Reptile Radio

Many Herpers just starting out fall into this trap; the suddenly realize they love all reptiles and want to keep anything and everything they can get their hands on. For many, this can end in disaster, as the myriad species available in the pet trade tend to each have varied and fairly specific requirements for proper care. However some folks just have a knack for being able to pull this off without either the keeper, or the charges suffering in the process. Scott Wysocki is one such individual, and CK has a pretty good idea why he thinks this is so. Tune in and see if you feel the same way... in case you ever find yourself smitten by the multi-species bug !

Ever been to a breeder's website to find the virtual cobwebs of years-old prices, and a "last-updated" date that you need to an expired calendar to locate? It's understandable that this can happen, keeping current photos and prices on your website can be daunting when your breeding season is in full-on production. However, just as some folks appreciate the packaging as much as the gift, there are those who feel that a well maintained site speaks highly of the attention to detail one can expect of the breeder maintaining it. Josh Harler stops in to the Reptile Radio studio to talk to CK about the ways he ensures that the image he presents on his Cape Fear Constrictors site is consistent with his "fresher is better'' philosophy. Should be plenty of ball python talk too... 

Most loyal Reptile Radio fans agree, there's something about attending a herp show that's always exciting. Yet though many of us are seasoned veterans when it comes to making the rounds at our favorite local, regional,or national show, few of us by comparison have ventured past our borders to do so. A few weeks ago, Ozzy of Ozzyboids mentioned on air that he would be attending the 4/13 Terraria Houten show in Holland, one of europe's biggest. Since practically everyone loves a good herp show, CK asked Oz if he would report back on the way things are done east of the pond! Never one to refuse an opportunity to share, Ozzy agreed to give us all an inside peek. Since we did get cut off when Oz was last on, we'll be pickin' up some of the things we didn't cover on the 4/5 show as well.

It's something almost every Ball Python officionado dreams of... working with captive hatched stock, and being able to unlock your own cool new mutation. However, something doesn't necessarily need to be entirely new to be coveted by the like-minded souls in your peer group. Such is the case with the Barnhart-line Black Pastel ball python morph. This is not your grandmother's Black Pastel! For Years, Tom Barnhart has been trying to figure out why his line of this popular morph seems to ramp up the aesthetics in so many of the combinations it's been crossed into. Is there something else at play? Or is it just an extreme line of Black Pastel? CK hosts this episode and asks Mr. Barnhart if he's got to the bottom of this quandary yet, and what homework remains to be done if he hasn't. 

The Reptile Report and Ship Your Reptiles are household names... if your household happens to be a herp haven! Now, the fellas from Pro Exotics, Chad Brown and Robyn Markland, have created what they claim will be a whole new experience in buying and selling reptiles with their newest enterprise, The Reptile Report Marketplace. CK hosts this episode with Robyn Markland to find out what to expect from this new launch, set to go live tomorrow, and maybe catch up on some of the other happenings at Pro Exotics.

Many Reptile Radio fans think of one guy when they hear the name Ozzy. That's Ozzy, of Ozzyboids! ... and when they think of Ozzy of Ozzyboids, they likely have colorful images of Orange Dream Ball Python combinations crawling around their minds. Few of us associate Ozzy with Reticulated Pythons, but that's about to change. Forever known for his Boa and Ball Python morphs, the wizard has recently been bitten hard by the Retic bug! Join your double-R host CK as he digs into Ozzy's new passion, and catches up on some of the 2014 breeding projects he's got going on in his BP room as well. Sure to be another great show.

So many reptile and amphibian keepers seem to be pre-programmed for the fascination they have with their charges. Most tell stories that from a very young age, they were smitten both with dinosaurs, and the extant terrestrial cold blooded vertebrates that are so reminiscent of them. For some, the fascination grows into obsession, and the pursuit of greater and more detailed information draws them into a formal field of study where the end result is a doctorate in paleontology, or herpetology. Reptile Radio host CK catches up with Christopher McHale, Doctor of Herpetology, to see what would make someone dedicate their life's studies to these fascinating creatures. Who knows? Once the cover is blown off of the nuts and bolts of this endeavor, you may want to become a herpetologist too! ... Would you? Let's find out together.  

Some folks in the Herp world display a natural aptitude for the species they chose to work with, and yet somehow manage to stay well under the radar. Gecko guru Tom Favazza is one such individual. Despite his proficiency in keeping and breeding many different species of arboreal geckos, Mr. Favazza is hardly a household name to most folks in the world lizard keeping community. Until now that is ! Join your host CK as Reptile Radio welcomes  Tom and his diverse cast of sticky toed characters to our studio for the first time. Whether your crestie is your bestie, or you've got a hankerin' for some henkeli, there's gonna be somethin' for everyone who loves these fascinating wall-climbing critters in this episode.

Greg Graziani is back again for some more Ball Python talk... and this time we're bringing the Bush League Breeders Club resident geneticist, Doctor Travis Wyman, on to help us get to the bottom of understanding the mode of inheritance for the Leopard Ball Python mutation. If you didn't catch last week's show, you may want to check it out before diving into this one. CK hosts the festivities as science meets theory right here on Reptile Radio! Ever the gracious guest, Mr. Graziani is also providing our listeners with an insider update on the current status of the Burmese Python sitution in the Everglades.  So strap in, get comfortable, and hold on tight, it should be an interesting ride!

Since it's first appearance a few years back, the Leopard morph has been continually impressing ball python fans with it's amazing combo capabilities. However, the mystery surrounding it's purported link to the Piebald gene was ever present; and despite the fact that this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, the reptile community as a group, likes to know the whole truth! Returning Reptile Radio guest Greg Graziani has done his homework, and has convincingly ferreted out that truth via multiple breeding trials designed to get to the bottom of this quandary. CK hosts this episode, as Mr. Graziani reveals the real deal about this impressive mutation and whether or not it's permanently liked to the  piebald gene.

For over 35 years, John Berry has been wrangling reptiles all over the earth. He's a professional herpetologist and herpetoculturist, and the Designer Morphs book series he authored is wildly successful worldwide. CK hosts this episode with Mr. Berry, who also happens to be the former world record "snake sit-in" holder (the record for the most days living in a room with 24 highly venomous snakes!) Tune in to find out just how long John lasted, and find out what's next on the agenda for this truly interesting first time Reptile Radio guest.

It's been almost four years since we've had this pioneer of the ball python trade on our show. So much has happened in the ball python hobby since that August 29th, 2010 show. CK catches up with Amir in this episode to find out what's been happening with our guest in these past few seasons, and to get his take on some of the most interesting new morphs, like the bamboo and the bongo balls.

The US reptile keeping community carves a wide swath through the cross-section of the country's population. Today's guest, Bobby Duke, executes his own brand of carving... wood carving that is... that he's more than happy to incorporate into his other passion, keeping and breeding reptiles. If you've ever seen his work, you couldn't imagine there would be anything Bobby couldn't carve out of wood. CK captains this episode to take you into the mind of the guy that can immortalize your favorite critter in lignified glory, or if you'd rather have the living breathing kind, can make you one of those as well.  

For many of our listeners, the opportunity to interact with myriad species of reptiles and amphibians on a daily basis sounds like a Herper's dream come true. This episode  is about keepin' 'em all... from the very large, to the very small. Sara Szabo of Twin Cities Reptiles gets to live that "Herper's dream" almost every day... but is it really such a dream ? Tune in to find out, as the straight-shootin' Sara joins CK to dish on the skinny, of keepin' 'em all chubby!

If you've ever wondered how the brave service men and women of the armed forces go about serving their country while maintaining their reptile collections, then this is the show you've been waiting to hear. Dave Jenkins of Royal Hijinx Pythons is one such individual. Currently an active duty officer in the US Navy, Mr. Jenkins has served multiple tours in a military career spanning decades. CK catches up with Dave to discuss some of the logistical issues of managing a collection from abroad, and how despite the obvious barriers, selling off your collection doesn't have to be the sole option before going on tour.