This week I took a different approach to the podcast and interviewed Shannon Pierlioni. A self proclaimed animal lover, Shannon isn’t a herper herself, but she is married to Anthony Pierlioni, a turtle enthusiast. We talked about navigating a relationship with someone whose life revolves around their animals and what this means as a spouse and parent. After this, I shared the story of herpetologist Joan Beaechamp Procter and her contributions to zoology and herpetology!

Enjoy the episode and learn more with the links below!

Find Shannon on Instagram @camluc2014

Listen to Turtley Devoted wherever you listen to podcasts!

Check out the Turtle Room, The PondCast, and Anthony Pierlioni's work!

And learn more about Joan Beauchamp Procter:

https://peoplepill.com/people/joan-beauchamp-procter

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Beauchamp_Procter

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

Spent some time chatting with the incredible Emily Grzeda of ReptiVet LLC this week! her name is fitting as Emily is just finishing her second year of veterinary school and is planning on focusing on exotics (specifically reptiles)! Outside of her rigorous schoolwork, Emily keeps a large collection of herps including gargoyle geckos, Dumeril's boas, strophurus geckos, and more! OUtside her herps, we also discuss her large rescue Military Macaw and what it is like sharing a condo with one of the loudest pet birds you can have!

Enjoy the episode and follow Emily!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_reptivet/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thereptivet

MorphMarket page: https://www.morphmarket.com/stores/emilygrzeda/?cat=bps

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

This week I sat down with Kendra Westy of Puget Sound Pythons! We discussed her fascination with herps growing up and eventual keeping, how she traveled cross country with a full collection after college, and working with a partner to maintain a combined collection and shared hobby.

Follow Kendra on Facebook & Instagram @PugetSoundPythons

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

This week I was joined with venomous keeper and apprentice falconer Haidyn Lierz! In this episode we discussed keeping venomous and the importance of good mentors, how she got into falconry, and loving and pursuing your passions while battling chronic illness.

Follow Haidyn on Instagram @Lizanardo_Davinci

Connect with Haidyn on Facebook: at Atlas Herps or Haidyn Lierz

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

After a rocky start of me completely unable to get her name right, April Justine graciously still agreed to grant me an interview! April is the face behind "Bloods By Design", a page focused on high-quality blood pythons and short tail pythons! Join us as we talk the what T- and T+ traits mean, how Nidovirus presents itself in everyday collections, and the differences between the short tail python localities!

Follow April on Instagram and Facebook: @BloodsByDesign and Subscribe to her Youtube!

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

This week I got the chance to talk with Ellen Weatherford of the "Just the Zoo of Us" podcast! Though not a herp keeper, Ellen is an animal enthusiast who came prepped with some awesome research on a female herpetologist, Enrica Calabresi. I also spent some time and retell the story of herpetologist and activist Bertha Lutz. Join us as we recant these incredible stories of perseverance and advocacy and as we chat about Ellen's podcast, her relationship growing up with animals, and how everyone should keep house cats indoors!

Follow Ellen on Twitter: @JustTheZooOfUs

Follow Ellen on Instagram: @TheZooOfUs

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

Ashley Haude is known best by the name “Focus 3 Habitats”, the cutting-edge caging company started by her and her husband Stephen. Join us in this longer-than-normal episode as we talk how she and Stephen protected their collection during the winter storms in Texas, how Ashley got into herps (what’s a better combo than an 8-year-old and green iguanas?), and the future of caging with Focus Cubed.

In addition, please look check out “Reptile Relief Fund 101” on Facebook. They are giving back to those in the community who need help after the winter storms.

Follow Ashley on Instagram and Facebook: @FocusCubedHabitats and @MethodNoirExoticsLLC

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

This week, I spent time talking to Valerie Emerson aka "Log.Flipper" on instagram! Even if you don't know her name, you would probably recognize her for her eclectic style, including hand-painted clothing, awesome hair styles, and her dramatic and beautiful makeup inspired by nature. On top of all of this, she has a gorgeous collection from frogs to corallus to a wide variety of Asian Rat Snakes! Enjoy as we walk through her collection and learn about how she blends her love of art with her passion for herps!

Follow Valerie on Instagram: @LogFlipper

Follow Valerie on Facebook: Val's Pals and Christian's Critters

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

Alex Ashe was a kinkajou owner whose animals were struggling with hormonal aggression when she realized there were no organizations to help with these animals. Within a year, Kinkatopia, the world's only kinkajou-specific organization, was born! This week we talked to Alex about her journey getting into animals (something in her blood as a descendant of the DooLittles!), her struggle dealing with drug addiction, and how all of this lead to her founding Kinkatopia and now helping over 50 kinkajous find new homes.

Enjoy listening to Alex's story? Follow and support her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @kinkatopia.

Want to donate to help her cause? Check out kinkatopia on Patreon for fun behind-the-scenes content, exclusive patron-only blogs, and early knowledge of new animals entering Kinkatopia!

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram

Keanna Fox is the co-host of the Canadian Herpetoculture Podcast, a keeper of a multitude of species, and a moderator for the Female Herpers and Reptile Keepers group. This week we chatted about her experience keeping strophurus geckos, how she involves her kids in her hobby, and she told me the story of Mary Anning, another forgotten woman in herpetology!

Follow Keanna @Saurian__ on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Check out the Canadian Herpetoculture Podcast (@chp.podcast)

And don't forget to...

Follow the Pod: @ModernMedusaPodcast on Instagram

Follow the Host: @DiFalcoReptiles on FB and Instagram

and Follow Joe: @PortCityPet on FB and Instagram