AmphibiCast

The world is a stressful place. For many of us, the amphibian hobby is a means of escape and a place where we can find peace of mind.  But, the hobby does also require a great deal of commitment ,and it can also become a stressor in and of itself when we are struggling with personal issues.  Managing animals when we are struggling can be a significant obstacle to overcome. But there is support for people in need. All we need to do is ask.

This week I am joined by Dave Mickulas of VivaVivariums. Dave and I have a very frank discussion about the positive and negative effects that the hobby can have on our mental and emotional wellbeing.  We discuss how important it is to have a support system in place,  accepting help when needed, and how members of the community can support each other. We also talk about Daves Coqui  and Solomon Island Leaf Frog breeding projects, dart frogs in Hawaii, and much more.

Be sure to follow Dave @vivavivariums on social media

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com or visit your local dealer and follow @exoterra on social media. 

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

If you find yourself in crisis, remember you are not alone. There is help available.  If you are in need please reach out to your local  or national crisis hotline. 

https://www.nami.org/advocacy/policy-priorities/responding-to-crises/national-hotline-for-mental-health-crises-and-suicide-prevention/

There are many stakeholders in the amphibian universe. From breeders and hobbyists, to researchers, land managers, and policymakers. -all  of these groups need to be engaged as a community if trade is to be continued in a clean and responsible way. But how is this accomplished and what challenges are faced along the way?  This week I am joined by researcher and wildlife engagement specialist, Alexa Warwick.  We discuss Alexa's role in an ongoing project that examines disease mitigation strategies aimed ad minimizing the risk of amphibian pathogens spreading from captive pet populations to wild populations; her background in wildlife engagement, her work with the Pine Barrens Treefrog, and much more!

To Learn More, Visit:
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/msu-researchers-receive-2-75-million-grant-to-investigate-movement-of-amphibian-pathogens-in-wildlife-trade-networks

http://www.arwarwick.org/wildlife-research.html

healthyamphibiantrade.org

This episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreations

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com or visit your local dealer and follow @exoterra on social media. 

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

This week I am joined by Ivan of Tesoros de Colombia and we discuss some new projects that are underway at Tesoros and the ACA. We talk about some of the new species soon to be available through legal import, including Amereega and Andinobates, as well as how local coffee farmers are helping conservation efforts.

To learn more, visit:

https://tesorosdecolombia.com/

https://activeconservationalliance.org

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com or visit your local dealer and follow @exoterra on social media. 

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

This week’s epdisode is designed with the beginner in mind.  When we start out as hobbyists, it’s very common to make mistakes. Husbandry and care can be researched, but our knowledge  base always grows through experience. In this episode, I discuss some common beginner mistakes and how to fix them. 
I cover what to do  if you start out with an impulse purchase frog, how to to positively engage the community for help, and how to manage negative criticism. 



This episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreations

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com or visit your local dealer and follow @exoterra on social media. 

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or Bd is one of the most infamous agents of amphibian disease world wide. But did you know that there are multiple lineages other than the Global Panzootic Lineage and that the fungus can be affected by a virus?  New research involving the fungus and mycoviruses has shed a fresh light on the virulence of chyrid. In this episode I am joined by researchers Mark Yacoub  and  Jason Stajich  to discuss it.  We talk about mycology (the study of fungi) in general, as well as the specifics of what we have learned from the  mapping of the Bd genome. We also go on to discuss what can be learned about fungi and other microfauna living within the guts of wild and captive amphibians and how it can potentially help with their survival.

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com and visit your local dealer. Follow @exoterra on all social media platforms!

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

To learn more, visit:
https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2024/04/03/discovery-could-end-global-amphibian-pandemic

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(24)00244-6

https://herptilemicrobiomes.org/

https://lab.stajich.org/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark-Yacoub

https://www.chytrids.org/

The Japanese Giant Salamander (Andrias japonicus) is one of the world's most iconic amphibian species. In this episode I am joined by Director of Buishido Adventure Travel limited and CEO of Sustainable Daisen -  Richard Pearce, directly from Japan.  Sustainable Daisen is a not for profit organization that focuses on Japanese Giant Salamander conservation through habitat preservation,  conservation initiatives, and global engagement. Through his decades of guiding experience, Richard has a developed an intimate understanding of the natural history and lifecycle of one of the world's largest amphibians. 

In this episode we discuss Richard's background as a guide, and the efforts made by Sustainable Daisen. Richard also gives us a full master class in the Japanese Giant Salamander's natural history,  breeding habits, diet, reproduction, and behavior. We also talk about Richard's philosophy towards nature, how he became an honorary monk, the threat that hybridization poses, and the unique region surrounding Mt Daisen. 

This episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreations

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com or visit your local dealer and follow @exoterra on social media. 

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

Shout out to our new $5 Patron - Drew Martinez!

To learn more visit: 
https://www.sustainabledaisen.org/en/home
https://www.bushidojapan.com/
https://www.lifegate.com/longform/saving-japanese-giant-salamanders-from-extinction

This week I am joined by professional vivarium specialist and long time frog hobbyist, Rob Mohr. Rob has made a career out his passion for the natural world, and in this episode we discuss his role at one of the largest private vivariums in the United States - the Seattle Spheres. We discuss plants, the logistics of maintaining massive living walls, water parameters, and how a massive full grown tree was lowered into the spheres.  We also talk about that value that community has within the dart frog and plant  hobbies, Rob's collection of large oophaga and so much more! 

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com and visit your local dealer. Follow @exoterra on all social media platforms!

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

Follow Rob @_frogfish_

To learn more - https://www.seattlespheres.com/

This week I am joined by Armen of HerpTime.  In this episode we discuss what it takes to be a breeder, Armen’s new frog breeding projects, social media and more! We also take a deep dive into anoles and compare and contrast anole vs frog husbandry. 

This episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreations

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com and visit your local dealer

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

Special shout out to our new $5 Patron - Michael Steffen!

This week I am joined by Dayyan Saylany. Dayyan is known across Youtube and social media as Reptiliatus, and in this episode we discuss his passion for reptiles and amphibians; and his journey into content creation. We also talk about Dayyan's frog  experiences including why he developed a care video for juvenile-subadult pacman frogs, and how he successfully raised a  Cruziohyla craspedopus, (commonly known as the fringed leaf frog) from a tadpole!

Follow @reptiliatus on Youtube, Instagram and all your favorite social media platforms!
https://www.youtube.com/@Reptiliatus

To Support AmphibiCast by becoming a Patron, for Merch and more visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast

Exo-Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian and reptile needs visit exo-terra.com or your local dealer

This week I am joined by Drew Martinez. Drew is the owner of Carnivero. - a nursery that specializes in carnivorous plants. In this episode, we discuss Drew's tenure in the dart frog and plant hobbies, his fascination with carnivorous plants and how to successfully care for everything from Nepenthes pitcher plants, to Venus Fly traps and Platycerium! Drew also shares a few stories and observations from his trips to borneo, including one where a species of rainbow toad was rediscovered!

To learn more, visit: https://www.carnivero.com

Some of the research discussed: 
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jzs.12465
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228439802

 This episode is sponsored by Gray Ghost Creations
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrayGhostCreations

Exo Terra is our sponsor this week. For all your amphibian needs visit: Exo-terra.com and visit your local dealer

To Support the Podcast, for merch, and vivarium discounts please visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast