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

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Early June brings to NYC one of my favorite herp events, the NY Turtle and Tortoise Society’s (NYTTS) annual show.  The word “show”, however, does not due justice to this wonderful event, as you’ll see below.

A NYC Chelonian Tradition

The show is held outdoors, in a schoolyard located in the West Village, one of NYC’s most interesting and vibrant neighborhoods. While members do have a chance to display their turtles and tortoises and compete for trophies, much more goes on as well.  The vital, hands-on conservation work of NYTTS, the Wetlands Institute and other local institutions is highlighted and visitors learn how to become involved.  Of special value to me is the opportunity I and other turtle keepers have to share what we have learned with one another in person – a refreshing break from emails and such! This year, as always, I made many new contacts and was especially delighted to meet up with old friends that I had not seen in some time.  Read More »

While pet-keeping suffices for many herp enthusiasts, some with particularly deep interests can only be happy when working with reptiles and amphibians full time.  My own path to career in herpetology, while twisted (even “tortuous” at times!), was well worth the struggle…as you can see by the attached photos, I’m very fortunate (please also see this article).  In Part 1 I highlighted several important steps one can take to lay the foundation for a career in herpetology.  Following are some further thoughts. Read More »

It is said that people who make careers of their passions never work a day in their lives…those of us who have turned our hobbies into livelihoods are indeed fortunate.  The following ideas have helped me along the way – I hope they are of some use to you.

Speak Up

Interacting with others is very important when you start and progress down your path.  I was quite shy as a child, and this certainly hampered me…force yourself to ask questions of your relatives, teachers and folks working in the field.  Read More »