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 snake discovery rewrites history • Featuring stories that include the discovery of a stunning new blue tarantula, fresh hope for victims afflicted by venomous snake bites, detailed insights into why exactly snakes evolved more quickly and diversified more rapidly than lizards, a simple new practical measure to protect amphibians at risk from chytrid infections that can be replicated easily anywhere in the world in the face of this global fungal pandemic, plus insights into how some moths have managed to defend themselves very successfully in a chemical war against predators, and starting here with fascinating new insights into the evolution and lifestyle of early members of the boa family.

Way back when snakes beat lizards

FROG POPULATIONS

A new electric blue tarantula from Thailand

A new type of pterosaur discovered

New antidote for cobra bites

Moths with deadly defences

An overlooked African gecko

Africa's small vipers • Professional herpetologist and long-time African resident Paul Donovan considers some of the small but potentially no less deadly species of viper that can be encountered on the continent.

How do I light my vivariums?

AMPHIBIAN FOCUS • Iberian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles walti)

Unravelling the MACKLOT COMPLEX • Very few snakes have as much mystery surrounding them, and are so confusing in terms of their taxonomy as the members of the Macklot python group. Christian Castille sets out to dispel some of the myths and describes his experiences with these snakes.

HOW snakes MOVE • Have you ever thought about why snakes have lost their legs? Do they find it easier to move without them? Dr Julia Mueller-Paul provides some answers.

Starting with a pet tortoise • Richard White reveals the key things to consider when in search of a pet tortoise, and recommends the Hermann's tortoise as a good choice, especially if you have not kept a pet tortoise before.

Survival of the fittest The case of the Cuban tree frog • Our Frogman explains how the adaptability of this tree frog means that its care needs are very straightforward, making it an ideal introduction to the group.

Parasitic worms in tortoises • Whether to deworm pet tortoises or not has always been a debatable issue. Other pets such as dogs and cats are routinely dewormed at least every three months, so why not tortoises too? Dr Joanna Hedley, BVM&S, DZooMed (Reptilian), DECZM (Herpetology), MRCVS discusses the issues.

Chameleons, Evolutionary Trees and Climate Change: Dr Krystal Tolley on some of Africa's most charismatic reptiles • After a varied international career, leading chameleon expert Dr Krystal Tolley is now a Principal Investigator for the South African National Biodiversity Institute. She is also co-author (with Marius Burger) of Chameleons of Southern Africa. In this exclusive interview for Practical Reptile Keeping, she talks with Victoria Neblik about the fauna of mainland Africa, finding new species and fears about climate change.

Practical Reptile Keeping