Sommaire pour March 2026 de Practical Reptile Keeping

Two previously unknown species of crocodile — one living on the island of Cozumel and the other on the atoll of Banco Chinchorro, both off the Yucatán Peninsula — have been discovered unexpectedly by scientists from McGill University, working in collaboration with Mexican colleagues. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) and highlight the urgent need for conservation efforts. “These unexpected discoveries in the Caribbean makes it crucial to conserve the habitats of these reptiles,” says Professor Hans Larsson.”Biodiversity is disappearing faster than we can discover what we're losing. Most species of crocodile are already endangered, and rapid shoreline development threatens nearly every population. Our research aimed to uncover the true diversity of crocodiles on these isolated islands.” An unexpected outcome Larsson and his team analysed…

Last seen in 1981 and thought lost to science, a team of scientists and conservationists has recently rediscovered Wallace's giant bee (Megachile pluto), which, as its name suggests, is the world's largest bee. The insect was found in the forests of an Indonesian island, with its name commemorating that of Alfred Russell Wallace, the famous Victorian explorer and naturalist. Wallace, a British entomologist, discovered the giant bee while exploring the Indonesian island of Bacan. He described the female bee, which is about the length of a human thumb, as “a large black wasp-like insect, with immense jaws like a stag-beetle”. The bee was not recorded again until 1981, when entomologist Adam Messer rediscovered it on three Indonesian islands and was able to observe some of its behaviour, including how it…

Reptiles can be found around the globe, being represented on all continents apart from Antarctica. However, the number of species in each area dwindles both to the north and south, based on the further that you move away from the Equator. Why is this? In the tropics, there may be over 70 species of reptile in a particular area, but this figure will fall dramatically as you move outside this region. There can be just three on average in colder, northerly zones. Here in the UK, for example, only a handful of native reptiles can be found. There are three native snakes, in the guise of the grass snake (Natrix natrix), smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) and the venomous adder (Vipera berus), along with a similar number of lizard species -…

Many keepers are totally unaware of the risks of cross-contamination, until something goes wrong. It's not simply a mistake made by beginners, but by experienced breeders too. Like anything that's a risk, it's often just a bad habit that you've fallen into and need to get out of doing! The best way is to do things in the right way, and thereby eliminate the risk - especially when it involves the health of your reptiles. Hygiene matters Obviously, there is a greater danger of disease spreading if you have more than one reptile. But take the same basic hygienic precautions, whether you have one reptile or a hundred. A simple wipe-down of the equipment used, for example, when feeding them all, can make a huge difference. I've watched certain keepers…

If you thought that basically all the world's species of reptile had been discovered, you'd be seriously wrong. The first two decades of the 21st century have highlighted more new species than any previous period in zoological history. In fact, since 2006, more than 100 new species of reptile have become known to science every year. Now the results are just in for the past year, and there have been a further 239 previously unrecognised species of reptile added to the list last year alone, which is a record, according to The Reptile Database. Prior to 2006, looking right back through history as far as 1758, there had only been three years previously when a total of more than 100 new reptiles had been added to the list of recognised…

Agroup of scientists led by researchers of the Khamai Foundation, an Ecuadorian conservation group, have discovered five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador in South America. Prior to this research, the captivating new vipers, now recognised as among the most alluring ever found, were mistakenly classified as part of a single, highly variable species whose distribution was believed to span an area from Mexico down to northwestern Peru. The decade-long study behind this discovery was initiated thanks to an unexpected incident, when one of the authors was bitten by one of these previously undiscovered species! Eyelash vipers stand out due to a distinctive feature: a set of enlarged spine-like scales positioned above their eyes. These “lashes” bestow a formidable and…

Pumpkin toadlets (Brachycephalus ephippium) are tiny, brightly-coloured and poisonous frogs that can be found in the Atlantic forest region of Brazil. During the spawning season, they can be encountered during the day, wandering around the forest floor, producing soft buzzing calls in search of a mate. An international team of researchers led by NYU Abu Dhabi's Sandra Goutte began studying the acoustic communications of these miniature frogs. The scientists then discovered that the amphibians were actually deaf and could not hear their own mating calls, so they were forced to think again. They started to search for alternative visual signals that the frogs might use to communicate with each other instead. Unexpectedly, when they shone an ultraviolet (UV) lamp on the frogs, their backs and heads glowed intensely. The mechanism…

About a year ago, I had the opportunity to acquire some Madagascan plated lizards (Zonosaurus madagascarensis). As a group, these lizards have always appealed to me. Their diversity, slightly roughened appearance, colouration and social interaction make them a highly attractive choice both for study and display purposes. In addition, there appeared to be no historical records of captive breeding with any member of the group, although I have heard of some plated species laying infertile eggs. This group therefore represented an ideal choice, in terms of taking the wild data that was available, based on the distribution of the particular plated lizard chosen, and then hopefully, we would be able to utilise this data in order to breed the species successfully. It seems, based on anecdotal reports, that that it…

These attractive small lizards are to be found in northwestern parts of Australia. They grow to a maximum length of around 14cm (5.5in), and are a variable shade of grey, with yellow barring most evident on the tail. In some cases, these bars may also appear orangish, and there can be white patterning here as well. The periorbital area, surrounding each eye, is ringed with orange or yellowish markings, which serve to highlight the spiny eyebrows. These may help to protect against injury from branches as the gecko clambers around in vegetation. There are also two protective rows of spikes running down each side of the tail. Western spiny-tailed geckos are arboreal by nature, favouring bushes rather than trees. Their body shape and appearance helps them to blend very effectively…

For decades, it has been assumed that Chinese softshell turtles from eastern Asia were all members of the same species - Pelodiscus sinensis. Widely distributed all the way from the far east of Russia through the Korean Peninsula to China and Vietnam, the species was nevertheless known to vary substantially in terms of its looks across this extensive range. Then, around the turn of the century, following a series of taxonomic debates, scientists revalidated this turtle, meaning they discovered that what was thought to have been a single species up until that stage also incorporated a total of three other separate but related species, which had previously been unrecognised. Recently, a combined Hungarian-Vietnamese-German team of researchers has found a fifth species within the group. This particular population of turtles, previously…

One of the most biodiverse and fascinating areas for wildlife in the world lies in the vicinity of the Huallaga River, located in the Andes of central Peru. This river extends for 1,138 km (700ml), making it the largest tributary of the Marañón River, which is effectively the spinal cord of the Amazon. This region harbours a range of different ecosystems, including the Peruvian Yunga ecoregion, which is home to many endemic birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Regaining control How is it possible, then, that this corner of the tropical Andes remains poorly known to biologists to this day? The main reason is quite simple and it lies in the civil wars involving terrorist organisations and drug traffickers that were taking place in the region during the 1980s, which disrupted…

For such a cold country, the UK has a surprising fondness for tortoises - so much so that 700,000 tortoises were estimated to be living in the UK, according to a UK Pet Foods survey published in 2024. Over the years, our understanding of tortoise care has improved significantly. Yet dietary mistakes remain one of the most common problems seen in these reptiles. While most keepers care deeply for their animals, many are misled by outdated or conflicting advice. With time, poor diets can trigger shell deformities, digestive disorders, organ disease and even premature death. In the UK, where climate, housing, and plant availability differ drastically from their natural Mediterranean habitats, feeding decisions have a large impact on the overall health of this group of chelonians. So how should we…

Kingsnakes rank amongst the most popular pet snakes in the world, prized for their relative hardiness, striking colours, and fascinating natural behaviours. Found primarily in the United States and parts of Mexico, these adaptable colubrids can be seen in a variety of habitats ranging from deserts and forests to rocky mountain slopes. As members of the genus Lampropeltis, they earn their royal title by preying on other snakes, including venomous ones, being immune to the venom of those occurring within their natural range. This immunity, combined with their constricting power and opportunistic feeding habits, makes them formidable predators in the wild. In collections, they are rewarding to keep because they are generally easy to care for, as well as being typically long-lived, having a life expectancy of 15–25 years or…

It is difficult to be specific about the humidity required, as this can vary, depending on the occupants of the vivarium. But it is obviously very important to match the humidity level to their environment requirements, and then base your choice of plants around this. In this figure case, the intended occupants of the set-up that I am building here will require a light spray every morning, and occasionally again in the evening, especially during the warmer months of the year. This could be easily achieved through the use of a handheld spray bottle, as used for plants. However, as this vivarium is going in a stack, it will be hooked up to a MistKing misting system which will mist the vivarium twice a day for 30 seconds a time.…