About
UPDATED: January 2024
Conservation • Propagation • Welfare • Ethics
Reptile Mountain, LLC is a private reptile education, conservation, and breeding project. Our desire is to positively impact the natural world in four ways.
CONSERVATION
Support conservation efforts in the field through financial contributions and community awareness
PROPAGATION
Connect people to wildlife through the sale of responsibly captive bred progeny
(we are not currently breeding any species)
WELFARE
Empower reptile keepers with accurate welfare-oriented management information
ETHICS
Serve as an ethical live animal business (choosing integrity and animals over conveniences and cost)
This project is what we call a progressive reptile focused business. This is not a hobby or leisure activity to us. Although highly enjoyable, this project is serious and we take business seriously. Our goal is to promote conservation and ethics through evidence based, welfare oriented, progressive practices for captive bred underrepresented reptiles. We intentionally remain private and do not accept governmental support nor seek governing body oversight. Although with TC's experience, education, and expertise we could license/certify under various programs, we value the freedom to manage our wildlife without external interventions (no red tape...just actions and results).
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"We liken our practices to Small-batch breeding which is intentionally limited and specifically artisanal. In reptile care that means time and energy is driven by nature's example."
The methods by which a breeder provides captive management matters not only for the breeding stock and offspring produced, but also for the ethical outlook for captive management of reptiles as a whole. Therefore, we've intentionally chosen to direct business toward optimal care. We believe that our past, present, and future customers recognize this choice.
Here are a few examples of our amazingly awesome recent and repeat customers of Reptile Mountain™: AZA Zoos and Aquariums, Wildlife Biologists, Zoo Directors, Veterinarians, Professional Herpetologists, Fellow Breeders, Reptile Educators and many amazing Welfare Oriented Private Enthusiasts from every walk of life.
When we say PREMIUM, we mean it! The care and energy put into our animal group is top of the line. Our creatures are managed with:
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Artificial Sunlight (best commercially available)
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Linear T5 HO UVA/UVB light
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Halogen basking heat (IRa and IRb)
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Visible light (LED 5000K-7000K daylight)
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Several modalities of enrichment
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Environmental
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Sensory / Novel
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Behavioral/ Social
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Cognitive/ Manipulative
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Very basic operant conditioning
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Highest quality diverse foods
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Enclosures nearly twice the size of the industry standard
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Outdoor summer enclosures (when able)
We are always working toward our goal of creating optimal welfare for our animals (see figure below). We have a long term strategic plan to significantly increase enclosure size, improve enrichment, refine nutrition, and expand choice based care. The goal is to never cease improving.
We further believe that as a business working with wildlife, it is important to support environmentally sustainable procedures within our operations. Therefore, we use as many eco-friendly or green practices as possible. Our animals are not the cheapest on the market, in part, because we have opted to ensure animal welfare and our planet's future comes first.
Our Guidelines of Operation
For Transfers see Terms & Conditions
We care for these animals because we love them. They are God's creatures not ours. We get to care for them, help them reproduce, and give others the opportunity to enjoy them as well. All of our animals, including the ones we part with, are an extension of our passion for wildlife.
1) Animal welfare comes first, second, and third
2) We provide direct consultation support for the lifetime of our animals. We also provide additional free educational resources for the community at large <click here>
3) We guarantee our animals' health for 180 days past the time of transfer (Health Guarantee Details)
4) We sell captive bred animals only. We do not sell wild caught animals of any kind whatsoever
5) We highly value animal welfare, therefore we will never knowingly deal with wildlife traders that during operations commit inhumane treatment of animals
6) We also highly value wildlife conservation and therefore, we will never knowingly contribute to the exploitation of wild populations nor support operations that harvest wild caught "at risk" species (ie. IUCN Red List NT, VU, EN, CR etc.)
7) With regard to imported wildlife, we will only work with animals that were legally imported and have valid documentation from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
8) We support species integrity and therefore do not support hybridization of any species and will not knowingly transfer to or buy from anyone who has intentionally bred hybrids or supports such behavior
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9) We support animal care stability and therefore do not support "flipping" animals (when someone buys low and sells high to make money). We will not knowingly transfer to or buy from "animal flippers"
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10) We reserve the right to refuse transfer for any animal welfare or legally based reason
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11) We only work with quality genetic breeding stock and seek every opportunity to reduce or eliminate inbreeding. We aim to maximize genetic diversity within the species and subspecies we manage
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12) We work with uncommon and difficult to obtain species. we refuse to breed species that are overrepresented in captive populations
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13) Many living creatures carry Salmonella including reptiles (Blue Tongue Skinks). Wash your hands after handling your reptile(s) and ensure young children do the same.
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TC Houston
Owner | Founder
I'm a former professional AZA zookeeper (reptiles). I have over 35 years of experience working with reptiles in private and public sectors. I've been blessed to have traveled to 22 countries, lived on 3 continents, and managed captive reptiles in multiple climates. All of which has helped me develop a diversified perspective on husbandry.
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Although, I'm best known on social media for skinks, my deepest passion rests with Rattlesnakes of the Colorado Plateau and other small montane Crotalids (Article). I also truly love montane chameleons and nearly all Australian herpetofauna.
Today I am so grateful for the world class training and incredible opportunities I received when I was a pro zookeeper which I took for granted at the time. Now, much older and a bit wiser, I intend to pay it forward.
All that being said, I am always eager to learn, especially as new welfare concepts and technologies progress reptile management to the next level. Thankfully, I love exchanging ideas with fellow keepers and learning from veteran pros.
I'm also thankful to have worked as one of the Breeder Directors for Happy Dragons Inc. an ethics driven, reptile-first way to buy and care for reptiles. Check it out here <Link>
For a brief time in the early 2000's I had a very small business called TCH Zoological which received great reviews.
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Thanks so much,
TC
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Some of My Reptile Related Publications:
HOUSTON, T. (2006). The Midget Faded Rattlesnake, Crotalus concolor. Reptilia (GB). (45): 33-37.
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HOUSTON, T. (2008). Ophioghagy in A Captive Sonoran Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes cercobombus). Southwestern Ctr Herptol. Research [Web App] http://www.southwesternherp.com/articles/ophioghagybysidewinder.html
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HOUSTON, T. (2019). Hard Labour: A Brief Note on a Prolonged Parturition Event in a Captive Northern Blue-Tongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia). iHerp Australia, Vol 13 (Jul/Aug): pp. 24-27. Available online at https://view.joomag.com/iherp-australia-issue-13/0023855001559687165/p24?short
Past and Present Views from around Reptile Mountain™
Reptile Mountain™ LLC maintains a Silver Level Membership with the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK). Keeping reptiles privately is a luxury and privilege that is constantly under scrutiny and sadly many times rightfully so. However, there are those who do provide professional grade ethical care who are also victims to over reaching legislation. USARK helps keepers retain their ability to enjoy these amazing creatures up close.
TC Houston is an Associate Member with the Zoological Association of America (ZAA). The ZAA is the younger and smaller zooculturists association in the US. They support developing and premium zoological programs to maintain animal care standards, education, and safety. Membership grants access to zoological professional networks, news, forums, journals, and resources on best practices. Membership does not constitute an endorsement or accreditation of the member.
TC Houston is an Individual Member with the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA). The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) was formed in 2001 as an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) partnership for sustainable captive management of freshwater turtles and tortoises, and initially designated a Task Force of the IUCN Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. The TSA has been particularly involved in recovery efforts where a managed breeding component is part of an overall survival strategy. The TSA employs a comprehensive strategy for evaluating the most critically endangered chelonians that identifies whether a species is prioritized for a captive program or through range country efforts, or a combination of both.
