That Reptile Blog

Meet the Garter Snakes – Beautiful, Interesting and Hardy – Part 1

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Garter Snakes (Thamnophis ssp.) have long introduced aspiring herpetologists to snake-keeping and remain popular today. A number of North America’s 30+ species are regularly available in the pet trade, and they remain the most commonly encountered free-living snakes in most areas. Although often thought of as “beginner’s snakes”, I maintain that [...]

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Meet the Garter Snakes – Beautiful, Interesting and Hardy – Part 1

American Alligators Establish Long-Term Pair Bonds – Research Update

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Today’s update, while concerning an animal not suited as a pet (the American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis) will I’m sure will be of interest to all who keep or study reptiles. Scientists from the Savannah River Ecology Lab, working with alligators in Louisiana’s Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, were surprised to find a high [...]

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American Alligators Establish Long-Term Pair Bonds – Research Update

Breeding the Great Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus – Part 2

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Male Great Crested Newts undergo an amazing change in appearance during the breeding season. In Part I of this article I introduced the natural history of this most beautiful newt, and discussed how to bring it into breeding condition. I’ll cover breeding details and raising the larvae here. Courtship and Egg Deposition Breeding [...]

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Breeding the Great Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus – Part 2

Turtles Have Shells…But They Still Need a Place to Hide! – Part 1

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. One of the most over-looked aspects of proper turtle care is the provision of a secure place to hide. It makes sense that a hiding place would seem unnecessary – after all, turtles can simply withdraw into their shells when threatened. However, it’s not that simple (as usual!). Shelter Use in Nature [...]

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Turtles Have Shells…But They Still Need a Place to Hide! – Part 1

Common Problems When Raising Toads – Bloating and Paralysis

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. The tadpoles of American Toads (Bufo/Anaxyrus americanus) and Fowler’s Toads (B. woodhousei fowleri), and of related US natives, are frequently collected by herpers young and old and taken home to raise. They usually prove quite hardy, and, even on nutrient-poor diets (i.e. lettuce), transform into tiny toadlets within a few weeks. Toad [...]

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Common Problems When Raising Toads – Bloating and Paralysis

Beyond Tarantulas – The Amazing Diversity of Insects in the Pet Trade

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Tarantulas and scorpions have long been invertebrate pet staples, with over 150 species being captive bred in large numbers. However, insect keeping, always popular in Japan but much less so elsewhere, is now coming into its own in the USA. I recently found that over 50 stick and leaf insect, 30 [...]

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Beyond Tarantulas – The Amazing Diversity of Insects in the Pet Trade

Urban Adventures – Fishing for Alligators in the Sewers of New York City

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. I’ve been fortunate in having had many adventures with reptiles. Some took place in the exotic locales I dreamed of visiting as a child, but one of my first was situated in far less promising surroundings – the sewers below the Bronx, in NYC! The Legend I grew up hearing tales of huge [...]

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Urban Adventures – Fishing for Alligators in the Sewers of New York City

Breeding the Great Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus – Part 1

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Few amphibians exhibit a more dramatic change in appearance than male Crested Newts in breeding condition. It really is something to see and, fortunately, breeding this species is actually quite feasible. Breeding the crested newt in captivity also has great conservation value, as this species is in decline throughout Europe. Furthermore, [...]

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Breeding the Great Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus – Part 1

Millipede Diets – Feeding the Giant African Millipede and its Relatives – Part 2

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. In Part I of this article we looked at the importance of calcium, leaf litter and decaying wood in the diet of the African giant millipede (Achispirospreptus gigas) and its relatives. Research Needed Few field studies have been made of millipedes in the wild, and we therefore know little about their exact nutritional [...]

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Millipede Diets – Feeding the Giant African Millipede and its Relatives – Part 2

The Crocodile Monitor Lizard – Reality and Legend

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Despite - or perhaps because of - its immense size, impressive armament of teeth and scarcity, the spectacular Crocodile Monitor Lizard (Varanus salvadorii) is often considered the crown jewel of private and public monitor collections. I became acquainted with these formidable giants when they were first imported into the USA, and have [...]

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The Crocodile Monitor Lizard – Reality and Legend