Louisiana Exotic Animal Resource Network
Louisiana Exotic Animal Resource Network
Rescue Locally. Educate Globally.
A Primer on 
Reptiles & Amphibians
Discover why this award-winning, best-selling resource has been gathering endorsements from some of the biggest names in herpetology!
Primer with Copperhead photo by Mark Krist
  • "I hope it gets, because it deserves, wide attention. It is a must-read for anyone, child or adult, interested in or just curious about herps or nature."
    —Dr. Brian Crother
    Professor of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University
  • "If I were still teaching herpetology, the Primer would be required reading for all students, both graduates and undergraduates. I am going to recommend to others to do the same."
    —Dr. J. Whitfield "Whit" Gibbons
    Professor Emeritus of Ecology, University of Georgia
  • "A truly extraordinary and exceptional website and a most remarkable effort to put this amount of herpetological information together. I commend Micha's thorough dedication to the teaching and welfare of herps.”
    —Dr. Stan Trauth
    Emeritus Professor of Zoology, Arkansas State University
  • "I'd be really excited to see this distributed widely because to me it reads as a lot more accessible than most of what's out there, and that's really important for reaching new audiences and changing behaviors."
    —Dr. Andrew M. Durso
    Technical and Scientific Publications Editor at Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry; Author of Life is Short, but Snakes are Long
  • "This is an unusually broad primer on the subject, with very readable, illustrated, page-long essays on nearly every issue imaginable, within the topic. It would make a great gift for that budding herpetologist that every family has, somewhere."
    —Dr. Leslie V. Boyer
    Professor Emerita of Pathology at The University of Arizona; Founding Director, VIPER Institute
  • "I have had the opportunity to get a sneak peek at this book and it is really fabulous. The author, Micha Petty has done an exceptional job truly creating a primer. I can't wait to add it to my bookshelf!"
    —Dr. Lori Neuman-Lee
    Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University
  • "HUGE congratulations to Micha Petty for this wonderful resource in support of amphibian and reptile education and conservation! This book is going to make a difference!"
    —Dr. Harry W. Greene
    Professor Emeritus; Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellow; Faculty Curator of Herpetology, Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates
  • “A Primer on Reptiles & Amphibians” looks like an outstanding educational product. I can tell from my first look that Micha has done an excellent job of covering a variety of herp topics everyone wonders about."
    —Dr. J. Whitfield "Whit" Gibbons
    Professor Emeritus of Ecology, University of Georgia
To read the official scholarly review of the Primer from the 
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, click here to view the PDF.

Download the Primer for FREE! 

This is a Creative Commons project.
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From the back cover...

A Primer on Reptiles & Amphibians is an innovative educational resource designed to forge a connection between the reader and the creeping critters of the world. Turtles, frogs, lizards, salamanders, snakes, and crocodiles… these animals evoke fear and fascination. This primer dispels myths and unlocks mysteries surrounding these diverse survivors which have mastered virtually every habitat on Earth. Tragically, these animals now face pressures of unprecedented severity, but there is still time to make a difference if more of us work together.

Micha Petty is an international award-winning Master Naturalist and wildlife rehabilitator. This critically acclaimed debut volume is a collection of Micha’s interpretive writings, carefully crafted to make learning easy for everyone. These bulletins display his passion for Conservation Through Education while covering topics such as living harmoniously with wildlife, physiology, natural history, observation, and conservation. Flip to any page to be instantly introduced to new facets of reptiles, amphibians, the perils they face, and how you can join the fight to save them!

More reviews from readers like you...

  • "I’ve been working in the field of conservation and wildlife education for ~8 years, and Micha’s volume is one of the best resources I have come across. Whether you’re a veteran herpetologist or have a budding curiosity about our scaly and permeable-skinned friends, this book is a good one to have around."
    —Laura Lux
  • "An excellent effort, to be commended for it's up to date, research based take on husbandry and full of other interesting information. Well done Micha Petty and LEARN, this sets new standards for the hobby!"
    —Advancing Herpetological Husbandry;  London, England
  • "Guys... get in on this now! This is a wonderful resource for both professionals and novices. I have a photo in here so I’m a bit biased but this book has received praise from the likes of Whit Gibbons and others. Micha Petty has put a ton of work into this project and it shows. Do it!!"
    —Paul-Erik Bakland
  • "I just ordered Micha Petty‘s epic Primer on reptiles and amphibians and I suggest anyone that’s into herps and education do the same! I haven’t wanted a book this bad in a while!"
    —Aaron Paul Tullock
  • "This is Awesome. Not only is it the absolute best literature for learning about reptiles and amphibians, but it has amazing photos. It’s free to download and read but I highly suggest getting a hardback copy."
    —Colt Mooney
  • "This is an amazing learning tool developed and written by Micha Petty. I recommend this to anyone seeking foundational knowledge and understanding of reptiles. I’ll be adding it to my library as well, but you can’t borrow mine. You need your own copy of this “labor of love”. A tremendous amount of passion and love for reptiles went into it. Order this book!"
    —Matthew E. Ruff
  • "Micha's passion for animals warms my heart and has even helped me get over my phobia of snakes! He has devoted his life to protecting critters and teaching people how to do the same."
    —Kelsie Marie
  • "A must have if you are interested in reptiles and amphibians at all!"
    —Lisa Powers
  • "You can preview the entire volume with quality images for free on the PDF version. After you do so, I think most of you will agree a very reasonably priced hardcover is a worthy purchase that goes to good cause."
    —Mark Lotterhand
    Author, In Search of New England’s Pit Vipers

An interview with the author at L.E.A.R.N.

This is the shelter that your purchase goes to support!

Download the Primer FREE! 

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Buy a Hardcover!

All proceeds benefit the critters!
Buy Now

ALL of the proceeds from the sale of the Primer go to nonprofit use.

The Primer ranked 9th in its category on Amazon as soon as it was released.

The International Herpetological Symposium selected Micha for the Laszlo Award in 2018 for his outreach work, particularly his work on the Primer.

The Primer is a large hardcover (9"x11") with a sewn binding containing 176 full-color pages and 376 illustrations.

All copies purchased from this site come inscribed by the author.

"In the end we will conserve only what we love; 
we will love only what we understand; and 
we will understand only what we are taught."
—Baba Dioum, 1968
Don't forget to post your #PrimerSelfies 
when you get your copy!
Tag @learnaboutcritters on Facebook
or @intHerpretation on Twitter!
LeVar Burton holding his gifted copy of the Primer, photo by SuperHero Photos
If you are a photographer who might consider licensing some of your photos of reptiles and amphibians, please click here.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Louisiana Exotic Animal Resource Network is a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation and animal rescue that focuses heavily on global conservation and herpetological education. Content is © All rights reserved, unless otherwise noted.
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