2 comments about Corn & Rat Snakes (Complete Herp Care).

1. I feel that this book is very complete and extremely helpful. If you own or are interested in corns pick this up because it will be helpful, also the offer lists some considerations before purchasing a corn which is great to see.



2. One of the most reader-friendly and authoritative books of its kind Ive ever read. Not only does this book give a solid outline of the natural history of these snakes, but it also answers (Thoroughly!) all the questions/issues that might arise in the captive care/breeding of the corn and rat snakes.
   
   The author, Phil Purser, is an authority on these snakes whom I once had the honor of meeting at a university lecture; his name on a book about herps is a definite stamp-of-quality.
   
   If you have to buy a corn snake book, THIS IS THE ONE!!!!
   
   ~Derek

No comments about Feeding Insect Eating Lizards.

3 comments about The Guide to Owning Poison Frogs.

1. This is an excellent little reference for anyone interest in keeping poison dart frogs. It is concise, informative and liberally stocked with high quality glossy photographs of these beautiful creatures.

   Since poison dart frogs can be very expensive and difficult to maintain, I found it particularly helpful that the author recommends species that are readily available and easier for the novice to keep and warns the reader of frogs that are probably too expensive or difficult to keep for all but the advanced hobbyist.

   I have one caveat about recommending the reference. In another book published the very same year by this author ("Poison Frogs of the Family Dendrobatidae : Jewels of the Rainforest" the author provides volumes about the biology of these frogs in their native environment but has minimal information about their care in captivity. The author defends this by stating "my interest is more in taxonomy than captive care, so you might well recognize my deficiencies at the beginning (pg. 45)." If we accept the author's statement at its word, then he didn't know much about the subject matter of this book! However, the author's self-deprecating statement not-with-standing, this is an excellent book and well-worth acquiring if you can find it. Hopefully the publisher will reprint it.




2. The book offers some very nice photos of poison frogs. There is a short description of 65 species. You feel that the author is very competent - but 63 pages isn't too much space.



3. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT BOOK WITH LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS AND HELPFUL PICS.

5 comments about The Guide to Owning Goldfish.

1. this book was very helpful. Easy to find what you need to know, good photos. Extremely practical for goldfish owners or wannabes



2. An overview of goldfish and their needs for beginners, Spencer Glass' slim volume is written in a relaxed and sometimes amusing style, and gives one some of the basics for keeping goldfish healthy and happy. Though not a thorough guidebook, it is better than some other books I've seen, and has enough information to get one going and not make mistakes that could harm or kill your fish. As he states in the introduction, "The purpose of this book is not to turn you into a goldfish expert," but give one a start, and as a primer, it is quite good.
   
   Mr. Glass briefly describes 1: Natural History, and how goldfish became goldfish. 2: Keeping Goldfish, with all the proper and necessary equipment. 3: Water Quality and "new tank syndrome." 4: Feeding, and the dangers of overfeeding. 5: Goldfish Diseases, and the dreaded Ichthyophthirius. 6: Pondkeeping, with 2 photos of huge koi. 7: Varieties of Goldfish, with many nice photos, and 8, a short half page on breeding, which of course, if you intended to do, would take a lot more information.
   
   Like many before me have, I started out foolishly buying a gallon-sized bowl, and placing 4 tiny comet goldfish in it. 3 of them almost immediately went to fish heaven, and the fourth stayed at the bottom of the bowl, hardly moving. With the help of this book and some internet surfing, I have learned a lot in a short time, and that one surviving goldfish is now twice the size, a delight to watch, in a good sized tank with proper water conditions, and with a pretty companion fantail. Goldfish are intelligent creatures, and can be lively, aesthetically pleasing additions to the family and home.



3. Waste of money-I would have rather spent my money on a lotto ticket; at least I would have had a chance in gaining something. Tells you nothing informative, and nothing useful, the pictures are even bad.



4. This book provides excelent information in a very easy to understand and entertaining ways to those who wants to start their hoby with goldfish.



5. Of what this guide to goldfish contains, it does a good job, but it is not thorough enough to be considered comprehensive. Examples of what the book discusses are natural history, equipment, filtration (including the important nitrogen cycle), water quality, feeding, diseases, and varieties of goldfish. There are brief sections on pondkeeping and breeding. The color photographs of the different types of goldfish are interesting. Surprisingly, this guide does not contain any information on the selection of live or artificial plants. Even though the information in this book is helpful, the lack of comprehensiveness is disappointing. Actually, I rate this guide 2.5 stars.

5 comments about The Box Turtle Manual (The Herpetocultural Library. Series 300).

1. IMO, every owner of a box turt should have this book in their home. excellent source of information that goes beyond basic care. it includes a well organized section on common ailments and their treatments.
   
   Do buy!



2. I purchased this book because my new box turtle, who seemed very lively in the pet store just would not eat. I'd done a great deal of research on what they like to eat on the internet, but thought perhaps he was sick. This book was very detailed, and wonderful at addressing my concerns with all the aspects of why he may not have been eating. While I don't agree with all the things the book says (Like turtles should be seen and not interacted with) Its a very good book for diagnosis of problems.



3. This book while informative was a little disappointing in other ways, such as its tone etc. Still a solid reference, and a good way to learn about how to take care of your pet.



4. My son had a wood turtle who was experiencing some problems with his eyes. Finally bought this book, but the turtle died before I got the book. The book is very good and has a lot of good information for us people who don't know much about turtles. Wish I would have gotten the book a little sooner and realized what the problem really was.



5. This book is awesome! Everything that keepers need can be found here in this easy to read, straight to the point book. If you have, or are considering a pet Box turtle you need this book!!

2 comments about Prehensile-Tailed Skinks (General Care and Maintenance of Series).

1. Prehensile-tailed skinks, Corucia zebrata (also called Solomon Island skinks and Monkey-tailed skinks,) are relatively rare reptiles from the Solomon Islands which are unique in the skink family in that they have true prehensile tails. These tails allow them to move among trees freely, but unlike some reptiles they are not capable of caudal autonomy (that is they can't drop their tails for self-defense.)
   
   This book is a good guide to picking a healthy skink, housing it, and caring for it. There is an excellent section on group dynamics and social behavior as well as great detail on skink diseases including stomatitis, mites, and tail rot (which may require amputation resulting in a healthy "stump-tail" skink.)
   
   I purchased this book for a friend who is very enamored with skinks, but decided to first read it myself, as my collegiate background was in vertebrate anatomy (although I am primarily a mammologist.) The book is a very quick read (maybe an hour, maximum) but is filled with a lot of good information on skinks. I recommend this book for anyone interested in being a responsible skink owner.



2. This was the first book I purchased befor I got my PTS, and I'm very glad I did. It is THE MOST informative one I've found yet, as there is not a lot of information out there on this species. We have been keeping PTS now for 7 years, and have had success with breeding as well. Thanks to the information in this book, our skinks are very healthy and happy critters. I would strongly suggest purchasing this book to anybody interested in PTS.

3 comments about Bettas.

1. I had previously purchased this same book a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. I lost it and so I wanted to get another one now that I am interested in breeding bettas again.



2. This book offers a wide range of tips in many topics. Including disease prevention, breeding, feeding and endless others.

   A good book for both betta keepers and non-betta keepers alike!




3. The book in my opion was pretty good and covers everything but genetics!!! This book is good if your intention is not on understanding the more complex side of how they get certain colors frm breeding bettas with certain genes!

No comments about The Guide to Owning Skinks.

2 comments about Chameleon Handbook, The (Barron's Pet Handbooks).

1. This book was very poorly updated from Francois Le Berre's original book "The New Chameleon Handbook." He has information in it that is totally wrong like where he says that there is currently a quota of 60 C. parsonii to be exported annually and that 475 C. parsonii were exported in 1997, when all exportation of C. parsonii from Madagascar was stoped in 1994 and no new quota has yet been set. He also is still claiming to breed chameleons in Madagascar at a ranch or breeding facility that is owned by a Frech scientist who says he just comes here to buy chameleons from him. He also has switched to the Klaver and Bohme classification system which puts fischeri and some other species in the genus Bradypodion but he still says all Bradypodion species are ovoviviparous as well as other things and if he is using the Klaver and Bohme system, this is not true as fischeri are oviparous. This book also still lists breeders that have been out of breeding and selling for the longest time. The book still has many errors in the index and he also has pictures in this book that are misidentified. This book is almost identical to his old book with the exception that it has fewer pictures, a new cover, and some updated information that much of is still very false. The book does not appear that it was edited for any mistakes. In short, this book was very poorly updated and you can get the same information (with still less false information and more pictures) in his original book.



2. I really enjoyed this book it gave me good facts on the chameleon. Get the book it's worth the $$$

1 comments about Red-tailed Boas and Relatives.

1. Filled with lots of pictures including some nice ones of bolivians. Goes into detail about some of the different subspecies, and morphs. Also some genetic information on breeding.