1 comments about Horned Frogs.

1. This book was funny, descriptive and included the most enchanting photographs of these little critters ever collected in one book. The author shows his delight in these unusual creatures and shares his experiences and knowledge with us in an endearing way.

No comments about Lizards.

3 comments about Color Guide to Corn Snakes (General Care and Maintenance of Series).

1. The photographs are breathtaking; so much so that you want to see more. It's concise and intelligently written. This book should be in every corn snake fancier's library.



2. So many new corn snake color morphs have been developed since this book was first published that its coverage of the morphs that existed at the time seems a bit dated. Nevertheless, this book is still of considerable use to corn snake breeders, as well as anyone else interested in breeding for recessive traits, for its clear explanation of Mendelian rules of inheritance. Novice corn snake keepers ask too often the question of what you get when you breed this kind of corn snake with that kind; after reading this book, they'll be able to figure it out for themselves.

   Readers interested in descriptions of the latest corn snake morphs, and how they're made, should consult The Corn Snake Manual by Bill and Kathy Love.




3. Although somewhat small in size and length (especially at a first glance), this book is packed with great, surplus info about every factor that makes up corn snakes and their appearance. It first gives a short explanation of what a corn snake is and details about the general species, and then goes straight into what makes up and causes corn snakes' coloring and markings. This book explains all types of corn snake morphs, phases, mutations, changes, and more about how different-looking kinds of these snakes surface and how they occur. It even explains breeding techniques and possibilities for breeding such different phases, morphs, and mutations. This book doesn't provide much general info on the species, such as captive care, so I thus recommend it for people who already know the general care and maintenance of these snakes. Therefor, it's best for those who are interested in collecting and even breeding these colorful kinds and varieties of snakes, as it explains much of that subject. So altogether, I believe this book is one of the best for explaining it's subject clearly and thoroughly, and there aren't many books that could have explained it better.

1 comments about In Search of Reptiles and Amphibians.

1. Richard Bartlett's "In Search of Reptiles and Amphibians" is a collection of stories from the field that attempts to relate the joy that herp enthusiasts (those who enjoy reptiles and amphibians) experience in their many adventures in search of these wonderful creatures, but fails to connect for several reasons.
   As soon as you begin to read the book, you will notice countless errors (extra spaces between words, words missing or misspelled) that severely detract from the message the author wishes to convey.
   Assuming you can trip over all the errors and still continue to read, you'll find that the author is a huge fan of adjectives. It is as if someone instructed the writer that a sentence is sub-par if it contains less than a dozen descriptive words or so. It appears as if the author were trying for Thoreau, but only achieves awkwardness.
   Also, I see little more in the stories involved other than glorification of the author. The basic plot of virtually every anecdote is "I found something really interesting. Everyone look at me. You can't find them anymore, so don't even try." The stories are typically very short (2-3 pages) and in an attempt to come back to topic, a description of the species in question is presented after the ramblings.
   Another thing that concerns me is that the author condemns the practice of collecting animals from the wild on several occasions throughout the book (Ch. 10, etc.), but in a subsequent chapter talks about keeping the only specimen of a species he has seen in 30 years (Ch. 11). Not very responsible (in writing or in practice), in my opinion.
   If the reader is just starting an interest in reptiles and amphibians, then these stories might be of value. Anyone with more experience/knowledge in the field than a novice would do better to find something else to read.

4 comments about Corn and Rat Snakes (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. I bought this book with the hopes that two specific areas would be addressed. The first area was suitable substrate for snake habitats and husbandry in general. There was virtually no discussion about this topic, other than a brief mention that Europeans like to make elaborate habitats whereas Americans typically go simple. The book does address hide boxes, lighting, heating and water needs, but I really wanted to know what materials made for the best substrate. How often does it need to be cleaned/replaced? How should you go about cleaning a replaceable substrate like calcium sand, etc. Sanitation to me is one of the most important aspects of raising a confined animal and there is no discussion of it whatsoever. Secondly, I wanted to understand the feeding process a little better. After failing to induce a young Texas Rat Snake to feed in recent weeks, I wanted to be sure I understood the fine points of feeding. This book talks about different ways to induce feeding, but it doesn't offer any signs or symptoms to look for when one must consider the last resort of force feeding. Will the herp look gaunt? Will it show any other physical signs indicating starvation is fast approaching? How long is too long to go without eating? It further mentions that sometimes snakes don't eat during the winter months even in captivity. So now I'm really at a loss. This book is a very general guide best suited probably for someone who is sitting on the fence as to whether or not to own a rat snake and has yet to decide what type one is interested in purchasing. If you have already made the decision to raise a rat snake, especially if it will be your first snake, this book is not for you. Something much more specific with regards to the two topics above will be required; otherwise, you are jeopardizing the well being of the animal at worst and at best relying on your own instincts to provide a healthy environment for the snake.



2. I learned a lot from this book. Alaso I tired some of the sugestions.



3. I acually bought this book for the pictures,theres some real nice ones.The info is basic and great for a person wishing to learn more about them.But for someone like my self who has been keeping ratsnakes for 15 years, its a great picture book.



4. This book has every bit of information pet owners are looking for. There are great colour photos, and each page has a detailed scetch. If you are studying the history of corn or rat snakes, or you just plain like snakes, this book is right for you

1 comments about Caring for Green Iguanas: A Complete Authoritative Guide.

1. This book really isn't that bad, but not very complete as the title suggests. There isn't a whole lot of detail with the dietary needs of iguanas...and it suggested occasional pinky mice and crickets. Animal protein kills iguanas. Iguanas fed animal protein average life span is around 8 years, while iguanas fed no animal protein live well past 12 years in upwards of 20 years! If you want a "comlete and authoritative guide" by James Hatfield's Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual and research iguana care on the internet.

No comments about Harlequin Frogs.

No comments about Las Tortugas / Turtles (Heinemann Lee Y Aprende/Heinemann Read and Learn (Spanish)).

5 comments about Manual of Fish Health.

1. The book is pretty good for most aquarists as all should have something to help with the diagnostics and treatment of their pets. There's some pretty good photography of various diseases that simplifies the text, and in each section there is a little box of explanation of a point in the text, be it a bacteria type or similar. Where the book falls slightly short in my opinion is in the treatment section. I would not advocate the use of all the chemicals in this chapter and some may well be impossible to obtain for most people. In this case, I would recommend using the book then visiting a professional fish keeper, specialist shop or vet with your diagnosis after consulting the treatment section to see if there is an alternative.
   
   All said and done anything that can help easy diagnosis and lead to the correct treatment of fish disease is a good thing.



2. I bought this book based on the great reviews here, and have not been disappointed. That said, there are a few deficiencies that drove me back to the web for more information and hence this review.
   
   There is very little information about contemporary brands and their products that can be used to treat fish diseases. Using the book, one can easily diagnose pop-eye (which I was combating in my prize altum angels). But the suggestions are not terribly helpful in finding the right product to treat this affliction. For example, there are 3 or more different drugs under the Mardel brand that all claim to treat pop-eye. Some target gram-positive bacteria, some target gram-negative bacteria, and some are broad-spectrum antibiotics. At the same time, some can be simultaneouly administered with other treatments, some cannot. And so on. It would have been helpful if the book had helped me sort these details out (which I eventually did) and if it had suggested possible courses of action. Even something that lists all common antibiotics and adds a classification chart to go with them will address this concern.
   
   And as one reviewer pointed out, some of the suggestions are beyond the scope of the hobbyist. But let this not detract you from purchasing a guide that will save you time and help you narrow your diagnosis.



3. I have Aquarium books coming out of my ears. In my quest for knowledge on how to care and treat my freshwater fish, I have purchased books, but most left a lot of my questions unanswered, or were vague on discriptions of fish diseases and/or how to treat. This is by far the best all around book for the Aquarium Hobby enthusiast. It has everything you need to know about aquarium fish, their environment, disease and prevention. The pictures of diseased fish help you pin point the proper ailment, bacteria, and cure. I give this book 5+ stars and highly recommend it to anyone who has aquarium fish.



4. This book is amazing! I absolutly recomend it to everyone I've talked to. Not only does it use casual scientific terms but it does also explain them for anyone that doesn't have a BSc. Great information not only on fish disease, but on maintaining a properly balanced aquarium & preventing diseases from occuring in the first place.

   Personally I think it should be a manditory buy with ever first-fish purchase.




5. The fish hobby is made up of two different types of people. Some hobbyists do not really bother to understand their fish, they simply buy replacements when the current ones die. The second type of fish-keeper wants to know as much information as he or she can on the types of fishes they keep. This book would be of most value to the second type.

   Sometimes, we mistakenly assume that fish are fragile and that there is simply no way to maintain them at optimum health. But that is not the case. Most fish are quite hardy. They can easily be maintained in the home aquarium if attention is given to their particular needs. Even so, from time to time, our fishes do get sick despite of our care. This book will help you diagnose some of the more common diseases that afflict fishes, as well as some possible remedies.

   Some of the procedures in the textbook are simply not feasible for the average aquarists. Most of us do not have access to a laboratory. However, there is enough solutions in the book that are easy enough to follow. I highly recommend this book.

3 comments about Poison Arrow Frogs: Their Natural History and Care in Captivity.

1. This book has few pictures but good coverage on care for each type of frog. The author spends two chapters describing his expeditions to Panama and Fr. Guiana. He BRIEFLY discusses how to build and outfit a terrarium (vivarium), diseases and breeding. The last half of the book discusses each species individually. He gives a description, outlines distribution-habitat in the wild, lists optimum temperature and vivarium size, and gives detailed information on their breeding habits and care of tads. I would have liked more focus on caring for the frogs and less on breeding them and seeing them in the wild. Otherwise, good reference book.



2. I have read several books on dart frogs and the set-up of this is ideal for an intermediate frog owner as well as the beginner. Branching off sections on: genus, species, general care, food, temp. setting, cage set-up, and difficulty of captive care; you should be more than ready to start your first set-up( of course only with the suggested beginning frogs) or continue your knowledge of these beautiful creatures. I keep frogs myself and feel this book would be wise to read if you plan to care for any poison frog as long as their life span should be.



3. This book is great for beginners, covering natural history, terrarium construction, live food culture and individual species requirements. The very nice photographs make it a wish list for frog keepers.