The Man Behind Class Reptilia
My name is Ron Michelotti and I'm an AP biology/chemistry high school teacher by day and herpetoculturist by night. I have a bachelor's degree in biology with an emphasis in ecology and herpetology and a masters degree in administration. I have been interested in wildlife since I was a wee one, but found reptiles and amphibians to be the most intriguing. I grew up in southern California catching frogs, toads, tadpoles, alligator lizards, western fence lizards, rattlesnakes, gopher snakes, kingsnakes, defecating garter snakes, and the list goes on. I also worked at a full-line pet store for 3 years as the reptile specialist while in college. I caught "the fever" during my latter teens and never knew what hit me. If you're a serious herper, you know what I'm referring to. I bought everything that was hot at the time, but soon learned it took a lot of time and money to care for a large collection. My parents were soooo... very pleased to learn I had used a sizable chunk of my college savings to purchase these gems. So, I did what many breeders/hobbyists do when they get burned out, or realize that breeding reptiles is not as financially rewarding as they imagined, and that is to sell the stock. Working, going to college, and my first years of teaching distanced me from the hobby with only keeping a few species of reptiles. Southern California has a fairly diverse herpetofauna and I spent most of my years in college collecting (observing) and studying these cold-blooded creatures. I still go out to the Mojave desert on occasion to see what I can find and take pictures of. A list of the species I have worked with in the past are listed in the Southern California Herps page. It wasn't until recent years that I rebuilt my collection with snakes that I'm interested in, not necessarily what's making money or what's in high demand at the time.
Since I have a strong science/education background and years of experience with reptiles, I tried to design a Web site that is educational for both the novice and experienced reptile enthusiast. A chemistry page is even available for those that would like to broaden their horizons! Amending this Web site is a dynamic process; it will continually be changed and updated. In addition to educating the masses, a goal of mine is to produce the finest snakes around by selectively breeding desired colors and patterns. As an aside, this hobby is not to be confused with my day job. The last thing I want to happen, is for me to get burned out by my favorite pastime! In order for me to enjoy my time and keep accurate records, I keep a small collection of breeders and produce a limited numbers of snakes. Believe me, life is short and I'm going to savor every minute of it.
Happy Herping,
Ron A. Michelotti
