A Reptile Book Club

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A Reptile Book Club

Postby Uromastyx » Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:56 pm

I just want to know what you think about a "book club"?
Where we can ask about a book before we buy it or
share and have a discussion.
So is it a :smt023 or a :smt075 idea?
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Carpetpythons » Wed Sep 28, 2011 11:46 pm

Good idea. I have a massive library and will be more than willing to share my thoughts on publications.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Kev » Thu Sep 29, 2011 8:59 am

I'm also trying to find some good reptile books to read, it would be good to know what people think as books can be expensive now days.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Bushviper » Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:15 pm

Great idea. I hate buying a book and then finding out it is just a repeat of info I could get elsewhere.
It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Those who are afraid to ask are ashamed of learning.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Uromastyx » Thu Sep 29, 2011 9:49 pm

Bushviper wrote:Great idea. I hate buying a book and then finding out it is just a repeat of info I could get elsewhere.

This is why I asked for a book club. I live in the Karoo and have to order books just to have some info on hand.
So i do not have the luxury of going to a book store and have a look at what to buy and what to leave.This is what I have.
n volledige gids tot die slange van suider afrika ( Johan Marais )
A guide to reptiles of Southern africa ( Graham Alexander & Johan Marais )
Slange en slangbyte in suider afrika ( Johan Marais)
This one i`ve received on monday from amazon.com : Professional breeders series Anacondas ( Hans bisplinghof & henry bellosa)
It`s a good book but was a waste of money as I have done my research on anacondas before I bought her and there were nothing in there that I haven`t found on
the Internet.
Thanks for the comments. Now I know I am not alone on this. :lol:
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Fooble » Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:06 pm

It really depends what books you guys are after?
General keeping field guides or snake stories?
I have an extensive collection of Herp litreture exclusively Southern African with 6 or so Books on East ,west and Central Africa.

Then again ill buy anything Snake + African related. Oldest Book is dated 1932 F W Fitsmons/

Isemonger and Walter Rose have great titles although years out of print try get any of those and you won't regret it.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Kev » Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:20 pm

Well I'm always keen on any good reading but I am currently looking for some good books on indigenous reptile observations.(not that easy to find)
Any recommended titals I could look for in particular?
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Fooble » Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:37 pm

Kev wrote:Well I'm always keen on any good reading but I am currently looking for some good books on indigenous reptile observations.(not that easy to find)
Any recommended titals I could look for in particular?



Kev if you can bare a bit of old taxonomy "Snakes and Snake Catching in Southern Africa
Author: ISEMONGER R M" - 1955
is a GREAT read i learnt allot from it.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Kev » Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:49 pm

Thanks I'll see if I can get hold of it.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Carpetpythons » Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:22 pm

My book collection covers captive husbandry. That's after all what we do, we keep snakes! I will post some pics and contents of ones that I love.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Feederwarehouse » Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:47 pm

Just my 2cents worth, got a really good beginners book the other day called "Reptiles, Amphibians and Invertebrates. An Identification and Care Guide" second edition by Barrons publishers, it has 250 species listed in it. It's a great beginners book for me just getting into this as it has all the common animals that people on this forum keep with nice photo's, Trade Names, family and scientific names, identifying features, similar species, range and origin, adult size, life span, terrarium size and setup (doesn't include the actual heat settings unfortunately), social structure (if you can house multiples together), Diet, and potential problems and references.

It doesn't have venomous snakes but that isn't for a beginner but I have found it to be very useful to compare the various snakes and lizards that are available, it has bearded dragons, crested geckos, leopard geckos, chameleons, bull frogs, reed frogs, monitors, turtles, tarantula's, tortoises and the various boa species and corn and rat snakes to name a few.

For you experts out there this book would be a waste of time but for guys just getting into this I think it's great to get some basic knowledge of all the various animals available. It's not a field guide just a nice reference guide.
1.1.0 Corn snakes (Elaphe guttata)
2.0.1 Crested gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus)
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby kfc223 » Thu Oct 06, 2011 3:21 pm

I also bought that book!
Very insightful. Especially if you are a beginner or are trying to decide what you want and can care for. It was worth the price. Mine cost something like R160. Got it at CNA. Too bad it dose not include hots.

A book for every beginner.

Justin
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Kev » Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:52 pm

Fooble wrote:
Kev if you can bare a bit of old taxonomy "Snakes and Snake Catching in Southern Africa
Author: ISEMONGER R M" - 1955
is a GREAT read i learnt allot from it.


Hey got this book on Tuesday, so far I'm really enjoying it.
Thanks for the suggestion Fooble.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Fooble » Thu Oct 06, 2011 9:57 pm

GREAT! Where did you manage to source it from?
It really is a amazing book. Isemonger a true legend in Southern African herpetology.
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Re: A Reptile Book Club

Postby Kev » Thu Oct 06, 2011 10:47 pm

Google is awesome!
I found it through an international book site that has stock lists for a number of book stores, and it just so happens that the manager of the store which had the book, stays 2 blocks from my work and was kind enough to drop it off for me.

One thing I find interesting is they seemed to put permanganate of potash on snake bites... I wonder if it actualy helped?
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