Review by Kathy Lyon 
(Click on stars for an explanation) |
This is an excellent volume to have on hand for iguana owners. Some chapters on veterinary medicine might entice the owner to have a try at at-home diagnostics, but I think that a good client-veterinarian relationship could overcome this tendency.
The book begins with a rather extensive look into the ecology of the green iguana and how it is harvested and exploited in the wild. The studies into behavior are rather interesting and should help illuminate some points not discussed in previous books on iguanas.
With captive breeding being of increasing interest among laypersons, the sections on breeding and reproduction should be very helpful in promoting this pastime. The biggest problem seems to still be that of adequate nutrition, with metabolic bone disease being an ongoing concern. This would be an excellent book to recommend to pet stores and reptile dealers, in order to educate the new owners about nutrition early on. Nutrition and diet in the wild is covered and the book contains a list of plants eaten by the green iguana in the wild. It would take some research to identify these names and convert them into locally available plants in this country, but it could be done. A list of possible substitutions for the natural diet selections would have been a nice addition.
Topics covered include Husbandry and Management; Nutrition (wild and captivity); Clinical Evaluation and Diagnostic Techniques; Infectious and Noninfectious Diseases; Drugs, Dosages, and Chemotherapies; Anesthesia and Surgery; and Diagnostic Imaging.
There are several pages of excellent color photographs collected in one section of the book, plus many good radiographs shown in the diagnostic imaging chapter. There are numerous tables with important information distributed throughout the text. Each chapter is followed by an extensive list of references.
There are 18 contributors to this book, and their knowledge is evident. I would suggest this book for the student and clinician. It would be especially nice to keep on hand for that serious reptile client.
Krieger Publishing (2003).
Hardcover, 218 pages.
ISBN: 1-57524-065-3.