Dr. Zachary Steffes graduated from the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in July of 2010. He spent the previous 5 ½ years focusing on dog, cat, and exotic animal medicine in San Diego, California. Dr. Steffes has a special interest in reptile and exotic animal medicine and surgery. He co-designed the first approved reptile residency program in San Diego, and performed half of the program prior to relocating. He recently co-authored a chapter on Emerging Infectious Diseases of Chelonians in Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice. He has also co-authored a paper on Reptilian Thyroid Anatomy, Physiology, and Disease in the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians Annual Conference Proceedings. He has written multiple review articles for the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery, and recently discovered a new respiratory disease in ball pythons, which is currently being prepared for publication. While in San Diego, he lectured on overwintering of tortoises, and common medical conditions of tortoises. His special interest is reptile and amphibian medicine, but is happy to see all other exotic mammals as well.