What a guy. I first met him back in about 87 I think just a couple years after he moved here. I used to try to talk to him on the phone but as we all know he was tough to understand and he was hard of hearing of course. He invited me down to his place and it was in early December. I remember it was like 45 F out and he had this huge enclosure for sungazers. These things were out basking at these cold temps. I just couldn't believe! He really broadened my horizons when it came to keeping lizards. Man how we argued how I was wasting my time keeping tropical reptiles when I could keep temperate stuff and save hundreds on my elelctric bill. LOL. Yes we all know Bert as being very frugal but his frugality was just plain smarts! He used to make enclosure drawings and notes for me so that I could keep stuff like russian torts(but only from the northern locale) and certain lacerta species and later Argentine tegus outside all year in Michigan. Unfortunately my interest did not lie with those animals. He just could not understand that as his interest was in all reptiles. I got to spend a lot of time with Bert as I moved to Tennesee and was within driving distance of him. Spent the 2004 hurricane expo with him helping him at his table-what an experience! Of course his taste in the folk music he loved so much wore off on me a bit. My wife thanked him for that! LOL. Yes Ty and Russets very sad that he is gone but he will never be forgotten! There will never be another Bert! And Ty, tell Lindsay hi for me. You took my uromastyx buddy! I can't call him and talk uros for hours now. Don't get around so much these days as I have a big family now and it is just not that easy to get away but hope to meet you one day.

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