No comments about The Guide to Owning Tree Boas and Tree Pythons (The Guide to Owning Series).

3 comments about Living Pythons.

1. To start of, this book is filled with a huge number of great pictures and photos of pythons and their anatomy. This book is a great edition to a well built herpetology library because its mostly useful only for the pictures.

   The author is dry, boring and last but not least very uninformed. He doesn't use the common names for some snakes and instead uses names which could be very confusing like calling the children's python a faded python. Due to this fact the book left me dwelling in many brain farts.

   Also, the author of this book needs to take himself to school and enroll in some zoology classes. The way he defines "species" is ludicrus when combined with the fact that he doesnt beleive in "sub-species." Basicall Walls will go against of what all of us learned in high school and college biology classes.

   Walls' husbandry and breeding facts also contradict other MORE accurate literature on pythons in some instances. I'll use the childrens python again for example... Walls says that this snake is hard to breed while another more accepted source on pythons by Barelett and Wagner state the exact opposite. This is another great source of more confusion.

   In conclusion this is a decent book to buy if youre looking for great pictures and SOME knowledge on pythons. The author is obviously not an expert on pythons or on biology. This book would make a great python encyclopedia(with some inaccuracies) but please don't use it for buying or taking care of pythons.




2. This book tries to describe most of the living pythons. I only miss certain subspecies. The author tells in a bright way the differences between the species. Also there is a clear way of telling general things like names of scales, scalecounting, describing the habitat and so forth. I've read the book with lots of pleasure and I 've used it several times to look after some details about PYTHONS. Jan Ramaker, Simonshaven, The Netherlands



3. This author does not go into detail about husbandry techniques to satisfy most herpers. He concentrates way too much on verbal description of the animals in the way of scale counts, etc. A very cursory examination of each python species and husbandry techniques. Jerry Walls doesn't even keep pythons, and the book lacks passion. It is a bit too clinical and dry for my taste. If you are interested in long verbal descriptions of the animals, which can easily be left out with a photo, then this book is for you. If you want a more personal and husbandry oriented read, then pass this one up.

5 comments about The Green Iguana Manual (Advanced Vivarium Systems).

1. I have not read this book, and if it actually suggests feeding animal protein, (meat), to your Iguana I wouldn't bother. It was written in the early 90's when sound Iguana dietary needs were still being re formulated.
   There's probably still allot of sound advice in the book, just weigh it with up to date information like Melissa Kaplan's Iguana's for dummies, or James Hatfield's Green Iguana The Ultimate Owner's Manual. Or check out the Green Iguana Society, on the net. It's free and there are hundreds of other Iguana keepers to talk to.



2. I do not recomend this book to any iguana owner. This book is by far the worst iguana book I have seen yet. The nutrition section is out of date. It says to feed your iguana meat!?!, and commercial iguana foods! Iguanas are strict herbivores and with this information, it can cause kidney failure! Im only 13 and i know better than to listen to this book, I honestly think you should turn to Green iguana, the ultimate owners manual, by James W. Hatfield for better results.
   With all do respect
   Eric Tortorici



3. This book is the most useful on the market for iguana owners both new and experienced. It presents information that is accurate, precise and complete. As a veterinarian board certified in nutrition and internal medicine, who has published on the growth of iguanas and on dietary protein and kidney function in mammals, I can vouch that the presentation of protein nutrition is up-to-date and correct (see Journal of Nutrition, 1998, and elsewhere). I agree with de Vosjoli's recommendations on diet and feeding. This book is a must read for all owners of the green iguana.



4. The Green Iguana Manual by Philippe De Vosjoli is often recommended by pet owners and veterinarians. However, the nutritional information is out of date. Animal protein in any amount is no longer recommended in iguana diets, including diets for juveniles. Following this manual for nutrition information could mean your iguana ends up with kidney and/or liver failure and a shortened lifespan. Please see the 1996 edition of Reptile Medicine and Surgery for iguana diet information.



5. Includes very detailed information on the environmental
   and dietary requirements of green iguanas in captivity.
   A must read for all iguana owners

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

5 comments about The Guide to Owning Piranhas.

1. Before I got my Piranha, I bought this book. This book helped me decide what size tank I would get, helped me with the chemical levels that would be an ideal home for the fish, I learned about what they like to eat, and mor
   
   In February, for mt 12th birthay, I got a Red-Bellied Piranha. This book has helped me mantain the tank and keep my fish alive. It is now December and my fish is still alive and is about 5 1/2 inches. The book is a must for any Piranha owner.



2. What a waste of money. You'd better of reading an article or an expert advise on the Internet than reading the entire book. Which adds to my frustration is the extra cost I encountered on shipping the book internationally.
   
   It has absolutely neither a meaningful new peace of information nor a serious know how.



3. i first got this book b4 i got the fish and found it to be most informative with good pictures and information contained threw out a good buy for any person wanting or thinking about keeping these fish... it is a book that is serious in the right places but not a real professional book like some that i have read



4. 64 pages Over 10 Section (What Are Piranhas? , Aquaria , Understanding Them , Feeding , The Setting Up , The Truth , Breeding , Species , Keeping Piranhas Happy and Healty) . The pictures are extra ordinary high quality , very easy to read .




5. Good information, excellent photos, easy to read. I was expecting a upto date discussion about breeding and information on feeding (other than gold fish). I was disappointed

4 comments about Clownfish and Sea Anemones (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals).

1. Having worked in pet stores for many years, I have dealt with lots of books. By far, my favorite are the Barron line of books. These books are not only informative, but are individual in themselves. Whereas with other books, they give you an overview of the animals at the beginning, Barron books give you the authors own experiences and learnings. "Clownfish and Sea Anemones" is a great book for the new marine aquarist who is first starting out, as these little fish and their symbiosis with anemones are usually their first introduction to saltwater aquariums. From setting up the tank, info on different variations in species, and disease info, this book is a wonderful intro to these amazing little fish and their lifemates, the anemones. For more information, read more books from John Tullock. This author will truly open the doors of this hobby to the knowledge starved aquarist.



2. Don't buy this book if you want to learn to care for your clownfish, or sea anemones. It is only marginally good at identification, and is sparse on content about selection, care, feeding, etc. The pictures/illustrations are pathetic, and it also has a bunch of "unnecessary" information about how to care for a marine aquarium. I didn't buy the book to learn how to take care of an aquarium. I bought the book to learn how to take care of clownfish and anemones. This book looks like a book that was published in 1973 and has been sitting on the shelf of your public library since then.



3. Generally, this is a book about introducing a novice to clownfishes. It provides a reasonable introduction to keeping and breeding clownfish, but the coverage of anemones is minimal (it is after all less than $10.00). In some cases, though, it oversimplifies their care (doesn't say anything about how to feed an anemone for example). If I bought this book, I definitely wouldn't think I had enough knowledge to purchase and keep an anemone. However, as far as keeping clown fish (which are quite hardy to begin with), its a good intro for the beginner.



4. The author of one of the best aquarium books (Natural Reef Aquariums) writes about everyone's favorite fish. What could possibly be better? Actually, the book is very limited in scope, and clearly produced down to a price. Brief sections classify anemonefish and the anemones, describe how to set up and maintain a tank, how to feed clownfish, which species to keep with clownfish, and some tips on breeding clownfish.
   
   Classification of both the anenomes and clownfish is covered better in the book 'Anemone Fishes and Their Host Sea Anemones'. The Care and Breeding of Clownfishes is covered better by Joyce Wilkerson in her book 'Clownfishes'. And the setup and maintenance of a tank is covered better by just about every acquarium book out there.
   
   That said, within the limits of the space and format of the book, the coverage is as good as could be expected. The book brings together sufficient information to get beginners started. The book will tell you How to, but not Why. If this is all you want to know (and if you local acquarium shop is good), then this book is probably all you need.

5 comments about The Guide to Owning Goldfish.

1. this book was very helpful. Easy to find what you need to know, good photos. Extremely practical for goldfish owners or wannabes



2. An overview of goldfish and their needs for beginners, Spencer Glass' slim volume is written in a relaxed and sometimes amusing style, and gives one some of the basics for keeping goldfish healthy and happy. Though not a thorough guidebook, it is better than some other books I've seen, and has enough information to get one going and not make mistakes that could harm or kill your fish. As he states in the introduction, "The purpose of this book is not to turn you into a goldfish expert," but give one a start, and as a primer, it is quite good.
   
   Mr. Glass briefly describes 1: Natural History, and how goldfish became goldfish. 2: Keeping Goldfish, with all the proper and necessary equipment. 3: Water Quality and "new tank syndrome." 4: Feeding, and the dangers of overfeeding. 5: Goldfish Diseases, and the dreaded Ichthyophthirius. 6: Pondkeeping, with 2 photos of huge koi. 7: Varieties of Goldfish, with many nice photos, and 8, a short half page on breeding, which of course, if you intended to do, would take a lot more information.
   
   Like many before me have, I started out foolishly buying a gallon-sized bowl, and placing 4 tiny comet goldfish in it. 3 of them almost immediately went to fish heaven, and the fourth stayed at the bottom of the bowl, hardly moving. With the help of this book and some internet surfing, I have learned a lot in a short time, and that one surviving goldfish is now twice the size, a delight to watch, in a good sized tank with proper water conditions, and with a pretty companion fantail. Goldfish are intelligent creatures, and can be lively, aesthetically pleasing additions to the family and home.



3. Waste of money-I would have rather spent my money on a lotto ticket; at least I would have had a chance in gaining something. Tells you nothing informative, and nothing useful, the pictures are even bad.



4. This book provides excelent information in a very easy to understand and entertaining ways to those who wants to start their hoby with goldfish.



5. Of what this guide to goldfish contains, it does a good job, but it is not thorough enough to be considered comprehensive. Examples of what the book discusses are natural history, equipment, filtration (including the important nitrogen cycle), water quality, feeding, diseases, and varieties of goldfish. There are brief sections on pondkeeping and breeding. The color photographs of the different types of goldfish are interesting. Surprisingly, this guide does not contain any information on the selection of live or artificial plants. Even though the information in this book is helpful, the lack of comprehensiveness is disappointing. Actually, I rate this guide 2.5 stars.

1 comments about The Guide to Owning a Tortoise.

1. It does not teach you how to take care of your tortoise, but it was very helpful for my kid school project.

No comments about Horned Frogs: Plus Budgett's Frogs (Herpetocultural Library).

2 comments about Dwarf Cichlids: Keeping & Breeding Them in Captivity.

1. I was very disappointed by this book. Vague and woolly. It didn't address the specifics needs for breeding Apistogrammas for example. Great pictures, but you can get great pictures free on the net. The quality of the photography is first rate and if you want a book just for browsing occasionally then its fine.



2. This book is beautiful. It has many wonderful pictures of the many varieties of dwarf cichlids, both New World and African. However, the lack of content makes it not very valuble for the advanced aquarian. It tells very little about the habitats needed by the different types of dwarf cichlids. It does not tell what tank size each type of cichlid needs, nor does it address the Ph and hardness needed by the various cichlids. The pictures, while clearly labeled, are not with the descriptions of the dwarf cichlids they show. While you can use this book to find pictures of dwarf cichlids that you may be interested in, you will have to go elsewhere to learn how to keep them in their optimal enviroment.