Names: Erin (Erwynn) and Robert
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
# of Events Attended: 3
Members of the Mile High Bug Club since: 5/18/2009
What is your favorite part about being a member of the club?
Erin: I enjoy meeting all the different people and realizing I’m not really a freak and that there is this little subculture of people that love exotic animals. It’s like an underground sort of culture. It’s nice to talk to other people who have the same passion for these critters since trying to talking to the people who don’t like them is like trying to explain brain surgery. I mean if you don’t get it, then you just don’t get it.
Robert: The people.
When did you get into the exotic pet hobby?
Erin: I have always been into odd animals, like herps, since I was little. I used to go on a toad catching adventure every summer at my nannys house. Then we’d catch eels when her yard would flood during the rainy season. I always had little pet anoles and garters that we’d let go. I got into frogs in middle school. It wasn’t until recently, I think May 2009, that I got into inverts. I’ve always had horrid arachnophobia, but I just got over it because my husband loved them so much. Thought I’d give them a try and bought him a curlyhair sling, and then the next day I decided I wanted my own, so we got an LP sling, and now we have more than we can remember now. Don’t get me wrong though, if I wake up to a bug crawling on me, I still don’t care much for that. I like them to stay in their habitats 
Robert: I have always been interested in exotics. When I was 15 I had a cat spider that lived outside. I fed it huge grasshoppers, and it grew to the size of my fist. Then my stepdad killed it cause it freaked him out and he didn’t know it was my pet. I was never allowed to keep anything in our house.
What is your favorite animal and why?
Erin: That’s a toughie. I’ve always liked tigers, I don’t know why. But I’m also an oddball because I’ve always secretly like crocodilians and other herps.
Robert: I like so many I don’t have a favorite.
What is your least favorite animal and why?
Erin: I have to say I don’t like things that are pests, like wasps and ants and mosquitoes. But even though I don’t care for them, they are still important to the earth since everything needs to eat and they are an important part of the food chain. But I still don’t like them.
Robert: Right now our new puppy because he poops all over our floor lol.
What is the most unique animal you’ve kept?
Erin: I’d have to say a Vole. We were sledding down digital hill once and ran over this animal and hurt it. We smuggled it home in our coats until our mom found out, but she let us keep it. We did a lot of research and found out it was a vole. Cute little rodent with a bad attitude. We had him for several years.
Robert: I had a baby bat for a while. I had to get rid of him because my mom thought they randomly got rabies.
What is the #1 animal on your wishlist?
Erin: Oh man! I’d have to say a Dwarf Caiman! I love those cute lil buggers, and not just because they’re cute as babies, I think they are gorgeous animals and very fascinating. Sometimes I wonder if I’m insane to want a reptile that will be 4-5 feet of crocodilian attitude and power, but I think they’re amazing and I can’t wait until I have one. Only thing stopping me from getting one is their price tag honestly.
Realistically though I’d say a dog right now. We had one for a couple weeks that we had found and named her and everything since we didn’t think her owners would come forward. I got her checked for a chip and they found one, so we had to give her back. I’d like to find a miniature bull terrier, but no luck yet.
Robert: I have several right now.
-A giant mantis
-One of those giant isopods they found in England that are 2-3 feet long
-One of the ornamental tarantulas
-Mexican chicken eater tarantula, the one they claim is 15 inches.
Tell us your fondest/scariest/funniest/etc… pet story?
Erin: That’s probably when I acquired my red eared slider turtle. I know he’s not fancy or anything, but I’d never seen one. I go to louisiana to visit my relatives every summer since we moved to colorado, since I was 7. One year I was fishing and caught this little hatchling turtle. He was so tiny and cute I thought he’d make a great pet so I brought him back to colorado in my backpack in a butter dish. (mind u I was only 12, I don’t support the wild caught pet trade at all) When we brought him home, turned out he needed so much special care (uv lighting, filtration, etc..) that I didn’t know about. It was more of a life long lesson in “impulse pet acquiring” as I like to call it. Never again did I get an animal without researching it first. That turtle, Copernicus, is now 16 years old.
Robert: When we first moved into our new place I was watching tv while Erin was gone, and kept hearing these weird noises. The kids were asleep so I didn’t know what it was. I finally figured out it was the nile monitor that had gotten out again. He was in our chest freezer. I grabbed him and it was the first time I ever got to hold him. He felt like he was wearing a weird leather, lizard suit and the way he was twisting around, he was ridiculously strong. He tail whipped me before I got him back into his house. He’s like a lizard luchadore!
Where is one place you would most like to go on a field trip and why?
Erin: I’d love to go to Japan because I think it’s a beautiful place and we love the culture. But I’d also love to go to Australia to visit Steve Irwins zoo. I was going to be going there for an internship with him when I was in the zookeeping class at PPCC, but ended up not going, and now I really wish I had gone, and really regret making the decision not to go.
Robert: Would like to travel to Ang’kor Wat to see it and to be able to see all the reptiles in the area. And to also see the people there to see their culture, since they are a people dedicated to living in harmony with nature.
If you discovered a new animals species what would you name it?
Erin: Probably something in regards to my last name or someone important to me.
Robert: Would depend on what it was.
Tell us about your life outside of the hobby:
Erin: Been with my hubby for almost 8 years, love spending time with my family. Have 2 kids. Work at a dog daycare/boarding/training facility and love that. Hoping to have a dog soon.
Robert: Interested in working with animal hospital/clinic that works with exotics. Like to play guitar, read, draw, play world of warcraft (For the Horde! Lok’tar Ogar)
Anything you would like to tell us that we didn’t ask?
Erin: I feel really bad about having tarantulas “on hold” lol. I’ll get them soon I swear!
Robert: Not anything in particular, but if you want to know anything just ask me in person. You may not get an answer, but it doesn’t hurt to ask 
