Turtle Tea with TTPG

In this episode of Turtle Tea, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Monk Yun Rou, author of Turtle Planet, ordained Taoist monk, kung fu master, and lifelong turtle keeper. Monk Yun Rou shares a deep perspective on how ancient Daoist philosophy intersects with nature observation, animal sentience, and the urgent need to protect threatened chelonian species. Yun Rou opens up about his lifelong passion...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , host Wendy Montroy welcomes back expert breeder Ralph Till to dive into the specifics of breeding the Spider Tortoise ( Pyxis arachnoides ). They cover breeding group ratios, managing egg diapause, incubation parameters, and successful hatchling care strategies to support species conservation. Key Topics Covered in This Episode: - Why Spider Tortoises shou...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy welcomes back veteran tortoise breeder Ralph Till for an in-depth look at one of the world's most unique and small tortoise species: the Spider Tortoise ( Pyxis arachnoides ).Native to the arid coastal scrublands of southwest Madagascar, spider tortoises face severe threats in the wild, like slash-and-burn charcoal production, making...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , host Wendy Montroy sits down with Katie Bradley from Mossy Tortoise to discuss breeding Russian tortoises in human care. Katie brings 13 years of experience and two generations of captive-bred offspring to break down the full lifecycle of breeding, from housing and courtship to incubation and raising healthy hatchlings. Russian tortoises are no longer bein...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Russian tortoise breeder and expert Katie Bradley (@mossytortoise). With over 18 years of experience keeping and breeding Testudo horsfieldii, Katie shares her deep knowledge on Russian tortoise care, natural history, genetic testing, outdoor vs. indoor habitat setup, diet, and safe fridge brumation. Whether you are a begin...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , host Wendy Montroy welcomes experienced chelonian keeper Paul Rattay for an in-depth conversation on breeding and caring for the Radiated Tortoise ( Astrochelys radiata ).While Radiated Tortoises are widely considered one of the most striking and desirable species in human care, successfully reproducing them requires immense patience, precise environmental...

In this episode of the Turtle Tea podcast, host Wendy chats with Steve Enders, founder and executive director of The Turtle Room. Steve shares how a passion for private turtle keeping expanded into field research, species conservation, educational content, and digital data management. Discover how collaboration between private keepers, zoos, and conservation groups can help secure the future of en...

Welcome back to Turtle Tea with TTPG! Today's episode kicks off a special installment in our series, For the Love of Turtles, celebrating the dedication, accomplishments, and real-world impact of our members in turtle and tortoise preservation. Host Wendy Montroy sits down with lifetime TTPG member Ralph Till, one of the founders of the Kleinmanni Assurance Project (KAP). Testudo kleinmanni, t...

Ask any tortoise keeper what their dream species is - and chances are their answer will be "Radiated Tortoises". In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with longtime keeper and recent breeder Paul Rattay to talk about Astrochelys radiata, one of the most strikingly patterned and critically endangered tortoises on the planet. Paul got his start with Radiated...

What happens when a self-proclaimed "cuddly cat person" marries a dedicated reptile keeper? In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , host Wendy Montroy explores the human side of the chelonian community with guest Tara Troxell from Arctic Reptile Ranch. Tara shares her fascinating journey from being an anxious snake-sitter to a highly intuitive, primary tortoise caretaker. From navigating extreme...

Welcome back to Turtle Tea with TTPG - the definitive Turtle and Tortoise Podcast! In this episode, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Chris Leone of Garden State Tortoise to do a deep dive into the complex and often confusing world of Mediterranean tortoises. Chris shares the incredible personal story that sparked his lifelong obsession with the Testudo genus, involving a 1990s flight from Italy a...

Are leopard tortoises one of the world's worst pet tortoises? Or are they just deeply misunderstood, notoriously sensitive giants? In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with dedicated keeper and breeder Cliff Graham-Lee (Pink Tortz) to unlock the mysteries behind Stigmochelys pardalis . From navigating the confusing genetic mix of South African versus East African l...

In this follow-up episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , Wendy Montroy and Anthony Pierlioni move from basic care into the specialized world of breeding McCord’s Box Turtles. This conversation goes beyond simple husbandry to explore the evolving mindset of the modern keeper and the critical role the private sector plays in keeping this species from vanishing forever. Anthony reflects on his personal jo...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , Wendy sits down with Anthony Pierlioni of Just Turtles and The Turtle Room to discuss one of the most enigmatic and charismatic species in the hobby: McCord’s Box Turtle ( Cuora mccordi ) . Once so common in their native range that they were reportedly "more numerous than rocks," these stunning yellow-headed turtles haven't been seen in the w...

"There will be some bloodshed." Think tortoise breeding is all slow-motion romance? Think again. Forsten’s Tortoises are vocal, violent, and incredibly picky about who they date."Wendy Montroy sits down with breeder Stephen Sifuentes to pull back the curtain on one of the most aggressive yet rewarding species in the hobby. From the high-stakes "supervised dating" required...

They are violent, they are beautiful, and they will absolutely bite your toes if you’re not wearing shoes. In this episode, we dive into the intense world of Forsten’s tortoises. In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , we go deep into the world of the Forsten’s Tortoise ( Indotestudo forstenii ). Host Wendy Montroy sits down with species specialist Stephen Sifuentes to discuss the highs, lows, a...

Join us for International Turtle and Tortoise Week™ (ITTW) , April 20-24 2026! Host Wendy Montroy welcomes TTPG founder Russ Gurley and Ashley Rademacher, the Director of Animal Care and Education at Zoo Med Labs, Inc. ITTW provides FREE educational packets to thousands of students across fifteen countries. Educators of all types, homeschoolers, teachers, 4H groups, or after school clubs can regis...

In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , Wendy Montroy and Cameron Lamb discuss the practicalities of breeding and raising Three-toed Box Turtles. Cameron explains his preference for starting with hatchlings to better understand the natural history and care of the species before moving into breeding and producing offspring. The conversation covers the entire lifecycle, from the spring breeding se...

Ever wondered why a Three-toed Box Turtle might actually have four? Wendy Montroy and Cameron Lamb dive into the quirks and care of these favorites. In this installment of Turtle Tea , host Wendy Montroy sits down with TTPG board member Cameron Lamb to explore the fascinating world of the Three-toed Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis). This episode is a special part of Podcasthon , an initia...

Unlock the secrets of breeding Bog Turtles as we break down everything from egg laying to hatchling care. In this episode, Wendy chats with Raul Gonzalez about the challenges and rewards of working with one of North America’s rarest and most coveted turtle species. Raul pulls back the curtain on his breeding program, sharing everything from the subtle signs of nesting to the critical "penny-s...

Tiny, elusive, and fighting for survival - Bog Turtles are one of North America’s most endangered reptiles. In this episode, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Raul Gonzalez to explore the fascinating and often stressful reality of working with bog turtles ( Glyptemys muhlenbergii ), a species few people ever encounter, let alone care for. Raul shares his unexpected journey into bog turtle keeping,...

Flippers, snouts, and a reputation as the “holy grail” of turtles - Fly River Turtles are unlike anything else in herpetoculture. In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG , host Wendy Montroy sits down with longtime keeper Raul Gonzalez to explore the fascinating world of the Fly River Turtle, also known as the Pig-Nosed Turtle ( Carettochelys insculpta ). Raul shares how childhood dreams turned in...

Breeding padlopers isn’t optional - it’s essential. In this episode, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Dirk Barnard to unpack what it really takes to breed parrot beak tortoises successfully. Founder of Tortoise Conservation South Africa and a keynote speaker at the 2025 TTPG Conference , Dirk shares hard-won insights into why captive breeding is now inseparable from the survival of the common pad...

Host Wendy Montroy welcomes Dirk Barnard , founder of Tortoise Conservation South Africa and a keynote speaker at the TTPG Conference, for a fascinating deep dive into one of the world’s smallest and most misunderstood tortoises: the common padloper (Homopus aureolatus) . In this episode, Dirk shares the personal journey that led him into tortoise conservation, beginning with a childhood encounter...

Join us as we talk to Jason and Tara Troxell of Arctic Reptile Ranch about life with Galapagos tortoises. We'll talk about how they ended up on the islands to begin with (hint, it's not island gigantism!) and earned the nickname "Galap-holes". We go beyond the standard nature documentary fare to dig into what life with these magnificent animals is truly like. It’s a story that begins in an unlikel...