Building a herp library

I think everyone would agree that knowing as much as possible about your animals is a very important part of doing business. With that in I thought it might be interesting to see what books they have read, or at least referenced, that they think are particularly interesting, or informative. It can be any book, or magazine for that matter, species specific, or general. I'm just trying to get a feel for what you all read. I am also trying to find out good books to read on various topics. I am particularly interested in frog books (poison frogs in particular but also tree frogs), and milksnake books. Also If you have read any decent articles or magazines you can include those as well

I'll list a few of my favorites but I am at my store now and most of my books are at home so unfortunately I don't have the actual titles or authors of some of them in front of me. If anyone is interested I will get them.

I'll start by listing the "big red book" The Completly illustratted Atlas of Reptile and Amphibains for the Terrarium. Its information is a little dated but I still use it almost daily.

the two volume Reptile care series by Frye is pretty good as is the 3 volume set The biology, husbandry and health care of
reptiles although they seem a bit limited in scope (especially the later)

There's a book on Rhacodactylus geckos that is pretty good (black hardcover, pretty scientific)

A German book on terrarium animals (blue hardcover) is also verry good. Quite a few pictures, details on terrarium construction, decent info on arthropods.

The kingsnake and milksnake book by Markel (sp) is sort of my bible right now.

there are others, but these are a few to get started.

Steve Schindler

Interesting topic! I'm looking toward the future and hope to breed my snakes and raise babies. I have been seeking the best information possible and keep my eyes open for best reference material possible.

I've got a several basics but have found "The Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas" published by the Institure for Herpetological Research at Stanford to be an EXCELLENT book and has in depth information presented extremely well.

Another in my library and not for the faint of heart, but for my needs (frequent rescue of many types of wild born animals) in addition to my own pets is the "Exotic Animal Formulary" published by W.B. Saunders company and written by DVM's.
Want to know what pharmaceuticals are most appropriate and effective for your species? Proper dosage levels? It is a great reference book and covers medicines for fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, rodents, and even more. It's fully appendixed and just a real handy book.

and.... coming out this summer should be Greg Maxwells book on Green Tree Pythons.... It's not in my library yet, but it will be as soon as it's released!! LOL

I'm interested of learning of really good books on natural environments for our pets and how to keep both flora and fauna co-existing together in a good way.

Books???????? You mean someone who uses the internet actually reads books too, besides me! (LOL again and again)

There are more than a few that have interested me very much, and not all deal with herp care, some deal with herp collecting, others with herp lore.

The most recent book I have read, cover to cover, about snakes was the Snakebite Survivor's Club. A GREAT book about the author's fear of snakes, and his journey across five continents in an attempt to overcome it. His descriptions of: his encounters with snakes, with snake people and his stories about venomous snakebite are really very good. This was one heck of an entertaining book.

Now as for some others that deal more with Herp Care, Herp Collecting or natural history:

1. Ditmars, Raymond L. Snakes Of The World. The MacMillan Company, 1931 & 1944. (A classic! One of the first books I read in my local library, back in the 1960's, about snakes and it was already very old then.)

2. Ditmars, Raymond L. The Reptiles of North America. Doubleday & Company, New York. 1907 & 1936. (Another classic!)

3. Kaufeld, Carl. Snakes The Keeper And The Kept. 1969. reprinted by Krieger Publications, Malabar, FL. 1995. (The book that did the most to make me a passionate snake hunter and snake keeper/breeder. I got my copy at Fang & Claw on 14th Street in NYC. I owe a debt of thanks to the owner of that shop for selling me on this wonderful book; many of my life interests were shaped because I read this one.)

4. Behler, John L. & King, F. Wayne. The Audubon Society Field Guide To North American Reptiles & Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, NY. 1979. (A most valuable companion book when afield herping.)

5. Mattison, Chris. Keeping And Breeding Snakes. Blandford Press, London. 1988.

6. McEachern, Michael J. Keeping And Breeding Corn Snakes. Advanced vivarium Systems, Lakeside. 1991.

7. Ross, Richard A. & Marzec, Gerald. The Reproductive Husbandry Of Pythons And Boas. Institute For Herpetological Research, Stanford. 1990.

8. Gibbons, Whit. Their Blood Runs Cold. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa. 1983. (Good herp hunting stories and others.)

9. Masters, Charles O. Pond Life - A Field Guide To The Inhabitants Of Temporary Ponds. TFH Publications, Neptune City. 1968 (This was a great book for a 12-13 year old kid, and that was how old I was when it came out and when I first bought and read it.)

10. Schmidt & Davis, D. Dwight. Field Book Of Snakes Of The United States And Canada. Putnam Books, New York. 1941 (eighth printing). ( An old one but a good one; some neat observations on the stomach contents of captured snakes.)

11. Pinney, Roy. The Snake Book. Doubleday, Garden City. 1981. (Another great classic. I met Mr. Pinney some years ago when we were both members of the New York Herpetological Society, he attended a bunch of the meetings. A pretty nice regular guy.)

The even dozen maker is the one I mentioned above: The Snakebite Survivor's Club (A really nice read, except maybe for the parts about my namesake: Glenn. He was a little to weird and too much into rattlers.)

I have some other good ones too, but I'll be darned if I can find em right now. The small one, soft cover, about Parasites - indispensable - so where the heck is it hiding now!

As far as magazine articles go, those articles by Bartlett in reptiles about his field trips are usually pretty good reading.

Lots of good reading to keep you involved for many months!

Best regards,
Glenn B