Explore the Outdoors!

Category: Animals

Here, I write about animals and their small curiosities, feeding habits, and their role in the ecosystem!

  • Do Octopuses Eat Crabs? (Know the facts!)

    Do Octopuses Eat Crabs? (Know the facts!)

    Copepods, larval crabs, and sea stars are common meals for newly born octopuses. Crabs, clams, snails, tiny fishes, and even other octopuses are common foods for adult octopuses Yes, octopuses do eat crabs and they devour them by holding them tight with using their suckers. Then, they penetrate the exoskeleton of the crab with their…

  • Can Chameleons Eat Beetles? (which ones are safe?)

    Can Chameleons Eat Beetles? (which ones are safe?)

    Having a chameleon takes lots of care and detailed observation, especially where their diet comes into the picture. They can eat a host of insects such as crickets, cockroaches, ants, grasshoppers and many others. But, the beetle is one of their favorite menu items, with their larvae being a particular delicacy. In general, chameleons can…

  • Do Plants Have Mitochondria? (Know The Facts!)

    Do Plants Have Mitochondria? (Know The Facts!)

    All cells need a constant flow of energy to maintain their metabolism and to grow. While prokaryotic cells such as bacteria do not need separate organelles to satisfy their energy demands, all eukaryotic cells do (with very few exceptions – read on!). Eukaryotes like plants, animals, and protists need mitochondria for their survival. They all…

  • Can Gargoyle Geckos Swim? (Do they like water?!)

    Can Gargoyle Geckos Swim? (Do they like water?!)

    Yes, like most geckos, the gargoyle gecko has the ability to swim. But does it like it? Gargoyle geckos have been shown to swim in puddles and lakes, when necessary. However, when faced with large bodies of water such as rivers, they will usually try to find an alternate route around it Geckos will float…

  • Are Euglena Harmful To Humans? (Explained With Examples!)

    Are Euglena Harmful To Humans? (Explained With Examples!)

    Euglena is a group of microorganisms that are not quite animals nor plants, but protists. The difficult classification stems from their ability to obtain energy from the sun as well as organic matter. Euglena can be harmful to both humans and animals, depending on the species. Euglena species are involved in forming toxic algae blooms…

  • Do Crayfish Claws and Legs Grow Back? (How Fast?)

    Do Crayfish Claws and Legs Grow Back? (How Fast?)

    Crayfish are small crustaceans that only live in freshwater. They look like a large shrimp or a small lobsters and they do have their regenerative abilities in common! Like other crustaceans, crayfish do have the ability to regenerate lost limbs such as their legs, antennae, and portions of their tail. This regrowth process generally takes…

  • Can Lobsters Breathe Air? (Can They Stay On Land?)

    Can Lobsters Breathe Air? (Can They Stay On Land?)

    Unlike crabs, some of which have adapted fully to a life on land, lobsters are deemed to a life underwater and cannot survive on land for extended periods of time.   Although lobsters rarely leave the water, their gills can absorb oxygen from air. While this absorption is inefficient, they can survive for a few…

  • Will Crayfish Eat Snails? (can they be kept together?)

    Will Crayfish Eat Snails? (can they be kept together?)

    Crayfish aren’t fish-they’re shellfish. Other types of crustaceans include crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. There are several species of both freshwater and saltwater crayfish. Freshwater ones are also referred to by the names crawfish, crawdad, and crawdaddy. Use of these terms varies by region. Crayfish mostly consume decomposing plant waste that enters their water supply, such…

  • Can Crabs Regrow Lost Limbs? (How, When and Why!)

    Can Crabs Regrow Lost Limbs? (How, When and Why!)

    A crab’s anatomy is very different from a human’s. A crab has a segmented body with an exoskeleton, which is a hard outer shell that protects the animal’s body and organs. Crabs have a pair of eyes, two antennae used to sense their surroundings, and five pairs of walking legs. The front set of walking…

  • How do crabs breathe? (Answered!)

    How do crabs breathe? (Answered!)

    Different crab species have different ways of breathing to suit their habitat. Some crabs live in water, others on land. Additionally, many crabs spend a large proportion of their time underground. The blue land crab (not to be confused with the blue crab, which is water-adapted) can move seamlessly between water and land. On the…