No comments about Sulcata and Leopard Tortoises (Complete Herp Care).

2 comments about Garter and Ribbon Snakes.

1. This book has a lot of information on keeping and caring for Garter and Ribbon Snakes. It is very helpful for any snake keeper, beginner or advanced. It has a wonderful section on how to identify specific species of garter and ribbon snakes!



2. Provides a general over look of the species of garter snakes and the requirements of keeping them in captivity.

No comments about 50 Really Exotic Pets: A Fur-and-Feather-Free Guide to the Most Lovable Tarantulas, Tortoises, Snakes, Frogs, Lizards, and Other Creatures.

2 comments about The Simple Guide to Iguanas (Simple Guide to...).

1. Hi. I'm the author of this book. I just want to report that the problems mentioned by the previous reviewer have been fixed in the reprint. I just finished working on the corrections. This reprint should be available in May. I understand why the photos caused such concern and I can assure you they have been changed to my satisfaction. I have done my best to make this book useful and enjoyable.



2. Anything published by T.F.H raises a red flag--they are notorious for outdated animal care information and obvious product-placement in photos to increase sales.
   
   Flipping through the book, looking at photos like most readers, I see on pg. 14 that food offered to an adult iguana is in small chunks. This might work for an iguana of that size, but food should be shredded for younger and smaller iguanas.
   
   On pg. 29, the photo used to show the sub-tympanic scale (slightly cropped on the right edge) also shows a developing abscess on the ig's lower jaw. I wonder if the picture editor really knew anything about iguanas--the way the photo is framed, it seems it was made to show the abscess, not the sub-tympanic scale and should have been rejected since the animal is not 100% healthy. The photo on page 41, poor handling technique is used to show femoral pores.
   
   The worst example, however, is the photo on pg. 110, where an ig is offered a cricket via hemostats. The caption reads," Crickets and other animal matter are vital to an iguana's diet," yet within the actual text, the author states, "Never feed your iguana any animal protein."
   
   Reading the text, this book is a decent guide to iguana care. However, the Polaroid-formatted photos and captions utterly undermine the text and, I suspect, the author's intent. Just who decided on the photos and their captions? Hopefully, should a 2nd edition be printed, these errors will be corrected!

2 comments about Keeping and Breeding Snakes.

1. The first edition of this book appeared in 1988. This second, "fully revised" edition is essentially an entirely new book. Some material has been reduced (for example, breeding tables and information on keeping venomous snakes), and the new photographs, found throughout the book, are spectacular.

   As a general introduction to keeping snakes in captivity, this book is first-rate, if only because there are few such books on the market. While there are many guides to specific kinds of snakes (e.g., boas, corn snakes), few approach the subject in general. This book does so in a thorough and authoritative manner. Very little is left unsaid and, for an adult beginner, this book can serve as a useful reference. Its principal shortcoming is its patchy coverage of individual species: for some snakes it is excellent, whereas for others it leaves much to be desired. Its usefulness to the reader will depend on how well it covers the particular snakes in which the reader is interested.

   Its coverage of boas and pythons is very comprehensive, and even lists species rarely available. The exception is its coverage of sand boas, which is limited to a single species.

   Coverage of colubrids is more uneven; the one long chapter on this very large family of common snakes affords very good coverage to the genus Elaphe (rat snakes), New World and Old World species alike. Its coverage of kingsnakes is fine but less detailed. Those interested in other colubrids may well be disappointed; the material on pine and gopher snakes and garter snakes is underwhelming, and some species, such as the rough green snake, are omitted altogether. While no book can credibly claim to cover all species equally well, these omissions and shortcomings are surprising when you consider that there are sections for blind snakes and snakes from other families that are seldom kept.

   The first edition's section on venomous snakes has been reduced to the most cursory of summaries; those with an interest in this subject must look elsewhere for information.




2. A great book for anyone. It gives details on breeding specific species of snakes. It is also good for anyone who owns or is thinking about buying a snake; or for those who just want to learn about them.

No comments about Quick & Easy Tadpole Care (Quick & Easy).

No comments about A Beginner's Guide to Goldfish.

1 comments about Lizard Keeper's Handbook (Herpetocultural Library).

1. If you are new to lizards, this is a great book from a recognized expert. This is one book I always want on my shelf

3 comments about Practical Encyclopedia of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles.

1. If you have any questions about any type of turtle or tortoise this book will answer them. Very informative. Worth the money.



2. I own many turtle books, but this one is truly outstanding and is in my "most used" category..... a cornucopia of practical information that is well-written, well-presented and well-researched. There is stuff here that you'd have to combe through an entire library to find otherwise. I commend this text to all keepers, from beginner to professional. It has been called the "bible of turtle keeping" for good reason - there is no better single volume source of accurate information available. The author is founder of the Tortoise Trust, one of the world's leading turtle conservation and education organizations, and is known for numerous contributions to our knowledge on this topic. Without doubt, this is the most useful, practical turtle book I own, and I urge other keepers not to pass it by! There are some awful books on turtles out there, and they can get your animal's killed... this one is quite the opposite, and it has certainly saved many of my own animals. Excellent.



3. If you own a turtle or tortoise, buy this book and keep it handy. The Practical Encyclopedia of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles has information for everyone; yes, even for advanced keepers. This is not just another reptile book with lots of photos and little substance. It is a pet owner's manual that appeals to a wide audience. Beginners to turtlekeeping will find all they need to know (without being intimidated) about nutrition, housing, medicine and maintenance of all of the common (and some not-so-common) pet species. Highfield presents a great deal of information in a logical, readable manner. The book includes many color photographs which are helpful in species identification. The chapters on nutrition and medical care are outstanding. Many of the species presented in the book have photos to go along with the detailed descriptions of their habits, habitats and life-cycles. The Practical Encyclopedia of Keeping and Breeding Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles is loaded with information that is pertinent, concise and accurate. I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about Spiny-tailed Agamids: Uromastyx and Xenagama.

1. Not a bad guide. If you're looking for general information it's pretty good. It does have wonderful pictures which are helpful for a comparison as well as an idea of a housing set up. Not as much information on behaviors as would be desired. Great if you're looking for a little information, but really should be coupled with another book.