RATTLERS, PEEPERS & SNAPPERS Reviews

"A well produced, quality resource highly recommended for anyone interested in New England¹s reptiles and amphibians."
- Keith Goldfarb, Northeastern Naturalist

"This is an enthralling guide to the 52 amphibians and reptiles that breed in New England."
- Suzanne Libra
School Library Journal

"... my 13-year old ... was so enthralled that she watched the entire disc and took all the quizzes before realizing that she'd missed the one TV show she was planning to watch that evening."
- S. Faccio

"I ... just showed the reptile section of your DVD in my wetland wildlife management course - the students loved (it), as did I. Great footage and important conservation messages throughout. Plus live action shots are much better than still images to give students a better impression of size of animals, habitat preferences, and behavior."
- Dr. Peter Paton
Dept. of Natural Resources Science
University of Rhode Island

"Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers" features stunning video and an informative narrative that is both educational and entertaining.
- Lawrence Pine
Burlington Free Press

Video Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians

Review by Steve Faccio

For years, birders have had a wide variety of multimedia educational tools to help them learn bird identification and natural history. Beginning with cassette and VHS tapes, to CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and interactive websites, the choices seem endless. But for naturalists and aspiring herpetologists interested in learning about New England reptiles and amphibians, the options were limited to a few audio CDs, field guides, and websites. With the release of Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers, that has changed.

Vermont cinematographer Vince Franke, of Peregrine Productions, and herpetologist Jim Andrews teamed up to produce this three-hour DVD that is chock full of information covering all 52 species of reptiles and amphibians breeding in the six New England states. Designed for natural resource professionals, naturalists, teachers, and students, the disc is divided into two parts: a reptile program and an amphibian program. In addition, a two-minute segment on taxonomy, as well as a two-minute looping video montage complete with a clawhammer banjo soundtrack, can also be viewed from the main menu.

Both the reptile and amphibian program menus provide additional choices, including Species Information and Video (one- to two-minute segments on each of the 52 herp species, focusing on their identification, natural history, and conservation status); a Species Identification Quiz (the frog section includes both visual and audio quizzes); and Field Adventures, which are hosted by a variety of New England experts.

The field adventure segments, ranging from three to seven minutes in length, can be viewed together as a single program or selected individually from a menu. The viewer accompanies field biologists, herpetologists, and researchers as they conduct field work in swamps, marshes, forests, and powerline corridors. The amphibian Field Adventures has five segments, including a program on vernal pool conservation with Aram Calhoun, one of New England’s leading wetland ecologists, and a visit with a University of Maine researcher who uses radio telemetry to study the effects of forestry on wood frogs. The reptile section has nine segments, including programs on box turtle research in Massachusetts, timber rattlesnake tracking in Vermont with Alcott Smith, experimenting with tunnel designs that will enable turtles to cross roads safely, and finding worm snakes with Tom Tyning. These adventures are compelling and personal.

The videography is outstanding throughout. Whether shot in daylight or at night, the close-ups are sharp and clear, and the animals are shown in their habitat as well as occasionally in the hand. The narrative is informative and conversational, only rarely sounding scripted. My only objection, and a minor one, is that in the visual frog quiz, one frog is shown at an angle that precludes the viewer from seeing field marks to determine whether it is a northern leopard or a pickerel frog.

I watched the DVD with my 13-year old daughter, Mollie, who really enjoyed the intimate footage of calling frogs. In fact, she was so enthralled that she watched the entire disc and took all the quizzes before realizing that she’d missed the one TV show she was planning to watch that evening.

MARCH 8, 2009 by Laurence Pine
A big part of the fun of hunting, fishing and otherwise exploring Vermont's woods and waters are the unusual critters you encounter along the way. Chief among these in the spring and summer are salamanders, frogs, turtles and snakes.

Fifty-two species of amphibians and reptiles breed in New England. Some are familiar, but many are as mysterious as they are ephemeral. Yet the new video guide "Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers" will practically make you an overnight expert on identifying each species and the habitats where they are most likely to be found.

Produced by Vince Franke of Peregrine Productions in Waterbury in collaboration with noted Vermont herpetologist Jim Andrews, "Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers" features stunning video and an informative narrative that is both educational and entertaining.

The 3 hour DVD includes short segments on each of the 52 "herp" species found in New England, as well as several "field adventures" that allow you to tag along with experts as they trap, track and otherwise study some of our most fascinating wildlife, including Vermont's lone lizard, the elusive five-lined skink.

My two boys even enjoyed the video's species identification quizzes (I didn't tell them they were designed for teachers), which for frogs includes both visual and audio clues. This spring, they'll not only know what is making that trilling sound from the edge of our favorite trout pond, they'll know exactly what to look for.

"Rattlers, Peepers & Snappers" is available for $24.95 from Peregrine Productions at www.rpsdvd.com. Lawrence Pyne writes about the outdoors from his home in Cornwall. He can be reached at PyneOutdoors@shoreham.net.

Otter Creek Audubon Society
Review by Warren King
September 2008

Rattlers, Peepers and Snappers
DVD by Vince Franke and Jim Andrews

Here’s a gem for anyone curious about New England’s reptiles and amphibians. This DVD ($24.95 retail, $15 wholesale) covers identification, biology, ecology, migration and conservation in segments that are easy to follow, informative, well-organized and presented, comprehensive and beautiful.

Vince Franke’s photography is exceptional. He takes us into these organisms' habitats, even underwater, for eye level coverage (and for a spotted salamander, that’s low). The footage of five-lined skinks is remarkable, as anyone who has tried to glimpse this rare, shy, speedy lizard can attest. And there’s even footage of the elusive mudpuppy. Franke makes photography look easy. Sometimes it’s being in the right place at the right time, but mostly it’s having the patience and technical skill to capture these organisms at their best and on their own terms.

Jim Andrews‘ command of information and comfortable yet authoritative delivery style are tops. He packs all the essential points into brief segments without data overload or a lecturing tone. He defers to other experts on species like the spiny softshell turtle and worm snake, and they clearly know their subjects, but they don’t capture your attention and imagination the way Jim’s delivery does.

Maine Nature News

December 2008
Robin Follette; Editor/Publisher

I can’t imagine a better holiday present for the budding herpetologist in your family than this DVD. It’s informative, entertaining and aesthetically appealing. It’s the best. Available from Peregrine Productions at www.rpsdvd.com.

I've watched this DVD several times and love it! The sound of peepers made me smile the first time I watched. It was snowing outside and peepers seem almost a lifetime away. Each time I watch I see or learn something new. The DVD supplies information on the 52 reptiles and amphibians in New England, some of the conservation work involved in maintaining healthy populations and much more.

There are three hours worth of information on this DVD. Each session feels like you've been on a field trip. The music and scenery are great. You can take a Reptile Adventure (high speed connection needed) to see for yourself. Pay close attention to the DVD, there's a quiz at the end. No really, there is. The DVD includes documents you can print.

I'd love to see this video in all of our schools. It's an excellent learning tool for kids from kindergarten through high school. My 15 year old daughter said, "I didn't know that," several times. This is a great gift for everyone.