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

The plight of the USA’s freshwater turtles has taken a back stage to what has been labeled the Asian Turtle Crisis (a tragic situation, please see below).  However, a full-blown crisis is in progress here as well.  In the past 5 years, over 12 million wild caught freshwater turtles were sent from the USA to food and pet markets abroad, while untold numbers were sold in-country.  Fortunately, you can make a real difference in their future by taking one simple step.  Please read on to learn how to take action to support CITES (Committee on International Trade in Endangered Species) protection for the USA’s freshwater turtles.

US Turtle Diversity and Conservation

It comes as a surprise to many people that the USA is home to more species of freshwater turtles than any other country.  Unfortunately, several of the states that support the greatest diversity and largest turtle populations offer little or no protection, despite strong evidence that many species are in sharp decline.  Food markets in China and Southeast Asia are the main importers of US turtles, but rarer varieties wind up in the pet trade the world over. Read More »

Inspired by fellow Bronxite John Kiernan’s wonderful book A Natural History of New York City, I have searched for reptiles and amphibians in just about every corner of the Big Apple.  An amazing array of species manage to hold on here and in other cities around the world (Reticulated Pythons are regularly encountered in Singapore and Bangkok) – in fact, I cannot cover all of NYC’s species in a single article.  Today I’ll take a look at big city snakes.

Snakes of NY State

New York State is home to 17-18 species of snakes, most of which once dwelled within NYC limits. Three of these – the Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake and Eastern Massasauga – are venomous.  Read More »

Turtles and other reptiles are full of surprises when it comes to reproduction.  In the past few decades we’ve learned that incubation temperature, not genetics, determines the sex of many species, that some have dispensed entirely with males (i.e. the Brahminy Blind Snake) and that the massive Komodo Dragon is capable of reproducing without fertilization.  Recently (May, 2011), biologists have determined that turtle embryos move within the egg and actively seek heat.  This finding may cause us to re-examine conservation techniques, and raises an array of important questions – i.e., can turtle embryos actually determine what sex they will be? Read More »

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 »

Turtle-keepers have a great many options when designing their pets’ homes…plastic bins, filtered aquariums, outdoor ponds, and many others all have their place.  In this article I’ll cover everything you’ll need to create an inexpensive habitat for most semi-aquatic and aquatic turtles, including Red-Eared Sliders, Painted and Map Turtles, Cooters, Reeve’s Turtles and others.  I’ll also mention money-saving alternatives to certain products, along with non-essential “extras” that can be added if you wish.  Please see Part 1 for information on enclosures, basking sites and shelters.

Ultra-violet “B” Light

Turtles that bask in the sun (heliothermic species) need a UVB source in captivity.  Most commonly-kept species, such as Sliders, Cooters, Painted and Map Turtles, fall into this category.  Musk, Snapping, Soft-shelled and other largely aquatic species seem to do fine without, but many keepers provide UVB as “insurance”. Read More »