Isopods for Bioactive Environments
Isopods are one of the most common invertebrates used as clean-up crew in a bioactive environment. Today I talk with Rus Wilson from Aquarimax and he introduces us to this new world!
Episodes
Chameleon Academy Podcast
Hosted by long time chameleon keeper and breeder, Bill Strand, the Chameleon Academy Podcast tackles subjects from basic to advanced and brings in insight from experts in the field. There is something for everyone from beginning keepers to experienced breeders. Subscribe for a weekly dose of chameleon talk!
Episodes
Bioactive Naturalistic Vivariums with Ferdy Timmerman
Reptile photographer Ferdy Timmerman joins us to talk about his approch to bioactive naturalistic environments.
Pitfalls in Bioactive Environments with John Courteney-Smith MRSB
Setting up a bio-active environment is just the first step. Now you have to maintain it! Today I talk with John Courteney-Smith MSRB about the ways that a bio-active environment could get in trouble and how to prevent that!
Interview with Cameroon Scientist Walter Tapondjou
Walter Tanpondjou returns to the podcast after defending his PhD thesis and shares the studies he is involved in.
A Review of Chameleons and Screen Cages
It is common to hear people in the chameleon community say that chameleons need to be in screen cages. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case, but there is no black and white in chameleon keeping and the answer becomes clear once we learn the nuances. So, today, we are going to learn about screen cages.
Outdoor Baby Chameleon Keeping
Today we talk about keeping baby and smaller chameleon species outdoors. I lay out the benefits, the challenges, and some techniques.
Intro to Chameleon Bio-active with Michael Nash
Bioactive envronments have given us success with the rarer species and is a next step for the dedicated chameleon herpetoculturist.
Bioactive Substrate for Chameleons with Josh Halter
The core of the bioactive system is the substrate. And this wouldn't be the Chameleon Academy if we didn't ask the questions as to what this means! In this episode, Josh Halter, the BioDude, shares with us what we should look for. Josh built his entire business on substrates for the bioactive vivarium! And in this episode he explains what is important when is obtaining or making an effective substrate.
Veiled Chameleon Care Summary 2022 Update
I review the latest updates in Veiled Chameleon husbandry! This is taken off of the newly updated ChameleonAcademy.com care summary that can be downloaded for free from the Veiled Chameleon profile
UVB for Chameleons
UVB light is critical for chameleon health. In this episode we lay down the ground work to understand the basics of what you need to know to create an effective and safe UVB gradient within your chameleon cage.
Chameleon Eye Issues
A chameleon’s eyes are one of the most obvious ways of telling when something is off with our chameleon. Today I go over the most common chameleon eye issues and how to figure out what the problem may be
Chameleon Hydration Strategy
Water is the key to life. Today, I’ll explore the concept of hydration and how we can develop an effective strategy for our chameleon husbandry
What to Feed Chameleon Hatchlings
This episode reviews what you need to know about feeding hatchling chameleons.
Security for Chameleons
A sense of security is a critical element to chameleon husbandry, yet is hardly ever represented on a care sheet. So it is well worth it to review what gives a chameleon a sense of security.
The Crested Chameleon
Crested Chameleon care is the topic. Trioceros cristatus is a fascinating species and I hope we can be ready if we have the opportunity for them to come in again. This interview is with Jurgen Van Overbeke who has bred them for 15 years.
Cage Building! Chameleon Community Projects
Welcome to the new series where I talk to chameleon community members and their personal chameleon projects! Summer Winston is part of our TikTok community and shares their home cage building projects on the podcast!
Emerald Tree Skinks with Josh Halter
Learn about the curious and intelligent Emerald Tree Skink! Welcome to the Outer Fringes where we talk about non-chameleon reptiles! Today we talk with Josh Halter, the BioDude himself, as he introduces us to one of his favorite reptiles that he has bred multi-generationly.
Jeweled Chameleon Introduction!
A full Jeweled Chameleon Care episode! Michael Nash joins us to give us a husbandry review of Furcifer campani, the Jeweled Chameleon.
Chameleons In the Dry Season
Should we be including a cool down period for our chameleons? Before we consider that we need to understand what the dry season is! Today, Euan Edwards shares his observations after spending years in Madgacascar working with chameleons.
Critical Thinking with Chameleon Husbandry
Dr. Chris Anderson returns to discuss how we can apply scientific critical thinking to our chameleon husbandry. There is still so much for us to figure out, but it takes discipline to find the right answers instead of the easy ones or the ones that make us feel good.
Can Chameleon Keeping and Conservation Co-exist?
Dr. Chris Anderson joins me for a frank talk about chameleon keeping and conservation. We talk about the way international trade is set up and the laws surrounding it. Dr. Anderson explains the benefits and detriments of trade. He talks about when the system works and when it doesn't. There are no black and white answers, but listen in and you will understand the major issues surrounding chameleon keeping and conservation.
Blue Tree Monitors with Eddy Garabito
Welcome to the Outer Fringes where we explore another reptile that we chameleon people will love! Today we have Eddy Garabito, Father Blue, who works extensively with Blue Tree Monitors.
Carpet chameleons with Frank Payne
The Carpet Chameleon is one of the best chameleon keeping candidates. When captive hatched they are hardy and easy to keep. Frank Payne, of Living Art by Frank Payne, joins me to discuss what he has learned about caring for this wonderful chameleon species.
Keeping Chameleons in the European Union with Jurgen Van Overbeke
We explore the differences in chameleon keeping regulations between the US and Europe with this interview with Jurgen Van Overbeke. Does regulating husbandry conditions improve the general state of reptile keeping?
Bio-Active Chameleon Hatchling Enclosures with Michael Nash
Michael Nash has successfully implemented bio-active concepts to raise up healthy baby chameleons. In this episode he shares with us how he does it!
Caring for Chameleon Hatchlings Panel Discussion
I bring on experienced chameleon breeders to share different approaches to raising chameleon hatchlings from hatching (or birth) to about three months of age. All three individually raise their babies. Included in today's episode is Jonathan Hill from iPardalis Chris Young from Kaizen Chameleons Sean Mcneeley from McZoos Exotics They answer my questions and then we all answer questions from our live studio audience.
Should I buy a Chameleon Egg? Part 2
Today I bring on Jonathan Hill of iPardalis to offer a breeder's perspective on the practice of selling eggs. As an educator I come at this new trend differently than a breeder who is responsible for figuring out what the right products are there for them to sell. It would be much easier to sell eggs! So, should today's breeders switch to egg sales? Jonathan says no. Watch to hear him explain the lay of the chameleon land!
Protecting Our Chameleon Community From New Laws
Today is a serious topic where I give my take on the current amendment proposal to the Lacey Act. This amendment has serious repercussions for reptile keeping and this is no drill. It snuck by undetected in the House and now it is on its way to the Senate. This is an example of how vigilant we need to be to protect our community. I figure it is more than worth talking about this because if this passes, our community will take a serious hit and it is this community which sustains us.
Buying a Chameleon Egg
If you have purchased a chameleon egg and are now preparing for caring for a hatchling, this episode will guide you through the steps to make sure that when your egg hatches you will have the highest chance of success.
Why We Should Help People in the Chameleon Community
If you are active in the chameleon community you know how it is when you answer the same question over and over. Is it worth it? That is something we need to answer for yourselves and today I discuss how I look at it.