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Reptiles/Expert Profile
Expertise
I can answer questions on the proper husbandry and diet of Iguanas, bearded dragons, geckoes, skinks, chameleons, tortoises, box turtles, treefrogs, non-venomous snakes and tarantulas. Also the breeding of some species of feeder insects. I have no experience with venonmous snakes and only limited experience with aquatic turtles.
Experience in the area
I have been keeping and breeding reptiles for over 30 years. In addition to my regular job in the medical field I also worked for several years in a pet store that specialized only in exotics. The job entailed both caring for and answering questions on innumerable species. It required constant, extensive research into a wide range of reptiles. I have been called to appear on televised national media (CBC, CTV and Life Channel) as well as CBC radio to discuss the proper care of reptiles and other exotics in captivity. I currently own one or more species of those listed under my expertise with the exception of chameleons. I owned chameleons for years but keep none currently. I keep over 20 snakes comprising 5 species, both Colubridae and Boidae. I bred corn snakes for several years. I have a particular interest in treefrogs and currently have 5 different species. I've raised redfoot tortoises for 10 years and have two iguanas, one for 12 years.
Publications
A small and now defunct local magazine called "Pet Vue"
Education/Credentials
Diagnostic medical microbiology with some parasitology experience.
Average Ratings
Recent Reviews from Users
K = Knowledgeability C = Clarity of Response T = Timeliness P = Politeness| User | Date | K | C | T | P | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 09/15/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! that really helped |
| Brenda | 09/13/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Thank you for your info. It goes ..... |
| Paige | 09/10/09 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | Thanks so much, Thea, based on reviewing ..... |
| Nick | 09/08/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | From what I can tell it appears ..... |
| suzane | 09/04/09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | Hi Thea, Thanks very much for the ..... |
Recent Answers from Thea
2009-09-10 turtles diet:
Hi Chelsea, Red ear sliders and painted turtles would both eat aquatic vegetation but I'm not familiar with the actual names of wild aquatic plants. In addition they will feed on fish, frogs, tadpoles
2009-09-10 5 1/2 month Beardie:
Hi Brenda, Substrate choice is probably one of the most debated topics in reptile keeping. Any loose particle substrate such as sand is always going to present some degree of impaction risk, although the
2009-09-09 crested gecko:
Hi Rachel, I'm sure you can appreciate how difficult it is to give an opinion on something that I can't see. Just to rule out the obvious though, cresteds do have a series of rather enlarged scales that
2009-09-09 Leopard Gecko's thinning tail:
Hi Paige, Yes, the tail is a primary fat storage area for leopard geckos. Unfortunately weight loss is not a symptom that is specific to any one condition. If could be intestinal parasites (even captive
2009-09-08 re: crested gecko:
Hi Dan, If there was skeletal involvement with some weakening of the bones then that will take a while longer to resolve. The body's first priority is the blood calcium level and when that is sufficient
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