Ongoing projects
I've always been obsessed with the weird and wonderful- it's how Ali's Menagerie came to be- and it's often led me to some pretty cool species. Whilst Ali's Menagerie is not a breeder, some of the species in our care are given the opportunity to breed as a part of their natural lives. Care is always taken to ensure animal are not over-bred, for their own welfare, and to prevent overpopulation. Many common exotic pet species- such as Bearded Dragons, Royal Pythons and Crested Geckos- are bred in their hundreds of thousands globally, more than exceeding demand and leading to surplus, and potentially poor welfare as breeders struggle to find new homes for their animals.
My main goal is education, however the captive breeding of some exotic species is also vitally important, and forms the majority of these projects. Many species are still wild caught in great numbers and shipped long distances, often at the detriment of their welfare. Whilst I can't single handily solve these issues, I am dedicated to finding ways the industry can improve and take these vital steps to a more sustainable pet trade! This is especially important for species under pressure in the wild as a result of overcollection. You can find out more about these species, and our other ongoing projects below!
PROJECT 1: Vampire Crabs
Vampire crabs have always intrigued me, their mysterious name and devilish appearance drawing me to them several times before. My husbandry methods and understanding of the species I keep has developed an incredible amount since I first kept these creepy crustaceans, and this led to the formation of one of my favourite projects. This is Project Vampire.
Vampire Crabs are imported in vast numbers from Asia to meet the demands of the pet trade, and whilst this is far more than I could ever fulfil from my garage, I wanted to find a way to get these crabs breeding reliably in captivity- and it worked! In late 2023 we got our first crab babies, and we have been monitoring them closely with plenty of adapted care to ensure their success. In the years since our colony has continued to produce a steady stream of healthy young- a great step forward in ensuring the future sustainability of Vampire Crabs in the pet trade.
You can find out exactly how I look after my crabs, and managed to get them breeding, in my article 'Breeding the Bloodthirsty', which can be found in the February 2024 issue of Exotics Keeper magazine!
PROJECT TWO- Blue Death Feigning Beetles
The Blue Death Feigning Beetle is another hugely popular pet species, but, they are exclusively wild caught from arid regions of the United States of America. This is down to the difficulty of getting this particular species from its larval form into an adult beetle. It has been done only a few times before, but you'll notice we like a challenge!
We obtained our breeding stock in 2023, and are incredibly excited about where this project will lead. Through plenty of research and analysis of the methods used by others, we hope to be among the lucky few to celebrate this achievement. Follow along the project with us over on our social media! To date, eggs have been laid, and have gone on to hatch, but at this point, we are yet to perfect the next and vital stage of rearing them through to adulthood.
PROJECT 3- Bioactive Critters
Our most varied project includes some of the unsung heroes of the world! Commonly referred to as 'clean up crew' or 'custodians', Springtails and Isopods are often kept in terrariums and vivariums to help create a fully-functioning ecosystem in miniature. Many of my own tanks are bioactive, and my love of isopods began when I started adding them to these habitats.
Our invert projects now include 10 isopod species, and springtails. Formerly, we were even home to a successful colony of a rare variety of orange springtails! Many of the isopods I produce go straight back into my own setups across the menagerie, but occasionally we have surplus, which head off to new homes elsewhere.
PROJECT 4: Millipedes
Millipedes are enchanting, almost alien, creatures, and are among the most popular inverts to keep as pets. We have a collection of 5 millipede species including the common Rusty Millipede and the much larger Chocolate Millipede. Each and every species is totally unique in appearance, but they're all simple to care for, and are a great introduction to the world of exotic pets and invertebrates.
Our most prolific breeding colony is that of our Bumblebee Millipedes, and we often have several offspring available.
PROJECT 5: Sand Geckos
Since 2020, the Menagerie has been home to an entertaining and quite frankly cute colony of tiny Sand Geckos. These African reptiles, which often originate from the wild in the UK pet trade, have been a pleasure to keep and watch over the years, and are one of the most successful projects I've ever undertaken. After about 2 years of no activity, I made a few changes to how I worked with the species, including dietary alterations and altering their environment. Soon we had our first eggs, and within a short time baby geckos small enough to fit on the nail of your pinkie finger were hatching almost weekly. Within the first breeding season, the colony increased from 5 to 25!
In the years since our geckos have continued to breed, and all the young have left us, helping to reduce the need for wild-caught individuals in the UK trade, and prevent inbreeding in our original colony. If you'd like to find out more, my husbandry guide can be found here, and my in-depth article 'Micro Marvels' was published in the May 2024 edition of Exotic Keeper Magazine.
Interested in any of these projects? Check out our social media pages for updates, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions!