A new animal has made its home in the environmental ed room this year. Lasagna, the flying squirrel, recently joined the many other animals including birds, fish, snakes and more. Lasagna’s background, though, looks different from all of the other animals in the room. Brought here by senior, Rachel Horsley, Lasagna has been the center of attention by many of the environmental ed students. 

Before Lasagna came here he spent about two months with Horsley and her family. “So the city came and cut down some of our trees in our front and back yard because they were dead and he and his siblings were living in one of the trees that they cut down and so I just decided to take care of him,” Horsley said.

Though Horsley enjoyed having Lasagna as a pet, she decided that it would be best for him to live in the environmental ed room. 

“I looked it up and in captivity, they can live up to like 15 years. I want to go to college next year and I know that it’s not like a dorm room approved pet really, so I guess I didn’t want the responsibility,” Horsley said.

Lasagna wasn’t just popular to Horsley but the rest of her family as well. 

“They honestly were encouraging it. They thought it was super cool and like my mom was telling all her friends like ‘Rachel’s got a flying squirrel,’” Horsley said.

As Lasagna spent time at Horsley’s house it took a few trials before he got to his final name.

“I named him Ash originally because he was in an ash tree that got cut down but then me and Noel were talking about it because I needed a name for him and we decided that Lasagna was the perfect name for him,” Horsley said.

Not only can you find Lasagna jumping from person to person in the environmental ed room but he also has a very keen sense of taste. Horsley was able to find out that he loves walnuts and banana chips and dislikes blackberries and celery. 

Though Horsley enjoyed getting to spend time with him, she is glad that he has a safe home here at South.

“I was a little sad at first”, Horsley said. “I kept walking into my room and seeing the cage and being like ‘oh lasagna’ and then he wasn’t there but honestly I think it’s for the better because they’re very social animals and so he’s getting all of the hands-on attention that he needs”.