TDS Exotics

05/30/2026

This is me and who I am, from a family man, to animal lover and educator, to a speed demon living on the edge. This is who the owner of TDS Exotics is.

04/14/2026

Apollos Wild Adventures
By,Trenton Davies/TDS Exotics

Picture of Apollo / introduction

Hi, my name is Apollo
I am a African Savanna Monitor, I come from a warm and dry area. And I LOVE bugs and small rodents!!!!!

Start

It was a bright and sunny afternoon, I was cuddled up in my huge room, enjoying the sun rays hitting my body.

When all of a sudden a shadow casts over me, it was a big scary hawk…..

It swooped down trying to pick me up, but I got to safety under a BIG log.

Later that day my dad came home, and had seen I was MISSING, “OH NOOO”, he yelled and yelled my name, for many hours. Until night time hit.

But I was doing GREAT , I was SUPER happy actually. I got to see lots of new things, eat lots of frogs and bugs, and better yet, I had an all you can eat buffet.

A couple of days had passed when I thought it would be funny to play tricks on my dad, I started leaving foot trails, or burrows around the yard.

Dad would even set out little food tables for me, but still could not catch me, I was to smart and sneaky.

You wouldn’t believe all the fun and beautiful things I seen, and was able to do.

But one day I was not sneaky enough, dad caught me in the pond swimming with a snapping turtle , like we we had been best friends for life. I was diving and splashing all around, then when dad came to get me, I went underwater to hide.

I found a secret tunnel and swam out and ran back into the woods.

That’s when I found Shelly again, my snapping turtle friend, we both walked to a near by creek, where it had all the fishies and froggies I could eat, “YUMMM” who wouldn’t love an all you can eat buffet with your best friend.

The night was ending and I had to hide to go to sleep. A few days passed and my dad was still searching for me, I could hear him calling my name, “APOLLO, APOLLO, where are you buddy?” I could even hear his footsteps, but what dad did not know, was i was close all along.

2 weeks had went by, and it was a bright and sunny afternoon, I decided to go lay out in the hot driveway on a patch of grass and rocks. But suddenly I seen someone coming, that someone was my dad, he had walked right by me and didn’t even know it.

30 minutes had gone by, when my dad walks back and sees me on the ground……… He froze, but then rushed to pick me up and started hugging me tightly and checking me out, and saying my boy is back, my boy is back.

He then brought me inside, and gave me a nice bath, fed me, and put me in a warm blanket. Even with all of my amazing journeys, I was happy to be back home with dad, and be right where I’m loved.

About story,

Written about Apollo the savanna monitor, a wild born but captive raised monitor who had two weeks of freedom when he escaped. Apollo is a three foot big baby, and absolutely loves his cuddles. Apollo is 6 years old and has lived a very adventurous life, from doing zoo shows with his dad, to being at home with his best friiend who is a sulcata tortoise named dream.!!!!!

01/22/2026

New Caledonia build underway, for crested.

01/21/2026

01/21/2026

If you are looking to add a cute new family member to adopt, we have many available, we have Kenyan sand Boa, pet rats, pet mice, chinchillas, and Madagascar day gecko. Can either post pics here or upon request. But don’t wait, get a ahold of TDS today for your critter cuddling needs. Located in Skaneateles New York, will deliver for fee.

01/19/2026

The Sudan plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus major) is a robust and diurnal African reptile distinguished by its plate-like scales, sturdy build, and timid nature. It requires a warm and arid environment with sufficient shelter, a varied diet of insects and greens, UVB lighting, and a substrate suitable for burrowing.

This makes it a unique yet intermediate-level pet that exhibits docility but may whip its tail when threatened, although biting is rare. In terms of appearance and characteristics, it is medium-sized, reaching lengths of up to 24 inches (60 cm), including its tail. Its armor consists of thick, keeled, plate-like scales, giving it a prehistoric appearance, with a smooth ventral surface.

Its coloration ranges from gray-brown to tawny, often with yellowish spots or stripes, and males develop more vibrant throat colors during the breeding season. Behaviorally, it is terrestrial, diurnal, and a burrower, often inhabiting rocky outcrops and termite mounds in African savannas.

As an intermediate-level pet, it requires a spacious enclosure with deep substrate for burrowing, rocks, branches, and thermal gradients for thermoregulation. Heating and lighting requirements include high basking temperatures and adequate UVB illumination for optimal health. Humidity levels should be maintained with both arid (20-40%) and humid (50-80%) zones. Its diet consists of insects and leafy greens, supplemented with calcium and multivitamins.

In temperament, it is docile and gentle, not aggressive, but will autotomize its tail if grasped and can use tail whipping as a defense mechanism. With patience, it can be tamed, but handling should avoid grasping the tail. Notably, many specimens are wild-caught, so captive-bred individuals are preferred, and they are best maintained singly.

01/19/2026

The Stripe Knee Tarantula (Aphonopelma seemanni), native to Central America, exhibits distinctive morphological characteristics, including a black/brown body and prominent white or beige stripes on its leg joints.

Renowned for its striking appearance, it is a sought-after pet; however, its care requires considerable expertise due to its skittish demeanor and rapid movement.

As a burrowing species, it necessitates a deep substrate within spacious, terrestrial enclosures maintained at moderate temperatures (70-80°F) and humidity levels.

Its diet consists of insects, and while generally docile, it can exhibit defensive behaviors such as flicking urticating hairs or sudden flight when startled, thereby discouraging handling. So focus just observing.

Notably, females exhibit a significantly longer lifespan, often exceeding 20 years, whereas males typically live for approximately 5 years.n ib

01/16/2026

Hard to see in the second pic, but we have many curly haired babies, or defiedn silky hair babies due to curly gene, we have many blacks available for adoption soon.

01/16/2026

Some new merch designs, if interested in a shirt with a design, or we’re working on other merch items.