Spilling the tea on turtle and tortoise preservation
Wendy 
What happens when a self-proclaimed “cuddly cat person” marries a dedicated reptile keeper? In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy explores the human side of the chelonian community with guest Tara Troxell from Arctic Reptile Ranch. Tara shares her fascinating journey from being an anxious snake-sitter to a highly intuitive, primary … Read more
Welcome back to Turtle Tea with TTPG – the definitive Turtle and Tortoise Podcast! In this episode, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Chris Leone of Garden State Tortoise to do a deep dive into the complex and often confusing world of Mediterranean tortoises. Chris shares the incredible personal story that sparked his lifelong obsession … Read more
Are leopard tortoises one of the world’s worst pet tortoises? Or are they just deeply misunderstood, notoriously sensitive giants? In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with dedicated keeper and breeder Cliff Graham-Lee (Pink Tortz) to unlock the mysteries behind Stigmochelys pardalis. From navigating the confusing genetic mix of … Read more
Episode 17: Leopard Tortoises – Are they the Worst Pet Tortoise or Sensitive and Misunderstood? – releasing 6/14 Animals have been a lifelong passion of mine, and growing up I kept everything from red-eared sliders, painted turtles, common musk turtles, and Chinese box turtles (Cuora flavomarginata) to iguanas and other reptiles. My journey into tortoise … Read more
In this follow-up episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, Wendy Montroy and Anthony Pierlioni move from basic care into the specialized world of breeding McCord’s Box Turtles. This conversation goes beyond simple husbandry to explore the evolving mindset of the modern keeper and the critical role the private sector plays in keeping this species from … Read more
In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, Wendy sits down with Anthony Pierlioni of Just Turtles and The Turtle Room to discuss one of the most enigmatic and charismatic species in the hobby: McCord’s Box Turtle (Cuora mccordi). Once so common in their native range that they were reportedly ”more numerous than rocks,” these … Read more
Anthony Pierlioni has written five books on turtles and veterinary leadership and speaks internationally on these subjects. A turtle conservationist, Anthony is the Vice President of theTurtleRoom, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports conservation around the world and educates the public about the plight of turtles. Follow his turtle-related adventures on the jusTURTLES YouTube channel.
“There will be some bloodshed.” Think tortoise breeding is all slow-motion romance? Think again. Forsten’s Tortoises are vocal, violent, and incredibly picky about who they date. Wendy Montroy sits down with breeder Stephen Sifuentes to pull back the curtain on one of the most aggressive yet rewarding species in the hobby. From the high-stakes “supervised … Read more
They are violent, they are beautiful, and they will absolutely bite your toes if you’re not wearing shoes. In this episode, we dive into the intense world of Forsten’s tortoises. In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, we go deep into the world of the Forsten’s Tortoise (Indotestudo forstenii). Host Wendy Montroy sits down … Read more
Join us for International Turtle and Tortoise Week™ (ITTW) , April 20-24 2026! Host Wendy Montroy welcomes TTPG founder Russ Gurley and Ashley Rademacher, the Director of Animal Care and Education at Zoo Med Labs, Inc. ITTW provides FREE educational packets to thousands of students across fifteen countries. Educators of all types, homeschoolers, teachers, 4H … Read more