Author Archives: findiviglio

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Being born with a deep interest in animals might seem unfortunate for a native Bronxite , but my family encouraged my interest and the menagerie that sprung from it. Jobs with pet stores and importers had me caring for a fantastic assortment of reptiles and amphibians. After a detour as a lawyer, I was hired as a Bronx Zoo animal keeper and was soon caring for gharials, goliath frogs, king cobras and everything in-between. Research has taken me in pursuit of anacondas, Orinoco crocodiles and other animals in locales ranging from Venezuela’s llanos to Tortuguero’s beaches. Now, after 20+ years with the Bronx Zoo, I am a consultant for several zoos and museums. I have spent time in Japan, and often exchange ideas with zoologists there. I have written books on salamanders, geckos and other “herps”, discussed reptile-keeping on television and presented papers at conferences. A Master’s Degree in biology has led to teaching opportunities. My work puts me in contact with thousands of hobbyists keeping an array of pets. Without fail, I have learned much from them and hope, dear readers, that you will be generous in sharing your thoughts on this blog and web site. For a complete biography of my experience click here.

The Ferret’s Long Journey – European Polecat to Human Companion

March 18, 2010 0 14692 Views

Ferrets seem so “mainstream” these days that it’s easy to forget their unusual natural and “unnatural” history. Please read on…

Classification: Just What Exactly is a Ferret?

The domestic ferret is classified in the order Carnivora, family Mustelidae, along with 75+ species of weasels, otters, skunks, badgers, wolverines and related animals.

Ranging in size from the least weasel (which, at 2.5 ounces in weight, is the world’s smallest carnivore) to the 7-foot-long, 100 pound Giant Otter, the family Mustelidae includes familiar animals such as skunks and sea otters as well as the little-studied Chinese Ferret-Badgers and tayras. Read More »

The Guinea Pig or Cavy – Wild Ancestors and History in Captivity

March 4, 2010 0 17957 Views

When the Spanish conquistadors breached the Andes Mountains and entered Peru, they found that the Inca people were breeding an animal unlike any that had ever been seen in Europe. The wild ancestor of these rodents, later christened guinea pigs or cavies, was lost in antiquity, as cavies had been domesticated as a food source 5,000 or more years earlier. Read More »