Boek-el-ZOO

04/26/2025

To the other business owners who were complaining about Edith (the macaw) being outside from 12-3 today for my children's time.....
Im sorry you are unappreciative of my attempt to bring more people to the downtown area where MY customers shop in your establishments also. I have been drawing people from the Chicago area , Woodstock, Champaign, St. Louis and other places that are hours away. I try hard to work with other places here, because I believe if ONE succeeds, we ALL succeed, and I happily recommend shops and restaurants to visitors who like to make a day of it in our quaint little town.
Her noise wasn't constant and she attracted a lot of attention with her dancing and interaction. You didn't bother to complain to me, but it didn't make you look good to the people who heard you, and they are the ones who told me.
Please do better and be glad that I didn't have a more powerful speaker for the music I was playing.
Rant over.
BP back from 'aneurysm' status.

04/26/2025

🥰Can't wait to see you all today. 🥰I'll have music 🎵🎵going out front (probably 80s tunes, since it's classic, and I'm old and love hair bands) and hopefully Edith🦜 will be out there too, to greet you and dance💃🕺 with you (depending on how warm it is)🌞🌡.
*I'll have apples 🍎and carrots🥕 out in the store so you can feed some critters.
*All of the bettas will be on sale. I just got a beautiful assortment of colors.❤🧡💛💚💙💜
*It's also the last day to earn a ticket for a chance at the RC Tarantula (just spend as little as $10!!)🕷
👀So stop by and see what's new at the ZOO!👀
❤️We're not just a store...
We're an EXPERIENCE!!!❤️

04/25/2025

FREQUENT
FEEDER
FRIDAY !
(double punches on your card)
FRESH
FISH
FRIDAY
(the order will be in and ready when the doors open at noon!)
FUN out
FRONT
FRIDAY
( the rain has erased the chalk, so stop and color in the stained glass on the sidewalk out front)
See you soon!!

04/24/2025

So, you don't have a pet, but love the store and the 'experience ' and what we bring to the community? We have a ton of gift options and way to support the store without the commitment of owning a critter. We have unique, handcrafted items created by local artisans and supporters of our mission. My grandkids help me create some of the items you can purchase, from dog tugs to bird toys. Maybe you have an animal lover in your life that would appreciate a gift certificate. I started a line of trading cards exclusive to the store that feature many of the celebrities you can meet face to face along with the special pets of many of our loyal customers. I introduced a gumball machine with fun prizes as well as a chance to win cash...from quarters to $20. There is also an opportunity to donate in the glass jar at the door as you exit. Every penny helps support what I do here, and remember..
We're not just a store...
We're an EXPERIENCE!!

04/23/2025

Now you know!!

Komodo dragons—the largest living lizards on Earth—possess a mind-blowing reproductive ability rarely seen in the animal kingdom. 🐉

In extreme isolation, **female Komodo dragons** can lay eggs without ever mating. This process, called **parthenogenesis**, allows them to produce offspring asexually. And here’s the wild part: all the babies born this way are male.

This incredible biological backup plan ensures the species can survive and spread, even if a single female ends up on an isolated island. It’s nature’s way of rewriting the rules of reproduction.

In a world full of wonders, few are as strange—and as strategically brilliant—as this ancient predator's survival trick.

04/23/2025

WET WEATHER WEDNESDAY.....
Just a peek at what you can find when you come to Boek-el-ZOO!
If you are traveling, we are worth the trip! Just read through the 338 reviews. With a 98% approval rating, I'm pretty proud of what we have to offer. Integrity, personalized service, PETS (not just animals), child friendly atmosphere and community involvement.
Fins, fur, feathers and scales. We have a little bit of everything, including critters and product you won't find anywhere else!

04/21/2025

Just a reminder that I will be ordering fish n critters this week. If there is something you want, that I might not have in the store, let me know, and if it's on the list, I can get it for you. I need 1/2 down before I place the order on Thursday (for Friday delivery...please pick it up ASAP).
You can either PayPal ([email protected]), CashApp ($boekelzoo) or stop in Wednesday and pay with cash or debit card.
Here are some pictures of a few of the things I have already taken orders for, or can get for you!!
This method has been working out well, and if it continues to gain in popularity, we may be able to order EVERY week instead of bi- monthly (there are order minimums through the supplier that must be met).
So private message me with your requests, and I can check to see what I can do for you!

04/20/2025

Now you know...

In the heart of the Arctic Circle lives an extraordinary survivor - the wood frog. This remarkable amphibian is the only frog species found this far north in North America, where winter temperatures plunge far below freezing.
Unlike other frogs that hibernate underwater, wood frogs actually freeze solid on land during winter. Their bodies produce special chemicals that act like antifreeze, protecting their cells from ice damage. When spring arrives, they simply thaw out and hop away like nothing happened.
This incredible adaptation has caught the attention of medical researchers. Scientists studying these frogs hope their natural antifreeze mechanism could help preserve human organs longer for transplants.
But these hardy frogs aren't found everywhere in the Arctic. They carefully select breeding spots near forest edges with temporary ponds and vegetation, showing that even the toughest creatures need the right environment to thrive.
From their southern range in the Appalachian Mountains all the way to the Arctic tundra, wood frogs demonstrate that remarkable solutions to life's challenges can come in small packages.
Sources: Martof and Humphries Research (1959), Alaska Center for Conservation Science

04/18/2025

Flashback Friday
Do you recognize any of these faces from years ago?
Tag away!!
And don't forget to stop in for double punches today on your Frequent Feeder Card!

04/18/2025

I cannot WAIT to take my family here this summer!

04/17/2025

Who is going to stop in today (12-7)?
*baby degus were born yesterday!
*grab some gift certificates or trading cards to add to Easter Baskets
*spend $10 and get your name in the drawing for the RC Tarantula
*check out the new bundle packages
*Find a Frog game for the kids
*pick up your feeders for the week
*color with chalk on the sidewalk out front
*say goodbye to Guillermo and Big Gurl who will both be going home in the near future
*meet the newest batch of cockatiel babies in the 'learning to bird' cage
*watch Wicked on the big screen in the Laila Marie Learning Center for a bit
*take your chances on winning $20/$5/$1/.25 in the store gumball machine
* pick up some toys for your pets
*order your Boek-el-ZOO apparel
So much to see and do at The ZOO!

04/17/2025

Small business is a dying breed.
Bring it back to life like a Dire Wolf!
🐺🐺🐺
See you at The ZOO!😉🥰

No caption necessary.

04/16/2025

I had so much fun doing this party on Sunday and hope to book more events like this. Message me for more information on 'in house' and remote rates.
I am also very proud of the 98% approval rating! That's out of 338 reviews! Those numbers let me know I'm doing something right!
If you feel so led, please leave a review and let others know what you love about the store. It will only take a minute, but might encourage prospective customers to visit, even if it's a little drive.
TIA!!

04/16/2025

HOP on over to Boek-el-ZOO this weekend and get a Gift Certificate to stuff in their Easter Basket.
You can purchase them in ANY increment!

04/16/2025

When you've had a long day, and you come home to find this on your phone, you know that the long hours are worth it....
Thank you Breckin. You 100% made my day (maybe my WEEK!)