Spilling the tea on turtle and tortoise preservation
Wendy My journey with turtles started as a fascination, became a curiosity, morphed into an obsession, and has now matured into a mission. I was about seven years old when I first laid eyes on Star tortoises at my school. I was fascinated by those gentle creatures and would stop by and watch them every day. … Read more
Flippers, snouts, and a reputation as the “holy grail” of turtles – Fly River Turtles are unlike anything else in herpetoculture. In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy sits down with longtime keeper Raul Gonzalez to explore the fascinating world of the Fly River Turtle, also known as the Pig-Nosed Turtle … Read more
Breeding padlopers isn’t optional – it’s essential. In this episode, host Wendy Montroy sits down with Dirk Barnard to unpack what it really takes to breed parrot beak tortoises successfully. Founder of Tortoise Conservation South Africa and a keynote speaker at the 2025 TTPG Conference, Dirk shares hard-won insights into why captive breeding is now … Read more
Dirk is the founder of Tortoise Conservation South Africa. He has had a passion for chelonians since he was a little boy. His goal is to establish a sanctuary and conservation area for tortoises in the Western Cape of South Africa. Episodes: Padlopers: Small Tortoises, Big Conservation Challenges and Padlopers: Breeding for the Future of the Parrot-Beaked … Read more
Jason and Tara currently live in the Sonoran desert NW of Phoenix. Jason has been a reptile keeper since he was 4, more than 4 decades ago. Even though they just celebrated their 21st anniversary, Tara didn’t consider herself a reptile keeper until about 10 years ago. They have been focusing on turtles & tortoises for … Read more
Host Wendy Montroy welcomes Dirk Barnard, founder of Tortoise Conservation South Africa and a keynote speaker at the TTPG Conference, for a fascinating deep dive into one of the world’s smallest and most misunderstood tortoises: the common padloper (Homopus aureolatus). In this episode, Dirk shares the personal journey that led him into tortoise conservation, beginning … Read more
Join us as we talk to Jason and Tara Troxell of Arctic Reptile Ranch about life with Galapagos tortoises. We’ll talk about how they ended up on the islands to begin with (hint, it’s not island gigantism!) and earned the nickname “Galap-holes”. We go beyond the standard nature documentary fare to dig into what life … Read more
Wendy sits down with long-time keeper and founding member of the Kleinmanni Assurance Project (KAP), Ralph Till, for a deep dive into breeding the critically endangered Egyptian tortoise. Ralph shares decades of hands-on experience, including ideal female size and age, seasonal breeding behaviors, how to set up reliable nest boxes, incubation best practices, and what … Read more
Ever wondered how to care for one of the world’s smallest and rarest tortoises? Join Wendy Montroy and Ralph Till as they dive deep into the hidden world of Egyptian tortoises (Testudo kleinmanni), exploring what makes them so fragile, fascinating, and vital to save. In this episode of Turtle Tea with TTPG, host Wendy Montroy … Read more
Wendy Montroy sits down with Michael Thathuvaswamy to dive into the fascinating world of Tabasco Mud Turtle breeding (Kinosternon acutum). Building on the previous episode about husbandry and care, this discussion explores everything about breeding and hatchling care. Whether you’re a long-time turtle keeper or just starting out, this episode is packed with practical, field-tested … Read more