Notes on the Red Tegu

Notes on the Red Tegu, Tupinambis rufescens (Günther, 1871)By Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D.Shakespeare famously penned the opinion that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Yet, being human, we...

TO THE PARENTS OF A YOUNG HERPETOLOGIST

Ultraviolet Light, Vitamin D, and Reptile Health

Ultraviolet Light, Vitamin D, and Reptile Health By Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. If you keep reptiles you have probably learned that they require regular exposure to ultraviolet light (UV), and that...

The Yellow Head Gecko

The Yellow Headed Gecko Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. Yellow Headed Gecko Gonatodes albigularis fuscus (Hallowell, 1855) Family: Gekkonidae, the geckos, subfamily Sphaerodactylinae, the...

Fear of Reptiles -- Why?

Having been a child of the fifties, I must confess to a weakness that my generation faces that predates interest in drugs, cigarettes, sex, or the other pastimes that a more senior generation considers vices....

HOW TO LIVE WITH PAIN AND THOSE WHO HAVE IT

HOW TO LIVE WITH PAIN AND THOSE WHO HAVE IT By Robert Sprackland, Ph.D. Dedicated to the biggest pains in my life, which reside in the greatest love of my life. I [Note: links to special sites with...

The Long-tailed Grass Lizard

Long-tailed Grass Lizard Takydromus sexlineatus Daudin, 1802 Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. Family: Lacertidae, a family distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. This species is found in...

HOW SAFE ARE YOU IN AN AMERICAN HOSPITAL?

HOW SAFE ARE YOU IN AN AMERICAN HOSPITAL? By Robert George Sprackland, Ph.D. Are you afraid of flying? Do you know anyone who is afraid of flying? Fearful or not, you have probably heard that flying...

Coffee Grounds and Super Plants: True or False?

Plants grown in a mixture of potting soil and used coffee grounds grow better than those raised in plain soil: true or false? Because my wife is a gardener, I had heard this story long ago and reconciled...

Bite of the Bandy-Bandy: Chapter 1

There's been a lot of talk lately about unwanted visitors. I'm not talking about in-laws or college students on an extended return from school. The visitors to which I refer have gone under a suite of...