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Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies

Front Cover
1 Review
John Wiley & Sons, Apr 18, 2011 - Pets - 312 pages
Coexisting with a turtle or tortoise may not be a warm and fuzzy experience, but it definitely has its rewards. And with more than 250 species to choose from, you’re bound to find one that’s right for you. Looks-wise, they can range from very plain and unadorned to a brightly colored and embellished with every manner of crest, crown, spike, and dewlap. As for personality, you’d be amazed at how very different they can be, ranging from shy and withdrawn, to outgoing and friendly, to outright aggressive. And when it comes to longevity, well, let’s just say that when you commit to a turtle or tortoise, you’re in it for the long haul. For example, the standard American box turtle can live more than 125 years, a leopard tortoise has a life span of up to 100 years, and an aldabran tortoise can live to be more than 200 years old!

This fun guide will help you choose the perfect turtle or tortoise for your lifestyle and give it the care it needs to thrive. Turtle and tortoise expert Liz Palika provides cl ear, step-by-step instructions on how to:

  • Select the appropriate turtle or tortoise
  • Provide a suitable environment for your new pal
  • Care for a variety of chelonian (turtle and tortoise) species
  • Supply you pet with a satisfying and healthy diet
  • Create an indoor or outdoor home
  • Understand your turtle’s or tortoise’s special needs

Generously illustrated with line drawings and high-quality photographs, Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies covers all the bases. Topics covered include:

  • Deciding whether a turtle or tortoise is right for you
  • Choosing between a turtle and tortoise
  • Who’s Who of turtles and tortoises—a complete guide to dozens of species, where they’re from, what they’re like, and how they are as pets
  • Creating a safe and healthy environment for your pet
  • Recognizing and treating common health problems and finding a good veterinarian to help you care for your chelonian

Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies is your fun guide to selecting, caring for, and sharing your life with a chelonian.

  

What people are saying - Write a review

Review: Turtles & Tortoises for Dummies.

User Review  - Scot Quaranda - Goodreads

Nice beginners guide... my friend asked me to watch his turtle while he is away for a few months and gave me this as a reference. Think the trick with turtles is that there are so many different kinds ... Read full review

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Selected pages

Contents

Introduction
Conventions Used in This Book
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Welcome Home Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment
Color photo section
Part I
Chapter 1
Aldabran Tortoise Geochelone or Aldabrachelys gigantea
Chapter 12
Star Tortoise Geochelone elegans
Burmese Star Tortoise Geochelone platynota
Radiated Tortoise Geochelone asterochelys radiata
Geometric Tortoise Psammobates geometricus
Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis
Part III

Understanding Life in the Original Mobile Home
Treasuring the Unusual
Battling Extinction
Making a Difference by Preserving Turtles and Tortoises
Chapter 2
Growing Old Together
Managing Expenses
Making Sure That Your Significant Other Is on Board
Mixing Chelonians and Children
Recognizing That Chelonians Arent Soft and Fuzzy
Taking Time and Energy to Provide a Safe and Healthy Environment
Keeping in mind that housetraining and obedience training arent required
Steering clear of salmonella and other threats
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Chapter 3
Aquatic Terrestrial or Something in Between?
Terrestrial turtles
Tortoises
Diurnal or Nocturnal?
Introvert or Extrovert?
Younger or Older?
Same Species or Different?
Chapter 4
Wildcaught turtles and tortoises
Captivebred turtles and tortoises
Evaluating a Chelonians Health
Part II
Chapter 5
RedEared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans
Common Map Turtle Graptemys geographica
Mississippi Map Turtle Graptemys pseudogeographica
Striped Mud Turtle Kinosternon baurii
European Pond Terrapin Emys orbicularis
Smooth Softshell Turtle Trionyx muticus
Matamata Chelus fimbriatus
BigHeaded Turtle Platysternon megacephalum
Florida Cooter Pseudemys floridana
YellowHeaded Temple Turtle Hieremys annandalei
TwistNecked Turtle Platemys platycephala
Florida RedBellied Turtle Pseudemys nelsoni
Chapter 6
Bog Turtle Clemmys muhlenbergii
Blandings Turtle Emydoidea blandingii
Malayan Box Turtle Cuora amboinensis
RedBellied SideNecked Turtle Emydura subglobosa
Spiny Turtle Heosemys spinosa
African Helmeted Turtle Pelomedusa subrufa
South American and Central American Wood Turtle Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima and Rhinoclemmys punctularia
African Forest Turtle Pelusios gabonensis
Western Pond Turtle Clemmys marmorata
Malayan SnailEating Turtle Malayemys subtrijuga
Asian Yellow Pond Turtle Mauremys nigricans
Mediterranean Turtle Mauremys leprosa
Chapter 7
Wood Turtle Clemmys insculpta
Brown Wood Turtle Rhinoclemmys annulata
Furrowed Wood Turtle Rhinoclemmys areolata
Mexican Red Wood Turtle Rhinoclemmys rubida
Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys terrapin
Giant Asian Pond Turtle Heosemys grandis
Asian Leaf Turtle Cyclemys dentata
StripeNeck Leaf Turtle Cyclemys tcheponensis
Indochinese Box Turtle or Flowered Box Turtle Cuora galbinifrons
Chinese Box Turtle Cuora flavomarginata
Chinese ThreeStriped Box Turtle Cuora trifasciata
Chapter 8
Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina carolina
ThreeToed Box Turtle Terrapene carolina triunguis
Florida Box Turtle Terrapene carolina bauri
Gulf Coast Box Turtle Terrapene carolina major
Mexican Box Turtle Terrapene carolina mexicana
Coahuila Aquatic Box Turtle Terrapene coahuila
Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornata ornata
Nayarit Box Turtle or Spotted Box Turtle Terrapene nelsoni nelsoni
Klaubers Box Turtle Terrapene nelsoni klauberi
Chapter 9
Angulated Tortoise or Bowsprit Tortoise Chersina angulata
Russian or Horsfields Tortoise Testudo or Geochelone horsfieldi
Hermanns Tortoise Testudo hermanni
North African Tortoise or Moorish Tortoise Testudo graeca
Greek Tortoise Testudo graeca ibera
Chaco Tortoise Geochelone or Chelondoidis chilensis
Bells Hingeback Tortoise Kinixys belliana
Texas Tortoise Gopherus berlandieri
Chapter 10
Desert Tortoise or California Desert Tortoise Gopherus agassizii
Bolson Tortoise Gopherus flavomarginatus
RedFooted Tortoise Geochelone or Chelonoidis carbonaria
YellowFooted Tortoise or Forest Tortoise Geochelone or Chelonoidis denticulata
Burmese Black Tortoise and Burmese Brown Tortoise Manouria emys phayeri and emys emys
Marginated Tortoise Testudo marginata
Chapter 11
Galapagos Tortoise Geochelone or Chelonoidis elephantopus
Chapter 13
Making the House a Home
Creating a basking area
Making a land mass
Heating a turtle home
Finding hiding places
Making Sure You Dont Muddy the Waters
Chapter 14
Making it large enough
Preventing a great escape
Feeling the heat
Getting in on the ground floor
Making the Cage Easy to Clean
Chapter 15
Setting Up an Enclosure
Going Househunting
Knowing What Else the Enclosure Needs
Keeping It Clean
Chapter 16
Using Commercial Reptile Lights
Photo What? Understanding Photoperiods
Chapter 17
Optimum Temperatures
Evaluating Heating Sources
Chapter 18
Understanding Your Pets Water Needs
Monitoring Water Quality
Assessing the chemicals in your water
Water in the Air
Part IV
Chapter 19
The building blocks of good nutrition
Maintaining a balance
Clarifying What Herbivore Carnivore and Omnivore Mean
Whats a carnivore?
Whats an omnivore?
Using Commercial Reptile Foods
Feeding Your Turtle
Recognizing and Treating a Malnourished Turtle or Tortoise
Chapter 20
Preventing Illness
Maintaining a clean environment
Investigating Your Pets Anatomy
The eyes
The nose
The skin
The shell
Appetite
Weight
Toenails
Planning First Aid for Your Turtle or Tortoise
Knowing what to do in an emergency
Nursing Your Chelonian Back to Health
Chapter 21
Samespecies breeding
Assessing breeding stock
Prebreeding
Caring for a Gravid Pregnant Chelonian
How many eggs?
What temperature?
Caring for Hatchlings
Finding Homes for Your Babies
Chapter 22
Which Species Hibernate?
Should You Allow Your Turtle or Tortoise to Hibernate?
Caring for a Hibernating Turtle or Tortoise
Coming Out of Hibernation
Part V
Chapter 23
Gulf Coast Box Turtle Terrapene carolina major
Pancake Tortoise Malacochersus tornieri
Hermanns Tortoise Testudo hermanni
Chapter 24
Bog Turtle Clemmys muhlenbergii
Western Pond Turtle Clemmys marmorata
Desert Tortoise Gopherus agassizii
Chapter 25
Conduct Research Research and More Research
Recognize That Heat Is Healthy
Know Whats Normal
Chapter 26
Using GlassSided Tanks
Feeding the Wrong Foods
Being Unprepared for Emergencies
Getting Addicted
Appendix A
Chelonian Terms and Scientific Names
List of Scientific Names
Appendix B
Sources of Things Chelonian
Internet Suppliers
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies
Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies
Liz Palika
Limited preview - 2011

Common terms and phrases

80 percent humidity 86 degrees adult animals aquarium aquatic turtles basking area Box Turtle Terrapene cage or enclosure Captive environment captive-bred carapace carnivorous Chapter chelonians clean color commercial turtle food desert tortoises dry dog food earthworms eastern box turtle eggs are laid feed females fruits Geochelone or Chelonoidis Geochelone sulcata Geographical origin habitat Hatchlings heat heater herbivore hibernate inches in length insects keep laid per clutch leopard tortoise live male mealworms Native habitat nutrition omnivorous outdoor enclosure pancake tortoise pet store pet’s plastic plastron pond Provide a basking red-eared slider Red-footed tortoise reptiles Russian tortoises salmonella scutes semi-aquatic turtles shallow plant saucer skin snails soaked dry dog star tortoise sure tank temperature terrarium terrestrial turtles thicker tails tortoise Geochelone tortoise Gopherus Tortoise Testudo tortoises need turtle Clemmys turtle needs turtle or tortoise Turtle Terrapene carolina turtle’s or tortoise’s turtles and tortoises veterinarian vitamin wild Wood Turtle

About the author (2011)

Liz Palika is the author of over 20 pet care books. She lives with a variety of turtles and tortoises, including sulcata and leopard tortoises and Gulf Coast box turtles.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Turtles & Tortoises For Dummies
TitleTurtles & Tortoises For Dummies
--For dummies
AuthorLiz Palika
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons, 2011
ISBN1118069447, 9781118069448
Length312 pages
Subjects › 

Pets / Reptiles, Amphibians & Terrariums
  
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