5 comments about The Bearded Dragon Manual (Advanced Vivarium Systems).

1. I got this book after I got the dragon. I wish I had the book first. I found out I don't like the little buggers and gave the thing away to a friend with the book in tow. Book is well written and easy to read. It shows all the concerns a dragon owner should be aware of and proper care and maintenance. It might be a little outdated, with the new foods that are ready to eat that are produced for them. Also, not a lot on personalities, but I didn't expect much on that either.



2. This book is an easy read that provides excellent information on the care of Bearded Dragons. Before you get your dragon, get this book! It could mean the difference between a happy healthy lizard and a dead one.
   
   Already have a dragon? Get the book anyway. You could still learn some things that will make your pet's life better.



3. I highly recommend this bearded dragon manual. It is far more detailed and accurate than all of the other bearded books I have bought off of here. It contains information that the other books have forgotten or intentionally excluded and I recommend this book to anyone whose looking for a book on how to take care of a bearded dragon properly.



4. This is an excellent book for a Bearded Dragon beginner. Lots of helpful info. My son has been looking at it a lot since getting his beardie. It has answered most of his questions.



5. I bought this book when I first got my beardie. I didn't know anything about these animals except what I had been told by the pet store. This book is a lifesaver. It is wonderful, very educational. It covers general information, how to prepare a proper habitat, how to care for your pet, as well as breeding. There is information on some common health problems and other reptiles closely related to beardies as well. This book has been a real help to me while ensuring that I provide the best for my beardie.

3 comments about The Leopard Gecko Manual: Includes African Fat-Tailed Geckos (Advanced Vivarium Systems).

1. The leopard gecko is a fascinating little animal. We've immensely enjoyed "B.J." in our home, and this book has lots of good information on all aspects of providing the proper environment, healthcare, and diet for your pet. Pay special information to the information on longevity, though. Unlike other reptiles such as the anole, leopard geckos have long life spans. The longest lived male in captivity is 29 and the longest lived female is 21. Females, in general, live considerably shorter life spans than males, but they still have typical lifespans longer than that of the domesticated cat. Many people buy a leopard gecko for their child expecting that the reptile will live only two or three years, then get rid of the animal when they realize their error and the length of the commitment involved.
   
   As for the details of the book, it thoroughly explains sexing and selection of a good specimen for those who have not purchased a gecko yet. The section on housing your gecko shows you how to construct a naturalistic vivarium. If you are interested in breeding geckos, there is information on that subject plus the research of Dr. Brian Viets on temperature sex determination and coloration in case you want to specify those aspects of the geckos you breed. Also for you breeders, there are thorough instructions on the set-up and calibration of a home-made incubator. Roger Klingenberg, DVM, covers the diseases of the leopard gecko and their treatment in one dedicated chapter. Ron Tremper has a chapter on color and pattern variation illustrated primarily by photos of his own geckos. Tremper has developed much of what is now known about so-called "designer" leopard geckos. There is a nice section at the end of the book on other interesting geckos such as the Arizona Banded, the Texas Banded, the Central American Banded, the African Clawed, the Japanese Leopard, and the Malaysian Cat Geckos. There are plenty of eye-catching photos spread throughout the book.
   
   This book may have more information than you need if you are a "casual" leopard gecko owner, but that is better than having insufficient information.



2. If you are a beginner owner like myself, then this book is all you need to get started and become experienced. All necessary topics are covered and there are numerous contributors to this books chapters which makes it an excellent and diverse read. I have not read other leopard gecko books but see little point at this time. Hard to go wrong with this.



3. The top gecko people in the country collaborated to write this book, and the information is extensive, but simple to understand. It goes beyond the beginner's how to set up a tank and feeding, and gets into breeding for different colors and all the different 'morphs' that have been created so far, with many good pictures. It is the most up-to-date so far in terms of new morphs (colors). After reading it the first time, I like to keep looking through it just for the pictures and to re-read the information on genetics 101. Besides being great little pets who will sit on your shoulder, Leopard Geckos are a popular classroom tool for teaching genetics at high school and college level, and I recommend this book for teachers and students. Most other Gecko books you pick up at the Pet Shop are not worth keeping.
   BTW- Co-author and top breeder Ron Tremper is coming out with a more in-depth book soon (Summer 2005) for advanced breeding information and ideas. It will be the first of this type written on Leopard Geckos.

5 comments about Iguanas for Dummies.

1. There is a reason that many reptile rescues require iguana adopters to purchase this book. Melissa Kaplan's book is the bible for iguana care. If you read this book and follow it's instructions, your little green friend will live a long and healthy life! The book is also extremely useful if you are debating getting an iguana. You should definitely read it before bringing one home (the level of care an iguana requires might discourage you from getting one).



2. "most", "some"... Facts need to be added to support her views, which is what her writings come down to... her views. Stick with other books if you are looking for the way to properly care for your little green friend. Check out 'Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual by James W., III Hatfield' Hatfield relies less on shock value and exaggerations, facts are important.



3. I have had my green iguana for three years and it seems I never stop learning when it comes to whats best for her. I really wasn't aware how poor of care she was receiving until I bought this book. It's helped me help her so many times, and opened my eyes to details I was ignorant about before.
   
   This book is easy to read and understand. The way the topics are divided make it easy to reference anything you want. Though it's not meant to be read cover to cover, I did so anyway.
   
   Melissa Kaplan knows what she's talking about.



4. Excellent information written concisely and with a sense of humor by someone who truly knows, loves, and admires the species.



5. Living in the Florida Keys we have dealt extensively with discarded Iguanas - perhaps 15 or more. People buy them, and get rid of them constantly - and down here, in the semi-tropics, they can survive (with difficulty)in the wild.
   With all the iguana problems we have encountered good information is a necessity, & we have purchased many iguana books including Hatfield's "Green Iguana, the Ultimate Owners Guide" (a great book, but we still prefer Kaplan's "Iguanas for Dummies").
   If you still want addtional technical data you can add "What's Wrong with My Iguana" by John Rossi M.A., D.V.M. and "Understanding Reptile Parasites" by Roger Klingenberg D.V.M.
   Kaplan's book is based on research & a lot of personal experience. It is thorough, and her experience shows through - there are tidbits of information that have been useful to us that we have not found elsewhere. She has long maintained a caring website to help iguana owners and potential iguana buyers - not just to sell books. And the price of this book is reasonable.
   By all means get a good book like Hatfield's or Kaplan's - preferably before you get an iguana. Even if the book talks you out of getting an ig for a pet it will be well worth the price. Proper care for an iguana involves a devoting a lot of time and spending a lot of money. The cost of the animal is nothing in comparison, and they are far more complex to care for than a dog, cat, or hamster. Judging from the number of abandoned iguanas in the Florida Keys a huge number of people do not bother to inform themselves and the animals suffer. It may not be entirely their fault. Many pet stores do not seem to offer the best books or accurate information - often they just want to sell a hapless reptile, and make a few bucks on inadequate (sometimes dangerous) supplies and food. They frequently give bad advice.
   Whatever book you get you will still need to get a good experienced herp vet., and they are hard to find. Things go wrong with iguanas that are not covered with specificity in any of these books. We have been unfortunate enough to encounter some of them.

3 comments about Vivaria Designs (Advanced Vivarium Systems).

1. A very general book on habitats for herps. More chapters on dry scapes then for amphibians. Easy reading.



2. I really thought this was a great book! It would be great for anyone that wants to start a vivaria. It even had a list of plants to use for a live tank, and alot of books don't have those.



3. The modern-day reptile and amphibian keeper has long needed a sound book covering the topic of basic vivaria design with a generalist approach. Previous to this, there have been two excellent books written by "the vivarist" himself, Phillipe de Vosjoli, with one book treating desert vivaria design and the other teaching us how to artistically creat a living vivarium for snakes.
   Mr. Walls, another expert, has provided the all-around beginning and intermediate herp keeper with the basics of cages, restraint, and several tried-and-true, fundamental vivarium designs covering ever major biome (e.g. desert, rainforest, woodland, etc.) where herps are found on planet earth. This book was written with practically every type of common pet reptile or amphibian in mind.
   This is a must have for every pet store owner who wants to display and sell herps, and for every young lad or lass who is lucky enough to have parents who will let them keep and enjoy God's creatures in their home. If you want to become a zoo keeper when you grow up, learn the basics that are taught in this book. If you want the little pet that you brought home to thrive, do the same.
   I believe this book is a manifestation of the growing sophistication of the hobby.
   I would, however, love to see an author tackle a much more in-depth, large-scale approach to the subject. I'm sure that there are some zoo keepers who could teach us how to build some amazing, detail-oriented, half-a-room-sized vivaria.

5 comments about Turtles & Tortoises for Dummies.

1. I never received this book. Sent an email to seller never received an answer. Bad, bad!!!! Very disappointed. Yes, it is paid for!



2. Clear, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow information about turtles and tortises. I purchased this book after becoming a guardian to an Arizona desert tortise. These creatures are protected and found in small areas of Nevada, California and Arizona, and there is not much information about them to be found. This book had more useful information than I received from any other source.



3. Given that this book is obviously aimed at the beginner it would make sense for the book to offer decent info for commonly available species; mud and musk turtles, painted turtles, cooters, sliders, maybe Russian and Greek tortises, salcuttas, and some others. However, it doesn't.

   The book focuses an insane amount on the large, expensive (often over 1,000US), rare-in-captivity tortises like the Galapagos and aldabra tortise, which are exactly what the novice keeper wont' likely be buying. The common, affordable, and easier to keep turtles and tortises are given short shrift in this book. They may get a line or two, but that's about it.
   Furthermore, what information is given seems suspect; reccomended cage sizes tend to be on the small side, temps can be off, as can humidity. It's really not worth having--I threw my copy away.




4. I purchased this book thinking (hoping) it would be the excellent source of information it is advertised to be; it is not.

   I am very experienced in keeping all kinds of companion animals. As a rule, when I think I might want to add a new species to my household, I research the critter in question with great care. I purchased this book prior to getting my first tortoise. At the same time, I began researching my chosen species on the internet. Based upon what I have learned on the net and in speaking with tortoise keepers & breeders via e-mail/telephone and in person at "reptile expos", the information in this book is at best dated and over simplified and at worst may be dangerous to your pet.

   The kindest thing I can say about this book is that it is poorly organized. This alone makes it difficult to formulate an understanding of tortoise culture. Further, the author often contradicts herself, causing the reader to question whether they are misunderstanding the text as they go.

   Turtles and torts are highly specialized - they do not adapt to us as dogs or cats do. We MUST adapt to them and fulfill their very specific needs completely. Please research your chosen species very carefully before you purchase a turtle or tort!

   If you simply must buy this book, please do not use it as your only or best source of info.




5. The author was very knowledgeable about her favorites: box turtles and (large) tortoises. That's all well and good, but... None of these turtles are suited for indoor keeping! I would expect that most prospective or current turtle keepers want or have smaller turtles, and it would have been nice to get more detailed info about them. If you can keep your chenolians in an outdoor habitat, BUY THIS BOOK. Otherwise, find another.

5 comments about Corn Snakes: The Comprehensive Owner's Guide (The Herpetocultural Library).

1. This book well serves the novice looking to acquire his or her first corn snake. If you follow the advice in this book your snake will do great. Are there other opinions out there? Sure. I recommend reading EVERYTHING you can find about corn snakes. A well read snake keeper is a smarter snake keeper. That said, Kathy Love has been breeding corns for a long time, and knows what she is doing. Bill and Kathy's book is written in a pretty casual style, without a lot of technical jargon and is easily understood by even a complete new-comer to the reptile keeping hobby.



2. To be perfectly honest, I expected more after reading the other online reviews of this book. Bill and Kathy Love are THE corn snake experts in America, but this book just seems to be a re-hash of their earlier articles and works. The pictures were excellent, but so far as all around quality goes, I think one of the "Philip" experts is the one to trust: Philippe de Vosjoli is a veteran of the field with AMAZING books, and Phil Purser is an authority on corn snakes who is actually a readable writer.
   
   I think a veteran keeper could augment his/her library with this text, but the average hobbyist should probably look elsewhere. I was much happier with the **other** corn snake book I purchased.



3. This book came highly recommended to me by snake breeders. The material is wonderful, easy to comprehend and THE absolute resource for the beginner or advanced owner. Definite bang for the buck and wisdom shared by folks who have made raising corns on of their life's work. From the hatching to elder years, this book has it all.



4. I'd give it six stars if I could. It's very entertaining,very educational,complete, and packed with plenty of color photos. The writing style is informal, present-day North American English.
   
   What more could you ask for in a book? An autographed copy, that's what.



5. If you are planning on owning a corn snake, this one and The art of keeping snakes by Phillipe de Vosjoli should be the first books to buy. Read it before you purchase the animal!

2 comments about Natural Terrariums (Complete Herp Care).

1. This is a pretty good book for the price. It is a little too heavily oriented towards the reptiles only. I would have liked to see more vivarium information. Some information, like not to use magnolia leaves, is just plain wrong. Also, there is nothing on background construction.



2. I'll be brief: I recently bought and read this book because I am building a new, elaborate terrarium. As a reference, this book is the best I've ever encountered. As a read-able book, it's also top notch. You would not think that moss could be interesting, but this book makes it so. Don't waste your money on books by Bartlett or Walls (anyone who reads herp books will know those guys know their stuff, but not like this!). If you're going to buy a terrarium book (discusses deserts, jungles, watery environs, etc. from beginner level to VERY advanced tricks and tactics), make this the one!!! You will NOT be disappointed.

5 comments about Terrarium and Cage Construction and Care.

1. I found this book very useful and informative. I have buildt terrariums since I was a child, collecting all kinds of scaly pets and the number one rule my mom made me follow was making them escape proof. These did not always work out well with missing snakes turning up in the laundry and a toothy alligator taking a bite of my hand when I first started out collecting such wonderful creatures. Boy do I wish that I had this book when I was a kid. This is a great book for both beginner and someone like me who's always looking for goood ideas on the subject.



2. The book wasnt everything I had hoped for. It did not cover the false bottom method for terrarium/vivarium construction. Seemed out dated and very very basic. Great for ideas, not for construction. Would maybe recommend book for reference but not a single resource.



3. The title of the book is absolutely misleading!
   I ordered this book together with 7 others and my hopes in this book was totally smashed the moment I opened and browsed through. It contained very little information on what I thought it should and many of the books I already owned had more info. The terrarium set ups were very unexciting. I tried going through amazon.com again trying to look for more books pertaining to "this subject" but much to my dismay, this was the only book recommended. This book contains more on recommendations of terrarium inmates rather than cage construction.



4. I bought the book being a person who loves zoos and was expecting it to cover the materials, chemicals, theorys, and design/setup of the cage and what plants to use with what lighting but none of the above really appeared in the book a completely misleading title and poor purchase.



5. For each setup, a lot of space devoted to different types of animals and each types general care. Would have liked to have more information on design ideas, construction tips, and maintenance of actual terrariums.

1 comments about Poison Dart Frogs (Complete Herp Care).

1. Excellent , quick reference for the hobbyist wanting some breeding tips. Easy fast reading. Up to date advice.

4 comments about The Guide to Owning a Box Turtle.

1. I recently bought a box turtle and this book was very useful! It's great for anyone who has a box turtle or who is thinking of buying one. The pictures are beautiful and helpful as well. Full of great information on feeding, housing and much more.



2. An excelent source of information on Box turtles of all types. Details about many species and subspecies and incredible eye catching photographs with expert discussion.



3. Without this book my Coura Amboiensis would have been a less happier turtle. A really good book, beautiful pictures.



4. This is a great book! All of the photos are in color, and there are pictures of every kind of box turtle you could possibly find. There are also pictures of products and foods for box turtles. The book tells you where to get a turtle, what to do if your turtle is sick, how and where to house them, how to breed and hibernate them, and how to take care of baby box turtles. The pictures are beautiful!!! If you have a box turtle, then this is a really cool book.