Hey all! 2022 was a crazy year and I got behind on the podcast. I’m so excited to be getting episodes out that are long overdue, however some of the information may be a bit out of date. I recommend giving our guest, Eliza Stott, a follow and checking out the amazing things she and Women in Wildlife has done since this program was recorded! This in…

Growing up falling in ponds looking for critters and observing frogs in vernal pools on her dad’s property, Ashley Dezan has been a reptile and amphibian lover for life. Passionate about advancing the keeping of rarer animals, Ashley is the owner and operator of Northern Lights Reptile Imports. This was an awesome conversation learning about the in…

Five guests, 11 episodes and a world of knowledge. Over the past two months we have heard from experts in sexual and domestic violence prevention and response, and victim-survivors. We also explored the impacts of unconscious bias throughout the Depp vs Heard trial, and learned more about our host Lucretia Ackfield and her goals for this podcast. E…

In this week’s episode, host and founder Lucretia Ackfield reflects on the conversations and situations that motivated her to create the Medusa’s Mic podcast. Like many of us, Lucretia was fed up with the high levels of sexual violence in our communities. This frustration inspired her to take action at a grassroots level by seeking to change the at…

"It takes a village to protect an abuser." - Sharna Bremner, Founder of End Rape on Campus Australia, in The Reckoning by Jess Hill. Join Lucretia, founder of the Stop Sexual Violence Collaboration and host of the Medusa’s Mic podcast, as she reflects on the troubling societal issues brought to light during the recent Depp v Heard case in the Unite…

[2/2] In part two of Lucretia's conversation with Morgana Prior, she explains why it is important for corporations to establish policies which specify how to respond to victims of domestic violence. Morgana also discusses how businesses can support employees experiencing family and sexual violence and facilitate their safe return to the workplace. …

[1/2] Join Lucretia as she chats to Morgana Prior, a senior leader in Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) largest superannuation company, Nambawan Super. Morgana shares the unique and tailored approach her organisation and the PNG corporate sector use to respond to domestic and sexual violence. She discusses the challenges of the cross-cultural environment, t…

[2/2] In part two of Simone O’Brien’s story, she explains how she uses her experience and knowledge to help protect others from domestic violence and abuse. Simone also shares her insights about why she believes we should trust our gut instincts to identify red flags within a relationship and obey the warning signs. Simone touches on how the Austra…

[1/2] In this week’s episode, we hear the real-life story of domestic violence survivor, Simone O’Brien. In 2012, Simone attempted to end a relationship and was brutally attacked by a perpetrator wouldn't take no for an answer. Her story uncovers the difficulties single parents face when navigating the world of online dating and the red flags to wa…

Today, Lucretia chats to Dr Michael Flood, an internationally-recognised researcher on men, masculinity, gender equality and violence prevention. This episode tackles the gender gap between men and women’s awareness of sexual violence. In a wide-ranging discussion, Lucretia and Michael explore how socialisation impacts young men and, in particular,…

[2/2] This episode continues the conversation with Tracey Leigh-Allen who provides advice and training on how to respond to employees dealing with domestic violence. She discusses how we can recognise the early signs of abuse, and provide support before it reaches a crisis point. This episode also highlights the warning signs when there is a domest…

[2/2] Lucretia and Erin continue their discussion about sexual violence and how it impacts young women in particular. This episode dives into the topics of reporting sexual assault and the services available to women and young girls affected in these scenarios. Erin encourages women to stand up and advocate for themselves when the time is right, wi…

[1/2] In this episode, Lucretia chats to Tracey Leigh-Allen who has extensive experience in the domestic and family violence sector, including working with the Queensland Police Service. Tracey helps businesses and organisations to develop domestic violence policies and support staff if they’re experiencing violence or abuse at home. Tracey discuss…

[1/2] Today’s episode features special guest Erin Cash, a former police detective who spent 12 years in child abuse and sexual assault investigations. She is also an educator and social commentator for the prevention of domestic and family violence, and sexual violence. Lucretia and Erin discuss Erin's career with the Queensland Police, including h…

Nicole Tam is an entomologist and herp enthusiast. Growing up with a love for arthropods, Nicole went on to conduct research on vector-borne diseases, mosquitos, and the reproductive cycle of tsetse flies. In addition to her work, Nicole talks about her experience with entomological museums and caring for and breeding beaked snakes!Tsetse fly image…

Shannon Wild is a world-renowned wildlife photographer and cinematographer. Her work has taken her all over the world coming face to face with some of the most amazing animals many of us will only see on TV (because Shannon got the footage for us!). In this episode, we talk in depth about how Shannon got her start in photography, her adventures tra…

This week I sat down with Laura Mae Riepl and we learn all about isopods! Not only is Laura at the forefront of bringing isopods to the layperson through her partnership providing clean up crews to Petsmart but we also talk about how she manages and maintains over 500 isopod cultures! We learn all about her tips for feeding and housing isopods, tal…

This week I took some time to answer questions about me, give an update on the podcast, and honor animal advocate and enthusiast Betty White. If you want to buy merch to support the Betty White Challenge, look here: https://difalco-reptiles.creator-spring.com/Follow the Pod: www.instagram.com/modernmedusapodcast/Follow the Host: www.instagram.com/d…

This week I had the pleasure of speaking with two amazing Aussie keepers – Tie Eipper & Emma Dixon! Join us as we talk all about how Emma and Tie got into herps, laws and rules regarding keeping reptiles in Australia, and how the reptile hobby differs in the US and Australia!Tie & Emma are admins for the HERpers facebook group and they both have th…

We all turn to our local reptile shops when we need some supplies, feeders, or maybe a new animal, but what does it take to keep that shop up and running? This week I got to sit down with Amanda Rua of Wiregrass Exotics in Ozark, Alabama to ask all those questions! Join us as we cover everything from sourcing healthy animals to finances for opening…

If you are looking to decorate, you need to check out the incredible artwork of Adeline Robinson! Adeline is a passionate herp keeper turned full-time artist whose work can be seen at shows across the country. Join us as we talk about Adeline’s journey into art as a career, her experience keeping animals (specifically tree monitors) and how she wor…

This week I got the opportunity to talk with another incredible scientist -- Chelsea Connor! Chelsea is PhD student researching anoles and founder of the Twitter game #DidYouAnole? Outside her studies, Chelsea is an advocate for BIPOC representation in STEM with her work on Black Birders Week & BlackAF in Stem. Join us as we talk about her advocacy…

I first “met” Kina Mae Campbell because I was a fan of her artwork, so you can imagine my surprise when I found out she was a reptile keeper too! Join Kina and I as we discuss her diverse collection, how she chooses what she wants to breed versus what animals she deems pets, and of course we have to talk about plants a bit! I hope you enjoy listeni…

Originally interested in reptiles through her kids, Kori Martin has found her passion in herpetoculture! Join us as we talk about Kori’s animals (ranging from ball pythons to carpet pythons to blackhead pythons), what makes a good “beginner” snake, and Kori’s experience going from never owning a reptile before to having over 20 clutches in the last…

If you don’t know Pia Bartolini yet, you’re missing out. Besides being an incredible vet tech, a genius when it comes to all things nido virus, and a phenomenal friend, Pia is also one half of the amazing Reptile Preservation Institute. RPI is an organization focused on conservation, specifically of venomous species, to provide captive specimens to…

In what I’ll refer to as an “after dark” episode, join me as I interview crested gecko breeder Emily Azevedo of Moon Lily Reptiles! We talk everything from getting started in crested geckos to handling a prolapsed hemipene during a breeding loan. Check out Emi’s accounts and animals below and check out her awesome merch! Follow Emi or Instagram: ht…

This week I interviewed conservation biologist Gina Zwicky! Gina is an incredible interviewee and walked me through her research with malaria in the Saban Anole, her experience as a private reptile keeper and a biologist, and her work studying chytrid fungus! I highly recommend following Gina on Twitter to keep up with her frog watching, swamp-kitt…

If you don’t follow Dr. Emily Taylor already, I hope you see why you have to after this episode! I was so lucky to sit down with Emily and learn about her experience as a environmental physiologist, biology professor, and general lover of all things creepy crawly during this interview. Join us as we talk about Dr. Taylor’s rattlesnake research, her…

From assisting on iguana research in Honduras to volunteering with elephants at her local zoo, Chelsea Richardson knows a thing or two about taking every opportunity provided to work with the animals you love. Join us as we talk about rattlesnake aversion training for dogs, wildlife rehabilitation, exotic animal pet sitting, and bone processing and…

Two weeks, two Ericas! Tonight I got to chat with Erica Mede McVeigh of the new company VivTech! VivTech is here to solve the everyday problems of reptile keeping, even those you don’t realize are a problem yet. Join us as we talk about starting a company from the ground up, Erica’s experience as a research volunteer studying Massasauga Rattlesnake…

Today I was joined by Erica Perras of Arboreals Anonymous! Primarily an arboreal keeper (duh), Erica has a really impressive chahoua gecko, leachianus gecko, and green tree python collection. We sat down and discussed her journey with reptiles, including starting, stopping, and restarting her collection 5 or so years ago! Enjoy this convo where we …

Took some time off to move and just handle a bit of life craziness but I’m back with an interview with Summer Grace Mitchell aka “Girl with Scales”! Besides being an incredible Morelia keeper, Summer is also a phenomenal musician and she wrote our new intro! Thank you Summer!Today we chatted about keeping different Morelia species and what draws us…

This week I took a different approach to the podcast and interviewed Shannon Pierlioni. A self proclaimed animal lover, Shannon isn’t a herper herself, but she is married to Anthony Pierlioni, a turtle enthusiast. We talked about navigating a relationship with someone whose life revolves around their animals and what this means as a spouse and pare…

Spent some time chatting with the incredible Emily Grzeda of ReptiVet LLC this week! her name is fitting as Emily is just finishing her second year of veterinary school and is planning on focusing on exotics (specifically reptiles)! Outside of her rigorous schoolwork, Emily keeps a large collection of herps including gargoyle geckos, Dumeril's boas…

This week I sat down with Kendra Westy of Puget Sound Pythons! We discussed her fascination with herps growing up and eventual keeping, how she traveled cross country with a full collection after college, and working with a partner to maintain a combined collection and shared hobby.Follow Kendra on Facebook & Instagram @PugetSoundPythonsAnd don't f…

This week I was joined with venomous keeper and apprentice falconer Haidyn Lierz! In this episode we discussed keeping venomous and the importance of good mentors, how she got into falconry, and loving and pursuing your passions while battling chronic illness. Follow Haidyn on Instagram @Lizanardo_DavinciConnect with Haidyn on Facebook: at Atlas He…

After a rocky start of me completely unable to get her name right, April Justine graciously still agreed to grant me an interview! April is the face behind "Bloods By Design", a page focused on high-quality blood pythons and short tail pythons! Join us as we talk the what T- and T+ traits mean, how Nidovirus presents itself in everyday collections,…

This week I got the chance to talk with Ellen Weatherford of the "Just the Zoo of Us" podcast! Though not a herp keeper, Ellen is an animal enthusiast who came prepped with some awesome research on a female herpetologist, Enrica Calabresi. I also spent some time and retell the story of herpetologist and activist Bertha Lutz. Join us as we recant th…

Ashley Haude is known best by the name “Focus 3 Habitats”, the cutting-edge caging company started by her and her husband Stephen. Join us in this longer-than-normal episode as we talk how she and Stephen protected their collection during the winter storms in Texas, how Ashley got into herps (what’s a better combo than an 8-year-old and green iguan…

This week, I spent time talking to Valerie Emerson aka "Log.Flipper" on instagram! Even if you don't know her name, you would probably recognize her for her eclectic style, including hand-painted clothing, awesome hair styles, and her dramatic and beautiful makeup inspired by nature. On top of all of this, she has a gorgeous collection from frogs t…

Alex Ashe was a kinkajou owner whose animals were struggling with hormonal aggression when she realized there were no organizations to help with these animals. Within a year, Kinkatopia, the world's only kinkajou-specific organization, was born! This week we talked to Alex about her journey getting into animals (something in her blood as a descenda…

Keanna Fox is the co-host of the Canadian Herpetoculture Podcast, a keeper of a multitude of species, and a moderator for the Female Herpers and Reptile Keepers group. This week we chatted about her experience keeping strophurus geckos, how she involves her kids in her hobby, and she told me the story of Mary Anning, another forgotten woman in herp…

Our first guest is Elise Lago of E2Exotics. Elise has been in the hobby for over 20 years now and keeps a wide spectrum of animals. Dubbed the "Cobra Queen of Mississippi", Elise's extensive venomous collection is to be rivaled by any hots keeper. We had a great time talking about her start in the hobby, tips she has for those looking to get into v…

Zachary Loughman, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Biology (Zoology/Ecology),Zoo Science & Applied Conservation Coordinator at West Liberty University.He has discovered, identified, and named 10 new crayfish species here in North America. He even has a species of crawfish named in his honor (Cambarus loughmani). Currently Dr. Loughman teaches Herpet…

Port City Pet is dedicated to bringing you content that pushes our hobby forward. I introduce to you the first reptile podcast focused on female and non-binary keepers and breeders. Join Dominique DiFalco as she brings you interviews with top-notch herpers and highlights prominent females that have made herpetological history!----------------------…

Cesar Torres is a novelist and journalist with more than 20 years of experience across various areas of publishing and business including digital news, book publishing (fiction), startups, human-computer interaction and emerging technologies.Cesar's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ISpI4ljTHbdnVbBIM57AF?si=nuj63v5LTFiE7vzK5-JPFwCheck out our…

Kyle Phillips is a Idahoan reptile keeper and breeder who just had a big litter of Candoia paulsoni! We go over his life in herpetoculture. How he got started, becoming herp society president, blood pythons, and Solomon Island ground boas!Check out our sponsor: https://focuscubedhabitats.com/---------------------------------------------------------…

@alejandrohassaniasAv Medusa Bloom

Kris works with a varied collection of geckos and North American Colubrids at Badlands Herpetoculture. This is a fun and wide-ranging podcast!https://www.instagram.com/badlands_herpetoculture/Check out our sponsor: https://focuscubedhabitats.com/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------…

Today I will give you an update on my life and what has been happening during my month hiatus! Check out our sponsor: https://focuscubedhabitats.com/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ISOPODS,REPTILE, AND AMPHIBIAN SUPPLIES: https://portcitypet.com/Instagram @portcitypetTwitt…