Practical Reptile Keeping -julkaisun September 2025 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

These mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis), which rank as Africa’s fastest and most feared snake, can be a key player into tracking pollution, while at the same time keeping ensuring that ecosystems remain healthy. New research from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University) in Johannesburg, South Africa, has shown that heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury accumulate in the scales of these snakes. The study, conducted on black mambas caught in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, was the first of its kind to examine heavy metal accumulation in an African snake species. The results mean that researchers can use scale clippings from these snakes to measure spatial patterns of environmental pollution levels accurately, without harming the snakes. The basis to this study “Black mambas are common in the Durban area, and…

Puff adders (Bitis arietans), which rank as one of Africa’s most widespread snakes, could be agricultural heroes in disguise. New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, has revealed that these particular snakes can be highly efficient at controlling rodent populations that threaten agricultural production on the continent. Puff adders can increase their food consumption by more than 12 times above their maintenance levels when rodent populations surge — far outperforming traditional mammalian predators and offering a natural solution to devastating rodent pest problems. An amazing increase in appetite “Puff adders are essentially nature’s perfect rodent control system,” says Professor Graham Alexander, who conducted the study. “Their ability to dramatically increase their food intake during rodent outbreaks makes them invaluable allies for farmers facing potential crop…

Key characteristics Chameleons are very distinctive lizards, with their striking colours, turret-like eyes which can swivel independently, a long, fast-firing tongue and their unique ability to change colouration. Unfortunately, they are not reptiles suited to beginners, requiring far more care and attention than species such as leopard geckos or bearded dragons. Their sensitivity to stress, strict environmental needs, and relatively short lifespans make them a challenge for new keepers. Yet with the correct set-up, proper knowledge, and realistic expectations, keeping a chameleon can be an incredibly rewarding experience, although it is important to understand the challenges fully, before bringing one home. Chameleons are delicate Chameleons require more in-depth care than various other species of reptiles. You can get away with a few incorrect husbandry practices with a bearded dragon, but…

The mountain horned dragon (Acanthosaura capra) is a fascinating arboreal species of agamid that is becoming more popular as a vivarium subject. These stunning lizards have specific housing and dietary requirements that make them a rewarding, yet challenging choice for reptile keepers. They get their common name from the altitude at which they are found, combined with the presence of two small, horn-like projections on the head. With mountain horned dragons still being collected from the wild, there is a real need to encourage captive breeding of these lizards. Beale Wildlife Park has had some success with them; this article will cover the key information learnt from caring for this fascinating and understudied species. Origins There are currently some 11 recognised species forming the Acanthosaura genus, all of which possess…

What are they? Scorpions are not insects, but arachnids, being related to spiders. Their bodies consist of two rather than three segments. The front part, comprised of the eyes, claws and four pairs of legs is called the cephalothorax or prosoma. The abdomen connects directly to the cephalothorax and is subdivided into the mesoma, and the actual tail called the metasoma, which incorporates the telson or sting at its tip. As a general guide, scorpions with small or relatively inconspicuous claws are likely to be more dangerous than those with large, powerful claws. Emperor scorpions are included in the latter category, and so they are not included in the U.K.’s Dangerous Wild Animals Act, unlike some species. Even so, on the few occasions when handling is essential, they should be…

Featuring stories that explain why one of Africa’s most dangerous snakes is an highly effective pollution monitor, what chameleons and salamanders have in common and how this could lead to technological advances, plus news of a rare discovery in war-torn Syria, a looming threat on beaches to the survival rates of hatchling sea turtles and more, including an incredible insight into how an African snake can increase its appetite dramatically when faced with an abundance of food, while starting here with an incredible tale of survival from Japan. Compiled by G. Valentine. During 1978, cane toads (Rhinella marina), which are native to South and Central America, were introduced for pest control purposes to Ishigakijima island, which forms part of Japan’s Okinawa prefecture. These poisonous toads secrete deadly toxins, killing so…

The tongues of chameleons and salamanders might not seem like the inspiration for tomorrow’s engineering innovations, but inside the University of South Florida’s Deban Laboratory, biology and engineering are colliding to reveal how nature’s designs could help solve real-world challenges on Earth and beyond. A new study from USF researcher Yu Zeng and integrative biology professor Stephen Deban shows for the first time that salamanders and chameleons – though worlds apart in evolutionary terms – actually use the same biological mechanism to fire their tongues at extreme speeds. This discovery not only deepens our understanding of animal movement but also opens the door to engineering applications inspired by nature. Different habitats: similar mechanisms Chameleons and salamanders thrive in very different habitats – with chameleons inhabiting warm, arboreal environments and salamanders…

The Syrian spadefoot toad (Pelobates syriacus) has been rediscovered in this war-torn country with the help of Syrian community scientists and researchers from Illinois in the U.S.. The finding is the result of years of dedication by Yaman Omran from the University of Aleppo and citizen scientists in a country whose recent history has been marked by conflict, with a civil war raging for over 13 years. Omran and his fellow scientists — Johnny Baakliny, from the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Mark Davis, an Illinois Natural History Survey conservation biologist at the Prairie Research Institute — confirmed the presence of the Syrian spadefoot toad, a species with an unknown status and no previously confirmed records in Syria, in spite of its…

The Riobamba marsupial tree frog, also known as the Andean marsupial tree frog (Gastrotheca riobambae), is an arboreal species endemic to the Andes and inter-Andean valleys of Ecuador. It is adapted to cool, high-altitude cloud forest environments and is known for its unique reproductive strategy with females brooding their eggs in a dorsal pouch until they hatch into tadpoles or froglets. This species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of generalised habitat loss, which poses the major threat to the species, as well as urban development, agriculture, pesticides, and chytrid fungus. Luckily, these frogs are regarded as being relatively easy for experienced amphibian enthusiasts to maintain, although they do require specific conditions to mimic their natural habitat. Captive-bred individuals are now available through sustainable breeding programmes,…

As its name suggests, this is a crocodile that can often be found in coastal areas, and may even be encountered far out to sea on occasions, which explains its extensive range from Australia right across to southern areas of Asia. It is – with some justification – probably the most feared crocodile in the world, growing potentially to a massive size and being highly aggressive as well. It is the biggest reptile alive on earth today, capable of growing to a length of 6.3m (20.75ft) and weighing over 1000kg (2200lb). The saltie, as it is often known in parts of Australia, is a deadly ambush predator, capable of killing and eating people without difficulty. As crocodile hunting has ceased for several decades now in northern parts of Australia, so…

It’s said – with justification – that water is life’s necessity. Without it, there would be no life. And the life that it supports is varied in the extreme; from micro-organisms to giants such as the blue whale, which is the world’s largest and heaviest animal, providing proof of the fact that living in water frees animals from the size constraints that exist on land. And of course, various reptiles are to be found in amongst these aquatic life forms. This ancient group has colonised just about every conceivable type of habitat imaginable, and done so with great success. Nevertheless, the diversity that exists among marine reptiles today is significantly reduced compared with the past, when ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs were seemingly common inhabitants of the world’s oceans. However, these creatures…

I don’t make a habit of watching television sit-coms these days for the simple reason that I don’t find them especially funny. That is not to say that I don’t possess a (some would say “strange”) sense of humour! Indeed, regular readers of this column will probably already know that during the many years that I spent working in the Reptile House, the last laugh was very often on me. Quite why I consider many of the television comedy shows of today not to be particularly amusing, I really don’t know. In the past, I would often find myself laughing out loud at the exploits of the likes of Tom and Barbara in The Good Life. Likewise, I never failed to appreciate the constant banter between the father and son…

Two different studies have published the near-complete genetic blueprints of the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), a common inhabitant of central eastern Australia and of course, very popular internationally as a pet. This species has an unusual trait: whether this lizard grows up to be a male or a female depends not only on its genetics but also on the temperature of its nest. It has long made the species a useful model to study the biological basis of sex determination, and the advent of huge technological improvements in this field has finally found a region of the genome and a potential master sex determination gene which probably plays a central role in male sexual differentiation. The independent verification of this finding by two different research groups using two varying…

Every year, sea turtles hatch on Florida’s beaches and make their way from the sand to the ocean – a critical journey that determines their chances of survival. As these hatchlings navigate obstacles such as artificial lights, beach debris and predators like birds and crabs, a new hazard looms. The sargassum seaweed now washing up on Florida’s shores in record amounts is more than just a nuisance for beachgoers – it’s becoming a serious threat to vulnerable sea turtle hatchlings. While it’s long been known that obstacles on the beach can slow down hatchlings and put them at risk, little research has focused specifically on the impact of sargassum until now. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science set out to explore whether sargassum buildup makes…

Did you know? Horsfield’s tortoise is the world’s most northerly species, being found at latitudes of up to 52°N and may actually spend more of the year in burrows than roaming above ground. Studies on populations of this species in Kazakhstan have shown that they may only be active for as little as three months of the year, from the end of March to the middle of June, when food is available. There are few areas of reptile-keeping more obscured by misinformation than the hibernation of tortoises. In the first place, only certain species of tortoise - the Mediterranean spur-thighed (Testudo graeca); Hermann’s (T. hermanni); the marginated (T. marginata) and Horsfield’s (also known as the Russian) (Agrionemys horsfieldi) - should be hibernated. Tortoise biology and hibernation Tortoises have developed the…

Buying frozen food is a normal part of shopping for anyone in the UK who owns a snake. In the case of many such reptiles, frozen mammals such as mice and rats constitute a whole diet, being provided with little or no supplementation. But although all snakes share a similar body shape, species can have differing nutritional requirements, and this is sometimes overlooked. As an example, active species tend to require high-fat, high protein diets. Others should be maintained on a much lower calorie diet in order to remain at a healthy weight. This article will cover not only the differing requirements of some common species, but also the nutritional values of frozen foods available in reptile outlets. There is also the matter of the best way to thaw these…

The current trend towards maintaining a bioactive environment in vivarium surroundings is something that should be encouraged, because it could easily represent the next big leap forwards in improving captive care. The whole theory of ‘wild re-creation’ is based upon taking information from the animal’s natural environment and replicating this in as many ways as we can within the limitations of modern technology and safety. In real terms, we should then start to see positive changes in animal behaviour through better enrichment, as well as lessening the risks of avoidable nutritional disease. We should also start to see those species that were once regarded as being difficult to breed then beginning to reproduce readily in such surroundings. Why bother with live plants? Based on my experiences, I firmly believe that…