Herp Chats

Sunday, February 1

John Binns
International Reptile Conservation Foundation
Sunday, February 1, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
John Binns, one half of the driving force behind the International Reptile Conservation Foundation, will be joining us to talk on past and current projects, ways you can get involved, ways you can help endangered species and more.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Friday, February 6

Dr Bryan Grieg Fry
All Things Venomous
Friday, February 6, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Venom researcher Dr Bryan Grieg Fry will be joining Kingsnake to discuss all things venomous. His experience in the field with a wide variety of animals is second to none -- and he's one of our most popular repeat guests!
View the transcript of this chat here.

Saturday, February 7

Michael Shrom
Amphibians
Saturday, February 7, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Michael Shrom has been keeping amphibians for 30 years. He is currently dealing specifically with newts and salamanders, but has worked with various species of frogs in the past as well. He has also supplied c.b. ribbed newts to NASA for some work they are doing on research the Russian space program started.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Sunday, February 8

Yasser Moustafa
Pythons, Morelia and Beyond
Sunday, February 8, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Yasser Moustafa of Spitfire Reptiles has great experience with a variety of carpet species, GTP, scrubs, and barneck, as well as having worked with morelia hybrids. Get in on the ground floor and learn more about these stunning snakes.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Jeff Clark
Rainbow Boas
Sunday, February 8, at 10 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Jeff Clark of Savannah, Georgia has been hunting and keeping and breeding snakes much of the time since his first pet snake had babies in 1964. He has kept many different species and has captive-bred dozens of different ones. He has specialized in Rainbow Boas since 1989.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Friday, February 13

Jeff Ronne
Boa Constrictors
Friday, February 13, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Jeff Ronne is an expert in the breeding of Boa Constrictors, and his writings have detailed nearly every aspect of the entire boa breeding process. His "tunnel vision" efforts enabled him to observe the many previously undocumented little nuances that are unique to boa constrictors -- the "pre-ovulation swell," the "post-ovulation shed," the "heat conservation position," "slow motion ovulation," "yolk solidification syndrome" -- Jeff reveals all!
View the transcript of this chat here.

Saturday, February 14

Bill Love
Field Herping in your own backyard, and beyond
Saturday, February 14, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Bill Love, one of our most popular return guests, has always enjoyed seeking herps in nature, and recording them on film in their natural haunts is one of his true passions, whether he's in Madagascar, Baja, or just near home in Florida's Everglades. Bill and his wife Kathy have traveled the world and can help you plan your next Eco-Venture.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Dave Northcott
Wildlife Photography
Saturday, February 14, at 10 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
David Northcott has been photographing wildlife for over 35 years, beginning with his pet chameleon. He currently maintains a photographic library of over 100,000 images that includes a wide variety of wildlife and nature subjects, including a strong focus on reptiles and amphibians. His images are represented by four stock agencies that have been selling his work, worldwide, since 1986. Nature’s Lens is the name of his photographic business and actively markets his images, posters and postcards world wide.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Sunday, February 15

Don Soderberg
Keeping and Breeding Corn Snakes
Sunday, February 15, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Don Soderberg of South Mountain Reptiles studied biology and herpetology at Austin State University, and is the producer of over 100 different corn and other colubrid snake morphs. Don will be answering questions about all aspects of keeping and breeding corn snakes.

Friday, February 20

Panel Discussion:
Blood Pythons
Friday, February 20, 9-11 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Kara Glasgow (www.bloodpythons.com) Rich Crowley (www.richcrowleyreptiles.com) and Ryan Norris (The Blood Cell) will delve into the three species of snakes that are referred to as Blood Pythons. Care, husbandry, reproduction and all things surrounding sharing your life with these wonderful snakes will be discussed.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Saturday, February 21

Robyn Markland
Monitors
Saturday, February 21, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Robyn Markland started with Pro Exotics in 1993, and will be joining us to talk about the business and monitors.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Adam Britton
Crocodilians
Saturday, February 21, at 10 PM Eastern Time, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Adam Britton's long-standing interest and research on crocodilians has provided many adventures in the wilds of northern Australia, many of which feature in the numerous documentaries Adam has appeared in over the past 12 years. Adam runs Big Gecko, a consultancy business specializing in crocodilian research, conservation management and documentary filming. He is also writing two books on crocodilians, including one on husbandry co-authored with Chris Dieter. Adam will answer questions on any aspect of crocodilians, whether it's biology and behaviour, keeping crocs in captivity, or working in the field with crocs and film crews. You can visit Adam's website at crocodilian.com, and his blog here.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Sunday, February 22

Doug Mader, DVM
Reptile Medicine
Sunday, February 22, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Best known as the vet from Reptiles Magazine, Dr. Mader is considered by experienced keepers as the person who wrote the book on reptile medicine. He'll join us to discuss topics in herp health as well as his work with the sea turtle hospital.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Bobby Hill
Tegus
Sunday, February 22, at 10 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Bobby has over 30 years in the keeping and breeding of reptiles. Currently focusing on Tegus, he has over 80 adults and a bunch of holdback babies, including his Extreme Giant program. Upcoming projects for Bobby included the Jewelled Lacertas. He lives in the great state of Florida, where he runs his business Varnyard Herps Inc.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Friday, February 27

Kevin Mc Curley
The ethics of breeding and selling large constrictors
Friday, February 27, from 9-11 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Kevin Mc Curley, the mastermind behind the morphs that NERD creates, is going to join us for a 2 hour chat discussing judging your clientele, sale responsibility to areas where you may not know the laws, possible environmental impact of released animals, support post-sale, and what your rights are a breeder/seller to deny sale if you see fit -- topics that hit home for many owners and keepers as we face possible federal restrictions on our ownership.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Saturday, February 28

Ralph Davis
Ball Pythons
Saturday, February 28, at 9 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Kicking off our final night will be none other than Ralph Davis, one of the leading ball python breeders. He deals in high-end morphs and is known for his playful personality both behind the table and keyboard. Ralph loves to play in the "mutations" available in the land of the ball pythons. Join us for our final night of guests chats! Lets do it "Ralphie Style"!
View the transcript of this chat here.

Chris Allen
Bearded Dragons
Saturday, February 28, at 10 PM Eastern, in the kingsnake.com chat room
Chris Allen is an acknowledged expert in the care of bearded dragons, and the Chris Allen Reds remain popular even though he took a short break from breeding beardeds. He'll talk to us tonight about everything from basic care to breeding to color morphs.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Sunday, February 1

Dr. Marion Nestle and Dr. Mal Nesheim
What Pets Eat
Sunday, February 1, at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
Whether we have pets or not, the last two years have made us acutely aware that all is not as it should be when it comes to the safety and wholesomeness of our food supply. One of the leading voices in the movement to reform how we deal with food and nutrition in this country is bestselling author Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and a visiting professor in the College of Agriculture's nutritional sciences division at Cornell University. She'll be joining us along with retired animal nutritionist, professor of nutritional sciences and provost emeritus at Cornell University Dr. Mal Nesheim to discuss their forthcoming book "What Pets Eat," and Nestle's recent book on the 2007 pet food recall, "Pet Food Politics."
Read the transcript here.

Friday, February 6

Arden Moore
Healthy, Lean Dogs
Friday, February 6, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Author and canine expert Arden Moore will be joining us to discuss healthy dogs and how to avoid an overweight dog. To learn more about Arden, her books, and her radio show Oh Behave!, visit her website.
Read the transcript here.

Saturday, February 7

Rich Avanzino of Maddie's Fund
What you -- yes, YOU -- can do to get pets out of shelters and into good homes
Saturday, February 7 at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
No-kill trailblazer Richard Avanzino, former director of the San Francisco SPCA and current president of Maddie's Fund will join us to announce a ground-breaking new national program to get all healthy and treatable dogs and cats in shelters into good homes, and sustain that achievement. Find out what you can do to make it happen. It won't cost you a penny, and you won't even have to leave your house -- but there's no way it can happen without your help.

Sunday, February 8

Therese Kopiwoda
All About Pet Sitters
Sunday, February 8, at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA.com will be joining us to help us learn how to choose a pet sitter, what to look for, what to expect starting your own pet sitting business.
Read the transcript here.

Friday, February 13

Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.
Canine Behavior
Friday, February 13, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and Associate Adjunct Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Patricia McConnell will be joining us and showing us to learn to speak dog. Patricia is the renowned author of many books about on how our dogs communicate with us and we with them, including "The Other End of the Leash" and "The Cautious Canine."

Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori
The Furry Fountain of Youth
Friday, February 13, at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
We'd all like our dogs and cats to live forever. While that's impossible, we can get a lot closer if we keep two secrets in mind. Find out what they are from Dr. Marty Becker, the popular veterinary contributor to ABC-TV's "Good Morning America," host of "The Pet Doctor With Marty Becker" on PBS, and past Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year of the Delta Society and the American Veterinary Medical Association. Joining Marty will be bestselling author, nationally syndicated pet care columnist, and PetHobbyist.com BFF Gina Spadafori.

Saturday, February 14

Beth Moody
Silent Training
Saturday, February 14, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Beth Moody has been training dogs, including deaf dogs, for many years. Many deaf dogs entering rescue would become happy family members after her work with them. She has trained her own deaf Boxer, Echo, to be her service dog; Echo knows over 40 signs. Come learn about "Silent Training," a training technique developed by a long time trainer of deaf dogs. And silent training is not for deaf dogs only!

Sunday, February 15

Laurie Williams
Extreme Obedience!
Sunday, February 15, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Laurie Williams, B.A., CPDT, and her 6-year-old Maltese dog Andrew may have been runners-up on the CBS summer reality show Greatest American Dog, but they are America's designated champions in demonstrating the beautiful, mutually respectful relationship that can result from positive, dog-friendly training. A canine education specialist, dog behavior counselor and trainer for over 25 years, Laurie will join us to discuss Extreme Obedience! CGC, Delta, and ways you and your dogs can work together.

Dawn Capp
Fighting Breed Specific Legislation
Sunday, February 15, at 10 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Dawn Capp of Chako (Coalition of Human Advocates for K9s & Owners) will be joining us to discuss BSL and other legislation that affects dog ownership.

Friday, February 20

Darlene Arden
Training and Behavior of Small Dogs -- and big ones, too!
Friday, February 20, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
One of our most entertaining and popular chat guests, Darlene Arden is an internationally recognized authority on small dogs and their care, and the author of "Small Dogs, Big Hearts," "Rover, Get Off Her Leg!", and the critically acclaimed "Angell Memorial Animal Hospital Book of Wellness and Preventive Care for Dogs."

Saturday, February 21

Amy Shojai
The special needs of aging cats and dogs
Saturday, February 21, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
Amy Shojai, author of "PETiQUETTE: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household," is a certified animal behavior consultant and nationally known authority on pet care and behavior. She began her career as a veterinary technician and is the award-winning author of 22 nonfiction pet books and more than 1000 published articles and columns.

Sunday, February 22

Laurie Kaplan
Magic Bullet Fund: Helping dogs with cancer
Sunday, February 22, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Author Laurie Kaplan founded the Magic Bullet Fund to help people who have a dog with cancer but cannot afford treatment costs. Laurie will be joining us to discuss the work of the Magic Bullet Fund as well as her recent book, "Help Your Dog Fight Cancer: What every caretaker should know about Canine Cancer."

Friday, February 27

Panel Discussion:
Stopping Puppy and Kitten Mills
Friday, February 27, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Dog Den
Kirsten Kranz, Specialty Pure Bred Cat Rescue
Eileen Ribbons Rhode, Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project
Both Eileen and Kirsten have been involved in the animal rescue and sheltering field for many years. Having seen things from both the sheltering side and the rescue side, both have dealt with mill issues. Many people know about puppy mills, but cat mills are starting to increase. Learn how these groups are combating mills in their backyard and how they deal with the aftermath. Mill animals have special needs often and come with some unusual behavioral issues. Learn what is behind those cute little puppies and kittens in the window.

Saturday, February 28

Panel Discussion:
Rescue
Saturday, February 28, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
A discussion of issues around animal rescue with representatives from the following organizations:
Mid Michigan Boxer Rescue
Mid Michigan Reptile Rescue
Lifeline Italian Greyhound Rescue
Wisconsin Doberman Rescue
All Saints St. Bernard Rescue/
Brew City Small Dog Rescue
Specialty Pure Bred Cat Rescue
Bring your questions and comments about rescue!

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Sunday, February 1

Pat Wright
The Fight for Ferret Legalization in California
Sunday, February 1, at 9 PM Eastern, in Critter Chat
Pat Wright is the founder of Ferrets Anonymous and LegalizeFerrets.org, organizations devoted to legalizing ferret ownership in California, one of only two states in the U.S. where the animals are not legal.
View the transcript of this chat here.

Saturday, February 7

Rich Avanzino of Maddie's Fund
What you -- yes, YOU -- can do to get pets out of shelters and into good homes
Saturday, February 7 at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
No-kill trailblazer Richard Avanzino, former director of the San Francisco SPCA and current president of Maddie's Fund will join us to announce a ground-breaking new national program to get all healthy and treatable dogs and cats in shelters into good homes, and sustain that achievement. Find out what you can do to make it happen. It won't cost you a penny, and you won't even have to leave your house -- but there's no way it can happen without your help.

Sunday, February 8

Bob Wagner, DVM
Ferret Veterinary Care
Sunday, February 8, at 9 PM Eastern, in CritterChat
Dr. Wagner holds joint positions at the University of Pittsburgh as a Clinical Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine in the Division of Laboratory Animal Resources and a Research Associate Professor of Medicine in the School of Medicine's Department of Medicine. He also has an exotic animal practice at Fox Chapel Animal Hospital and North Boros Veterinary Hospital. With more than twenty-five years of exotic animal experience, Dr. Wagner has a fascinating job history, including veterinary positions at the Pittsburgh Zoo and National Aviary of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wagner has extensive experience in ferrets and is one of our nation's experts in their care and health.

Therese Kopiwoda
All About Pet Sitters
Sunday, February 8, at 10 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
Therese Kopiwoda of PetSitUSA.com will be joining us to help us learn how to choose a pet sitter, what to look for, what to expect starting your own pet sitting business.

Friday, February 13

Alexandra Colburns
Ferret Tales
Friday, February 13, at 9 PM Eastern, in Critter Chat
Alexandra Colburns is best known for her entertaining Ferret Tales... or should that be tails? Alexandra will be joining us to discuss her life with her ferrets and perhaps share some of her writings. Due to technical difficulties, no transcript of this chat is available.

Friday, February 20

Shelor Brumbeloe
Skunks as Pets
Friday, February 20, at 9 PM Eastern, in Exotic Pet Chat
Have you ever considered a skunk as a pet? They might seem like an usual choice, but what really is involved in having one as a pet? They are a very intelligent animal, however, they can be very active and curious. Learn how to properly raise a skunk from descenting to basic day to day care with "The Skunk Lady 2"!

Saturday, February 21

Brian Speer, DVM, ABVP(av), ECAMS and Gina Spadafori, authors of "Birds for Dummies"
Bird Health and Veterinary Care
Saturday, February 21, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Aviary
We're thrilled to welcome back one of our most popular chat guests, Dr. Brian Speer, one of the country's few board-certified avian veterinarians. Joining him will be his "Birds for Dummies" co-author, nationally syndicated pet columnist and bird owner Gina Spadafori.

Sunday, February 22

Liz Phipps, CVT
Exotic Animal, Small Mammal, and Pocket Pet Health
Sunday, February 22, at 10 PM Eastern, in Exotic Pet Chat
Liz Phipps, a certified veterinary technician, has been working in vet clinics for as long as she can remember. Taking a special interest in exotics, birds, reptiles, and "pocket pets," she has done extensive research on many of the commonly kept pets. She will be joining us this evening to discuss the basics: what type of pet would match your home, getting your basic setups right, and delving into the information you will need to set up a relationship with a local vet.

Saturday, February 28

Panel Discussion:
Rescue
Saturday, February 28, at 9 PM Eastern, in the Auditorium
A discussion of issues around animal rescue with representatives from the following organizations:
Mid Michigan Boxer Rescue
Mid Michigan Reptile Rescue
Lifeline Italian Greyhound Rescue
Wisconsin Doberman Rescue
All Saints St. Bernard Rescue/
Brew City Small Dog Rescue
Specialty Pure Bred Cat Rescue
Bring your questions and comments about rescue!

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