Customer Reviews

Iguanas For Dummies

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Living in the Florida Keys we have dealt extensively with discarded Iguanas - perhaps 15 or more. People buy them, and get rid of them constantly - and down here, in the semi-tropics, they can survive (with difficulty)in the wild.
With all the iguana problems we have encountered good information is a necessity, & we have purchased many iguana books including Hatfield's "Green Iguana, the Ultimate Owners Guide" (a great book, but we still prefer Kaplan's "Iguanas for Dummies").
If you still want addtional technical data you can add "What's Wrong with My Iguana" by John Rossi M.A., D.V.M. and "Understanding Reptile Parasites" by Roger Klingenberg D.V.M.
Kaplan's book is based on research & a lot of personal experience. It is thorough, and her experience shows through - there are tidbits of information that have been useful to us that we have not found elsewhere. She has long maintained a caring website to help iguana owners and potential iguana buyers - not just to sell books. And the price of this book is reasonable.
By all means get a good book like Hatfield's or Kaplan's - preferably before you get an iguana. Even if the book talks you out of getting an ig for a pet it will be well worth the price. Proper care for an iguana involves a devoting a lot of time and spending a lot of money. The cost of the animal is nothing in comparison, and they are far more complex to care for than a dog, cat, or hamster. Judging from the number of abandoned iguanas in the Florida Keys a huge number of people do not bother to inform themselves and the animals suffer. It may not be entirely their fault. Many pet stores do not seem to offer the best books or accurate information - often they just want to sell a hapless reptile, and make a few bucks on inadequate (sometimes dangerous) supplies and food. They frequently give bad advice.
Whatever book you get you will still need to get a good experienced herp vet., and they are hard to find. Things go wrong with iguanas that are not covered with specificity in any of these books. We have been unfortunate enough to encounter some of them.

This book is an excellent resource for both novice and so-called expert Iguana owners. It would be especially useful for any prospective Iguana owner. Iguanas grow to be very big lizards in a relatively short period of time. They can be agressive, and territorial. There are many husbandry requirements thatthe local pet store will never tell you. In fact, if you follow most pet stores advice, you will end up with a dead Iguana. This book should help prevent this from happening.

The first chapter is regarding whether the Iguana is the right pet for you. It should be read before deciding on an Iguana as a pet. remember, these are not domesticated animals. There are also excellent chapters on housing, feeding, and socialization of Iguanas. Finally the book disproves much misinformation provided by older books, and disseminated by pet stores. For instance, many pet stores sugest feeding cat food to juvenile Iguanas. What they don't tell you is that while this results in a quick growing Iguana, it also results in an Iguana dying at about four years of age from kidney failure.

There is an excellent resource section in the appendix, with useful websites and references to manufacturers of various reptile products including cages, food, and heating systems.

This book should be required reading before the purchase of any Iguana.

This book is ok but does not offer all that is needed for these lizards . I would say if you want to know about iguanas get Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual it has much more information and is more informitive .

I first became acquainted with Melissa Kaplan through Loco for Lizards, a hilarious book about lizards' place in culture by Jim Cherry. She is interviewed in that book. Learning her personal story gave me a great deal of respect for her as a person and as a lizard expert. She knows her subject with absolutely through and through and writes in a way that easily and breezily conveys that knowledge. Highly recommended.

I found this book to be amazingly well-researched. If ever there was an author who knows her subject this is it. Writing simply without dumbing down she guides the reader through the stuff you really need to know. There's a fascinating interview with Melissa Kaplan in Loco for Lizards by Jim Cherry, a very funny book that's also very informative about lizard basics that incorporates a humorous appraach.

This book is just so wonderful.It has everything that you would ever need to know anything about green iguanas.It is also very organized,and up to date.

For years, internet users who had iguana questions turned to Melissa Kaplan for information. She gave honest, straightforward answers that were completely accurate. I'm delighted that she has decided to publish her trusted knowledge in print. This is the only iguana information book you'll ever need...

I was really impressed with this book! They really picked the right person to write it, too. It's probably the only iguana book (or reptile book, for that matter) that isn't dry as dust. This one is actually understandable! I'd been wanting to get an iguana, but after reading what it takes to take care of one, I had to reconsider. Any book that can do that without being negative or harsh sounding deserves ten stars, in my opinion. If everyone considering an iguana read this book, there'd be a lot less homeless iguanas around...

I have had an iguana for 6 years now and there is only one book that I have found informative and necessary. It is Hatfield's "Green Iguana". Kaplan's book is very cluttered and offers no real life information on how to care for your ig. Don't waste your money.

Melissa kaplan is a well known herp expert on the internet, and this book takes her onto the printed word. Offers step by step instructions, how to's, and do's and don't. This is a must have for any iguana owner, or anyone thinking about buying an iguana.