Customer Reviews

Venomous Snakes in Captivity: Safety and Husbandry

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read a million animal books--veterinary, reference, pharmacology and how to's up the yingyang. Many of them were interesting ---many informative--but I have never felt the urge to keep reading like this unless the book was fiction. As an avid reader of fiction as a young adult I can only compare my experience with this book---to those days.

I was an english major once upon a time---and I have read my share of stuff.

I REALLY like the style in which it was written. It's easy to understand without allowing the reader to feel bored for a moment or condicended to at all.

I don't keep hots, and yet I was able to follow along and really grasp what he was saying. He spells it out but not to the point of obsurdity. I feel reading books that spoon feed you bits of info is like watching paint dry.

Books that are so technical though can give your eyes a glassy look that I used to get in organic chemisty.

The details are wonderful---he seems to be covering everything imaginable--there are even pages and pages of emergency contacts in the back of the book...and the numbers are bright RED so you have no problem finding them.

His points----which are practical and at times even profound---keep you going and get you to turn the pages. His opinions are interesting---and I defy anyone not to learn something with each page you finish.

I really recommend this book to anyone who has hots---is remotely considering them---or even for those of us who have a side interest in them (from afar LOL).

You won't be disappointed

I have learned volumes about venomous snakes...I could sit here all day typing but instead, I would rather write about the very important thing I learned about myself.

I'm not ready for any venomous at this time.

Sounds pretty simple, but to me it was never more true then now---after finishing and digesting everything I have read in VSIC.

I used to believe it was because of the children, and that's an important factor, but child safelty aside--this book makes it painfully obvious there's more to keeping hots then a want or a desire.

As BW Smith points out, so many people will NEVER be ready, and those that do get there realize it's a LONG road, not a graduation or RIGHT of passage.

These beautiful, interesting --and dangerous-- animals, require years of study, observation and RESPECT. You don't get that from finishing this or any other book. Although BW states this at the start it wasn't until I finished it that I truly "got it".

I have a new found respect for venomous handlers who did it RIGHT...trained under the watchful eye of a great teacher instead of annointing himself somehow "ready" either a) because he owned a ball python for 10 years or b) because he decided to buy a huge collection in a matter of 5 years and crowned himself some sort of expert.

This is one book that will most likely become a staple read for anyone who keeps any type of snake--not just venomous ones. No matter who you are or where you are at on your journey, this publication is a valuable--and in my opinion---a necessary, step.

Great work.

This book has a ton of excellent information on venomous reptile care and handling. The only reason I rated it 4 out of 5 it's very overpriced for a paperback book. That was a disappointment. 80.00 for a paperback book with less than 200 pages ?