Customer Reviews

The Guide to Owning a Green Iguana

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

I wanted to give this book zero stars but it wouldn't let me! Here are some very bad items I found in this book. It is without a doubt the worst book I've ever seen on iguana care. The epidemic of bad information on iguana care is killing iguanas every day. Foods recommended that are not good for iguanas: lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, pineapples, boiled potatoes, broccoli, and "so on" as the author vaguely says. Plant:animal protein ratio of 4:1 when any smart iguana owner knows that it should always be 1:0! Pea sized gravel for substrate? No particulate substrates should ever be used. He recommends insects and tells how to catch them...when all animal (and insect) protein is deadly. The photos in this book show how bad it really is. I could quote several very bad things the author says about iguanas, but I'd rather just give a quote of my own, "Buy Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual by James Hatfield if you care about the health of your iguana!" If you see this book in a pet store, hide it before it kills another iguana.

I got this book before I got my first green iguana. I found it informative, useful and full of excellent pictures. As far as I knew, it was a great book. When I built by iguana habitat, I used much of the information the book gave. For a substrate, it suggested using gravel, particularly pea stones. I followed the advice and the habitat looked beautiful. Over the months my one iguana started going downhill. She started having little problems which I was able to treat. She had blood tests and numerous veterinarian visits (the bills added up). She then started bloating terribly after each feeding. I finally got an x-ray and it showed that she had ingested numerous rocks off the floor of her cage. She now needs surgery and I only hope that she makes it. I've now read in other books that gravel is one of the worst substrates you can use. Although the book was useful in a lot of ways, I worry about how many people are using gravel as a substrate because of the advice received from this book.END

I bought this book before I really knew about caring for iguanas. If I had known better, I would have saved my money. The nutritional information in not up-to-date, the substrate suggestions are ludicrous, and the book seems more dedicated to being one big ad for useless commercial reptile products than to helping iguana owner keep their pets happy and healthy. If you are serious about owning an iguana, buy Jame's hatfield's Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual or do some research on line.

The only thing about this book that I liked was the pictures. Besides that it was a waste of money. Thankfully I bought it used and only paid a few dollars. Save your money and buy something more useful.

THIS IS A WELL WRITTEN BOOK THAT CLEARLY EXPLAINS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IGUANAS. THERE ARE SO MANY BOOKS OUT THERE WITH MISINFORMATION ABOUT IGUANAS THAT IT CAN GET REAL CONFUSING. I HAVE FOUND THIS ONE TO HAVE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION FOR SUCCESSFULLY RAISING AN EXOTIC CREATURE SUCH AS THE IGUANA. IT COVERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INCLUDING DIET, HOUSING, BREEDING, DISEASES, AND INSIDER TIPS ON RAISING THIS UNUSUAL PET. THE PICTURES IN THE PUBLICATION ARE VERY EXCITING IN THAT IT DEPICTS GIANT IGUANAS AND SHOWS THIS PET IN ITS EXOTIC SLENDOR. MUCH MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE! THIS IS A MUST READ, MUST ABIDE BY, AND MUST KEEP BOOK