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!

"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!

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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!

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!

Desktop PDF Mobile PDF Print Replica

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
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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.