Sienna Price Archives - the bird on fire

Reptiles as Pets are Underrated

May 17, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Sienna Price, Animal Activist

When I ask people, “Do you have any pets?” they rarely answer with I have a reptile. However, I, Sienna Price, have a bearded dragon. I think a reptile is one of the best pets. The main reason I got my bearded dragon, Tuk Tuk, was because during lockdown I really wanted a friend and a distraction from what was happening.

Reptiles are interesting and make a very fun pet. Depending on the animal, reptiles can be relatively low maintenance. I would say bearded dragons are fairly low maintenance if you know what you’re doing. I researched A LOT before getting Tuk Tuk, and it still took some time after I got him to work things out. I got a bearded dragon because they are said to be the friendliest reptiles, but I think it’s like any animal. You can still get some that are not friendly. Luckily for me, Tuk has the biggest personality and is very friendly and sociable, but again I am glad I did research before getting him. I know if he’s stressed or if he’s hungry and even if he wants to come out of his enclosure. When Tuk Tuk scrapes his cage he wants to come out, and when he has ring markings on his stomach he’s stressed. The most popular reptiles as pets are leopard geckos, bearded dragons, blue tongued skinks, snakes and chameleons. Of course, there are many different types of species of snakes and chameleons, so make sure you understand the needs of the specific species.

Tuk Tuk in his holiday attire. You can get your own lizard Santa suit at PetCo.

Note, reptiles are not the easiest pets. You really need to know what you are doing. Everyone knows the basic needs of a dog without even owning one because dogs are so popular. If reptiles were more popular, I think their basic needs would be well known, too. They are also not the cheapest of pets to own–depending on the reptile you have. Tuk’s terrarium, which is forty gallons, cost around 200 dollars, and I would say forty gallons is the bare minimum for a bearded dragon. I have actually ordered Tuk Tuk a bigger terrarium that is one hundred and twenty gallons! It was a really good deal that I could not pass up. So, I think Tuk will be happy with my new purchase! Once you get your whole setup done, it does get cheaper again depending on the reptile. With Tuk, I order bugs to my house every two weeks, but I will feed him less as he gets older so it will get cheaper. And, note, many reptiles need heat lamps and a UVB light.

Before deciding on your next pet, I would strongly recommend considering a reptile. (As I just typed that sentence Tuk Tuk licked my leg.) Tuk Tuk brings me so much joy even if he is not the smartest sometimes. For example, yesterday he decided to jump off my bed. Don’t worry; my bed is really low to the ground, and he is okay. Thank you for reading, and, remember, next time, consider a reptile.

Things to do in the UAE

May 10, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Sienna Price, World Traveller

I have been to the UAE (The United Arab Emirates) two times now, and the first time (when I was ten) I did not love it. We stayed on the Palm Islands which are man made and a rip off with overpriced hotels. If you stay in the Palm, be expected to pay $40 for an average burger and $10 for a can of Coke. We went to the Aquaventure water park which was fun, but it only fills one of your days. The thing about the Palm is that it’s on an island connected by a bridge, so it’s hard to get anywhere off the island.

Over Spring Break, I travelled to the UAE again.This trip was a lot better despite the sixteen-hour flight time from LAX. We stayed in Ajman, which is an emirati around forty minutes drive from Dubai. The only downside to Ajman is that you need to rent a car to get around. You can get taxis, but it would cost a lot to get to the places you want to go. Most of the tourists in the UAE are European. There are a lot of British and Russian people. The common tourist goes places like the Burj Khalifa and the Souks. But this trip we thought of doing something a little different. The first couple days of my trip were full of sleeping and swimming. The jetlag was not fun with a twelve-hour time difference.

On the fourth day of our trip, my dad and I drove up to Ras Al-Khaimah. Ras Al-Khaimah is the emirati next to Ajman but Ras Al-Khaimah is mainly desert driving where you see lots of wild camels and tons of sand. But we drove to Ras Al-Khaimah to do the longest zipline in the world, Jebel Jais Flight. I thought it would be a good idea to do the longest zipline in the world with two hours sleep. Jais Flight is 2.83km long. I went down at 150 kmph for three minutes headfirst lying on my stomach down the side of a mountain 1,680 metres above the ground. First, I get altitude sickness; second, again, I had two hours sleep, so going down the side of that mountain… let’s just say my breakfast did not stay down! The zipline is definitely not for the fainthearted, but I would do it again, just maybe next time with more sleep under my belt.

We decided to do a Bedouin experience, where you get a taste of Arabian culture. It was fun. We rode camels, and I sand boarded down the dunes. One thing that was a little strange was that they were filming a Bollywood film, so I am now an extra in a Bollywood film that I don’t even know the name of! But it was cool to see the dancers and actors. Apparently the lead was famous, and everyone there wanted his picture. I googled him after and he has been in tons of Bollywood films.

Finally you can’t go to the UAE and not go to a water park, so we went to Wild Wadi at the Burj Al Arab. It’s not as big as the Aquaventure water park, but I prefer this one because it’s less crowded and you can get on a lot more slides.

Travel well, and do your homework on the plane.

Thank you!

Inside View of Basketball at PVS

April 5, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Sienna Price, Palm Valley Middle-School News Reporter

For Palm Valley, the season of basketball is over. The middle-school basketball teams both A and B placed very well. The middle-school basketball B team won the championship 42-29 over Sacred Heart. The team consisted of Shayan Habibipour, Walker Craven, Tal Maruvada, Dante Vega, Sherwin Hemmati, and Matteo Lam.

The A team came second in the championship after a close game against Sacred Heart. The team included Donavan Knott, Deshawn Tunmore, Nicholas Chavez, Evan Wang, Benjamin Langlois, Desmond Milner, and Timothy Reed. I interviewed the players to get their inside views about the team, the season, and their basketball experience.

What is your position on the court?

“Point guard, Shooting guard, Center.” -Sherwin Hemmati

“I would usually play Shooting Guard.” -Shayan Habibipour

“I play both forwards.” -Walker Craven

“My position on the court is mainly power forward, but I can play center or point guard if needed. I also direct our defensive strategies by telling everyone where to go on defense.” -Deshawn Tunmore

“pg/sg.” -Matteo lam

“Guard.” -Donovan Knott

“Small Forward.” -Timothy Reed

“ I play perimeter defense, usually on the other team’s shooter. On offense I switch from the point guard to the forward depending on who is on the court.” -Tal Maruvada

“The positions I play are center, and power forward.” -Evan Wang

“Center.” -Ben Langlois

Middle-School Basketball Players Ben Langlois, Desmond Milner, and Donavan Knott

What was your favorite game?

“My favorite game . . . was against the Sacred Heart Second team. I loved this game because it was one of my highest scoring games, and we all played well as a team.” -Deshawn Tunmore

“My favorite game . . . was our first game against DCA at home where in just four minutes I scored four points for the A team. “ -Evan Wang

Who in the team has improved the most in your eyes?

“Tal. I have seen Tal gaining confidence and improving a lot of skills in attacking the basket and on defense.” -Matteo Lam

“The player that has improved the most is Shayan.” -Walker Craven

“Someone on the team that has improved the most is Sherwin. His shot is more consistent and his defense has gotten a lot better.” -Deshawn Tunmore

“I feel like I have.” -Donovan Knott

How do you think you have improved this season?

“I’ve gotten better at dribbling and making more shots.” -Ben Langlois

“My shooting is a lot better. . . . [I]n the first game we had, I missed six free throws out of six; now I can make some free throws. I also feel like I can run a lot longer.” -Evan Wang

“I have improved in shot selection and shooting.” -Tal Maruvada

Nicholas Chavez took time out from his baseball aspirations to play for PVS MS Basketball A-Team.

What was the hardest game you played?

“The hardest game we played was probably the game against DCA the second time we played them because they studied how we played and played up to it and eventually beat us. . . . they played amazingly.” -Shayan Habibipour

“The hardest game we . . . played this season was against the Sacred Heart first team. I fouled out of that game and we lost by six points.” -Deshawn Tunmore

“Championship.” -Ben Langlois

Campaign for the Use of “Dodgy”

March 9, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

As someone who has lived with a British mother for my entire life, a lot of English phrases are more than familiar to me and I forget they are not commonly used in the States. Personally, I think some of these words from “across the pond” are fun to say, and I hope after reading this some of you integrate them into your daily life. – Jesse Denyer

By Sienna Price

Since I have moved to America, I have noticed I have said many words and phrases people just don’t understand. I have a mix of words and phrases from living in Thailand, England, and New Zealand. At least a couple of times a week, I have to explain what something I said means, and I have found it very annoying.

One thing that most people use everyday is a hair bobble. Until I moved to America, I just assumed that a hair bobble was called a hair bobble. One of my American friends told me it was a “hair tie.” I have asked at least ten people what they call this (holding up a hair bobble), and they have all responded with “hair tie.” I personally think hair bobble is fun to say, so I continue to say it.

Another word that I love saying (it’s probably my favorite word) is “dodgy.” Every time I say this word, everyone turns around and stares at me. Every time I have to explain what It means. Dodgy is a really popular word in England. All my family members use it, and all my friends in England use it. Dodgy means dishonest or unreliable, potentially dangerous or of low quality. For example, that person looks dodgy. I personally think dodgy should be used more often in America.

When I first moved to New Zealand, I got invited to my friend’s house to swim. The message sent to my Mom was to bring your “togs.” My family had no idea what togs were. Later we found out that it means bathing suit. Another unusual word they use in New Zealand is jandals, which means flip flops.

Of course there are the commonly known words that get lost in American translation: like we call fries “chips” in England, and what you call chips we call “crisps.” People in America say “cookie,” and in England we say “biscuit.” Americans say check under the “hood”; British say “bonnet.” Americans say the luggage is in the “trunk”; British say “boot.” In England we say “rubbish” or “garbage,” but in America you say “trash.” There are many different words with the same meaning.

My accent is mixed British, American, and Kiwi. Sometimes I say trash; sometimes I say rubbish. It’s hard to pin down my accent. Sometimes I sound very British, and then sometimes . . . I sound American.

Milk: Is it really a healthy drink?

March 3, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

This week cereal critics Abby Horwitt and Sienna Price branch out and share their opinion on . . . milk. Is milk good for you? Is milk disgusting? And, how many people actually drink milk at PVS?

By Abigail Horwitt, Plain Milk Supporter, and Sienna Price, Plain Milk Attacker

You’d think we could all agree on something as simple as milk. Surprisingly, many people have adamant opinions about what is milk, what we can call milk (Almond Milk, we’re looking at you), and how good milk tastes.

Abigail says this about Milk:

In my opinion, I love plain milk. I believe that a glass of milk has a great taste, and on top of that is really good for you. According to Healthline, milk has many benefits. It is packed with nutrients; it is a good source of protein, helps strengthen your bones, helps prevent weight gain (healthline). Milk is also an ingredient in many dishes. However, it should be noted: I do not believe in fat free milk. If you really want a good glass of milk, you need to have at least some sort of fat in it.

Sienna Responds:

Personally, I think that plain milk is disgusting. The only reason I would drink milk is with cereal. Milk has a horrible taste and texture. Why would you want to drink a full glass?! I understand that some people believe that milk is actually good for you, but milk and other dairy products are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet; they contribute to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine). Studies have also linked dairy to an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers (https://www.pcrm.org/).

We took the discussion of milk to the courtyards and classrooms of Palm Valley. Here is what people had to say about the milky creaminess of Oreo’s favorite companion:

“2% is better.” – Jerry Wang

“I have to drink milk with something. I don’t prefer milk just by itself.”– Alyna Rei

“I drink almond milk.”– Ms. Zachik

“I hate milk. The smell of it is bad.”– Lilah Nick

“Milk is just milk, so get chocolate and put it in the milk and then you get chocolate milk.” – Kayliee Augustine-Sails

“Milk is a nutritious substance and is great for growing teens. It tastes pretty good, but if you have too much it might hurt your stomach.” – Emily Feffer

“Yesterday, I immediately went home and drank a glass of milk.” – Christina Lam

“I like milk with my special K.” – Levi Kassinove

“The richer the milk the better.” – Ms. Castellano

“You’re taking what is meant to be fed to a baby and drinking it yourself; the idea of it is kind of weird but it’s yummy.” – Tal Maruvada

“Fat free is a scam #wholemilkforlife.” – Jesse Denyer

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the Desert’s Killer

February 23, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

The Coachella Music and Arts Festival is one of the most popular events in the United States. What people don’t know is that the festival has its faults. Environmentalist Sienna Price shows us the dangers of Coachella. – Editor Alyna Rei

Upon request that The Bird On Fire blog move closer to home for the next few weeks, instead of going to any exotic country, I have decided to show you the negative side to Coachella–which is one of the most visited music festivals in America.

Coachella attracts around 100,000 attendees every day! (washingtonpost.com) Can you imagine the waste it produces?! On average, there aree 107 tons of waste produced in a 15-day festival, and only 20% of it gets recycled (washingtonpost.com).

As you all know, music festivals are loud. They can reach up to 110 decibels, which is equal to a jet plane taking off (washingtonpost.com).Noise pollution from the festival can massively alter animal behaviors and disrupt ecosystems. Some situations in the Coachella Valley could be birds having to call longer or plant growth being disturbed (curesblog.lmu.edu).

It’s not just what happens in the Coachella festival. If 100,000 people attend each day, most of the people would drive there. That’s polluting even more. Granted–some people drive electric cars and not every single person will drive an individual car to the festival. This is something to think about.

I’m not trying to tell you not to go to Coachella. I do know that it is a great music festival. I am simply just trying to make you aware of the effects and environmental impacts. Say, you have just booked your tickets, what can you do to help?:

Reuse. Do not throw away a plastic bottle. Refill it, or simply bring a reusable water bottle.
Rideshare. If you know someone who is going, ask to share the car instead of taking two.
Wear biodegradable glitter. You don’t think about what a little bit of non-biodegradable glitter does to the environment, and a little bit might not do that much. But, if 100,000 people wear glitter, think of that environmental impact.
Clean up. Clean up around your campsite if you are camping. If you see a piece of trash, pick it up. This is not even restricted to Coachella. Pick up around your community.

If you are considering going to Coachella, or if you already booked your ticket, I hope that you keep in mind the things that you could do to help the environment: pick up your trash; share your rides; take public transports! There are many ways you can help the environment.

Thanks for reading!

Thailand: The Land of Smiles

February 1, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

In this week’s exciting post, Sienna presents to us Thailand–a place full of smiles and beautiful culture. Sienna speaks from personal experience. She lived in and around Bangkok for eight months. Her favorite part of the experience? The animals! – Editor: Oliver Martinez

By Sienna Price, World Traveler

Welcome. This week I will be talking about Thailand, the animals living in many of its ecosystems, and my personal experiences with these animals. Also, I will be touching on Thai traditions and festivals. Thailand is known by many people as the land of smiles. This is because in Thailand there are 13 different smiles with 13 different meanings! There’s a very happy smile, a polite smile for someone you don’t know; there’s a stiff smile for when someone tells a really bad joke, a sad smile, and there’s even a smile when you want to say sorry.

Thai festivals

Thailand has many festivals and national holidays. Almost every month, I had a couple days off school due to a national holiday or festival. The Songkran festival is one of the biggest festivals in Thailand and one of my favorites. Songkran – also known as the Water Splashing Festival – is a celebration to mark the start of the Buddhist New Year in April. The Thai people celebrate the day of Songkran with water balloons and water guns. If you don’t want to get wet, don’t leave your house. There is a national water fight all over Thailand!

Loy Krathong is one of the most picturesque festivals in Bangkok. In November, people gather around lakes, rivers, and canals to pay respects to the goddess of water by releasing beautiful lotus-shaped rafts, decorated with candles, incense and flowers into the water (hotels.com).

Macaques

When someone says Thailand, I immediately think of monkeys. In Thailand there are thousands of monkeys, especially macaques. You don’t tend to see monkeys in the bustle of Bangkok, but drive one hour outside the city and there are thousands. I lived in Hua Hin, which is about a three and a half hour drive from Bangkok. In Hua Hin, it’s mostly jungle and temples. You see monkeys on both sides of the road, in the foliage, and everywhere. The median lifespan of macaques in the wild is less than 15 years (nc3rs.org.uk). In captivity, macaques can live for over 25 years. Most Thai people see the monkeys as pests because they steal their food and other belongings. Most days, you hear people clanging pots and pans around to scare them off! I got too close once and angered a macaque. It ran right at me. Macaque’s mostly eat fruit (and yes they do love bananas), but they can also eat seeds, leaves, flowers, and tree bark. I have even once seen a macaque riding on the back of a motorcycle!

Asian Elephants

If you’re going to Thailand, one of the main things to do is go to an elephant sanctuary. In Thai, elephant is chang. In Chiang Mai in northern Thailand there are loads of them, but you have to be careful that you go to an actual rescue center. There are many that claim to be an elephant sanctuary rescuing elephants from tourist attractions that treat them cruelly, but really they are exploiting them. In Thailand there is an estimated number of 3,000 to 4,000 elephants, and more than half of them are domesticated, the rest wild (elephantnaturepark.org). Asian elephants eat mainly fruits and vegetables but also eat grass. When I went to the elephant sanctuary, the hosts told us “the average elephant eats 300 pounds of food in a day”! The Asian elephants weigh 6,000 to 8,000 lbs.

King Cobra

The king cobra as some of you might know is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. I was once sitting on my deck in Thailand around the pool, and one slithered up from one of the broken deck panels. I instantly recognized its large face. I jumped up and slowly backed away. Straight away we called the maintenance staff, and, without hesitation, staff members went under the deck with only their cell phone flashlights and a stick! They found nothing but told us to look out. Luckily, we did not get a visit from the snake again. If you get bitten by a king cobra and don’t seek medical attention in an hour you will die of paralysis to the heart and lungs. It is recommended that if you see a snake in or around your property you take a picture of it and look for it on the internet. Most of the time in Thailand it is just the common golden tree snake which is hardly venomous, but it is always good to check.

Thailand is a great place to visit with loads of sightseeing activities and great food. You do need to be aware of Thai cultures and traditions so as to avoid offending. Most locals will recognize you as a tourist. There are many poisonous bugs and animals that you also need to be aware of. So, if you’re planning a trip to Thailand, do your research.

Thanks for reading!

Indonesia: The Largest Archipelago in the World

January 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Sienna Price, World Traveler

In the United States, we are very familiar with household pets like cats, dogs, and even hamsters. Writer Sienna Price introduces us to some amazing and exotic animals from the islands of Indonesia. – Luke Sonderman

For those who do not know, an archipelago is simply a group of islands. Indonesia has the largest archipelago in the world which brings a variety of wildlife. This week we travel, via thebirdonfire.org, to the animals and ecosystems of Indonesia.

The Komodo Dragon

The komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world measuring at three meters long! You can call them a lizard; however, many people refer to them as one of the dinosaur’s relatives. The komodo dragon’s conservation status is vulnerable which means they are endangered. Though the komodo dragon is the most dominant predator in its natural environment, their numbers are decreasing. The komodo dragon is threatened by the impact of climate change. It’s estimated that in the next 45 years the rising sea levels will reduce more than 30% of their habitat (theconversation.com). The komodo dragon has thrived in this harsh climate of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands for millions of years (Al’s Pets & Supplies). One skill that has helped is the komodo dragon can swim! Yes, the komodo dragons love to swim, and they have been spotted swimming off the shores of their five islands on which they reside.

Sumatran Orangutan

The sumatran orangutan is only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. With just over 13,000 sumatran orangutans left in the wild, they are in critical danger of extinction (sumatranorangutan.org).

They are extremely endangered because of the deforestation and poaching trade happening on the island. Derived from the Malay words of “Person of the forest,” the sumatran orangutan barely comes down to the floor of the rainforest. The sumatran orangutan lifespan is 30 to 40 years, and their weight is 66 to 198 pounds. Fruit makes up 60% of the sumatran orangutan’s diet. Their diet also includes lychees, mangosteens, mangos, figs, young leaves and shoots, insects, soil, tree bark, occasionally eggs, and small vertebrates (worldwildlife.org).

Pygmy Tarsier

The pygmy tarsier is a nocturnal primate found in central Sulawesi, Indonesia (wikipedia.org). Its head and body length measures just four inches long, and it weighs less than 58 grams (basically 14 times the weight of a piece of paper*). The pygmy tarsier was believed to have become extinct in the early 20th century. Then, in the year 2000, Indonesian scientists accidentally killed one while trapping rats! (wikipedia.org) They live in the montane cloud forests in the central Sulawesi Mountains at altitudes from 1800 to 2200 meters. They often inhabit the lower canopy among trunks and the forest floor (animalia.bio). The pygmy tarsiers are insectivorous and eat primarily arthropods (animaldiversity.org). The pygmy tarsier’s population is decreasing quickly due to deforestation.

As you can see, Indonesia is packed full of interesting and unique animals, some of which are very rare and endangered. It is important to be aware of the issues that are affecting their natural habitat and how they live. If one of the animals I talked about today goes extinct, it could cause a major chain reaction on how other animal species live and could impact their, and thus our, ecosystems greatly.

*themeasureofthings.com