A Leetdale teen is working to find ways to improve the lives of some cold-blooded friends.
Alexander “Sasha” Napolitano, 14, has volunteered at Off the Hook Exotic Pets in Ambridge for about a year and has taken a liking to caring for its various animals.
The shop at 601 Merchant St. has about 300 animals, including venomous and non-venomous snakes, turtles, fish, geckos and other lizards.
The family got connected with owner Nina Kramer, who hosted a class last year at the homeschool co-op Enrichment Center of Western Pennsylvania.
Alexander, a home-schooled eighth-grader, noticed during his volunteer time that while many of the enclosures had plant life and lights that helped mimic the creatures’ natural habitat, there was room for improvement.
He introduced several items as habitat enrichments and documented animals’ responses for several months.
The teen turned his curiosity into a science experiment that recently earned him high honors at multiple regional competitions.
“I wanted to know if different enrichments help animals,” he said. “The goal of my project is to help reptile keepers give their animals longer and healthier lives.”
Alexander used video cameras to observe six female leopard geckos and eight female ball pythons November through January.
Geckos were introduced to a Lego house, a plastic box, coconut shell, a clay pot and some bark as hideouts.
Snakes were introduced to a garden gnome, a red rubber ball with soft spikes, a brush and a multi-colored plastic toy as habitat enrichments.
“I used these because these were the most popular pets that a lot of people tend to begin with,” Alexander said. “They are usually the most friendliest, and I would recommend them as a first pet.”
The study showed geckos used the Lego house the most compared to the other enrichments.
The snakes interacted with each of their new objects equally.
Alexander plans on repeating the experiment to find out why the Lego hideout was preferred, testing heat and humidity.
“Hiding is an essential need for reptiles,” he said. “The geckos needed to hide, otherwise they would feel insecure and stressed. The snakes, their cage was well equipped. Adding a toy into their space was pretty much not important at all.”
Alexander’s study has earned awards at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science competition in February and second place at a Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair in March.
He also received special awards including a prize from Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Biology for excellence in biological research.
Alexander will take part in a state PJAS competition at Penn State in May and submit an application to the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge in June with the hope of being selected in September.
Alexander said he has learned a lot about how lizards and reptiles contribute to the ecosystem and pest and insect control in addition to his own findings.
He is also developing customer service and leadership skills, and has helped educate a lot of patrons, some of which have taken his enrichment options and had positive results.
“I hope my research does help other reptile keepers in other places,” he said. “My favorite thing to do in the shop is to feed the animals as well as also caring for them, especially the rescued ones.”
At least 20 youths volunteer at Off the Hook each week.
Established by George Diaz about 10 years ago in Coraopolis, it has been at its Ambridge location the past five years.
Kramer took over for Diaz earlier this year.
She said Alexander has a job waiting for him if he is interested when he gets older.
“I love when Sasha comes and volunteers,” Kramer said. “He is so knowledgeable. Sasha is one of the very first volunteers that I do plan on hiring. He is number one. It’s all cause his knowledge and him getting into it and his care and mindfulness of the animals.”
Kramer said the habitat enrichment study has left a lasting impression.
“I was actually impressed with the results, just watching which animals chose which enrichment items and how they reacted with them,” Kramer said. “We had a lot of customers that saw the science going on as well.”
Diaz said Alexander has shown dedication and commitment far beyond his years.
“He’s really good at what he does,” Diaz said. “It’s all enrichment, and that’s always good. Something that they didn’t think about in the reptile trade years ago, but now people are starting to realize that is important.
“It’s encouraged more kids to come in, handle reptiles (and) get used to snakes. They see Sasha working around them and they are curious. Sasha will introduce them to different snakes and stuff.”
More information about the shop and volunteer opportunities is available on its Facebook page.