Animals at Home Network

Latest Episodes:

84: Keeping Meaningful Reptile Species | Ryan Dumas Apr 04, 2021

Show notes

Ryan Dumas is the Head Keeper of the Herpetology and Fish section at the Cincinnati Zoo and a long-time reptile keeper. In this episode, we discuss keeping reptile species that are meaningful to the keeper, life as a reptile zookeeper, and environmental enrichment. Ryan also breaks down an animal wellness rating system that allows keepers to perform an audit on their current setups to highlight which areas need improvement.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/84-ryan-dumas/

83: Re-Wilding Indigos & Snake Talk! | Dr. Chris Jenkins Mar 28, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Chris Jenkins is the CEO and founder of the Orianne Society and the host of the Snake Talk podcast. In this episode, Dr. Jenkins tells us why he decided to pursue a career in wildlife conservation, and why he started the Orianne Society. Dr. Jenkins walks us through the many conservation projects the Orianne Society is involved with including re-wilding Eastern Indigo snakes and we also discuss his excellent podcast, Snake Talk.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/83-dr-chris-jenkins/

3: Round Table | Self-Assessment for Choosing the Right Pet Reptile Mar 21, 2021

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Are you ready for a new reptile? In this episode, Lori of Behavior Education, Mariah from Reptifiles, and Tyson from Habitats at Home discuss key considerations for keepers to contemplate prior to bringing home a new reptile. This episode is perfect for both new and experienced keepers. We discuss mistakes we've made in the past and provide advice on how to keep reptiles successfully.

DOWNLOAD PDF: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/RoundTable3-PDF

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/rt-2/

82: What I Learned from Snakes in the Wild | Eric Burke Mar 14, 2021

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Eric Burke is the most recognizable voice in the reptile podcasting niche. Eric has been the host of Morelia Python Radio for nearly a decade and has recorded 100’s of episodes. In this episode, we chat about his early days keeping reptiles, why he started MPR, and how his hobby has evolved over time. We also discuss how a herping trip to Australia in 2018 caused Eric’s perspective to shift away from breeding and towards natural history and behavior.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/82-eric-burke/

81: Tips for Growing Plants in Reptile Vivaria | Nick Mark Mar 07, 2021

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Nick Mark aka Mr. Vivarium joins us on today's episode to discuss plants! Nick recommends plant species for both tropical and arid vivs, he lays out common mistakes made, how to quarantine and treat plants for pests, substrate mixes, and more! Nick also discusses a Central American Biotope that he has in the works as well as a new reptile-related business he is launching.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/81-nick-mark/

BONUS: Chatting with a New Reptile Keeper in the Age of YouTube | Roy Camacho Mar 04, 2021

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In the bonus episode, I chat with Roy Camacho who is both a new ball python keeper and a listener of the podcast. Roy tells us how he got into keeping ball pythons, and how YouTube has influenced his care.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/bonus-roy-camacho/

80: Ethically Importing Exotic Reptiles | Ashley Dezan Feb 28, 2021

Show notes

Ashley Dezan is the founder and owner of Northern Lights Reptile Imports. In this episode, Ashley tells us the story of how she started her business and gives us the “day-in-the-life” of a reptile importer. She also explains what CITES is, how it impacts herpetoculture, and what she has to do to ensure she complies with the regulations. We also discuss the ethics of importing WC reptiles.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/80-ashley-dezan/

Bonus: Patreon Announcement - What's Going to Change?? Feb 25, 2021

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I have finally finished creating my Patreon Page. In this short bonus episode of the podcast, I briefly lay out who the Patreon page will work and what that means for the future of the podcast!

JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathome

79: When to Take Your Reptile to the Vet | Dr. Tariq Abou-Zahr MRCVS Feb 21, 2021

Show notes

Dr. Tariq Abou-Zahr MRCVS is an exotic vet and long-time reptile keeper out of the UK. In this episode, we discuss when our reptiles should be taken to the clinic, how often they should have health check-ups and common health issues seen in herpetoculture. We also chat about Tariq's collection, breeding projects, as well as his opinion on minimum snake enclosure size and morphs.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/79-dr-tariq-abou-zahr/

78: Using Natural History for Enclosure Design | Habitats at Home Feb 14, 2021

Show notes

Tyson is the creator of the popular Instagram account @Doc.Merten and the owner of the custom reptile enclosure business, Habitats at Home. In this episode, we discuss Tyson's history with reptiles and enclosure construction, how to use natural history as a framework for enclosure design, and current issues with the way herpetoculture approaches bioactivity.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/78-habitats-at-home/