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Monthly Archives: February 2010

Breeding the Green Iguana – Indoor and Outdoor Nest Sites – Part 1

Those of you with a mature pair of Green Iguanas (Iguana iguana) may expect to see courtship behavior in February/March (Note: males may become aggressive at this time, please see article below).  While these huge lizards can be quite a handful, captive breeding is a worthwhile experience that you’ll not soon forget.

If not provided a suitable nesting site, gravid females may retain their eggs, which can lead to serious illness and death.  Having a suitable area to deposit eggs is thus critical to both good health and breeding success. Read More »

The Chuckwalla – a Hardy, Personable Candidate for the Desert Terrarium – Part 1

Chuckwalla JuvenileThe stocky Chuckwalla (Sauromalus obesus) is one of my all-time favorite lizards.  Years ago, I and others found it a quite difficult captive, as little was known of its high UVB requirements.  Today, however, its husbandry is well-understood, and captive bred animals are readily available.

Food and hot basking sites are the focal points of the Chuckwalla’s life – provide it with each in proper form and you’ll find yourself with a most responsive and interesting pet.  Most take quickly to hand feeding, and their vegetable-dominated diet is a plus for many herp enthusiasts. Read More »

Rattlesnakes – an Overview of the Most Highly Evolved Serpents

The subjects of today’s article, while not suitable pets under any circumstances, still hold great interest for reptile enthusiasts. Today we’ll take a look at some of their unique characteristics.

Rattlesnake Central

Growing up in NYC, I had the distinct pleasure of easy access to the Staten Island Zoo’s Reptile House, which was lorded over by the man known worldwide for introducing a generation of aspiring herpetologists to snake keeping – Carl Kauffeld. At the time, the zoo boasted a collection containing every known Rattlesnake species. Several years ago, I was thrilled to be chosen as consultant on the Reptile House renovation, and today Rattlesnakes again take center stage there (please see photo below). Read More »

The Natural History and Captive Care of Newts – Part 1

Newts have long been among the most popular of all amphibian pets, and with good reason.  Unlike most others, they are bold, active by day and readily accept prepared foods.  Many are easy to breed in captivity and quite long-lived…a California Newt (Taricha torosa) in my collection reached 20 years of age.  Today we’ll look at natural history and husbandry, and in part 2 I’ll cover individual species such as Eastern Red-Spotted, Fire-Bellied and California Newts. Read More »

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