5 comments about Sheep (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book has loads of wonderful information! I am going to become a leader with a 4-H sheep club and it has lots of wonderful, valuable information!



2. A subtitle on the front cover claims this is a complete owner's manual. Well.....I guess the operative word is manual, not book or text.

   Having said that, I must admit the booiklet would be a great gift idea for one's son or daughter, niece or nephew, or grandchild who might be considering sheep in a Future Farmer's of America (FFA) project or who might just be curious. Then, the prospective youth might whet his or her appetite sufficiently to choose a more complete book.

   I did find the illustrations and photos to be helpful, but if the cost for such artwork resulted in shrinking the font size down to a barely legible size, then probably some of the pictures should be removed. Even many youth will have trouble reading such small type!

   The booklet covers a lot of ground with brevity. Thus, it is a quick read,

   However, although the potential for sheep raising for milk production is heavily promoted in the advertisement, our kind author does a great disservice regarding milking sheep on page 52:

   "The teats of sheep are much smaller than those of cows and goats. This makes milking them harder because you can use only a couple of fingers rather than the entire hand (see colr photo on page 55). There is no point in describing in detail how to milk a sheep because it is a skill that must be acquired through practice."

   Illustrations and photos and a bit of imagination could have seized a golden opportunity here. If it is that difficult to explain that is precisely what the author should have tried.

   Although I did find the book not to be informative enough for me, I do think it would be a great e-book for a free download. Perhaps a short video clip could be included to show how sheep are milked. As such, the PDF could serve as a loss-leader in attracting readers to purchasing more complete books on sheep and livestock production.

   Again, this book is best thought of as a FFA gift for teens interested in raising sheep on a small scale. Otherwise, surf the net for free information that can be gleaned in a couple of hours!




3. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who has no experience in the sheep industry. For the beginner who has yet to purchase sheep, it covers everything from how to make your first purchase, care and housing, feeding, illnesses, breeding, products of sheep and more. A small, inexpensive, yet informative book that will give the reader an idea of what sheep require in order to remain healthy.



4. I felt this book did not give enough information about the subjects they were to have special sections for. It gave just enough information on each subject to get many beginers in trouble. I bought the book for the special section on shearing. There was one paragraph and a referance page to see a picture the was not even on that page. This book was deffinatly a disapointment.



5. It doesn't get any better than this. My 4-H'ers can read this with ease and the parents of the kids are able to glean the information quickly for fast reference when something goes wrong. The language is plain & simple and the book is illustrated with several types of sheep. This is a must-have if you are thinking about getting a sheep.

No comments about Hermit Crab: Your Happy Healthy Pet.

1 comments about The Relaxed Rabbit: Massage for Your Pet Bunny.

1. I got this book for Xmas, and was super excited. I am a little scared to try the massage, as it sounds like I could hurt the bunnies, some of it seems rough. It is a good book, but I think most people can figure out how to massage their bunnies, but for me, I like to have instructions.

1 comments about The Exotic Pet Handbook.

1. The Exotic Pet Handbook introduces you to a variety of exotic pets - canaries, finches, budgerigars, snakes, lizards, tortoises, frogs, newts, goldfish, tarantulas, scorpions, and freshwater fish to name a few. Each chapter provides an introduction along with descriptions of the various species, housing, feeding, general care, health, and breeding information.
   
   If you are shopping for an exotic pet and want more detailed information than the brochure at the pet store provides this is a good place to start. Some of the information on birds (feeding/training) was inconsistent with things I believe and others have written, but techniques of owners do vary. If you purchase an exotic pet I would recommend also purchasing a more comprehensive book that focuses only on the species you acquire.

5 comments about Ferrets: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Diseases, Behavior, and Breeding (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals).

1. Although I liked the companion book (Training Your Pet Ferret) more, this is an excellent concise guide for someone who knows nothing about ferrets. This is not a book for anyone who has even a working knowledge about ferret behavior. But then again I haven't found a good guide yet that goes in depth into ferret matters for those of us who know the basics about them, but would like to know more.



2. Although I liked the companion book (Training Your Pet Ferret) more, this is an excellent concise guide for someone who knows nothing about ferrets. This is not a book for anyone who has even a working knowledge about ferret behavior. But then again I haven't found a good guide yet that goes in depth into ferret matters for those of us who know the basics about them, but would like to know more.



3. While some of the information is unique to this book (like the part about ferret sounds and body language) there are some alarming errors (a ferret should NEVER be housed in an aquarium!). Use it as an additional reference, but not your primary one. You should have several different sources to refer to anyway.



4. There are many more up-to-date reference books on the Domestic Pet Ferret. It's an add to my Ferret book collection only. I recommend researching all books available before deciding to be owned by Ferrets.



5. As a keeper of Ferrets here in England I was appalled when I was given this book as a present for Christmas 98'. There are a number of really quite harmful and cruel elements to this book This could not be further from the truth. The Ferret is a highly social animal and they should really be kept in a minimum of threes, two females and a male.

   De-scenting. This is a highly controversial prac n integral part of the animals communication system and to remove them just for the delicate nostrils of the owner is really very unfair on the animal.

   To say that Ferrets release odour when in fear of their life is quite innaccurate. Ferrets release an odour when they are excited, prior to eating, before hunting or going for a walk.

   Within the book the subject of housing the Ferret is not covered at all satisfatorily, to suggest that a Ferret needs a cage of only 10 inches in height is cruel. Ferrets are climbers by ntaure and mine reguarly climb the seven feet to the top of their 6 foot by 6 foot court. There is scant reference to the correct size and positioning of an outdoor court and cub.

   I could go on, but frankly the 1000 word limit is rapidly running out. But for those die hards amongst you who rate this book, just refer to the "My tip" on page 23, advising the reader "never to strike the Ferret's body" This lady must really have been struggling for something to write if she thinks that the average Ferret loving reader would hit such a small animal!

   The picture of the "White-footed butterscotch" on page 41 is further testament to this authors own ineptitude, either if this Ferret is her own or the picture is from a library, it should never have been used in a reference book. The poor animal's nails are clearly too long and should have been t rimmed, if they grow much further they'll grow back under themselves! Poor Ferret.

   One thing this "guide" is not is complete!

   In short, don't waste your money. There has to be a much better guide out there somwhere! By the way, the only reason I gave this book one star is because the review software won't let you choose none!

5 comments about Ferrets (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. all ferret owner should have this book. very pictorial. has a lot of the same information as other ferret books



2. This book provides the reader a great overview of ferret care, health, diet, and many other topics such as the food they eat and the type of cages they should have. The only thing I did not like about the book is on page 31 quoting, "If your ferret plays too roughlt, a sound thump on the nose with your forefinger, accompanied by a sharp "No", will soon advise your ferret that this is not acceptable behavior". I have to disagree! Out of all ferret reading I have done, books, magazines, and Internet researching, I always read that nose thumping is not appropriate to teach a ferret of his/her errors. This is only book that suggests that it is okay. Otherwise all the other topics are great and make sense. Despite the disagreement, I give 4 stars for great overall well rounded book.



3. Owning a ferret is a little like owning a child - they require your full attention and a great deal of time, especially when they're young. When we bought our first ferret, Tycho, my wife and I had already done a little research and so we had some idea of what to expect. We should have done more, however. They're a handful, but ultimately worth it, because most ferrets are not only cute and cuddly, but smarter than most dogs and like cats, genuinely curious in most things in their environment. Before bringing your little carpet shark home it is important to know what you're getting into. Prospective ferret owners should do plenty of research before taking the plunge and buying one or more of the little cuties.

   E. Lynn Morton's book presents an easy to read yet detailed fact book about fuzzies, basics like nutrition- ferrets are carnivores and cannot handle a vegetarian diet, and even explains proteins and how they can differ depending on the source. Discipline and how it should be done- and I have found that most books recommend the same basic techniques, none of which require hitting your ferret or even flicking its nose. And it was thanks to this book it explained seasonal weight loss and gains, something that had us very worried when Tycho shed a half pound in just a short while. It also talks about diseases common to ferrets and detail about their biology.

   It has plenty of pictures of fuzzies, cages, toys, bedding, and what is and is not acceptable for ferrets to live in, sleep in and play with. More importantly it asks the reader to think about the time they will have to spend after getting their carpet shark- they require more care than either kittens or puppies at first and when they're out of their cages, require constant supervision. Tycho is joy to own, but it hasn't been all roses. He bit a lot and got into things he shouldn't have, but at six months of age we own a very loving and happy ferret who plays with us and new kitten pal, Fenix. Thanks to books like this and the others my wife and I have read, we're a little smarter for the experience and have a great new pet.




4. I recently became co-owner of a baby ferret, Tycho--after the astronomer. Just lately Tycho has exhibited a rather alarming weight drop. Morton's book suggested itself as a useful resource for the nervous ferret "parent," and indeed it has been. In reading the section on weight cycles, we learned that the ferret tends to gain and loose weight according to the seasons and light intensity. What a relief! The little guy has been a dear and amusing pet, full of bouncing, peppy mischief, and we'd hate to loose him. It's nice to know we'll be better able to care for the newest member of our household with this new book.



5. I read this book and I thought it was great. This book was so good I bought all of my relitives that have Ferrets this book. So I highly recomed this book to any ferret lovers.

No comments about Invertebrates as Pets: Keeping and Caring for Millipedes, Centipedes, Scorpions and Tropical Cockroaches.

5 comments about Tarantulas and Other Arachnids: Everything About Selection, Care, Nutrition, Health, Breeding, Behavior (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book was a great help when it came to aspects of arachnid keeping such as feeding, living conditions and mating. This was my first book when I was begginning to keep Tarantulas and it taught me what I needed to know about keeping my pet happy and comfortable. It also was very informative when it came to the biology of the arachnids and explianed about everything from thier fangs to thier spinnerets. The only major problem I found with this book is it's insufficient explaination of spider habits and psychology. Because I was a begginner I wasn't sure how my spider felt and what it's different reactions to events meant. This book is excellent for begginners and I would recommend it to anyone starting out with arachnids although anyone with interests in arachnids behaviour then you should possibly consider a book which concentrates on it.



2. This is a well written, very informative book covering just about all aspects of tarantula care. It is a must for the beginners, and still helpful to the more experienced. Covering the basics of anatomy, husbandry, handling, breeding, etc.. Good amount of species specific information, too. Housing requirements for aboreals, opportunistic burrowers, obligate burrowers, is very informative. Great book.



3. I'm new to Tarantula keeping and needed a reference which was well researched informative and easy to understand. Sam Marshall's book is all of these things and more. The books many illustrations are also very helpful. Great for newcomers to the hobby.



4. This is a brilliant book if you have not owned a arachnid before, as it tells you a lot about keeping your first one. Is has a good chapter on food for them, and it tells you how to house and breed them very clearly and simply. Probably the only bad point is that it specialises in tarantulas so there is nut very much information on other arachnids such as hunting spiders, Windscorpions etc. but if you want to keep a tarantula it is a very cheap and good book, which will definately help you.



5. This is one of the most informative books out there regarding tarantulas and how to care for them. Very well written so that a seasoned veteran or an inexperienced beginner can follow and understand. Even if you do not like spiders, read this book! It dispells the most common myths and gives you a new respect for these truly fascinating animals.

No comments about Land Hermit Crabs.

1 comments about Close Encounters of the Bovine: Recollections of a Rural Veterinarian.

1. One gets the idea that Dr. Cooper-Chase feels truly blessed and humbled to have been "chosen" for her profession as a veterinarian and that she has been privileged to witness the interaction between man and beast and the gifts that each has to offer the other. Her observation and explanation of procedures gives the reader a feeling of being at her side as she tends to the needs of her very fortunate patients. Told with lots of wit and sometimes bluntness, you feel her tenderness, outrage and diplomacy as she handles situations concerning her bovine patients and their owners. It's a wonderful collection of life's lessons through an animal lover's eyes. Looking forward to reading about her encounters with the feline and the canine!