Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  I received my first “Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm” at about age 6, and instantly realized that therein lay the keys to a world previously closed to me (incidentally, Uncle Milton’s Ant Farms are still on the market, complete with decorative green plastic farmhouses and a coupon for live ants!).  My interest [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Tortoises are among the most highly-desired of reptile pets, but their care is fraught with difficulties, and captive death rates remain surprisingly high.  The plucky Russian, Horsefield’s or Central Asian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi) is often promulgated as an ideal “first tortoise”. 
A Cold Hearty Tortoise?
In many regards this is true.  Unlike most [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for more on bent-toed geckos (Genus Cyrtodactylus; C. louisiadensis and C. irianjayaensis).
UVB and Calcium
Although nocturnal, assume that bent-toed geckos require UVB radiation (others in the genus seem prone to metabolic bone disease). As these lizards generally do not bask at very high temperatures, a [...]

Please see Part I of this article for background information on substrate and food related intestinal impactions, including some interesting stories from the field.
Substrates for Aquatic Animals
Surinam toads, mata-mata turtles, axolotls, mudpuppies and other wide-mouthed aquatic animals that utilize suction (the flow of water into the gaping mouth) to capture prey quite frequently swallow gravel [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for further information.Last time we took a look at the amazing diversity of tiny invertebrates that inhabit leaf litter, and their importance as food for small terrarium animals such as poison frogs, dwarf leaf chameleons, and young frogs, lizards, mantids and scorpions.
Collecting Leaf Litter [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.Please see Part I of this article for information on our prepared box turtle diets.
Natural Food Animals
Live mealworms, waxworms or earthworms mixed into canned or pelleted food should encourage your turtle to take a bite. Earthworms are a box turtle favorite and a highly nutritious food in their own right…they can comprise [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Everyone associates the poison or “dart” frogs (Family Dendrobatidae) with skin toxins, but it is to the slow, seemingly benign newts and salamanders that we should really pay heed. In many cases their toxins are far more virulent and, unlike those of the poison frogs, they are produced internally and are [...]

A Control Program Backfires
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for background information. With introduced green iguanas (Iguana iguana) driving endangered burrowing owls from their nests and raccoons (Procyon lotor) devouring sea turtle eggs, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection initiated control measures. At a preserve in Dania Beach, an intensive [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Watersnakes are largely ignored by herptoculturists, and I’ve never quite understood why. Hardy, prolific, and often colorful, their utilization of two habitats makes for very interesting observations. Today I’d like to focus on the northern watersnake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon), and to mention a few others.
Description
Background color varies through shades of pale [...]

A surprising number of largely carnivorous lizards, especially various geckos and anoles, consume sap, flower nectar and overripe fruit in the wild. Providing a substitute in captivity is a good way to increase dietary variety. Also, as many find sweet liquids irresistible, by mixing in vitamins and minerals you can help ensure a nutritious diet.
Sugar [...]