also a description in one of my previous posts.

Have a lovely Saturday afternoon.

Yolanta

March and April

2009-03-06T20:45:00.002-05:00

March has come so quickly. It's hard to believe that it's almost spring!

With March break in a few weeks and the Easter long weekend a few weeks after that, people have been planning their children's birthday parties very early this year. In fact, we only have a few week day spots left in March. And weekend in April are pretty much full but we do have some week day spots left.

We will be taking all of our staff to The Great Vehicle Adventure on Saturday, April 25, from 9 am to 6 pm - which means that we won't be offering parties on that day. But this show will give people the opportunity not only to see our super cool animals but see some cool, cars, trucks, etc and celebrities too. I hear that the Toronto Blue Jays will be among the celebs.

So I hope that if we can't make it to your party this April, that you do come and visit us on April 25th at The Great Vehicle Adventure at the Toronto Congress Centre. Parking is free but admission is $10. I'll post more about the show later - I may even be able to get some free tickets....

Have a super weekend and I hope to see you soon!

Yolanta

Looking for a few good handlers

2009-03-04T18:03:00.003-05:00

We are currently looking for a few awesome people to come and join our team.

The job description is below. If you know anyone that would fit the bill have them send in a resume to info@creaturequest.ca.

Have a super day!

Yolanta

Job Title: Assistant Animal Handler
Status: Part-time, on-call

Program Description:
Creature Quest Inc. is an animal education company founded on the principal that the living world and its inhabitants are important and that learning should be fun and interactive. The utilization of over 50 species of animals helps us not only demonstrate many biological concepts but provides guests with the opportunity to meet and handle animals they may have never even seen before. We hope that these up close encounters will inspire participants to help conserve the natural world and to choose future pets responsibly.

Job Description:
An Assistant Animal Handler is wanted to help the Lead Animal Handler in presentations using exotic and domesticated animals. These presentations are held primarily for children in birthday parties, schools, camps, day cares, and are interactive and hands-on in nature. Assistant Animal Handlers are positive role models for children and other guests.

Responsibilities
· Pick up animals and drive to shows in various areas in southern Ontario
· Load/unload animals from vehicle and set up/take down the show
· Assist the Lead Animal Handler throughout the show
· Supervise interaction between animals and participants and ensure safe handling of animals
· Supervise distribution of promotion materials, and handouts
· Answer participant questions accurately in a timely, age appropriate and respectful manner
· Dispense correct information on the animals, including native animals, to participants
· Other tasks as assigned by company owners

Qualifications:
We are looking for enthusiastic, friendly, well groomed applicants. Applicant must have a valid Ontario drivers’ licence and have access to a reliable vehicle with air conditioning and heating. The applicant must be willing to work on call, evenings and weekends. Successful applicants will have excellent public speaking skills and be fluent in English. Previous experience working with children and the general public preferred. The ability or willingness to work safely with and handle a large array of exotic animals including but not exclusively scorpions, tarantulas, snakes and lizards is required. Training and animal study guide will be provided. Previous knowledge of exotic animal care and natural history as well as knowledge of native species preferred. An up-to-date CPR and First Aid certificate or willingness to receive training is required. Candidates must be to lift and carry up to 50 lbs and work sitting on the floor.

Additional Requirements:
Successful applicants are required to submit a clear Criminal Records check prior to contract signing

How To Apply
Please submit resumes to: info@creaturequest.ca
No phone calls please

We thank all candidates in advance, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.

Last Weekend of Feb 2009!

2009-03-01T19:05:00.003-05:00

The last weekend of February has been a very busy weekend. We've been all over the map, from Caledon to Oakville and Markham and Scarborough. The one thing that all of these places had in common was a bunch of cool kids that all LOVED animals!

Thank you to all of the birthday boys and girls (and their parents too!) for inviting us to your parties. All of our animals are back in their beds now - a little tired from all of the parting this weekend! They'll be happy to relax, sleep and eat listening to only waterfalls trickling, birds chirping and sometimes humans talking for two days before heading back to work.

Have a fantastic week everyone!

Yolanta

Sam's Club Closure

2009-02-28T08:48:00.002-05:00

Like everyone else, we've been caught off guard by the shocking closure of all Sam's Clubs across Ontario. We, as a company and as a family, are saddened that this great store with some great prices is gone. We have relied on Sam's Club for many of the business items that we need every day, like carrots, garbage bags, lawn bags, fruits, hand sanitizer, etc.

Our hearts go out to all of the employees that have suddenly lost their jobs - many of whom really believed in the store's success. We will miss seeing all of you every week and we hope that you fall gently.

As for us, we'll need to find a replacement store. How does Costco compare?

Yolanta

New Loot Bags Are Up

2009-02-25T10:05:00.003-05:00

Things can get pretty crazy around here - okay, things are ALWAYS pretty crazy around here! It's taken us about three weeks but we have finally added some new loot bag items onto our website. Yippi!

As simple as it sounds, loot bags can be pretty difficult. The challenge comes with finding neat stuff at good prices. Once we find it, we have to cross our fingers and hope that our suppliers will not only carry those items for months or years but keep them at the same price - or lower price. Many times we find something really neat only to have our supplier stop carrying the item or have the price change. We do understand that they too are at the mercy of their suppliers but it doesn't make our lives any easier.

Currently we are using a plastic based bag to package our loot in. We are trying to find a better solution that will not only be greener but won't increase our costs (and therefore increase your costs). Things like compostable bags and fabric totes are neat ideas but just not feasible at the moment.

What does our loot bag future hold? Well hopefully better bags! And we're also looking for 'greener' items to put in those bags. Stuff like tree/flower planting kits, create-your-own-neat-thing-that-you'll-keep-for-years kits would be a very welcome addition provided the quality and the price were right. After all, when you're buying loot bags, you're not buying for one or two kids many times you're buying for 15 kids!

If you have any ideas or can point me in a great direction, please post your ideas! :)

Yolanta

Reptile Expo

2009-02-24T14:53:00.004-05:00

I hope that everyone that came out to this past weekend's Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo in Mississauga had a lovely time. We were out bright and early and were amazed by the turnout. There were a fair amount of vendors and they were selling some nice looking animals and well priced supplies.

I am definitely looking forward (all ready) to the next Expo in two months. Typically once the weather warms up some really neat critters start turning up.

I've attached a video of the expo that I found on YouTube in case you missed the show. It's pretty long but will give you an idea about some of the animals that were there. Just click on "Reptile Expo" at the top of this entry to access the video.

Yolanta

Weekend Update

2009-02-21T09:31:00.003-05:00

We're very excited for Sunday's Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo in Mississauga, www.reptileexpo.ca. I hope that many of you will take this opportunity to meet some breeders, buy supplies and most importantly see some cool creatures.

Please remember that if you are planning on buying a pet, do your research and plan on keeping your new pet for the duration of its natural life. If you do find that life throws you a curve ball, please find your pet a new loving home and do not release it into Ontario's wilderness.

The Peppy and Lemon Drop update:
Lemon Drop is still laying eggs. We are not sure if any of these eggs are fertile or not but we are letting our ladies sit on them. They are being such great mommas! This weekend has panned out better than we had hoped as only one cockatiel needs to come out. So get ready to meet Captain Jack! He is a very cool cockatiel.

See you soon.
Yolanta

Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo This SUNDAY

2009-02-20T08:10:00.003-05:00

We're really excited for the Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo on Sunday at the Capital Banquet Hall, 6435 Dixie Road on the corner of Courtney Park.

This month's expo is billed to be filled with reptiles, amphibians, insects, exotic pocket pets, supplies, feeders and even parrots! This is a fantastic opportunity to see some cool animals, meet breeders/retailers, ask lots of questions about specific animals and pick up supplies - if you need any. Just as a heads up, there is an entrance fee.

For more information on this Sunday's expo (Feb 22nd), please visit their website, www.reptileexpo.ca

Hope to see you at the show!
Yolanta

Lemon Drop has eggs too!

2009-02-16T10:57:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely surprise at Miss Bronwyn's party yesterday evening - Lemon Drop laid an egg. This was an awesome opportunity for this great group of kids not only to meet one of my favourite birds but to see her egg too. These eggs are pretty big!

Once we got back, I quickly made sure that is got into the nest with all of Peppy's eggs. This does, however, put us in a little mess as we don't quite know how we're going to work the cockatiels for parties as Lemon Drop is expected to lay an egg every other day for a total of 4 to 8 eggs.... tba

I would like to thank all of the parties this long weekend (so far) for being so much fun! I hope we can all meet each other again in the future.

On another note, the Reptile & Exotics Expo will be held this Sunday, Feb 22nd in Mississauga. I hope that many of you will come out and see some of the really neat reptiles, mammals, fish and pinned insects out there. This is also a lovely opportunity for anyone that is interested in getting a reptile pet to meet breeders and talk about the needs of the animal you are looking to pick up. I'll post more about the Expo soon...

Have a great Family Day.
Yolanta