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.

No comments about A Veterinary Guide to the Parasites of Reptiles: Protozoa.

1 comments about Fantastic Frogs.

1. A fantastic frog book, wonderful source of information for new pet owners as well as serious hobbyists. It contains separate chapters full of informative captive care description for Poison Frogs, Clawed Frogs, Fire-bellied Toads, White's (Dumpy) Treefrogs, Horned Frogs, African Bullfrogs, Budgett's Frog and assorted Treefrogs and Brown and Red Toads. High quality color photos throughout. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Discus As a Hobby: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started (Save-Our-Planet Book).

1. I didn't care for this book and here's why. The author's coverage is much too superficial to be really useful for getting started in this hobby. You certainly need more than what is in this book, yet the very misleading title states it has "everything you need to know".

   The book is heavy on photos and light on details. The author isn't shy about giving his opinions which would be good, but unfortunately he doesn't always say why. At one point he states that under-gravel filters are bad, but tells us since much has been written about them the reader can find out why elsewhere. True enough, but excuse me, why am I bothering with this book? It is supposed to have "everything you need to know" isn't it?

   The fact is there is nothing in this book that can't be found in better detail, and free, by doing an internet search of various Discus related web sites. However, I do recommend a much better book, "Discuss Fish" by T. Giovanetti which has much more information, and better, detailed explanations.

   Overall score: Thumbs way down.




2. The purpose of this book is to aid the beginning discus hobbiest. It does this well by providing all of the basics to start anyone down the right path to keep discus. For the more advanced hobbiest it doesn't offer as much, but that wasn't the purpose of this volume.



3. I have owned this book for several years. I also own several "coffee-table" sized books on Discus. But this is the book I find myself referring to most for information on how to keep my Discus healthy. The author's practical, no-nonsense style is informative, and very easy to read. It is a bargain, considering all the good tips and advice contained within. Highly recommended for beginning to intermediate-level aquarists who want to raise "The King of the Aquarium".



4. I found that the book had real information that you can apply when getting started in the hobby. I find myself going back to the book time and time again finding small bits of useful techniques that I missed reading it the first time. I have found that if you apply the advice given in the book you will get off to a great start with the fish and have many years of enjoyment to look foward too. For such a small book it is packed with excellent advice that other books overlook and just want to show you photos of fish. This book really tells you how to do things. This is book is a must read to add to your collection.



5. The man has forgotten more than the rest of us will ever know.

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

1 comments about Clownfishes Anemonefishes: A Complete Authoritative Guide.

1. If you are a beginning aquarist with a desire to plunge straight into marine fishkeeping and in particular clownfishes and anemonies, this is an excellent book. It is easy to read and understand and is pretty basic. This book takes you from start to finish in setting up a tank for clowns and covers lighting, filtration/protien skimming, some different species of clowns and their characterristics and individual needs as well as a pretty decent list of the types of anemonies that each will accept as a host. If you can successfully maintain a freshwater aquarium, you can most likely use this book as a guide to set up and maintain a marine tank with clowns. If on the other hand, you are an advanced aquarist more interested in breeding, spawning behavior, specific info and fine tuning your set up, I recommend The book "Clownfishes: a Guide to Their Captive Care, Breeding& natural History by Joyce D. Wilkerson.

3 comments about The Cult of the Koi.

1. Great book! Equally helpful for the novice and experienced Koi lover alike! Great pictures and detailed descriptions.I highly recommend this book.



2. I don't think this is the best book on Koi. Although it covers all the standard topics (Koi identification, pond building, filtration system, diseasees, etc.), it does not give enough details in each topic. The "Tretra Encyclopedia Book of Koi" is by far the best . I know, it is not available for sale any more, but try to find it in a library. It is well worth the effort and you can save money as well.



3. The book is an excellent reference for beginners and experts as well. It gives a great overview of the history of Japanese, Domestic and German Koi. It gives an excellent review of the different types of Koi that have help me a great deal in identification.

   My local Dianichi and Sankaye Koi dealer also says that their consensus is that Cult of the Koi is by far the best they have ever seen.

No comments about Lizards (Beginning Vivarium Systems).

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.

1 comments about Snakes of the United States and Canada: Natural History and Care in Captivity.

1. Snakes Of The United States And Canada: Natural History And Care In Captivity by small animal/exotic animal veterinarian John V. Rossi and natural curator and snake expert Roxanne Rossi is an in-depth, 576-page informational resource concerning the housing, care, environmental regulation, feeding, breeding, handling and just about everything else necessary to taking appropriate care of captive snakes native to the United States and Canada. Color photographs and species-specific information complement and enhance the general husbandry instructions in this exhaustive and very strongly recommended resource for novice snake-handlers and experienced snake-keepers.