In this episode I discuss some of the principles and methods behind naturalistic aka bioactive keeping as it relates to amphibian husbandry. I cover how and why husbandry progressed from sterile to naturalistic, how to effectively manage waste in a naturalistic enclosure through careful planning, the importance of moisture, drainage and ventilation, and what to expect from an effective cleanup crew. To support the show by becoming a Patron, for AmphibiCast Merch, to support Panamanian Frog Conse...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Have you ever dreamed of building a giant, naturalistic vivarium for your frogs? What does it take to construct, scape, plant and stock a 48 cubic foot vivarium (4ft by 2ft by 6ft)? In this 4 part series we will build a hypothetical large format vivarium from the ground up and address the challenges and rewards that go along with it! In this episode (Part 4), I am joined by Troy Goldberg and we discuss some of the frog choices that are appropriate for a Large Format Vivarium. We discuss communal...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 47 min
Have you ever dreamed of building a giant, naturalistic vivarium for your frogs? What does it take to construct, scape, plant and stock a 48 cubic foot vivarium (4ft by 2ft by 6ft)? In this 4 part series we will build a hypothetical large format vivarium from the ground up and address the challenges and rewards that go along with it! In this episode (Part 3.), I am joined by Alex Menke of Frog Daddy and we discuss some of the plant choices that are appropriate for a Large Format Vivarium. We als...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 33 min
Have you ever dreamed of building a giant, naturalistic vivarium for your frogs? What does it take to construct, scape, plant and stock a 48 cubic foot vivarium (4ft by 2ft by 6ft)? In this 4 part series we will build a hypothetical large format vivarium from the ground up and address the challenges and rewards that go along with it! In this episode, (Part 2.) I am joined by Brandon Willis. We discuss some of the different techniques and materials used as hardscape during vivarium construction a...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 26 min
Have you ever dreamed of building a giant, naturalistic vivarium for your frogs? What does it take to construct, scape, plant and stock a 48 cubic foot vivarium (4ft by 2ft by 6ft)? In this 4 part series we will build a hypothetical large format vivarium from the ground up and address the challenges and rewards that go along with it! In this episode (Part 1.) I am joined by Bill Rodman of In Situ Ecosystems and we discuss the creation of, and engineering behind, his large format vivarium, the Or...
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 20 min
This week I am joined by Aaron Capouellez. Aaron is the founder of PA Woods and Forests and he specializes in studying amphibians and other organisms native to Pennsylvania. In this episode, we discuss specific Pennsylvania biomes, frog species native to the area, and how to best recreate these biomes in a captive setting. We also discuss the challenges of keeping native species, such as the American Toad and whether or not we can successfully incorporate carnivorous plants into a vivarium build...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr 29 min
We've all been there at some point. We've worked hard to acquire a healthy frog, toad, or salamander, we've done our homework and set it up properly, but unfortunately it passes away. The experience can be difficult and frustrating to say the least. However, if we want to improve our methods and grow as hobbyists, it's important that we learn as much as we can from the experience. There are many reasons why an an amphibian passes away while in our care. Although we may not always find a cause we...
Sep 30, 2022•43 min
Oophaga pumilio are well known for their vivid and variable coloration. But did you know that they have extremely sophisticated mating behaviors that select for certain colors? In this week's episode I am joined by researcher, Yusan Yang and we discuss her work studying mate selection in wild oophaga pumilio. We talk about mating both male and female behaviors associated with color selection, and how pumilo tadpoles can actually imprint on their mothers. We also discuss one of Yusan's research p...
Sep 23, 2022•1 hr 8 min
This week I am joined by Dr. Alessandro Catenazzi. Alessandro is a conservation biologist who assesses amphibian populations for the IUCN red list, We discuss what the IUCN is, how species and populations are assessed, and what the future holds for endangered frogs. We also talk about frog species native to the Peruvian cloud forest biome, and how many endangered species are actually on the rebound. For AmphibiCast Merch, to support the show by becoming a Patron, and for a 10% listener discount ...
Sep 16, 2022•1 hr 20 min
People often make comparisons between reef tanks and planted vivariums due to their complexity and beauty. They both require substantial care and effort, yet despite their many challenges, they ultimately reward the keeper with a perfect slice of the natural world. This week I am joined by reef aquarist turned dart frog breeder, Kyle Martin. Kyle and I discuss his transition from keeping reef aquariums to dart frogs and how he used his aquarist skill set to be successful with both. We also discu...
Sep 09, 2022•1 hr 36 min
This week I am joined by Jack Small. Jack is one of the organizers of this year's American Frog Day and in this episode we discuss how the event started decades ago, how it grew over the years, what sets it apart from other expos, and what we can expect this year. We also discuss how Jack keeps amd breeds his dendrobates truncatus, and we talk about how important the greater dart frog community is. American Frog Day is the biggest dart frog focused event in the US. If you are interested in atten...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Tonight I am joined by Dr. Kyle Summers. Dr. Summers has studied dendrobatids extensively since the 1980s and he has contributed immensely to the dart frog knowledge base. (Ranitomeya summersi is in fact named in his honor). In this episode we discuss different types of mimicry in Ranitomeya, differing degrees of toxicity between mimics, and monogamy in Ranitomeya imitator. We also discuss his dart frog blog and what happed after he handled a fully toxic wild Phyllobates vittatus. To support the...
Aug 26, 2022•49 min
The Amazon Milk Frog (rachycephalus resinifictrix) is a popular species among amphibian hobbyists. In tonight's episode I review a paper on Amazon Milk Frog Husbandry written by French Scientist Fabien Mignet and discuss some of the key husbandry points. Tonight's podcast contains a reading of a scientific paper with all credit to the original author. Mignet, F. (2015). Biology and Captive Breeding of the Amazonian Milk Frog, Trachycephalus resinifictrix (Goeldi 1907). Reptiles & Amphibians ...
Aug 19, 2022•34 min
Hi everyone! I wanted to share some quick announcements about the show and some upcoming events! 1. Order Anura is hosting a Fundraiser in the Podcast's name to support Panamanian Frog conservation. Each 5 dollar entry gets you a chance to win a pair of dart frogs and some really cool plants! The fundraiser for Project Golden Frog is from August 11th through August 27th. Follow and message @orderanura on instagram for more info or visit orderanura.com To donate and enter visit www.paypal.com/pay...
Aug 12, 2022•16 min
This week I welcome back Troy Goldberg for episode 100. We discuss rack systems for dart frog vivariums, the care and breeding of large obligates, and the importance of putting out quality online frog content. To support the show by becoming a Patron, for AmphibiCast Merch, for a 10% listener discount on In Situ Ecosystems vivariums, and to support Panamanian frog conservation visit: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast Be sure to Follow Troys Tropical Garage on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook I would ...
Aug 05, 2022•2 hr 5 min
As the Amphibian Hobby continues to grow, more and more people are keeping frogs and other amphibians as pets. However, situations often arise where keepers can no longer keep their animals. Many keepers look out for rescue organizations, but there are only a handful that accept amphibians. Running an amphibian focused rescue operation also poses a unique set of challenges. This week I am joined by Cloudberry Exotics Sanctuary and we discuss how she started her rescue operation in 2009 , why she...
Jul 29, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Oophaga pumilio "blue jeans" is one of the most visually stunning frogs in the world. Yet, there hasn't been a concerted effort to breed them in captivity up until now. This week I am joined once again by Audrey of Urban Amphibia, and we discuss her Oophaga pumilio "blue jeans" captive breeding project, some behavior quirks that are unique to the locale ,and how to get a pair to successfully reproduce. We also discuss Audrey's educational work with veterinary students and how she uses dart frogs...
Jul 22, 2022•1 hr 31 min
Over the years, it has become common practice to incorporate specialized UV lighting into the husbandry of many herp species. Although we don't often associate UV lighting with captive amphibians, there may be a place for it as technology continues to evolve in a more frog friendly direction. In this week's episode I am joined by Ryan McVeigh of VivTech. Ryan has dedicated years of his career developing and advancing husbandry tools such as UV lighting. We discuss how the technology has advanced...
Jul 15, 2022•2 hr 1 min
When we think about dart frogs, we almost always immediately picture the beautifully blue Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus." Once thought to be its own species (research is still ongoing), Azureus has been the focus of attention for both beginner and advanced hobbyists for half a century. However, there hasn't been a thorough account of how Azureus came into zoos and private collections up until now. My guest this week is Nick Zoppa, and Nick has taken the time to fully research the history and t...
Jul 08, 2022•1 hr 15 min
This week I am joined by Edgardo Griffith of the EVACC Foundation in Panama. Edgardo has dedicated decades of his life working towards preserving the Panamanian Golden Frog (Atelopus zeteki). In this episode we discuss how it all started, what the situation is today, and what the future holds for the world's most iconic and endangered amphibian species. To support / donate towards the Panamanian Golden Frog's preservation please visit: https://www.ranadorada.org/ To support AmphibiCast by becomi...
Jul 01, 2022•1 hr 43 min
In this weeks episode I discuss some money saving options for those interested in keeping frogs on a budget. To support the show by becoming a Patron, for a 10% listener discount off In Situ Ecosystems Vivariums, for AmphibiCast Merch, and to support Panamanian Amphibian Conservation click https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast
Jun 24, 2022•32 min
Tonight I am joined again by Zac Goodnow from Equatorial Ecosystems. Zac and I discuss some common issues that pop up in both new and established vivariums such as plant die off, mold outbreaks, fungus gnats, snails, poor drainage, and -what to do with that expensive cutting you recently bought that just won't thrive. If you've ever had something go wrong in one of your vivariums this is the episode you've waiting for. Be sure to check out https://equatorial-ecosystems.com/ and follow Zac on Ins...
Jun 17, 2022•1 hr 40 min
Tonight I am joined by Dr. David Blackburn. David has spent the majority of his career studying African Frog species, as well as frog evolution and morphology. We begin with a discussion on frog evolution, extinct frogs, and the frogs in fossil record; and we continue on to discuss several African species including the goliath frog and a very rare species of Xenopus. We also discuss some of the new technology that scientists are using to study and recreate rare and extinct amphibian species. To ...
Jun 10, 2022•1 hr 37 min
Spindly Leg Syndrome is a condition that negatively effects developing tadpoles and causes them to develop thin "spindly" legs during metamorphosis. The condition is ultimately fatal and as such it can be a difficult challenge for hobbyists and conservationists looking to breed dendrobatid frogs to overcome. Many have theorized why spindly leg occurs, but there hasn't been much in the way of peer reviewed literature until now. To shed light on the subject, I am joined tonight by Kathleen Higgins...
May 27, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Tonight I am joined by Mike Novy of Rain Forest Junkys. We discuss the care and breeding of red eyed tree frogs, and how Mike fine tuned his husbandry methods over the last thirty years. Mike and I cover everything from tadpole care to tank cleaning to supplementation. We also finish tonight's show with a discussion about some recent drama resulting from a recent Youtube video featuring Mike's breeding operation and some of the misinformed negative criticism in the comments. For more, follow Mik...
May 20, 2022•2 hr 10 min
This week I am joined by Nick Stacey of Fragile Planet Wildlife Park. You may remember Nick from Episode 19. where we discussed the beginning of his Atelopus breeding project. In this episode Nick gives us an update on his Atelopus balios and Atelopus barbotini breeding projects, and we also discuss how he successfully cares for an breeds Aneides aeneus (commonly known as the Green Salamander) For more info visit www.fpwildlifepark.com Follow Nick on Instagram @indicator_species To support the s...
May 13, 2022•1 hr 31 min
In this episode I am joined by Jay Sommers of Sandfire Dragon Ranch and we discuss the history of Asian newt species in the hobby as well as the specialized care of the Laos Warty Newt. To Support the Show by becoming a Patron, purchase AmphibiCast Merch and to receive listener discounts on In Situ Ecosystems vivariums check out: https://linktr.ee/AmphibiCast Also, be sure to check out sandfiredragonranch.com
May 06, 2022•1 hr 14 min
Tonight I am joined by fellow podcaster Fadi Naddeh of Daffy's Round Table and Daffy's Reptiles. We compare and discuss some different methods of rearing dart frog tadpoles, how Fadi got into podcasting, prolapses in Spanish Ribbed Newts, and we also discuss some of the worst dart frog enclosures we've ever seen on the internet! Be sure to check out Fadi's Podcast Daffy's Round Table on all Podcast Players Also follow Fadi on Instagram @daffysreptiles and his youtube channel https://www.youtube....
Apr 29, 2022•1 hr 6 min
Axoltols are renowned for their abilities to regenerate lost limbs. In tonight's episode I speak with Dr. Kate McCusker of the McCusker Lab about limb regeneration, growth rate, and the aging process in axolotls. For more information visit or for a virtual tour of Kate's lab visit: https://www.umb.edu/mccuskerlab/virtual_lab_tours https://www.umb.edu/mccuskerlab/research_team/catherine_mccusker For Amphibicast Gear visit: https://the-amphibicast-store.creator-spring.com/ For discounts on In Situ...
Apr 22, 2022•1 hr 4 min
As the dart frog hobby evolved over the past 50 years, many different species and locales came and went along with it. However, for the longest time, we haven't had a clear picture of which species made it into the hobby, when they made it into the hobby and how they made it into the hobby. That is - up until now. Tonight I am joined once again by Devin Edmonds and we discuss his new paper published in the Herpetological Review titled, "Poison Frogs Traded and Maintained by US Private Breeders."...
Apr 15, 2022•1 hr 13 min
