That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

New reptiles and amphibians turn up regularly, but, being generally small and inconspicuous, most excite only hard-core herp enthusiasts.  In recent days, however, a string of good-sized, colorful and totally unexpected discoveries have drawn attention from even “regular” people.  The new species include a spiny, brick-red skink, a sea snake with uniquely-raised scales, and a new family of hard-headed caecilians, those oddest of amphibians.

Western Pilbara Spiny-Tailed Skink (Ergenia cygnitos)

The beautiful, deep-red color of this spine-covered skink closely matches the rocks of its desert habitat in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.  You can see its photo and learn more in the article linked below.

Over the past 12 months, 9 other new species – 7 reptiles and 2 frogs – have been found in the same area.  Several related skinks (please see photo) and a “barking” gecko are included among the newly-described creatures.  Mining proposals spurred the surveys in Pilbara.  Hopefully, the discovery so many previously unknown species will limit commercial activities until further studies have been completed. Read More »

The Senegal Chameleon (Chamaeleo senegalensis) occupies a unique position in the pet trade.  Inexpensive and widely available, it can be a hearty captive if given proper care.  However, this West African native is more easily collected than bred, so most that become available are wild-caught.  Collection and shipment, hard on any creature, is particularly difficult for chameleons to endure.  As a result, a variety of health problems are commonly seen in newly-acquired Senegal Chameleons.

In some ways, the Senegal Chameleon situation reminds me of that faced by Green Anoles in the 1960’s and ‘70’s.  Because they were interesting and cheap, these fascinating little lizards were often purchased without much forethought.  It took many years, and untold numbers of dead anoles, before we understood their specific husbandry needs. Read More »

During my years with the Bronx Zoo, I have twice observed cold temperatures to revive salamanders (a Hellbender and a Greater Siren, please see photo) that seemed, by external appearances, to be quite dead.  A recent paper caused me to think back on these events, and to other examples of low temperatures being used to “treat” ailing Axolotls, Leopard Frogs and other amphibians …I would greatly appreciate your own observations and thoughts on this topic.

Cold Tolerant Amphibians

Many amphibians are well-adapted to surprisingly low temperatures.  On Long Island, NY, Eastern Tiger Salamanders may migrate to breeding ponds in February, and Spotted and Alpine Salamanders will cross snow for the same purpose.  Wood Frogs occur within the Arctic Circle, and I’ve found Gray Tree Frogs hibernating beneath a mere 2” of leaf litter in NYC.  Several Fire Salamanders under my care remained active at 38 F. Read More »

Although my interests are wide, newts and salamanders have always held a special fascination for me.  Beginning in childhood, I sought to keep and breed as many species as possible, and I focused on their husbandry and conservation when I entered the zoo field.  In time, I wrote a book summarizing my experiences (please see below).  The passage of so many years has not dulled my enthusiasm for these fascinating amphibians, and I can highly recommend them to both beginning and advanced herp keepers.

The following information may be applied to the care of Japanese Fire-Bellied, Eastern, California, Ribbed and Paddle-Tailed Newts, as well as most others that appear in the pet trade.  Please write in for detailed information on individual species.

Newts as Pets

An ability to thrive on commercial pellets distinguishes newts from other amphibians, and endears them to folks who prefer not to handle live insects.  All are brilliantly-colored, active by day, and usually live well in groups at average room temperatures.  Most become quite tame over time, and will even accept food from your hand.  Several California Newts in my collection have lived to age 20, and others seem bent on exceeding that. Read More »

A recent study has challenged what we know, or thought we knew, about frog communication.  Researchers were astonished to discover that the calls of male Emei Music Frogs, (Babina daunchina) inform females of such details as the length and width of the singer’s burrow.

Construction Skills Needed

Named for the males’ banjo-like calls (they really do sound like banjos, please check video below), the Emei Music Frog is native to marshy habitats in central and southwestern China.  Females deposit their eggs in burrows constructed by the males, and the tadpoles develop there as well.  The ability to construct a safe burrow is, therefore, an important consideration when females go “mate shopping”.  You can see photos of the unique nests and egg masses of a related species, Japan’s Ryuku Brown Frog, here. Read More »