Practical Reptile Keeping

Practical Reptile Keeping is the only monthly herp care magazine published in English. Launched in 2009, it attracts an international readership and is packed with advice on how to look after and breed snakes, lizards, tortoises, turtles, amphibians and bugs. As well as stunning photography, each issue features technical help, product information and health care advice to keep your animals in tip-top condition, plus breeding details and the latest news relating to this group of creatures from around the world.

welcome

NEW ASIAN LIZARD DISCOVERED • Featuring stories that include the discovery of the world's smallest fanged frogs, fresh insights into the family tree of crocodiles, life when the English county of Somerset consisted of a tropical sea with islands, new thoughts on approaches to combating deadly snake bites, plus more, such as how ants are changing the feeding habits of lions in Africa, a radical rethink on the identity of a South American fossil, and starting here with the finding of a new species of lizard.

WORLD'S SMALLEST “FANGED” FROGS FOUND

The ant interfering in the life of a lion

Curbing the number of snake-bite victims

A 200-MILLION-YEAR-OLD GLIDING REPTILE FOUND IN SOMERSET

The fossil plant that turns out to be a turtle

New insights into the family tree of crocodilians

SNAKES FROM AMERICA Colourful colubrids • Here are some of the most beautiful American species to be seen. All of those that are covered here, unless otherwise stated, are well-represented in both North American and European collections. Our U.S. correspondent reports.

Hidden in plain sight

Frogs of Zambia • Professional herpetologist Paul Donovan contrasts his experiences now he is living in Zambia with the situation previously in Botswana, in terms of the amphibians to be found in these two countries.

NEW GRUBS

Lighting for invertebrates

AMPHIBIAN FOCUS • Big-eyed tree frog Leptopelis vermiculatus

Introducing the ocellated or ferret skink • Growing up around reptiles in France meant that I started keeping native species, but one of the first exotic lizards that I acquired is a species that I still breed regularly in my collection, even today. This particular skink is still not well-known though, in spite of the fact that its care needs are straightforward, writes Christian Castille.

The Mediterranean spur thighed tortoise and its care • The Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise has been kept as a pet longer than any other reptile in Europe, but only in recent years have its needs become better understood, to the extent that this species is not only thriving but also breeding quite commonly in collections, as David Alderton explains. And now is a good time of year to start thinking about and preparing to acquire one of these tortoises, with summer ahead.

Hygiene and health in the reptile world There is increasing • There is increasing awareness of the range of reptile-related disinfectant products that are now available, and these should be incorporated into the general management of your stock, alongside good hygiene, to protect the health of both you and your pets.

Anoles are back! • Dr Jason Randall profiles the green anole and its brown cousin, as well as highlighting other members of this attractive group of lizards, which form part of the lguanidae family.

Herpetological Mysteries LURKING IN LIBERIA? IN SEARCH OF THE FEROCIOUS GBAHALI • Some very interesting discoveries of new species have been made in Liberia – is it possible that another could still be waiting there to be recognised by science? Dr Karl Shuker investigates.

Practical Reptile Keeping