The perfect time to Roach your Ex is back with Amarillo Zoo's anti-Valentine's event

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·2 min read

Roses are red. Violets are blue. Valentine's Day isn't for everyone. How about you? For those who aren't in the loving mood this Valentine's season, the Amarillo Zoo is hosting its third annual Roach your Ex event now through Feb. 15.

During the event, individuals can purchase a package and name a veggie or critter up to the size of a chicken to be fed to the zoo animals that most represents that "perfect someone" in your life. This year, the Amarillo Zoo is offering a $2 Romaine package option that will be nutrition for the zoo herbivores, in addition to the traditional Roach package for $1; their Cricket, Mealworm, or Pinkie Mouse Package fed to small reptiles, such as box turtles for $5; Mouse or Rat Package, fed to the larger snakes or cats for $10; and the grand Chicken package, fed to the large carnivores such as their lions for $10.

Amarillo Zoo brings back the perfect opportunity to Roach your Ex, now until Feb.15, offering the opportunity to name nutrition after that special someone to be fed to a zoo animal.
Amarillo Zoo brings back the perfect opportunity to Roach your Ex, now until Feb.15, offering the opportunity to name nutrition after that special someone to be fed to a zoo animal.
Amarillo Zoo brings back the perfect opportunity to Roach your Ex now until Feb.15, offering the opportunity to name nutrition after that special someone to be fed to a zoo animal, such as this Black-footed Ferret named Cameron.
Amarillo Zoo brings back the perfect opportunity to Roach your Ex now until Feb.15, offering the opportunity to name nutrition after that special someone to be fed to a zoo animal, such as this Black-footed Ferret named Cameron.

"This is our third year hosting this event, and we are seeing it pick up over the years in participation," Dylan Long, Amarillo Zoo visitor specialist, said. "Our most popular is our mice and rat package because they do get that fun video, that helps our guests relieve that stress."

As a part of the event, packages of a mouse or rat and up can be viewed on the Amarillo Facebook page of that mouse, rat or chicken named after that special someone participating in the meal of their life, while providing nutrition for Amarillo Zoo animals.

According to Long, the zoo began this event after seeing its success at other zoos and was excited to utilize the event as an opportunity to better educate the public of their animals and the nutrition they require.

Although participation in Roach Your Ex can be the best way to forget about that broken heart, the zoo also encourages participation for those wishing to vent on a family member, passive aggressive neighbor or vindictive ex-friend, as well as a funny joke between friend or siblings.

Amarillo Zoo brings back the perfect opportunity to Roach your Ex, now until Feb.15, offering the opportunity to name nutrition after that special someone to be fed to a zoo animal, such as this Honduran Milksnake named Nelson.
Amarillo Zoo brings back the perfect opportunity to Roach your Ex, now until Feb.15, offering the opportunity to name nutrition after that special someone to be fed to a zoo animal, such as this Honduran Milksnake named Nelson.

"This is one of my favorite events, simply because I get to see who is named and see which animals I get to integrate into this to provide those nutritional needs, and then get to share and explain to the public why we feed that animal that rat, or chicken or worm," Long said.

There is no limit to the number of submissions placed. Videos can be viewed on the Amarillo Zoo Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AmarilloZoo .

To learn more and select you package visit the Amarillo Zoo website online at https://zoo.amarillo.gov/events/events/ .

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Zoo offers Roach Your Ex for anti-Valentine's to feed animals