AmphibiCast

Building a custom background for your vivarium is both challenging and rewarding. In this episode I discuss some of the pros and cons unique to some of the different materials used to build custom backgrounds in our vivariums.  For listener discounts on In Situ Vivariums visit : https://insituecosystems.com?ref=amphibicast

In tonight's episode I am joined by world renowned dart frog expert Dr. Juan Santos of the Santos Lab at Saint Johns University. We discuss everything from taxonomy, toxins, wild diet, and the effects of climate change on dart frogs. If you have ever wanted to learn everything you can about wild dart frogs -this is the episode for you!  This episode is packed with information and is definitel...

This episode is Part 2 of a short series focusing on vivarium plants. In this episode I am joined once again by Zach of Equatorial Ecosystems and we talk about the Marcgravia genus.  Marcgravia species have  been highly sought after for their unique shingling growth as well as their ability to add depth and texture to vivarium hardscapes. We discuss how the genus entered the hobby, how to care for...

Tonight's episode is part one of a short series focusing on vivarium plants. I am joined by Zach Goodnow of Equatorial Ecosystems and we talk about plants in the Araceae Family, commonly known as "Aroids." Aroids have been popular vivarium plants  for a long time, and as new and rarer species are becoming  more readily available, many of us have decided to take a plunge deeper into...

Tonight I am joined by Anthony Pierlioni. Anthony is the Senior Director / Vice President of Theturtleroom.org and he also hosts two podcasts which include "The Pondcast" and "Turtley Devoted."  Anthony has worked with turtles for years in many different capacities, and in this episode we talk about good husbandry practices, his career with VCA Animal Hospitals, turtles managem...

Tonight I am joined once again by Jay Sommers of Sandfire Dragon Ranch.  Jay has bred everything from rare exotic newts such as neurergus kaiseri to hobby staples like whites tree frogs He has three decades of experience in the herp industry and in this episode he shares some of his thoughts on the amphibian business, dealing with difficult customers, and how important it is for new keepers to do...

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending American Frog Day 2021. In this episode I run down some of the highlights of the day, and I share what I took from the ideas and issues presented in the evening's lectures.  Please consider supporting conservation and sustainable biocommerce by visiting the links below: https://www.tesorosdecolombia.com/ https://www.evaccfoundation.org/index.php/en...

A few decades ago, the idea of using cryopreserved genetic material to bring  back extinct or endangered species laid only in the realm of science fiction.  Although we  are not quite at that point today, science has still brought us much closer. In tonight's episode I am joined by Dr. Michael Mahony of  Australia's University of Newcastle. We discuss his research into cryopreservation a...

Tonight I am joined once again by Julio Rodriguez. We talk about what's new from Tesoros, the ins and outs of importing dart frogs, and of course what we can expect from American Frog Day 2021! This Year's American Frog Day takes place on October 16th 2021 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown New York. For more information or to purchase tickets visit americanfrogday.com and follow J...

Tonight my guest is Audrey -Owner and Operator of Urban Amphibia and we talk about how she started her own business, what it's like working expos, her experience in the field of wildlife and fisheries science, and of course her long tenure in the amphibian industry. Audrey also has a rising Youtube channel, Audreys Urban Exotics,  featuring some of her vivarium builds.  Follow Audrey on Insta...

In this episode, I am joined once again by Travis of TCS Dart Frogs. We talk about some of his new dart projects, his experiences with both vivarium and aquarium builds, how to deal with plant pests and his new venture into captive breeding Halloween Crabs! If you'd like to support the show visit: https://www.patreon.com/Amphibicast

In episode 56. I sat down with Dr. Caroline Lotter and we discussed the life history of Pixie Frogs. However, since the majority of Caroline's work focuses on bats, I thought it would be interesting to do a short bonus episode dedicated to her work with bats.  We also discuss Jane Goodall, and how meeting her helped influence Dr. Lotter's career.  If  you'd like to support the show:...

Have you ever been interested in how Pixie frogs (pyxicephalus adspersus) live in the wild? In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Caroline Lotter of Inkululeko Wildlife Service in South Africa and we talk about the unique lifestyle and conflicts that pixies face in the wild.  There is more to pixies than just their voracious appetites! For more information visit: https:/www.iws-sa.co.za/

In this Episode I sit down with Nick Gamble of the Cleveland Frog Company. Nick has worked with the Ameerega and Allobates genera for years and he is one of the few  people working with them in the US. We talk about Nick's work with uncommon genera, the importance of seasonal cycling, ethical breeding, and what the future holds for uncommon genera in the future. 

In tonight's episode I am joined by Dr. Matt Gray.  Dr. Gray  is Associate Director of the UTIA Center for Wildlife Health and has dedicated years of his career to the study of amphibian diseases such as ranavirus and chytrid (Bd and Bsal). In this episode we discuss both diseases, and some of the dynamics behind mass die offs. Dr. Gray is also an avid supporter of a clean amphibian trade and...

In this episode  I run down the basic elements essential to a successful vivarium build. This episode is perfect for beginners attempting their first build and contains the steps, materials, methods and theories behind a typical dart frog vivarium build. For listener discounts on In Situ Vivariums visit : https://insituecosystems.com?ref=amphibicast

In tonight's episode, I run down the top 10  myths behind dart frogs and how they are kept. 

In this episode I am joined once again by Troy Goldberg. We talk about how his collection has changed in the past year and how he built his massive 300 gallon paludarium.  We also discuss some of his new plant preferences,  the use of alternate substrates, and how to deal with criticism within the hobby. For listener discounts on In Situ Vivariums visit : https://insituecosystems.com?ref=amphibica...

Tonight I am joined by photographer Zac Herr, known on Instagram as IAMMAKINGART. We talk about photography techniques, equipment, and the elements that are essential to a good photograph. We also touch on some of Zac's more memorable photoshoots, how his photos were picked up by National Geographic and  his personal experiences keeping dart frogs. 

In this episode I am once again joined by Alex Menke of Frog Daddy and we discuss the ins and outs of operating a dart frog business. We touch on the challenges of opening a brick and mortar store,  managing a business during Covid, and the importance of good employees. Alex and I also discuss some of the new projects that  FrogDaddy is engaged in, along with many of the new species and locales th...

Tonight my guest is Jack Schulhoff of Jack's World of Wildlife. Jack has a successful YouTube channel where he observes and interacts with various forms of wildlife across the globe, and he is also an avid dart frog enthusiast! In this episode we discuss life as a wildlife documentary presenter, the legacy of Steve Irwin, and how Jack maintains his private collection of dozens of Oophaga spec...

Tonight I am joined by Dr. Taegan McMahon. Taegan is a Disease Ecologist and she has studied Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) (commonly known as chytrid) quite extensively. In this episode we discuss the lifecycle of the fungus, how it is spread and what the future holds.  We also  discuss the surprising role that non amphibian hosts, such as crayfish and birds have in spreading Bd and how a  p...

There are many available options for housing amphibians in captivity these days. But how do we know which one is the best? Well, the answer isn't always straight forward, and different setups suit certain situations better than others. In this episode I provide a quick rundown of some common enclosure types along with the pros and cons of each. 

In tonight's episode I sit down with fellow podcaster Dillon Perron of The Animals at Home Network and we discuss the concepts behind high level keeping. As the amphibian and reptile hobbies have grown over the past few decades, our attitudes towards keeping have advanced as well. It is now common practice to house animals in more naturalistic enclosures, replicate their normal lifecycles wit...

Many of us are aware of global amphibian decline on some level.  But have you ever wanted to know about the real  causes behind it? -If so, this is the episode you have been waiting for! Tonight I am joined by Dr. Jacob Kerby. Dr. Kerby is  Associate Chair of Biology at the University of South Dakota and he is also a leading expert on global amphibian decline. In this episode we talk about everyth...