Pets/Wildlife

This yellow-throated warbler visited the suet feeder in the backyard of Lillian Cucuzza, in Land O’ Lakes. These warblers may use bird feeders on occasion, but a landscape with native trees and shrubs can provide a habitat for them.

Harvey is a 9-year-old blue Merle Australian shepherd that spends his days chasing birds and squirrels (but never catching them) with his partner in crime, Leia, a miniature Aussie. Harvey is fond of carrying shoes around, and he likes to raid the recycling bin for chew toys . He also  loves to go for walks in his neighborhood. Harvey lives with the family of Dale and Debra Hamilton, in San Antonio.

This pair of red-shouldered hawks recently visited Robin and John Phillips, at their home in Valencia Gardens in Land O’ Lakes. Male and female red-shouldered hawks look alike. The hawks’ breeding season in Florida is January through May. Hawk pairs are monogamous throughout their life, but will find another mate if one dies.

Georgia is a maltipoo and a true blessing to her family. She celebrated her fifth birthday the day after Christmas. Georgia happily spends her days playing with her toys (which she doesn’t share very well) and likes to hang out on the patio, in her ‘happy place.’ Miss Georgia lives with her proud owners, Bobby and Karen Cornelius, in Lake Jovita, in Dade City.

Steve Hadley snapped a photo of this two-tailed lizard on the screen outside his house, in Connerton in Land O’ Lakes. According to AnoleAnnals.org, two-tailed (or occasionally even three-tailed) lizards are not all that uncommon. Most lizards can lose their tails and regrow a new one. The middle of each vertebra in the tail is a zone of weakness (or breakage plane), pre-made to easily fracture. When this happens, the signal goes out, and new tail construction begins. Occasionally it doesn’t quite work; the tail is only partially broken, and doesn’t come off, but enough is broken that new tail growth begins. New tails do not regrow the original vertebrae made of bone. Rather, they grow as one long, cartilaginous rod, according to the website. So, one can easily tell the new tail from the old one.

Evie is the best pet ever, according to her owner, Madison Boatright. This 6-year-old rabbit loves to give morning kisses, friendly snorts, cuddle and play. She enjoys chilling out in her tunnel or hopping around in her pen. If she escapes her pen, Evie can be found lying on the couch. When she wants to play, she nibbles at her cage to be let out. Boatright is a student at Turner Bartels Middle School in New Tampa, and her teacher, Bryndi Colwell, said her students read the newspaper and asked if they could submit photos of their pets.

This squirrel, named ‘Dennis’ by one of the staff at The Laker/Lutz News, hung around quite a bit in front of the office in Land O’ Lakes, as well as up in the rooftop!

Faith is 1 ½ years old and a little too big to fit through the cat door, although she tries her best! She is a mixed breed that her mom, Charlene, rescued from a shelter when Faith was 6 weeks old. Faith lives with the Carl Milillo family, including four brothers; Sadie, a 12-year-old rescue sister; and Hope and Holly, sister cats, in Lutz.

Bella is a 2-year-old girl that was adopted last year. At first, she was quite shy, but today she is more active and happier than ever. Bella starts her day around 4 a.m., chasing her toys around the house and making sure to not let her owners sleep in. She likes to wait all day at the window for her family to come home. She also has the cutest markings that make a heart on her nose. Bella lives in Land O’ Lakes with her proud owner, Austin McAdams.