Insights and Stories: About the Author

Hello fellow nature enthusiasts !
Welcome to Exotastic Earth

My journey from a mere mortal to all things aquatic and becoming The AquaRepto Hobbyist has been… eventful. Well, I was a cat lady, a title I wore with pride. Fifteen cats each convinced I was their personal cuddle slave. And then there was Vhagar, my gentle giant of a dog, who kept me hilariously humbled for years. He crossed the rainbow bridge in late 2025, leaving behind paw prints roughly the size of dinner plates and a house that felt far too quiet. These days, that space is being cheerfully filled by Rosie, our new griffon-shih tzu mix, almost a year old and already proving that big-dog energy has nothing to do with actual size.

Life, however, decided to throw some curveballs. After a rather unfortunate encounter with grief (and two unsuspecting betta fish), I discovered the wild world of the nitrogen cycle. Let’s just say my initial attempts at fish keeping were less “aquatic paradise” and more “fishy purgatory.” But it turns out, fish tanks are surprisingly therapeutic, especially when your mental health is doing the cha-cha dance. My aquatic family grew, featuring the Channa pulchra pair, Tank and Streak, who are essentially water puppies with a flair for the dramatic. Other residents include the usual suspects: guppies, platys, swordtails, and the ever-charming panda corydoras. And of course, there’s Sky, my betta, who believes he’s the king of the universe (he’s not wrong).

Then, two tiny shelled creatures entered my life: Mike and Frida, my Red-eared Slider turtles. These coin-size adorable turtles didn’t just steal my affections, they sparked the birth of Exotastic Earth, my blog, and ignited a deep, fiery passion for all things reptilian. I poured my grief into this venture, turning it into a haven for exotic pet enthusiasts. Just when I thought I had a handle on things, along came Cosmo, my grumpy African Chameleon. Our relationship is a delightful blend of love and sighs (and hisses). He’ll grumble about being handled, then proceed to climb on my head and demand attention. Classic chameleon, really. A love-hate relationship.

Then I faced my ultimate nemesis: snakes. An ophidiophobe, the woman who once shrieked at a garden hose, voluntarily touched a Kenyan boa! It was a moment of pure terror, triumph, and probably a little bit of sweat and my heart racing. But fear, eventually, melted away, replaced by awe. It was a victory, a symbol that even in the darkest of times, life throws you a slithery surprise. So, no, I’m not just a “cat lady” anymore. I am a living testament to the healing power of scales, fins, and the occasional grumpy chameleon.

None of this, the blog, the guides, the late nights answering care questions has ever been about making money. Exotastic Earth is free, and it’s staying that way. My goal was never to build a business; it was to help keepers do right by their animals, and to help everyone else see these creatures as something worth understanding instead of fearing. We only fear what we don’t know, and I’ve spent years discovering there’s nothing here worth fearing at all.

the AquaRepto Hobbyist

The heart of Exotastic Earth is our amazing community. That means YOU! If you want to see your pet featured in our articles it’s easy. Subscribe to our blog then send the photo to our Facebook page Exotastic Earth.
OR! Post your best photo on your Instagram profile.
Just be sure to tag our account @Exotastic.Earth and use the hashtag #MyExotasticPet
We can’t wait to see your creature 🦎🐡🐢🕷️🐍