Animals at Home Network

Thomas Marriott, General Manager of Exotics Keeper breaks down what he observed during his second trip to New Caledonia — this time during the dry season. Many keepers picture New Caledonia as consistently humid and tropical year-round, but Thomas shares the surprising environmental shifts that occur during the dry season and how those shifts directly impact wild Crested Gecko behavior and habitat use. Thomas also shares insights from a recent stint in Australia studying wild Bearded Dragon habitats and how field data can challenge some of the assumptions we make in captivity. If you care about aligning captive care more closely with natural history, this episode is packed with practical takeaways.SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/245-exotic-keeper/SPONSORS: Visit The BioDude: https://www.thebiodude.com/ Visit Zoo Med Labs here: https://zoomed.com/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:https://exoticskeeper.com/https://www.instagram.com/exoticskeeper/Photos and Video in Episode:Provided by Thomas Marriott0:00 Intro2:49 Welcome Thomas - New Caladonia Overview15:05 Crested Gecko Behavior in Dry Season19:25 How to Replicate Crested Gecko Habitat21:47 Wild Crested Gecko Diet (wet vs dry season)25:27 Zoo Med Creatures Roly-Poly Kit26:40 Why Crested Geckos do well in Captivity36:34 Environmental Readings - When are Crested Geckos Active in the Wild?38:11 Replicating Environmental Cues 42:30 Other Species found on New Caladonia 55:36 BioDude TerraFanua Substrate56:38 Bearded Dragons in the Wild - impaction & body condition1:17:40 Leopard Geckos - the plan to find wild specimens 1:21:55 Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Projet: Herpetoculture, Phil speaks with Tyler France of the Chameleon Collective. Don't miss it!

Josue Gimbernard of miniBIOTA discusses his various tank builds that links with each other, interconnecting energy, water, and nutrients that circulate on their own. We also talk about the story of how he got started into this project and the inspiration behind the different ecosystems. Josue goes into detail on his miniBiota tanks including the Freshwater Lake, The Shoreline, The Coastal, and The Seagrass Meadow Biomes, including their atmospheres, reservoirs, balance in moisture, and temperature/humidity setups. These tanks are incredibly in-depth and detailed in their construction to be as close to outdoor nature as possible and is an episode to tune into if you’re curious about the science behind an ecosystem like these!SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/244-minibiota/SPONSORS: Visit The BioDude: https://www.thebiodude.com/ Visit Zoo Med Labs here: https://zoomed.com/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:MiniBiota Website: https://www.minibiota.com/MiniBiota YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@minibiota MiniBiota Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minibiotaMiniBiota Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miniBIOTAPhotos and Video in Episode:MiniBiota YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@miniBIOTA⁩  We Discuss:0:00 Introducing Josue Gimberard of MiniBiota1:05 Coming Up: The Bio Dude1:41 Coming Up: Zoo Med2:01 Welcome Josue + His Career Path7:11 Josue’s Motivations for His Enclosures10:52 Layout and Components of Josue’s Tanks14:59 Replicating Ecosystems16:28 Atmosphere + Reservoir Constructions in the Tanks21:30 Size of Atmosphere Thoughts23:18 Cooling or Heating the Atmosphere29:33 Creating The Rain Effect32:23 Avoiding Slime Bacteria33:29 The Bio Dude Substrates + Bug Grub34:30 The Lake Biome43:18 The Shoreline Biome49:30 Balance in Moisture for Terrestrial Biomes51:31 Soil Depth in Grassland + The Mangrove Forest Biome59:52 Managing Temperature/Humidity Probes1:09:48 Potential Salt Problems + Salt Obstacle Course Plans1:15:22 The Coastal Biome1:19:13 The Seagrass Meadow Biome1:23:59 Risk of Salinity Problems + Maintaining Balance1:25:55 Lighting Systems + Future Lighting Plans1:30:56 Will The Tanks Ever Be “Finished”?1:35:15 Zoo Med Jumping Spider Kit1:36:21 Inspirations + Mental Load of Josue’s Projects1:45:39 3D Printing Uses1:50:13 Closing Thoughts

In this episode, I’m joined by Mariah Healey from ReptiFiles to break down how to properly calculate reptile enclosure size, and we also discuss how to provide proper heating for your reptiles. We discuss how to move beyond outdated “minimums,” focusing instead on usable space, thermal gradients, and species-appropriate behavior. Topics include:How to calculate the minimum enclosure sizeWhy enclosure dimensions matter for heat gradientsCommon heating and enclosure mistakesHow size impacts thermoregulation and welfare🎧 Listen to the full episode on YouTube, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/243-reptifiles/SPONSORS: Visit The BioDude: https://www.thebiodude.com/ Visit Zoo Med Labs here: https://zoomed.com/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:https://reptifiles.com/https://www.instagram.com/reptifiles/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/reptifiles/https://www.youtube.com/@UCwWGfVChrix8yuL0BmMjxSw Photos and Video in Episode:https://www.instagram.com/reptifiles/?hl=en0:00 Intro2:50 Welcome Mariah8:46 Reptile Room Update22:58 ReptiFiles - What is it? & Update34:53 Zoo Med - Jumping Spider Kit36:00 Where next for ReptiFiles?1:01:51 Calculating Reptile Minimum Enclosure Size1:54:40 Reptile Heating - How to heat a reptile tank?2:27:23 Best Reptile Basking Surface?2:47:40 Creating a perfect warm hide2:51:27 Closing Thoughts

Indo joins in this episode to talk all about his various species of crustaceans, including the incredibly interesting Coconut Crab species. Indo dives into al of the care requirements on Coconut Crabs and Vampire Crabs specifically, while also talking about naturalistic enclosures, cohabitation, and various diet needs of crustaceans. We also discuss Indo’s upcoming plans to begin breeding Coconut Crabs, something that nobody thus far has been able to do in captivity. He shares details of his extensive knowledge of the breeding process, the various growth stages of crustaceans, and how he plans on replicating the ocean in order for the breeding project to succeed. SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/242-coconut-crabs/SPONSORS: Visit The BioDude: https://www.thebiodude.com/ Visit Zoo Med Labs here: https://zoomed.com/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Indo’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indo_and_plantsIndo’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/@indoplants704000:00 Introducing Indo1:23 Coming Up: The Bio Dude1:58 Coming Up: Zoo Med Jumping Spider Kit2:19 Welcome Indo + Starting Out With Exotic Animals and Crabs6:46 Animal Keeping Community in Italy19:19 What Indo Is Keeping Currently12:45 Indo’s Passion for Crustaceans 15:00 Recommended and Types of Crab Species17:00 Basic Vampire Crab Care Requirements19:10 Scavenger Crabs + Naturalistic Enclosures22:00 Terrestrial Crabs and Water Needs23:27 Cohabitation With Other Crabs or Species24:30 The Bio Dude Substrates + Bug Grub25:31 Discovering Coconut Crabs31:07 What Is A Coconut Crab?34:59 Keeping Coconut Crabs41:45 Enclosure Needs For Adults + More Care Requirements46:13 Coconut Crab Diets47:53 Zoo Med Jumping Spider Kit48:58 Breeding Coconut Crabs1:02:18 Replicating Flow of The Ocean + Filters1:05:08 Growing Phases1:07:27 Indo’s Future Plans for Breeding Crabs1:12:13 Future Projects + Closing Thoughts

Dr. A. Z. Andis Arietta is a scientist whose work spans the intersection of AI, conservation, and herpetoculture (azandisresearch.com). He earned his PhD from Yale School of the Environment, where his research areas included ecological genomics, amphibian ecophysiology and development, and the ethics of conservation. That scientific and philosophical grounding now informs how he thinks about evidence-based animal care, conservation policy, and the impacts of data infrastructure.Professionally, Andis is a Senior Data Scientist working in machine learning, causal inference, and applied AI. He also teaches graduate courses on Practical AI, research methods, and data visualization, with an emphasis on application in the environmental field.Andis is an active herpetoculturist who runs Holotypica (holotypica.com), a small husbandry-focused venture centered on ethically bred amphibians and reptiles, primarily focused on dart frogs and emerald tree skinks. His work in the hobby prioritizes animal welfare, transparent methods, and helping keepers succeed through education and evidence-based guidance.Across all of his work, Andis is interested in how AI can support conservation and environmental outcomes, including improving decision systems, extracting insight from unstructured data, and strengthening science communication, while remaining clear-eyed about the limitations and risks of these tools.

Rain joins me to dive deep into one of the most unique reptile projects you’ll ever hear about — keeping snail-eating snakes and the unexpected adventure that came with it. We discuss everything from how to care for snail-eating snakes, their specialized diet, and how to breed and collect snails as feeders… all the way to the hilarious twist that turned Rain into one of eBay’s top snail sellers. SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/241-snail-eaters/SPONSORS: Visit Fauna-Lux Here: https://fauna-lux.com/Visit The BioDude: https://www.thebiodude.com/ JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomePhotos and Video in Episode:Provided by Rain0:00 Intro1:48 Welcome Rain, Discovering Snail-Eaters14:35 Starting with the Snails16:45 TrueChroma by Fauna Lux18:20 Finding Wild Snails23:20 Buying & Selling Snails on eBay31:28 Parasites on Snails & Snail Worms33:25 Selling & Collecting Millipedes 36:08 How Many Snails each Snail-eater needs43:25 BioDude44:26 Raising Snails vs Raising Crickets47:34 The Benefits of Keeping & Breeding Snails55:53 The Species of Snail-Eaters Rain Keeps & Their Characteristics 1:14:54 How they eat1:28:56 A look at Rain's Snail-Eaters1:46:37 What size snail to feed?1:48:56 Feeder variety?1:51:50 Structure for Captive Keeping1:56:28 Setting up the Snail Tubs & Feeding2:02:38 Semi-Slugs2:06:28 Closing Thoughts

Phil has a conversation with Nick Sloan, owner of Sloan's Reptiles and the All American Plant and Reptile Expo. Great conversation!

Phil interivews the legendary Randy Gray. This is one you wont want to miss!

Greg Bartucca of The Reptile Studio discusses the dedicated room in his house for his Carpet Python, Daria, as well as all of the ins and outs surrounding how he made the room work. Greg dives into topics surrounding proper husbandry of snakes, offering them more space and enrichment opportunities, and his overall thoughts about advancing basic reptile care. Greg talks about how he “snake-proofed” the room, ensuring that Daria does not injure herself while free-roaming the room, as well as tidbits about surveillance, lighting setups, and tips for digestion. We also discuss in-depth about Greg’s recent mite problem in his reptile room and the very interesting method for combating it.SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/240-reptile-studio/SPONSORS:Visit Fauna-Lux Here: https://fauna-lux.com/Visit The BioDude: https://www.thebiodude.com/ JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Link to Snake Mite Info: https://tomaskas.co.uk/snakemitetreatment/Greg’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereptilestudiohttps://www.youtube.com/@UCbckZXUp2OXClUHEI1_l5rA Photos and Video in Episode:Provided by Greg0:00 Introducing Greg Bartucca 1:55 The Bio Dude2:30 Welcome Greg + Getting Into The Hobby6:16 Greg’s Species Currently7:31 All About The Snake Room + Snake Proofing15:50 Daria’s Behavior + Eating Habits19:24 Dealing With Snake Poop21:10 Digestion After Feeding22:56 Losing Daria in The Room?25:31 True Chroma by Faunalux27:05 Surveillance For The Room28:08 Recommendations For Replication of Free Range Snakes36:14 The Bio Dude Substrates + Bug Grub37:15 All About Greg’s Mite Problem57:06 Enclosure Inspiration For His Other Reptiles1:01:00 Enrichment Talks in Round Table Episode1:05:00 Closing Thoughts

In this episode, I break down the spiciest debates in the reptile-keeping world — the topics that always light up comment sections and split the hobby right down the middle.We dig into:Rack & tub keeping — outdated or perfectly functional?“Old school” husbandry advice — why some keepers are still spreading bad info.Morph breeding — ethical concerns, genetic bottlenecks, and what the future looks like.Venomous and giant species — who should be keeping them (if anyone)?…and several more hot-button issues that the reptile community can’t stop arguing about.Whether you’re a keeper, breeder, or brand-new hobbyist, this video will challenge the norms and get you thinking about where our community is headed.👇 Comment your most controversial reptile opinion — I might feature it in a future video!👍 Like the video to support the channel🔔 Subscribe for more deep-dives on reptile care, ethics, and conservation#Reptiles #ControversialOpinions #Herpetology #ReptileKeeping #AnimalsAtHomeJOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:https://youtu.be/7b5QAkPq80c?si=zBWZ8eMv3Fw7xPrQhttps://www.instagram.com/neversvn/https://www.instagram.com/aridsonly/https://www.instagram.com/thereptilestudio_/https://www.instagram.com/gekkotaculture/0:00 Intro00:37 Don't Dim Heat Lamps2:05 The OG's are ruining the hobby3:34 Not all racks are bad4:37 No Co-habbing5:48 Most keepers lose interest7:36 It's not possible to keep ethically 9:17 No need for new species10:49 "free rehomes"12:25 Venomous and XL species should be banned13:58 There is no one way to keep a species15:26 Almost all care info is parroted without knowledge 17:46 Reptile Licenses 18:56 Captive Conservation is a Scam20:49 Vertical Branches21:39 Tubs mean you don't care23:22 Most breeders are bad24:25 Nobody respects life25:34 If you don't love the wild-type, you don't love the animal27:08 Lack of Height Causes obesity 29:26 It's a Privilege, not a Right30:12 Baby Snakes don't need tubs

A bonus PH episode. I sat down with the fellas at Reptile Rejects to have a conversation. Hope yall enjoy!

A Deep dive on Uromastyx. Phil covers as much as possible in this special episode. Natural History, Care, Breeding, Listener questions, Species specifics, Morphs and the Future, and more!

This episode of PH is a little different, Phil is the interviewee in this plot twist. Talia K. interviewed Phil for her research and agreed to share the interview here. Her questions were very good!

In this episode I have a fun and wide ranging conversation with Dan the host of Amphibicast. He's an OG in Herp Podcasting and is a great guy with interesting ideas! Enjoy!

Phil was a guest on Trap Talk, he and MJ discuss a great deal!

Phillip Lietz of Arids Only and Project Herpetoculture discusses a wide scope of topics regarding the reptile keeping hobby, from the species of reptile that he breeds, domestication of reptiles, a little about aquaculture, and some double standards you see in various pet keeping communities. Phil talks about some of the science revolving around domestication of various reptile species, the advances that we would like to see regarding lighting, and some details of how invasive/native species interact in our world. Philip offers extremely well-thought out viewpoints on herpetoculture that every reptile keeper should keep in mind as we all progress in our hobby.SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/239-phil-lietz/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Arids Only IG: https://www.instagram.com/aridsonly/Arids Only FB: https://www.facebook.com/aridsonly/Arids Only Website: http://www.aridsonly.com/Philip’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/plietz/Project Herpetoculture YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0UCdymrooiNVloQlxrW1FAProject Herpetoculture IG: https://www.instagram.com/projectherpetoculture/0:00 Introducing Phillip Lietz of Arids Only2:23 True Fauna by Faunalux3:24 Welcome Philip + Moving Updates With Arids Only13:37 New Projects and Species17:33 All About The Chuckwalla23:04 Thoughts on Herpetoculture + Reptile Keeping36:18 Domestication Of Reptiles + The Future44:50 Aquaculture vs Herpetoculture45:07 Animals At Home Patreon45:27 Aquaculture vs Herpetoculture49:43 The Link Between Animals + Parenting53:47 Double Standards in Reptiles vs Dogs/Cats59:25 The Criminal Behavior in The Hobby1:04:57 Discussion on Native Species + Advances in Science1:15:05 History of Feeder Insects + Bees in Herpetoculture1:26:50 Herpetoculture Consulting1:32:04 Closing Thoughts

Phil re-launches PH with a conversation with Ron St. Pierre!Please like, subscribe, and share this episode, if you feel so inclined. To offer direct support to the show with a tip or donation, consider subscribing to our Patreon (⁠https://patreon.com/projectherpetoculture⁠) and have a look at our generous sponsors at the affiliate links below!SHOW NOTES: ⁠https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/69-ron-st-pierre/⁠LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:FairyTail Dragons: ⁠www.fairytaildragons.com⁠Follow FairyTail Dragons on IG: ⁠@fairytail_dragons_llc⁠Follow Ron on IG: ⁠@ron_stpierre⁠Merch:⁠https://www.projectherp.com/shop⁠Our Sponsors:CHECK OUT Custom Reptile Habitats ⁠CLICK HERE⁠Cold Blooded Caffeine (apply the code ‘projectherp’ for 10% off): ⁠https://coldbloodedcaffeine.com/?ref=PH⁠Tortoise Supply: ⁠https://www.tortoisesupply.com⁠Reptile Rocks: ⁠https://www.superuro.com⁠Redline Shipping: ⁠https://www.redlineshipping.com⁠FairyTail Dragons: ⁠https://fairytaildragons.com⁠Support, Subscribe  & Follow:Support us on Patreon: ⁠patreon.com/projectherpetoculture⁠Subscribe on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@projectherpetoculture4860⁠Follow P : H on Instagram: ⁠@projectherpetoculture⁠Follow Phil on Instagram: ⁠@aridsonly⁠Follow Roy on Instagram: ⁠@wellspringherp 

Liam Sinclair of Reptiles & Research joins today’s episode to discuss hybridization and domestication in captive reptiles in herpetoculture. Liam shares details of the breeding process, going in depth on genetics, lineage, breeding for certain traits, and much more. He even discusses more controversial topics such as inbreeding, overall domestication for captive reptiles, and culling species in different ways. He also touches on husbandry as it relates to hybrid species. If you’re interested in the ins and outs of breeding and the science behind it, this episode is a great watch!SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/238-liam-sinclair/SPONSORS: Visit Fauna-Lux Here: https://fauna-lux.com/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Thumbnail pictures from: https://www.facebook.com/MilksnakeMutations/Reptiles & Research YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReptilesandResearchReptiles & Research Website: https://reptilesandresearch.org/aboutTime Stamps:0:00 Introducing Liam Sinclair of Reptiles & Research1:46 True Chroma by Faunalux2:46 Welcome Liam + All About The New Hybrid7:40 Selection Processes + Domestication17:40 Localities + The Road to Domestication23:07 Criticism of Morph Trade27:35 Inbreeding Can Produce Healthier Animals31:18 Culling Breeding Animals33:45 Breeding Program Goals34:14 Animals At Home Patreon34:35 Breeding Program Goals + Conversation About Breeds39:25 Hobby Species + Wild Types42:50 Purpose of Domestication45:24 This Week’s Hatching Result + Breeding Desire49:14 Hybrid Species Explanation53:20 MH Complex in Breeding55:20 Corn Snakes Are Hybrids + “Pure” Lines1:06:00 How To Keep “Pure” Species1:09:10 Hybridization Boundaries + Ethics1:13:10 Ellie’s New Clutch + Health Priorities1:19:15 More On Domestication1:24:14 Hybrid Species In Future Plans1:26:40 Approaching Hybrid Husbandry1:28:23 Adapting Liam’s Viewpoint To What It Is Today1:34:48 Closing Thoughts

Ed Taoka of “Sonny and Cher Reticulated Pythons” joins today’s episode to discuss his experience with Reticulated Pythons, and more specifically, in handling and socializing with them and his daughter. We discuss how he began his journey in keeping retics, feeding moments vs handling, their high level of intelligence, and more! Ed shares his knowledge of snake body language, being in tune with animals, and the process of taming an animal, leading to how he keeps retics around his child.SHOW NOTES: https://www.animalsathomenetwork.com/237-ed-taoka/JOIN US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/animalsathomeLINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Ed’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonny_cher_reticsEd’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SonnyandCherReticulatedPythonsWe Discuss:0:00 Introducing Ed Taoka2:27 Welcome Ed + How Did He Start Keeping Reticulated Pythons10:27 Worries In Starting With Retics12:42 Socializing + Interacting With Ed’s Snakes18:39 Feeding vs Moments of Handling?21:55 How Intelligent Are Reticulated Pythons + Body Language27:28 Beginnings In Interactions With Snakes and His Daughter34:45 His Daughter’s Reaction to Snakes35:45 Animals At Home Patreon36:06 Snake Precautions Around Children38:22 Social Media Perceptions41:03 Retic With His Cat?42:36 Inspiration To Start Social Media + More Perceptions55:10 How Has Internet Fame Affected Ed?59:22 Ed’s Daughter’s Relationship with Snakes Now1:02:51 Future Enclosure Plans1:06:16 Closing Thoughts