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

Hundreds of amphibian species have been drive to extinction in recent years, and an estimated 30% of those remaining may soon follow.  Because most are difficult to find, herpetologists are now asking the public’s help in locating 100 species that are considered extinct but may still hold on in small numbers.

The recovery effort, launched this month (August, 2010) by Conservation International and the IUCN, spans the globe.  Even questionable sightings and photos are welcome –after all, a dog in Montana tipped researchers to the fact that the Black-Footed Ferret was not extinct (by killing one!), so you never know…

There is even a “10 Most Wanted List”, the members of which I’ll describe below. Read More »

I apologize for the awkward title, but try as I might this was the best I could do!  Today I’d like to propose a new use for the Penn Plax Turtle Pier, a wonderful product that was originally designed as a resting/basking area for turtles, newts and frogs. Read More »

An article in the August, 2010 issue of Zootaxa announces that a recently discovered frog is the smallest species in the Eastern Hemisphere.  Known only as Microhyla nepenthicola, the minute native of Borneo is barely the size of a green pea!  Interestingly, specimens have been in museum collections for over 100 years, but they were believed to be immature individuals of other species.

A Pitcher Plant Specialist

The tiny amphibian breeds in a unique habitat – the water contained in the base of pitcher plants.  Pitcher “ponds”, which serve to drown insects that are digested by the plants, support miniature ecosystems inhabited by insect larvae, snails, crabs, algae and other organisms.  Read More »

The African or Brown House Snake (Lamprophis fuliginosus) is a very reliable breeder when properly kept, and is an excellent choice for those new to reproducing egg-laying snakes in captivity.  What’s more, it is so gorgeous and variably-colored that many folks with long years of experience manage to find a place for a pair in their collections.

Range

Brown House Snakes may well be Africa’s most common and widespread serpents.  Their range encompasses a wide variety of habitats extending throughout almost all of West and Sub-Saharan Africa.  Read More »

As a herpetologist and New York City native, I’m thrilled by the prospect of finding wildlife, endangered or otherwise, within big cities.  I was, therefore, very happy to read about the recent discovery of a population of critically endangered salamanders (Mexican Axolotls, Ambystoma mexicanum) in the heart of one of the world’s most densely populated cities. Read More »