Keeping the herd in good shape! Box turtles are very competitive eaters so four or five plates are necessary between all of them. Lots of visual barriers in here too! They have an outdoor pen (and more in the works) but spend most of their time right now in Blue’s tent. So... here’s a much better look at the state of the tent also. Works great, not once has he given them any trouble, and they get some of the best artificial sunlight money can buy (450 total watts of coral-worthy metal halide lighting). Both they and Blue get much more active when the lights are on and the tent keeps everything hot and humid.
Tortoise smorgasbord – collard greens, spring mix, strawberry, blueberry, mango. Plus some shrimp I fed the redfoots separately.
Leave it to a sulcata to make herself comfortable right in the middle of the food!
Very important video, you gotta turn the sound on for this one. My babies are aspiring percussionists, I’m encouraging their interest. Maybe one day they’ll start a band
Hey guys I’m not dead, just been working on my projects in the background and taking some time for myself. Everything is on the up and up over here right now. Here’s some tegu bonding from a few days ago
Baby tortoise brigade
Left to right: cherryhead, redfoot, sulcata
Enjoying a lunch of collard greens, spring mix, mango, blueberries, and shrimp
Guess who I just filmed an update on... can you believe this is the same snake..? Or that she’s responsible for very quickly tipping me over 100k subscribers?? You’ll meet her again on Valentine’s Day!
Isthmura bellii feeding on Porcellio “Sevilla”
Plethodon albagula feeding on Porcellio laevis
So... how’s this for a new addition? Isthmura bellii, Bell’s false brook salamanders. These are a pretty strong contender for “coolest thing ever.” You can meet these two in-length, learn about some of their incredible adaptations, as well as their imperiled status in the wild, right now at YouTube.com/c/AfroHerpkeeper! This makes for four salamander species in my care – hopefully if I put enough effort in breeding them won’t be impossible.
(It’s always advisable to wet your hands before handling small amphibians to prevent seepage of harmful oils from your skin into theirs)
CATFISH BATTLE!
If I remember right the Amazon basin has more freshwater fish diversity than anywhere else on Earth – this is reflected perfectly in the incredible array of catfishes that dwell there. For most species, collection for the aquarium trade is controlled and sustainable – habitat loss is the single greatest threat to Amazonian life. This is my banjo cat and Colombian zebra pleco duking it out over some pellets. Brief appearances by one of my bandit Corydoras and a ghost shrimp.
Baby fishscale gecko keeping those toes nice and clean
Possibly the cutest shot I’ve ever filmed
Making an attempt to get him used to being touched... he’s making an attempt to be intimidating. I don’t think it’s working! I sure don’t want to know what his venom feels like in my bloodstream but so far he’s all bluff. Please note that my fingers are never positioned in front of his biters. He does have a belly full of pinkie mice so I don’t think he has much to complain about.
Mexican beaded lizard, Heloderma horridum horridum
(Same genus but not a Gila monster)
Adorable or terrifying? My baby sulcata demolishes a selection of fresh-picked clovers
2018 was incredibly wet in my part of the world and life has flourished because of it – the unusual amount of moisture seems to be responsible for a bumper crop of western slimy salamanders! They’re turning up in places I’ve never seen them before, it’s pretty impressive. I’ve filmed a couple herping videos in the last few days featuring them and some other moisture-loving animals that are thriving right now. The first, featuring Jack Schonhoff, will be out soon!
I swear I have enough animals already and really don’t mean to keep acquiring new ones... but I keep getting offers I really can’t refuse! It goes against my whole being to turn down something this cool. Please say hi to my fourth venomous reptile, a juvenile Mexican beaded lizard (Gila monster’s south-of-the-border cousin), Heloderma horridum horridum. This feisty little guy could live to be 50+ years of age and has the potential to reach over 3’ in length. He belongs to the only genus of lizards capable of overt venom delivery, and while their bite is generally not going to affect an adult human in the long-term, it hurts like hell. The venom is coupled with a strong bite force and flesh-ripping teeth. I can choose to put my own fingers at risk, but needless to say I don’t recommend antagonizing them like this. I do hope to get him to the point where he doesn’t mind handling – using thick welding gloves with him for now. Excited to be in the Heloderma club!
He wants to be scary but he doesn’t even make noise yet...
My tank of a leopard gecko, nabbing a midnight snack in his 20 gallon naturalistic vivarium. The plants in there have never died, but they never seem to grow much either... Regardless this is one of my favorite setups. The middle of the night is the best time to watch him wander around.
And here’s the female Abronia mixteca (Puff) taking another dubia. They are perfect little dragon creatures. I could probably justify another few pairs... No rush. That wiggle she’s doing is an effort to blend into foliage swaying in the breeze – even though she’s never been exposed to any real weather before.
Alligator lizards are superb little hunters... Here’s my female Gerrhonotus infernalis taking a dubia nymph. Super chill! She’s a tiny armored monkey.
How to attract and maintain the attention of your tegu (Warning: gross dead rat sounds)
“Whisper” the crocodile monitor takes a mouse at the DFW Reptarium
This is why they’re called “Quakers” – sound on to hear my evil green chickens in all their glory
