TulsaPets Magazine September 2023

September / October 2023 • TulsaPets 19 Critter Collection Fun Facts Are a Trivia Trove by Kim Doner G reetings, critter-loving readers! I’m here to supply you with more than a few facts to ensure your triumphant win of my favorite game — I Wish I Didn’t Know. This is for real. What’s hysterical is that the makers claim the game is for adults, but people who can correctly answer the questions need to summon their inner adolescents. Keep reading. You’ll get what I mean. Facts You Never Knew As an added bonus, I’m throwing in the col- lective term for each animal discussed, just to amuse any and all inner nerds or perhaps spice up an otherwise dull conversation. Ready, set, go! A LOUNGE OF LIZARDS I’ve been tickled to recently read that horny toads are making a comeback, then discovered they aren’t toads at all. Those pretenders are actually lizards! Part of the reason they are such survivors in dry climates is that they have channels running from backs and ears into their mouths to funnel any gathered moisture for hydration. So when they say, “Drinks are on me,” you can take that literally. A WISDOM OF WOMBATS These guys boast a superefficient digestive system that gets ev- ery possible nutrient out of the grasses they eat. Inside their large intestines are lengths that are either quite stiff or quite flexible. As smooth muscles contract in a staggered way,