Hi,
My name is Eli and I'm an avid reptile enthusiast from SA. I've been keeping reptiles since i was about 15. I was quite naive back then and would often sell/swap animals frequently, something i now regret. Some of my old reptiles included a black headed python, a pair of diamonds, a spencers monitor, a heath monitor, and a pair of central netted dragons....oh and a beardy of course. I'm now 25 years old and am completing my Honours year in Biology, specifically animal behaviour...even though my initial degree was a BSc in Environmental Science. My project is entitled "captive population studies of the pygmy blue tongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis", it is part of a bigger upcoming project on parasite transmission through social networks in the PBT. I'm conducting a study on 14 captive specimens, involving the introduction of conspecific models and other lizards, in which I film the lizards and observe their behaviour under the different circumstances. I feel quite priveliged to be working with this endangered species, and helping contribute to the developing knowledge of the species and their conservation.
My favourite herps are by far monitor lizards. I have an approx. 5-6 year old V. storri named Dexter who is realy awesome and a real ravenous lil bugger. I also have a Jungle carpet python named Doom who is very snappy beacsue I never really handled him at all. Doom has been through a lot, he escaped from his enclosure when he was about 2 years old, he was missing for over six months! I thought he was a goner, but happened to find him basking on the frot porch one summers day. I'm currently looking at getting some form of arboreal monitor to replace Doom, even though I love him so...I think its time we parted ways. I feel terrible for wanting to get rid of him, especially because it sort of reminds me of my younger mentalilty...however I no longer wish to be a collector, but rather just have a couple of nice pets. I spent about 1,300 on a really woop doop enclosure which would really suit a mertens or a lacey, I've always really wanted a medium/large monitor that I could raise from a juvenile.
Looking forward to contributing.
Eli
My name is Eli and I'm an avid reptile enthusiast from SA. I've been keeping reptiles since i was about 15. I was quite naive back then and would often sell/swap animals frequently, something i now regret. Some of my old reptiles included a black headed python, a pair of diamonds, a spencers monitor, a heath monitor, and a pair of central netted dragons....oh and a beardy of course. I'm now 25 years old and am completing my Honours year in Biology, specifically animal behaviour...even though my initial degree was a BSc in Environmental Science. My project is entitled "captive population studies of the pygmy blue tongue lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis", it is part of a bigger upcoming project on parasite transmission through social networks in the PBT. I'm conducting a study on 14 captive specimens, involving the introduction of conspecific models and other lizards, in which I film the lizards and observe their behaviour under the different circumstances. I feel quite priveliged to be working with this endangered species, and helping contribute to the developing knowledge of the species and their conservation.
My favourite herps are by far monitor lizards. I have an approx. 5-6 year old V. storri named Dexter who is realy awesome and a real ravenous lil bugger. I also have a Jungle carpet python named Doom who is very snappy beacsue I never really handled him at all. Doom has been through a lot, he escaped from his enclosure when he was about 2 years old, he was missing for over six months! I thought he was a goner, but happened to find him basking on the frot porch one summers day. I'm currently looking at getting some form of arboreal monitor to replace Doom, even though I love him so...I think its time we parted ways. I feel terrible for wanting to get rid of him, especially because it sort of reminds me of my younger mentalilty...however I no longer wish to be a collector, but rather just have a couple of nice pets. I spent about 1,300 on a really woop doop enclosure which would really suit a mertens or a lacey, I've always really wanted a medium/large monitor that I could raise from a juvenile.
Looking forward to contributing.
Eli
