4 comments about Pythons and Boas.

1. I got the book for my toddler so she could see more pictures of snakes. It also has great info about them and is easy to read even for younger children. She enjoys hearing all about them as she's looking at the pictures. Snakes aren't evil, gross, slimy or mean they are a very necessary part of our planet. If it weren't for snakes we'd be overrun by rats and mice. This book shows that snakes have a very important part to play on our planet and should get some respect for the jobs they do to keep things in balance.



2. I am guessing that this book is just old, so not going along with todays knowledge, and this is just another edition. One definitely can find some information in it, but I did not like it. Another positive is its visually attractive issue.



3. Pythons and Boas have long been among the most fascinating of snakes, and with continued encroachment upon their habitat they are now also among the most threatened. Pythons and Boas provides an up to date look at the Boidae, with emphasis being placed on the boids as threatened animals whose futures lie with increased captive breeding by concerned hobbyists. Every genus is covered, from the largest pythons to the smallest wood snakes, with summaries of what is known of their natural history and care in captivity. A special chapter spotlights methods of breeding boas and pythons in captivity. This volume includes the only available modern checklist of the species and subspecies of living boids, as well as a simple key to the genera. Heavily illustrated, with 111 color photos and numerous black and white illustrations and maps.



4. This is great for a beggining pet owner. It has over 100 color photos of different types of snakes and also pictures and diagrams of afflictions. It covers everything from history, nomenclature, care and breeding. There is even a guide to help you determine what type of snake (proper name and origin) you have. Since this is a book on both boas and pythons, it doesn't spend much time or detail on either. Perhaps it's only shortcoming was that there is not much, if anything about IBD (Inclusion Body Disorder)that I have found in other books. Also, there was very little time spent on treating any of the diseases, except how to recognise them, and generally how they are treated. Otherwise, this is a great reference book and good reading for those that wish to know more about boas and pythons.

No comments about Milksnakes and Tricolored Kingsnakes (Bartlett, R. D., Reptile Keeper's Guides.).

5 comments about The New Chameleon Handbook: Everything About Selection, Care, Diet, Disease, Reproduction, and Behavior (Barron's Pet Owner's Manuals).

1. I'm sorry, but I just had to counter the 5 star reviews for this book. Yes, there is a lot of good information and pictures, but there are far too many short-comings for this to be a reliable source. As another reviewer pointed out, Le Berre NEVER refers to species by their common name, only scientific name. This is very confusing for the beginner and beyond...you will need to go through and write all the common names down so you know what species he's referring to. Additionally, he rarely ever tells you the size of any of the chameleons. Considering chameleons range from 1 inch to 30 inches or so, this is an extremely important fact when considering species and housing needs.
   
   He also rates each species on a scale of Beginner/Intermediate/Advances. However, Le Berre isn't quite clear as to the criteria he is using for this rating system, or explicit as to why a particular species is more difficult. He seems to possibly include difficulty of breeding into the equation, which I could not care less about, since I don't intend to breed. For example, he lists the Montium as being an "Advanced" species, but says it has similar needs to the Quadricornis, which he lists as being for "Beginners". I'm confused.
   
   However, the biggest faux pas by far is Le Berre's suggestion of using a glass terrarium to house your chameleons! There is not a single reliable chameleon authority out there who suggests this (except for possibly babies/and certain pygmy species) and in fact pretty much EVERYONE else cautions that this is the worst possible idea and will probably lead to illness/death. Not only is glass conducive to stagnant air and bacterial growth, chameleons can often see their reflection in the glass, causing major stress (thinking it's a rival chameleon). They can also injure their tongues on the hard glass which can lead to serious eating issues.
   
   It is unfortunate that these issues exist with this book because there are some excellent parts to it. If you do buy it, be sure to supplement it with others. The most complete guide out there seems to be the Linda Davison book. Check that out as well as the dozens of excellent websites that will give you better and complimentary information.



2. What you need to know about chameleons is in this book! I enjoyed reading it and learning everything about this little creature. From it's history and evolution, to it's anatomy and manerisms. What I really wanted was a book which explained how to care for the chameleon and I picked the right one.Francois LeBerre makes me feel comfortable caring for the chameleon. The size of the book is good for handling and storing. The print is large and clear, easy to read and the pictures are messmerizing. When I browsed through other books on the topic, they seemed like a joke compared to this informative publication! I recommend this to beginners (which I am) because you'll feel like an expert (LeBerre) when you're done. Enjoy!!!



3. The book gave me a lot of information and it had a lot of grate pictures. The book is easy to understand and they tell alot of info.



4. My name is Nobu, I am from Japan. Here in Japan, Francois Le Berre is famous for his work on chameleons, this book is the best I have ever read on my favourite animals. Some Japanese publishers have found the pictures so good that they have been using them in some of the japanese magazines too. The information is very complete and the pictures astonishing, I am looking forward for Francois Le Berre's next book. He is unsurpassed and really is the Master of Chameleons!



5. In light of the two previous reviews, I felt compelled to add my own thoughts. It is a very good book, but lacks some information I think is essential for the beginner. The author makes little or no reference to common names of the organisms (where a common name is ascribed). This would make it difficult for the typical beginner to relate the scientific name of the organism with the common name that is usually available at the site of purchase. The author also fails to give adequate information regarding the size attained for a full grown adult specimen. This is especially important when a budding herptologist decides to embark on caring for a "beginners" specimen, but is not told that the animal will be two feet long as an adult. This can be critical when one is designing a habitat.It is not at all uncommon to see beginners think of these wonderful animals as being "small and cute", when in fact many of the easiest to care for become quite large. That being said, LeBerre has certainly prepared an excellent guide, and the photos are wonderful. It is the best book out there for the layman, and does in fact rate five stars.

2 comments about My Dwarf Clawed Frog (Aqualog Minis).

1. I love the book and the book came in a very timely manner in great shape . great



2. This book is the most informative I have found on Dwarf Clawed Frogs. I really enjoyed reading it, it was appealing visually with all the pictures and the writing was very easy to comprehend. I definitely recommend it to anyone who has African Dwarf Clawed Frogs.

No comments about Tropical Fish Care - Whether your planning on starting a freshwater fish tank or a saltwater aquarium, it goes without saying that it will be much more ... to do things right, right out of the box..

1 comments about Garter and Ribbon Snakes: Facts & Advice on Care and Breeding (Reptile Keeper's Guide).

1. A book on the captive care of garter snakes for beginners has been badly needed for quite some time, and this excellent little book fills that need very nicely indeed. While it does not provide the level of information that serious garter snake hobbyists would like, and could be more precise in terms of diet and the unique requirements of some species, that sort of detail would be inappropriate in a beginner's guide like this one. It sets out the basic requirements (feeding, caging, health) that any snake keeper just starting out is going to need to know. I breed garter snakes myself and am very happy that I can now refer my customers, particularly the younger ones, to a book that answers so many of their questions.

3 comments about The Care of Land Hermit Crabs.

1. This book lacks a lot of important information but it is pretty old. I like Hermit Crabs for Dummies much better. The book does have some good info too. Pretty thin book, fast read. It is worthy of purchase but not the only book you should have on hermit crab care.



2. This little booklet (about 32 pages) gives you basic information on scientific names, anatomy, size, how long they live, habits, selecting land hermit crabs, designing enclosures, shells, water, food, molting, handling, breeding, diseases and other types of common land crabs.

   I've had my hermit carbs for over a year, and after reading some information online, I realized that they require much more care than I have been giving them. It's amazing how much I didn't know about them before reading this book.

   If you have hermit crabs, I suggest you research a bit online or through books like this one. If you were to buy any other type of pet, you would get information of the living conditions they need to survive; so learn more about your hermit crab. The more you know, the better.




3. Best Book on Hermit Crab care on the market.Another great addition to the outstanding AVS line. Philippe De Vosjoli presents current information , covering all aspects of Hermit Crab care.

4 comments about Your Bearded Dragon's Life: Your Complete Guide to Caring for Your Pet at Every Stage of Life (Your Pet's Life).

1. This book is a must have for bearded dragon owners. We bought a 2 month old dragon lizard and if we had not had this book he probably would not still be alive and healthy. A very easy read, and very informative from a baby to an adult lizard.



2. This is an excellent book for the beginner Bearded Dragon owner. It covers all aspects of your dragon's life, from hatchling through old age.
   
   This is a must-have book for the first time Bearded Dragon owner!



3. This book covers it all - even how to find a herp vet in your area. Very good info. It definatley has it all. Nice easy to read print, lots of pictures, cute drawings. Deffinatley a Must Have!



4. This book has it all! Feeding advice with nutrional facts, all about health concerns, diseases, ageing, light, heat... Just about verything about housing and caring for your bearded dragon.

   I love this book, and it's so good and well written that you really want to read it, over and over again. The perfect book for any bearded dragon owner and a must for anyone who is going to buy one. Buy this before you buy your lizard!

   The only thing that could have been better in this book, is the amount of pictures, it just has a couple of pictures in the middle, that's all. But that's the only negative thing about this book.

3 comments about Fishkeepers Guide to African Cichlids.

1. I have had cichlids since my first tank, which was 6 years ago. I have only ever had cichlids since then, and always had much luck with them. After owning this book, I was able to breed my first cichlids without even trying. Apparently, just by maintaining a very good tank (which was helped along by this book) my fish bred themselves. I had two sets of babies, and finally had to remove "mom" from the tank so that I could manage all of these fish.
   
   The book starts out describing what lakes the different cichlids come from, then gets into the water composition in each of the different lake regions. It also gets into how to handle water pH, ammonia and other toxins, etc. Then, what the different filters are, proper tank lighting, and then what specific plants go well with cichlids of each type described in the book. It also has a great section (which is what prompted me to purchase this book) on specific symptoms of disease in cichlids and how to treat them. This is just in the first half of the book.
   
   There is a short section on breeding, and then the last half of the book is more specifics on various types of cichlids (with pictures).
   
   This book is short but very concise. My first 6 years of amateur tanking was done without any direction besides other people's advice. This is the first and last book I ever purchased on cichlids. Unless you plan on starting a fish farm or running a fish store, this book is more than enough, and short enough to enjoy reading.



2. This book was very samll (116 pages) and was not what I had hoped for. I am a new cichlid owner and this is not the first book I bought. I already had my tank and my starter fish. I wanted some information that was not in your average "dummies book" which I had already read. What I got was some new information, but for the most part, it was just a review book.
   Also, I wanted an idea for some more fish to buy. This book has profiles of 40 cichlids, which sounds like a lot. However, when you take into account the size you want (in my case 4 or 5 inches) and the disposition of the fish (a lot of reviewed fish would not do well in a community species tank), you end up with just a small number of fish you would even want.
   In conclusion, it was an informative introductory book, but I wish I would have spent a few more dollars and gotten a more complete species guide.



3. This was good book for someone buying their first Cichlid (Like me). However I very quickly wanted to know more! The book is great for setting up the tank and gives nice reviews of some species. I think it is a good first book, I found it very helpful, but it is not for experienced cichlid breeders.

1 comments about Turtles: How to Take Care of Them and Understand Them (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This little book has plenty of excellent information and a stunning collection of pictures. I did see some small errors; for instance the identification captions for the pictures of the Yellow-margined box turtle and Malayan box turtle are reversed (pp. 56-57.) Overall, a fine addition to your collection of turtle books.