AmphibiCast

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=amphibicast

For AmphibiCast Merch check out: https://the-amphibicast-store.creator-spring.com/

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 that  he is working with. 

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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 species and locales. 

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  possible vaccine for the fungus may be available in the near future. 

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 with seasonal variations, and to provide them with some form of behavioral enrichment.  Dillon and I have an open discussion about many of these points,  we compare and contrast some of our own experiences, and we share how we have each progressed through our respective hobbies. 

For listener discounts on In Situ Vivariums visit https://insituecosystems.com/?ref=amphibicast

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 everything from amphibian diseases, the effects of pollution and tile drainage, Dr. Kerby's role as a member of the BSAL task force ,and we even talk about how some frogs calls are unique "dialects" based on location. 

For more information please visit the Kerby Lab at dakotaherps.org

In last week's episode I was joined by professional zoo keeper, Mason Kleist and we discussed animal husbandry from a zoo keeper's perspective. However,  a few days after our discussion, there was an incident at the El Paso zoo involving a woman who unlawfully entered a primate exhibit. The story made international news, she was subsequently arrested after her video went viral, and she is now facing charges. In this Bonus Episode, Mason joins us again to discuss the event as well as the ramifications and consequences associated with the woman's  irresponsible actions.

-Note- Although this is an amphibian focused show, there is no discussion of amphibians in this episode.  However, I hope you will find this episode interesting. 

In this episode I'm joined by Mason Kleist of the El Paso Zoo. Mason is a professional zoo keeper and we discuss animal husbandry  and care from a zoo keeper's perspective.  Mason is also an avid dart frog hobbyist and we discuss his experiences with keeping amphibians both personally and professionally.